Pakistan: former premier Imran Khan acquitted of one charge

Today's news: A Malaysian chip manufacturer is accused of supplying Russia; Japan will replace cedar trees with trees that produce less pollen; In Myanmar, the army bombed a wedding ceremony; Volcanoes erupt ash in the Philippines and Indonesia; Kazakhstan removes the Taliban from the list of terrorist organisations.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was acquitted of the charge of leaking state secrets - for which he was sentenced to 10 years in January - but will remain in prison to serve his sentence in another case. The 71-year-old former cricket star was charged with bribery along with his third wife, Bushra, and their marriage was ruled illegal and un-Islamic because it took place too long after her divorce.

MALAYSIA

Malaysian semiconductor manufacturer Jatronics is among about 300 companies on which Washington has imposed sanctions for alleged links to Russian military suppliers. The Kuala Lumpur-based company is accused of shipping electronic parts and components Moscow needs to Russia to support the conflict, although US officials added that they have no certainty that Malaysian microchips are used in Russian military equipment.

JAPAN

Japan has decided to speed up the removal of cedar forests to replace them with trees that produce less pollen to reduce spring allergies, which are estimated to affect about 40% of the population. Japan aims to reduce the area of cedar forests by 20% by 2033. Most of the trees were planted to meet the demand for wood for real estate production after World War II.  

MYANMAR

At least 27 civilians, including three children, were killed by a military junta bombing, which hit a wedding ceremony in Mingin municipality, Sagaing region. Over 30 people were also injured. The Mingin area is a stronghold of resistance groups: many young people have left their villages to join the People's Defence Forces.

PHILIPPINES - INDONESIA

In both the Philippines and Indonesia, two volcanoes, Mount Kanlaon and Mount Ibu, erupted ash, but without causing the evacuation of residents. Local authorities have explained that magmatic movements have increased and are monitoring the situation.

KAZAKHSTAN - AFGHANISTAN

The President of Kazakhstan, Kasym-Žomart Tokaev, said that the Taliban regime had been taken off the list of terrorist organisations, so that Kabul could be involved in economic and trade cooperation in the region and in international relations, which is a ‘strategic task’ for peace and security.

RUSSIA - CHINA

To Russia's pressing demands to China to agree on the construction of the new ‘Siberia Force-2’ gas pipeline, the Chinese respond by demanding that gas supplies be sold at the Russian domestic market price, which they enjoy from state subsidies, which Moscow considers unjustified compared to current costs and quantities.

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