SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's wife, Ri Sol Ju, appeared in state media for the first time in more than a year on Wednesday (Feb 17), joining her husband at a concert on one of the country's biggest holidays.
The official ruling Worker's Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun released photos of the pair at the event to mark the birthday of Kim's late father and former leader Kim Jong Il.
Ri had often accompanied Kim to major public events, but had not been seen since January last year at an event for the Lunar New Year holiday, stoking speculation over her health and potential pregnancy.
Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju watch a performance that commemorated the Day of the Shining Star, at the Mansudae Art Theatre in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this undated photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on Feb 17, 2021. (Photo: KCNA via Reuters)
South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers on Tuesday that Ri appeared to have refrained from outside activities to head off coronavirus infections but was "playing well with their kids".
The NIS believes Ri and Kim have three children. Little is publicly known about the trio.
North Korea has not confirmed any COVID-19 cases, but the NIS has said an outbreak could not be ruled out as the country had active exchanges with China, where the virus first emerged, before closing the border early last year.
Ri and Kim smiled as they watched the concert at Mansudae Art Theatre in the capital of Pyongyang. Unlike several previous events, nobody in the photographs published by Rodong Sinmun was wearing a mask or maintaining social distancing measures.
The newspaper also reported that Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which houses the embalmed bodies of his father and grandfather, to lay wreaths for the anniversary, called the Day of the Shining Star.
YANGON: The UN special envoy on Myanmar has warned of the potential for an escalation of violence in the country on Wednesday (Feb 17), as anti-coup protesters are expected to face off once again with the military.
The warning comes after deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was slapped with a second charge on Tuesday - and the UN rapporteur hinted she may have even secretly been put on trial.
Myanmar was plunged into an Internet blackout for the third night running, Britain-based monitoring group NetBlocks said, as the generals try to wear down the anti-coup uprising.
In the two weeks since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and put her under house arrest in the administrative capital Naypyidaw, big cities and isolated village communities alike have been in open revolt.
But Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, said he was worried the situation was spiralling out of control.
"I fear that Wednesday has the potential for violence on a greater scale in Myanmar than we have seen since the illegal takeover of the government on February 1," Andrews said in a statement.
He said he had "received reports of soldiers being transported into at least Yangon from outlying regions".
"In the past, such troop movements preceded killings, disappearances, and detentions on a mass scale," he said.
"I am terrified that given the confluence of these two developments - planned mass protests and troops converging - we could be on the precipice of the military committing even greater crimes against the people of Myanmar."
NEW CHARGE
The military justified its power seizure by alleging widespread voter fraud in November elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi's party.
After her detention in a dawn raid on Feb 1 - the day of the coup - Aung San Suu Kyi was charged under an obscure import and export law, over walkie talkies that were found in her home.
The Nobel laureate's lawyer told AFP on Tuesday she had been hit with a second charge, of violating the country's disaster management law.
"She was charged under section 8 of the Export and Import law and section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management law as well," Khin Maung Zaw told AFP.
While it was unclear how the disaster law applied in Aung San Suu Kyi's case, it has been used against deposed president Win Myint - also arrested on Feb 1 - relating to a campaign event that the military government alleges broke coronavirus-related restrictions.
Khin Maung Zaw added that Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint, both of whom he has yet to have any contact with, were expected to appear via video conference during a Mar 1 trial.
But Andrews said he had "word that a secretive trial" of Aung San Suu Kyi and deposed president Win Myint had begun this week, without offering more details.
Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said on Tuesday that both Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint were in a "safer place" and "in good health".
"It's not like they were arrested - they are staying at their houses," the general, who became the country's vice-minister of information after the coup, told a press conference.
The United States and Britain condemned the new charge against Aung San Suu Kyi, and renewed demands for her release.
More than 420 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a list of confirmed detentions from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group.
'THEY WANT TO DO BAD THINGS'
Security forces have used increasingly heavy measures to quell huge nationwide street protests and a disobedience campaign encouraging civil servants to strike.
Troops have fanned out around the country in recent days.
Rubber bullets, tear gas and even sling shots have been used against protesters.
