BitGou: Tuesday Morning Briefing: Two Reuters reporters freed in Myanmar after more than 500 days in jail

Myanmar

Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar walked free from a prison on the outskirts of Yangon after spending more than 500 days behind bars. Journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested in December 2017 while working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State. Swamped by media and well-wishers as they walked through the gates of Insein Prison, a grinning Wa Lone gave a thumbs up and said he was grateful for the international efforts to secure their freedom.

“In a world where media freedom is under attack, this is a rare glimmer of hope,” said British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt after the release of two Reuters journalists from Myanmar prison. “We are enormously pleased that Myanmar has released our courageous reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. Since their arrests 511 days ago, they have become symbols of the importance of press freedom around the world. We welcome their return.” added Reuters Editor-in-Chief Steve Alder, as reactions and comments flooded in after news of their release began to spread.

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Sri Lankan authorities say they have dismantled a major part of the network linked to the Easter Sunday bombings, confiscating bomb-making material and freezing assets worth about $40 million linked to the plotters. “There were also two people among that group of plotters who are experts in bombs and those two are dead now,” acting police chief Chandana Wickramarate said.

Exclusive: Construction of China’s first full-sized aircraft carrier is well under way, according to satellite images obtained and analyzed by a U.S. think tank. The images from April, provided to Reuters by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, reveal considerable recent activity during the last six months on a large vessel at the Jiangnan shipyard outside Shanghai. The effort to build a large, locally designed carrier is seen as a core part of China's extensive military modernization drive. Here are series of recent Reuters Special Reports showing how that effort is challenging decades of U.S. strategic superiority in East Asia.

A day after the birth of their baby boy to a global fanfare, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were considering names for the newest member of the British royal family and when to show him off to the world. Meghan gave birth in the early hours of Monday morning to the boy, the seventh-in-line to the British throne, leaving his father, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, and royal fans across the world thrilled and enthralled.

More than 34,000 people across Europe caught measles in the first two months of 2019, with the vast majority of cases in Ukraine, the World Health Organization said as it urged authorities to ensure vulnerable people get vaccinated. The death toll among 34,300 cases reported across 42 countries in the WHO’s European region reached 13, with the virus killing people in Ukraine - which is suffering a measles epidemic - as well as in Romania and Albania.

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EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to offer 'carrots' to Venezuela military to turn against President Nicolas Maduro, warnings to judges https://reut.rs/2H2NxY1 via @robertarampton

12:13 AM - May 7, 2019

Business

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is going to the U.S. for trade talks despite Trump threats. He will visit the United States this week for trade talks, Beijing said, playing down a sudden increase in tensions after President Trump vowed to impose new tariffs. U.S. officials have said China has backtracked on substantial commitments it made during months of negotiations seeking to end their bruising trade war.

Trump's tariff push squeezes businesses and consumers. The first time President Trump threatened tariffs on the luggage that Tiffany Williams imports for her Texas store, she stockpiled high-end suitcases and other products ahead of the deadline to protect profits. “This time we will not have that opportunity. We won’t be able to load up,” said Williams, who voted for Trump.

Samsung says no anticipated shipping date yet for Galaxy Fold. Samsung said it cannot confirm the shipping date for its foldable device Galaxy Fold yet and apologized to its pre-order customers in the United States for the delay.

BMW’s first-quarter operating profit fell 78 percent to 589 million euros, despite higher deliveries of luxury vehicles, as the carmaker felt the effects of higher investment spending and a 1.4 billion euro ($1.6 billion) legal provision. The European Commission last month told German carmakers they face hefty fines for alleged collusion in the area of emissions filtering technology.

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