YANGON, July 28, 2023 (AFP) – Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was ousted in a 2021 military coup, has been moved from prison to a government building, an official from her party said Friday. Suu Kyi has only been seen once since she was held after the February 1, 2021 putsch — in grainy state media photos from a bare courtroom in the military-built capital Naypyidaw. The coup plunged the Southeast Asian […]
Tag: democracy
US sanctions Russia for crisis in Ukraine
by Frankie TAGGART Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced tough new sanctions against Russia for “beginning” an invasion of Ukraine but said there was still time to avoid war, even as Vladimir Putin signaled plans to send troops beyond Russia’s borders. Japan and Australia followed suit early Wednesday with their own stringent penalties for Moscow and individuals connected with the aggression against Ukraine, with Australian […]
China brands US democracy ‘weapon of mass destruction’ following US-organized Summit for Democracy
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China branded US democracy a “weapon of mass destruction” on Saturday, following the US-organised Summit for Democracy which aimed to shore up like-minded allies in the face of autocratic regimes. China was left out of the two-day virtual summit — along with countries including Russia and Hungary — and responded by angrily accusing US President Joe Biden of stoking Cold War-era ideological divides. “‘Democracy’ has long become a ‘weapon of […]
Biden convenes more than 100 nations for world ‘democracy’ summit
by Sebastian Smith WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Joe Biden, who took office amid the biggest US political crisis in decades, hosts representatives of more than 100 countries for a democracy summit Thursday that is drawing fire from China and Russia. The event, held by video link because of the coronavirus pandemic, is billed by the White House as US leadership in an existential struggle between democracies and powerful autocracies or dictatorships. “Make no […]
Pres. Duterte accepts US Pres. Biden’s invitation to attend 2-day “Summit for Democracy”
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the invitation of US President Joe Biden to attend the two-day “Summit for Democracy” set to happen on Thursday and Friday, December 9 to 10, hosted by the United States. Duterte will join other world leaders “to share the Philippine democratic experience and commitment to democratic values and nation-building during his attendance to the summit,” a statement from Malacanang said. The summit has three key themes: Defending […]
Taiwan blasts ‘self-defeating’ China jet incursions
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan blasted China’s fighter jet incursions as “self-defeating” on Wednesday as 15 more of Beijing’s planes crossed into the island’s air defence zone. Taipei’s defence ministry said it scrambled aircraft to broadcast warning messages to the latest incursion, which included 12 Chinese fighters. China has ramped up the use of such drills to record levels over the past year as a way to pile pressure on self-ruled Taiwan which it regards […]
OPINION: Did the ASEAN enable the Myanmar situation?
By Dr. Ma. Angela Leonor Aguinaldo Contributor/columnist The military officials in Myanmar remain unperturbed. Despite the local demonstrations against the military coup, the pleas from its neighboring countries, as well as the international response and impending sanctions from countries and regional organizations such as the United States and the European Union for the numerous violations of human rights, the end to the military coup in Myanmar remains out of sight. Instead, the Myanmar military […]
Thai police fire rubber bullets at protesters outside PM’s residence
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Thai police shot rubber bullets and used water cannon and tear gas against pro-democracy protesters in Bangkok Sunday at a rally outside a military barracks housing the prime minister’s residence. A youth-led protest movement calling for the resignation of Prayut Chan-O-Cha’s government had lost steam in recent months following a second wave of coronavirus infections in Thailand. But the recent detention of four prominent protest leaders on royal defamation charges has […]
Anger and confusion in Myanmar as coup sweeps away democratic hopes
YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — There was panic-buying of food, military roadblocks in the capital Naypyidaw and a triumphant pro-army rally in Yangon in the hours after a coup in Myanmar. But there was also quiet anger simmering among those whose hopes for the country’s democratic future have been stolen. “It’s extremely upsetting — I don’t want the coup,” said a 64-year-old Burmese man in Hlaing township, standing with a crowd outside a grocery stall. […]
“Unprecedented:” How Trump supporters breached security and raged inside US Capitol
(Editor’s note) These photos as taken by Agence France Presse, mostly by AFP photographer Saul Loeb, showed just how supporters of outgoing US President Donald Trump descended on the US capitol on January 6, 2021, breached security and “desecrated” the halls of US Congress, something that had never happened before. These scenes shocked the world, and rocked to the core America’s soul. Below is a story by Agence France Presse on how this day happened, […]
World leaders condemn ‘assault on democracy’ at US Capitol
by Agence France Presse World leaders and governments have expressed shock and outrage at the storming of the US Capitol in Washington by supporters of President Donald Trump. – Germany – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she was “furious and saddened” by the events and said Trump shared blame for the unrest. “I deeply regret that President Trump has not conceded his defeat, since November and again yesterday,” she said. – Britain – […]
Democracy Talks in Manila—The Role of Youth Voices in Democracy
by Alexandra Megia Eagle News QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Democracy. From the Greek word dēmokratiā, which was coined from dēmos (“people”) and kratos (“rule”)— A governing political system which literally translates to “rule by the people.” Popularized by Greek city-state Athens in 500 BCE, many countries today, practice this form of governing system—including the Philippines. Whatever your political stance may be, democracy hinges on the idea that the people will govern themselves. Educate […]





