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world news Diamars 26 Juli 2022

EU struggles with how to cut off its reliance on Russian gas

(AP) — European Union nations that could add a big chill to the up-
struggled Monday to find com- coming winter, leaving nations like
mon ground on how to wean the economic juggernaut Germany es-
bloc off its reliance on Russian pecially exposed. But some other EU
natural gas, seeking to appease countries, like Spain and Portugal,
wary, stressed consumers at home which have little dependence on Rus-
while upholding unity as Moscow sian gas, do not want to force such a
turns down the tap. major cut on their people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has Russia has cut off or reduced gas to a
weaponized gas exports to pressure dozen EU countries so far. On Mon-
the bloc into reducing its sanctions day, it said it will slash flows this week
over the war in Ukraine or to push through a major pipeline to Germany
other political aims. by another half, to 20% of capacity.
The Nord Stream 1 pipeline reduc-
On the eve of an emergency meet- tions further endanger goals to fill
ing to discuss plans to cut EU gas use European gas storage tanks for winter
15% over the coming months, en- as envoys haggled over EU plans.
voys on Monday were still brokering
a possible compromise that should It was what European Commission
keep all 27 nations in line by Tuesday President Ursula von der Leyen had
night. seen coming when she announced
the plan. She is convinced that Putin
“This a still a work in progress,” said will cut off natural gas exports to try
a senior diplomat who asked not to be to wreak economic and political hav- Eric Mamer. “This development vali- been working nonstop on the divisive
identified because the talks were still oc in Europe this winter. dates our analysis. We therefore hope issue and had sought to clip the pow-
ongoing. that the Council will adopt an appro- ers of the executive European Com-
“This is exactly the sort of scenario priate response” on Tuesday. mission, which under its plan, could
The bloc is bracing for a possible full the president was referring to last sidestep member countries to impose
Russian cutoff of natural gas supplies week,” said Commission spokesman The diplomat said ambassadors had such reductions.

Myanmar executes ex-lawmaker, 3 other political prisoners

(AP) — Myanmar’s gov- cruel and regressive step.” Myanmar after the military Myanmar’s military, Foreign bars for political activism be-
ernment confirmed Mon- She added: “For the military seized power in February Ministry spokesman Zhao fore his arrest in Yangon last
day it had carried out its to widen its killing will only 2021, rejected the allegations Lijian refused to comment on October. He had been put on
first executions in nearly deepen its entanglement in the men were involved in the executions, saying Beijing a wanted list for social media
50 years, hanging a former the crisis it has itself created.” violence. “always upholds the principle postings that allegedly incited
lawmaker, a democracy of non-interference in other unrest, and state media said
activist and two other po- According to the newspaper, “Punishing them with death countries’ internal affairs.” he was accused of terrorist
litical prisoners who had the four were executed “in is a way to rule the public acts including mine attacks
been accused of a targeted accordance with legal proce- through fear,” he told The Phyo Zeya Thaw, 41, was ar- and of heading a group called
killing after the country’s dures” for directing and orga- Associated Press. rested last November based Moon Light Operation to
military takeover last year. nizing “violent and inhuman on information from people carry out urban guerrilla at-
accomplice acts of terrorist Among those executed was detained for shooting secu- tacks.
The executions, first an- killings.” It did not say when Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former rity personnel, state media
nounced in the state-run they were hanged. lawmaker from ousted leader said at the time. He was also The other two, Hla Myo
Mirror Daily newspaper, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National accused of being a key figure Aung and Aung Thura Zaw,
were carried out despite The military government League for Democracy party. in a network that carried out were convicted of tortur-
worldwide pleas for clemen- later issued a brief statement Also known as Maung Kyaw, what the military described ing and killing a woman in
cy for the four men, includ- about the executions, while he was convicted in January as terrorist attacks in Yangon, March 2021 who they alleg-
ing from United Nations ex- the prison where the men by a closed military court of the country’s biggest city. edly believed was a military
perts and Cambodia, which had been held and the prison offenses involving possession informer.
holds the rotating chairman- department refused com- of explosives, bombings and Phyo Zeya Thaw had been
ship of the Association of ment. financing terrorism. a hip-hop musician before Elaine Pearson, acting Asia
Southeast Asian Nations. becoming a member of the director of Human Rights
Aung Myo Min, human His wife, Thazin Nyunt Generation Wave political Watch, said the legal proceed-
There were swift condem- rights minister for the Na- Aung, told the AP the world movement formed in 2007. ings against the four had been
nations. U.N. human rights tional Unity Government, needs to hold the military ac- He was jailed in 2008 under “grossly unjust and politically
chief Michelle Bachelet said a shadow civilian adminis- countable for the executions. a previous military govern- motivated military trials.”
she was dismayed by “this tration established outside “They have to pay,” she said. ment after being accused of
illegal association and posses- “The junta’s barbarity and
The U.S. Embassy in Myan- sion of foreign currency. callous disregard for human
mar said it mourned the loss life aims to chill the anti-
of the four men and offered Also executed was Kyaw Min coup protest movement,” she
condolences to their families Yu, a 53-year-old democ- said following the announce-
while decrying the decision racy activist better known ment of the executions.
to execute them. as Ko Jimmy, for violating
the counterterrorism law. Thomas Andrews, an inde-
“We condemn the military He was one of the leaders of pendent U.N.-appointed
regime’s execution of pro-de- the 88 Generation Students expert on human rights who
mocracy leaders and elected Group, veterans of a failed had condemned the deci-
officials for exercising their 1988 popular uprising against sion to go ahead with the
fundamental freedoms,” the military rule. executions when they were
embassy said. announced in June, called
He already had spent more for a strong international re-
In China, a longtime ally of than a dozen years behind sponse.