Buddhist monks march during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)
"They shut down the internet because they want to do bad things," Win Tun, a 44-year-old who lives in the commercial capital Yangon, said Tuesday.
Undeterred, crowds returned to the streets of Yangon and around the country on Tuesday.
"I want more people to join the protests, we don't want to be seen as weak," said university student Thwe Ei Sann.
A large crowd blocked railway tracks outside Mawlamyine to prevent a Yangon-bound train from leaving the port city.
Many of the country's train drivers have joined the anti-coup work boycotts, frustrating junta efforts to restart the national railway network after a COVID-19 shutdown.
'NOT WHAT CHINA WANTS TO SEE'
The United States and Britain were not alone in their condemnation of the leaders of Myanmar's new military administration, which insists it took power lawfully.
So far, only Washington has announced targeted sanctions against the generals, calling on them to relinquish power.
Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said that "sanctions are expected", and that the regime would continue to "maintain friendly relations" with the international community.
YANGON: Myanmar's military on Wednesday (Feb 17) drew fresh international criticism by slapping a new charge on deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as the generals cut off the internet for a third straight night in a bid to grind down an anti-coup uprising.
In the two weeks since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and put her under house arrest in the administrative capital Naypyidaw, big cities and isolated village communities alike have been in open revolt.
The military justified its power seizure by alleging widespread voter fraud in November elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi's party.
After her detention in a dawn raid on Feb 1 - the day of the coup - she was charged under an obscure import and export law, over walkie talkies that were found in her home during a search.
The Nobel laureate's lawyer told AFP Tuesday she had been hit with a second charge, of violating the country's disaster management law.
"She was charged under section 8 of the Export and Import law and section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management law as well," Khin Maung Zaw told AFP.
While it was unclear how the disaster law applied in Aung San Suu Kyi's case, it has been used against deposed president Win Myint - also arrested on Feb 1 - relating to a campaign event that the junta alleges broke coronavirus-related restrictions.
Khin Maung Zaw added that Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint, both of whom he has yet to have any contact with, were expected to appear via video conference during a Mar 1 trial.
The United States said it was "disturbed" by the news, and renewed demands for Aung San Suu Kyi's release.
"We call on the Burmese military to immediately release all unjustly detained civilian and political leaders, journalists and human rights activists and other members of civil society as well as to restore the democratically elected government," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also voiced his condemnation, calling the charges against Aung San Suu Kyi "fabricated" and a "clear violation of her human rights".
"We stand with the people of Myanmar and will ensure those responsible for this coup are held to account," he tweeted.
More than 420 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a list of confirmed detentions from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group.
Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said Tuesday that both Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint were in a "safer place" and "in good health".
"It's not like they were arrested - they are staying at their houses," the general, who became the country's vice-minister of information after the coup, told a press conference.
'THEY WANT TO DO BAD THINGS'
Security forces have used increasingly heavy measures to quell huge nationwide street protests and a disobedience campaign encouraging civil servants to strike.
Troops have fanned out around the country in recent days.
Rubber bullets, tear gas and even sling shots have been used against protesters, and one demonstration in Mandalay on Monday saw police beating journalists hours before authorities again cut internet access.
Buddhist monks march during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)
"They shut down the internet because they want to do bad things," Win Tun, a 44-year-old who lives in the commercial capital Yangon, said Tuesday.
"We didn't sleep the whole night so we could see what would happen."
Undeterred, crowds returned to the streets of Yangon and around the country on Tuesday.
"I want more people to join the protests, we don't want to be seen as weak," said university student Thwe Ei Sann.
A large crowd blocked railway tracks outside Mawlamyine to prevent a Yangon-bound train from leaving the port city.
Many of the country's train drivers have joined the anti-coup work boycotts, frustrating junta efforts to restart the national railway network after a COVID-19 shutdown.
Early Wednesday, Britain-based monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed that Myanmar was once again experiencing a "near-total internet shutdown".
'NOT WHAT CHINA WANTS TO SEE'
The United States and Britain were not alone in their condemnation of the leaders of Myanmar's new military administration, which insists it took power lawfully.
He added that Beijing had good relations with Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party.
