CAMBODIA
Opposition figure jailed
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday jailed a senior opposition figure for three years over a social media post discussing the disputed history of the fall of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. Thach Setha, a vice president of the opposition Candlelight Party, in January posted a video on Facebook discussing the politically sensitive history of Jan. 7, but his critical comments drew the ire of authorities accusing him of incitement ahead of the July election. The court found Thach Setha guilty of two incitement charges. He was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay a US$1,000 fine, said his lawyer, Sam Sokong. The case can be appealed. In January, Thach Setha was also arrested for allegedly issuing bad checks and received an 18-month jail sentence last month. Government critics say that case was politically motivated, because he was taken into custody ahead of the national election which the ruling party won by a landslide.
UGANDA
Shooters kill tourists, guide
Gunmen killed three people, including two foreigners, in Queen Elizabeth National Park, police said on Tuesday, blaming the attack on a militia group. The trio were driving through the park when they came under attack from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group, which has ties to the Islamic State, police spokesman Fred Enanga said on social media platform X. “The three were killed, and their safari vehicle burnt,” Enanga said. “Our joint forces responded immediately upon receiving the information and are aggressively pursuing the suspected ADF rebels,” he said. Uganda’s wildlife authority identified the victims as a British citizen, a South African and their Ugandan guide. “We urge the public to remain patient and allow the investigative process to run its course,” it said in a statement, adding that all parks would remained open.
BRAZIL
Charge Bolsonaro: court
A congressional committee on Tuesday found that former president Jair Bolsonaro should face charges of an attempted coup for his supporters’ invasion of the presidential palace, Supreme Court and legislative headquarters in January. The committee investigating the Jan. 8 riots in the capital, Brasilia, wrapped up nearly five months of drama-filled hearings with a final report recommending that prosecutors also charge the far-right former president with attempting to overthrow the rule of law, political violence and criminal conspiracy. The report does not legally bind the prosecutor general’s office to act, but it is the latest in a raft of legal woes for Bolsonaro, 68, who is already under investigation for allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
A beauty queen who pulled out of the Miss South Africa competition when her nationality was questioned has said she wants to relocate to Nigeria, after coming second in the Miss Universe pageant while representing the West African country. Chidimma Adetshina, whose father is Nigerian, was crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania and was runner-up to Denmark’s Victoria Kjar Theilvig in Mexico on Saturday night. The 23-year-old law student withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition in August, saying that she needed to protect herself and her family after the government alleged that her mother had stolen the identity of a South
BELT-TIGHTENING: Chinese investments in Cambodia are projected to drop to US$35 million in 2026 from more than US$420 million in 2021 At a ceremony in August, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet knelt to receive blessings from saffron-robed monks as fireworks and balloons heralded the breaking of ground for a canal he hoped would transform his country’s economic fortunes. Addressing hundreds of people waving the Cambodian flag, Hun Manet said China would contribute 49 percent to the funding of the Funan Techo Canal that would link the Mekong River to the Gulf of Thailand and reduce Cambodia’s shipping reliance on Vietnam. Cambodia’s government estimates the strategic, if contentious, infrastructure project would cost US$1.7 billion, nearly 4 percent of the nation’s annual GDP. However, months later,
The Philippine Department of Justice yesterday labeled Vice President Sara Duterte the “mastermind” of a plot to assassinate the nation’s president, giving her five days to respond to a subpoena. Duterte is being asked to explain herself in the wake of a blistering weekend press conference where she said she had instructed that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr be killed should an alleged plot to kill her succeed. “The government is taking action to protect our duly elected president,” Philippine Undersecretary of Justice Jesse Andres said at yesterday’s press briefing. “The premeditated plot to assassinate the president as declared by the self-confessed mastermind
Texas’ education board on Friday voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools, joining other Republican-led US states that pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education, which is controlled by elected Republicans, is optional for schools to adopt, but they would receive additional funding if they do so. The materials could appear in classrooms as early as next school year. Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott has voiced support for the lesson plans, which were provided by the state’s education agency that oversees the more than
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