February 2, Thursday, 2023 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline

1.Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa says his country is seriously concerned about the further extension of the state of emergency in Myanmar. He said the country’s military has been failing to work for political progress, such as the release of all of detained people, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
2.A former commander in Russian private military company Wagner who fled to Norway has spoken about the brutality of the fighting in Ukraine. Andrei Medvedev was interviewed by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. Asked why he signed the contract with Wagner, he said he grew up as an orphan and had believed Russian propaganda. Medvedev said he decided to desert after he saw what was happening on the frontline. He added that he wanted to apologize to the Ukrainian people,and expressed a willingness to cooperate with an investigation into war crimes.
3.The transportation authority of the western Japanese city of Kyoto says it will do away with one-day bus passes at the end of March,2024. The aim of the move is to ease passenger congestion by reducing the number of tourists on buses.