National News

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• Death toll rises, more arrests made in troubled northern Rakhine State
• Five dead as Sagaing ferry capsizes
• Ceasefire anniversary prompts calls for more signatories
• Bootleggers protest for right to sell DVDs
• Non-signatories, govt make strides toward joining NCA
• Draft law seeks to update YCDC with elected officials
• UNA adds members, calls for end to Tatmadaw offensives in ethnic areas
• Mandalay journalist threatened after reporting on illegal logging
• People with disabilities gather for White Cane Day
• Freedom of expression lost in fish essay case: PEN

Death toll rises, more arrests made in troubled northern Rakhine State Posted: 17 Oct 2016 12:18 AM PDT The weekend was marked by more violence and arrests in northern Rakhine State as a young teacher was shot and an attack on security personnel ended in the deaths of three assailants. The latest bloodshed comes in the aftermath of what the government is calling a coordinated, deadly assault by Islamist insurgents on three Myanmar Border Police posts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships on October 9.

Five dead as Sagaing ferry capsizes Posted: 17 Oct 2016 12:12 AM PDT Divers and local volunteers are continuing to search for survivors following the sinking of a ferry in the Chindwin River in Sagaing Region on October 15. At least five people are known to be dead, but fears are growing that the death toll will be much higher.

Ceasefire anniversary prompts calls for more signatories Posted: 17 Oct 2016 12:11 AM PDT On the one-year anniversary of the nationwide ceasefire agreement, both State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing called for more ethnic armed groups to sign the truce.

Bootleggers protest for right to sell DVDs Posted: 17 Oct 2016 12:10 AM PDT About 50 foreign DVD bootleggers gathered in Bahan township's Bo Sein Hman field yesterday for a protest against a crackdown on their illegal business.

Non-signatories, govt make strides toward joining NCA Posted: 17 Oct 2016 12:10 AM PDT The Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN), which speaks for several non-signatories to the nationwide ceasefire, reached agreement with the government on four of eight points discussed with the latter's peace preparatory committee, led by U Tin Myo Win, in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

Draft law seeks to update YCDC with elected officials Posted: 17 Oct 2016 12:04 AM PDT A draft update to the 2013 Yangon City Development Affairs Law could see nearly all members of the municipal authority elected, according to a draft submitted to the region parliament last week. But critics say other legislative updates are needed to ensure all residents over the age of 18 are given the right to vote in the future municipal elections.

UNA adds members, calls for end to Tatmadaw offensives in ethnic areas Posted: 16 Oct 2016 11:57 PM PDT The United Nationalities Alliance demanded an end to military offensives in Kachin, Shan and Kayin states' ethnic areas at a summit held on October 15.

Mandalay journalist threatened after reporting on illegal logging Posted: 16 Oct 2016 11:54 PM PDT A journalist who says he was forced to flee his home for fear of reprisals from timber smugglers has accused local authorities in Mandalay Region of not coming to his aid. And another reporter, a freelancer, staged a one-man protest denouncing "corrupt officials".

People with disabilities gather for White Cane Day Posted: 16 Oct 2016 11:51 PM PDT More than a hundred people with disabilities from Magwe township gathered on October 15, White Cane Day, to celebrate their resilience and to change the prevailing views about disability.

Freedom of expression lost in fish essay case: PEN Posted: 16 Oct 2016 11:48 PM PDT Pen Myanmar, a national association of writers, claimed that the judicial system, in ruling against an author who wrote an essay from the perspective of a poisoned fish, misunderstands literature, the organisation said in a statement.

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