So far, only Washington has announced targeted sanctions against the generals, calling on them to relinquish power.
Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said that "sanctions are expected", and that the regime would continue to "maintain friendly relations" with the international community.
UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener spoke to junta number two Soe Win on Monday and warned him that the regime's network blackouts "undermine core democratic principles", according to a spokesman.
People enjoy themselves on a reopened beach in Tel Aviv, Israel, on February 13, 2021. Xinhua/Muammar Awad via Getty Images
The Israeli Cabinet has approved a further loosening of the restrictions on economic activity as coronavirus infection rates continue its gradual downward trend.
From Sunday, shopping malls, markets, museums, and libraries will re-open to everyone. But Israelis will need to show proof they have been vaccinated, or have recovered from the disease, to gain access to gyms, sports, cultural venues and hotels, all of which have also received permission to re-open.
Schools will also be allowed to welcome back more students.
The number of new cases of Covid-19 stood at 5,138 on Monday -- by comparison, the figure two weeks ago stood at 8,909.
Israel has been making rapid progress in its vaccination program and is on track to be the first country in the world to inoculate its entire population, of about 9 million people.
Health Ministry data suggests more than 4 million people in Israel will have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of Tuesday, with more than 2.6 million people having received a second dose as well.
BEIJING: The military coup and unrest in Myanmar are "absolutely not what China wants to see", the Chinese ambassador to the Southeast Asian country said in remarks published on Tuesday (Feb 16).
Envoy Chen Hai's comments come as anti-coup protests escalate in Myanmar and the military steps up efforts to stifle opposition, with hundreds arrested since the seizure of power on Feb 1.
"We noticed Myanmar's domestic dispute regarding the election for some time, but we were not informed in advance of the political change," Chen said in comments released on the website of the Chinese embassy in Myanmar.
Traditional allies of Myanmar's armed forces such as China and Russia had previously pushed back against international outcry over the coup, calling it interference in the country's "internal affairs".
Chinese state media earlier described the putsch and detention of de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi as "a major Cabinet reshuffle", rolling out euphemisms to avoid labelling the situation a coup.
But in remarks published Tuesday, Chen said: "The current development in Myanmar is absolutely not what China wants to see."
He added that China hopes all parties can handle differences properly, maintaining political and social stability.
Chen said the UN Security Council's recent press statement calling for reconciliation and the immediate release of all those detained "reflects the common position of the international community, including China".
The military has justified its power seizure by alleging widespread voter fraud in November elections that Aung San Suu Kyi's party won.
In the two weeks since the generals ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and put the civilian leader under house arrest in the administrative capital Naypyidaw, big cities and isolated village communities alike have been in open revolt.
YANGON: Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi was hit with another charge on Tuesday (Feb 16), after the military imposed a second straight overnight Internet shutdown in an attempt to grind down an anti-coup uprising.
In the two weeks since the generals ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and put the civilian leader under house arrest in the administrative capital Naypyidaw, big cities and isolated village communities alike have been in open revolt.
The military justified its power seizure by alleging widespread voter fraud in November elections that Aung San Suu Kyi's party won.
After her detention in a dawn raid on Feb 1 - the day of the coup - she was charged under an obscure import and export law, over walkie-talkies that were found in her home during a search.
The Nobel laureate's lawyer told AFP on Tuesday she had been hit with a second charge, of violating the country's disaster management law.
"She was charged under section eight of the Export and Import Law and section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law as well," Khin Maung Zaw told AFP.
While it was unclear how the disaster law applied in Aung San Suu Kyi's case, it has been used against deposed president Win Myint - also arrested on Feb 1 - relating to a campaign event that the junta alleges broke COVID-19-related restrictions.
Khin Maung Zaw added that Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint, both of whom he has yet to have any contact with, were expected to appear via video conference during a Mar 1 trial.
Demonstrators display pictures of detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay on Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)
Both defendants were in a "safer place" and "in good health", according to military spokesman Zaw Min Tun.
"It's not like they were arrested - they are staying at their houses," the general, who became the country's vice-minister of information after the coup, said during a press conference on Tuesday.
