European Union and US sanctions, Myanmars military blamed demonstrators

Myanmar's military accuses anti-junta protesters of causing Western countries to impose more sanctions on individuals and groups linked to the coup .

Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said 164 protesters had died in the violence and expressed sorrow over the deaths.

"They are also our citizens," he told a press conference in the capital city of Naypyitaw, Tuesday (23/3).

Quoting Channel News Asia , Tuesday (23/3) the Activist Group of the Assistance for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said at least 261 people had been killed in the crackdown by security forces.

Three people were killed in Myanmar's second city , Mandalay in the riots that broke out on Monday, including a young boy, witnesses and news reports said.

Security forces launched more raids in parts of Yangon on Monday night with gunfire and several people injured, the Mizzima news agency reported.

Myanmar Coup

The junta has tried to justify the coup by saying the November 8 election won by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) was a fraud - an accusation the election commission has rejected. Military leaders have promised new elections but have not set a date and have declared a state of emergency.

Zaw Min Tun blamed protesters for the violence and arson and said nine members of the security forces had been killed.

"Can we call these peaceful protesters?" he said, showing a video of the burning factory. 

"Which country or organization considers this violence peaceful?"

He said strikes and hospitals that were not fully operational had led to deaths, including from COVID-19, calling them "inappropriate and unethical".

The spokesman also accused the media of "fake news" of instigating the rioting and said journalists could be prosecuted if they were in contact with the CRPH, as remnants of Aung San Suu Kyi's government were known locally. The military has declared the CRPH an illegal organization.

He gave detailed details of how the NLD has created hundreds or even thousands of additional ballots in many cities by creating voters, including in the constituency of Aung San Suu Kyi itself. Videos of people saying they were paid by NLD representatives were shown at a press conference.

Also shown is a video testimony of former chief minister Yangon Phyo Min Thein saying he visited Aung San Suu Kyi several times and gave the money "whenever needed".

Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his campaign to bring democratic civilian government to Myanmar, is being held in detention. His lawyer said the accusations were fabricated.

The perpetrators of the shooting in Colorado Immigrants from Syria

The perpetrator of the  shooting that killed ten people in Boulder, Colorado,  United States was apparently a man immigrant from Syria.
Reported by Reuters on Wednesday (24/3), the local police said the perpetrator named Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa was 21 years old. He became a resident of the US by naturalization.

Until now, law enforcers have not been able to reveal the motive for the shooting.

"It is too early for us to draw any conclusions about this incident at this point," said Michael Schneider, a US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent at the Denver County Office.

The shooting incident by Ahmad at the King Sooper supermarket killed ten people, including a policeman.

The victims who died were a policeman named Eric Talley (51), Denny Stong (20), Neven Stanisic (23), Rikki Olds (25), Tralona Bartkowiak (49), Suzanne Fountain (59), Teri Leiker (51), Kevin Mahoney (61), Lynn Murray (62), and Jody Waters (65).

According to police statements, Ahmad is believed to have committed the act alone. He uses a 30-round Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic rifle that was purchased on March 16.

Ahmad used the firearm to shoot at the people in the supermarket.

Ahmad, said the police, had been treated because he was injured as a result of gunfire with the police on his right calf. He was then taken to the police station after the wound was stitched up.

According to police statements, Talley was the first policeman to arrive at the scene and died in the shootout with the perpetrators. In fact, according to the deceased's parents, Talley had planned to resign from the police because he wanted to have a job that was not dangerous and could spend more with his wife and seven children.

On the other hand, a number of shooting incidents with quite a large number of victims occurred in Colorado. These include the shooting at the Aurora theater in 2012 and the shooting at Columbine High School near Littleton in 1999.

The Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, expressed his condolences for the victims.