More than 420 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a list of confirmed detentions from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group. There are numerous unconfirmed reports of other arrests.
Security forces have used increasing force to quell huge nationwide street protests and a disobedience campaign encouraging civil servants to strike.
Troops have fanned out around the country in recent days.
They fired rubber bullets to disperse one rally in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, hours before authorities again cut Internet access.
"They shut down the Internet because they want to do bad things," said 44-year-old Win Tun, a resident of commercial capital Yangon.
"We didn't sleep the whole night so we could see what would happen."
The Internet blackout came after another day of protests in Yangon and Mandalay, where police used slingshots against protesters and fired rubber bullets into the crowd. At least six were injured in the clashes.
Buddhist monks and nuns display pictures of detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay on Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. (Photo: AP)
Crowds returned to the streets of Yangon and around the country on Tuesday morning.
"I want more people to join the protests, we don't want to be seen as weak," said university student Thwe Ei Sann.
A large crowd blocked railway tracks outside Mawlamyine to prevent a Yangon-bound train from leaving the port city.
Many of the country's train drivers have joined the anti-coup work boycotts, frustrating junta efforts to restart the national railway network after a COVID-19 shutdown.
Yangon residents at the weekend used tree trunks to block police vehicles sent to take striking rail workers back to their stations.
The international community has unleashed a torrent of condemnation against the leaders of Myanmar's new military administration, which insists it took power lawfully.
United Nations Special Envoy Christine Schraner Burgener spoke to junta No 2 Soe Win on Monday and warned him that the regime's network blackouts "undermine core democratic principles", according to a spokesman.
State media reported the following day that the general had discussed "security measures" with the envoy, along with the regime's COVID-19 vaccination roll-out and economic recovery plans.
UN special rapporteur Tom Andrews told AFP on Monday that he did not expect Aung San Suu Kyi's court hearing to be fair.
"There's nothing fair about the junta. This is theatre. It's just theatre," Andrews said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia announced on Tuesday (Feb 16) that the movement control order (MCO) will be extended for the states of Selangor, Johor and Penang as well as the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur until Mar 4.
Meanwhile, it will relax the COVID-19 restrictions for most areas of the country, with the conditional movement control order (CMCO) reinstated for Kedah, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan, Melaka, Pahang and Sabah as well as the federal territories of Putrajaya and Labuan.
The northern state of Perlis will be placed under recovery movement control order (RMCO), said Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a press conference.
These will be implemented from Feb 19 until Mar 4.
Mr Ismail Sabri, who is also Defence Minister, said people are now permitted to travel more than 10km from their homes, even in areas under MCO.
However, interstate and inter-district travel are still not allowed, he said.
Speaking during the press conference, Mr Ismail Sabri urged Malaysian residents to adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curb the spread of COVID-19, even though restrictions will be eased in some locations.
"We don't want to have more new cases when RMCO and CMCO are implemented. We need to flatten the curve together and ease the pressure on healthcare. Breaking the chain of infection is so important. Avoid leaving home unless necessary," he added.
Earlier this year, all states in the country except Sarawak were placed under MCO until Feb 18 in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Sarawak was subsequently placed under CMCO from Feb 15 to Mar 1.
When Malaysia was first placed under the MCO in March last year, almost all economic activities ceased, except for essential services such as food and beverage outlets and pharmacies.
The lockdown saw the country reduce its COVID-19 cases to single digits in the first half of 2020. MCO was replaced by CMCO and recovery movement control order (RMCO), while localised restrictions were introduced in areas with a spike in cases.
In contrast, this current MCO, dubbed "MCO 2.0", has allowed more economic sectors to continue functioning, such as the automotive sector and retailers like gold and jewellery shops.
Since MCO 2.0 was enforced in January, Malaysia has continued to battle a sharp spike in infections and has consistently reported four-digit daily increases in COVID-19 cases.
On Monday, Malaysia recorded 2,176 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest number of daily infections recorded in the past 30 days.
So far, Malaysia has reported a cumulative tally of 266,445 infections and 975 deaths.
There are currently 47,135 active cases, with 260 patients in intensive care and 112 people requiring ventilator support.
