Monday, August 31, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Fears Grow for IDPs in Myanmar’s Rakhine as COVID-19 Outbreak Disrupts Food, Health Services

Posted: 31 Aug 2020 07:09 AM PDT

With aid groups affected by lockdown orders and COVID-19 infections among staff, Rakhine State's IDP camps are suffering a lack of basic food and health-care services.

China’s Top Foreign Policy Official to Visit Myanmar

Posted: 31 Aug 2020 06:00 AM PDT

China's foreign affairs supremo, Yang Jiechi, is expected to visit Myanmar at some point this week, the embassy in Yangon has announced.

Popular Kachin Party Calls for Abolition of China-Backed Dam in Election Policy Platform

Posted: 31 Aug 2020 03:54 AM PDT

In its 2020 election manifesto, the Kachin State People's Party vows to push for the scrapping of the suspended, China-backed Myitsone Dam project on the Irrawaddy River.

Myanmar’s Military Blamed for Two Rakhine Civilian Deaths

Posted: 31 Aug 2020 03:50 AM PDT

Amid raging COVID-19 in Rakhine, two civilians were allegedly shot dead by Myanmar's military last week.

Myanmar Police Station in Lockdown After Chief Fails COVID-19 Test

Posted: 31 Aug 2020 03:45 AM PDT

A police station in Rakhine State capital Sittwe has been isolated as the state reels from a rising number of coronavirus cases.

Thailand Steps Up Moei River Patrols Against Illegal Migrants From Myanmar

Posted: 31 Aug 2020 01:02 AM PDT

Thailand has increased patrols along its border with Myanmar and will ask employers to delay hiring workers from the country amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Rakhine.

Japan’s Foreign Policy Likely to Continue on Path Set by Abe

Posted: 30 Aug 2020 09:44 PM PDT

The successor to outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to continue the long-serving premier's foreign policies, experts say.
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Saturday, August 29, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Election 2020: The Week in Review

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 07:30 PM PDT

This week, the NLD urged its candidates to put the people first; the army chief offered his troops some advice; and ultranationalists objected to a Muslim candidate.

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 06:30 PM PDT

Business goes on, despite this week's COVID-19 spike, with major investment unveiled for Yangon and plans for a large power plant take shape.
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Friday, August 28, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

In Myanmar’s Karen State, Ex-Insurgents Create a Haven for Chinese Casino Bosses

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 07:47 AM PDT

Myanmar's military and government have looked the other way as a megaproject backed by shadowy Chinese interests threatens peace and social stability in Karen State.

At Least 10 UN, INGO Workers Hit by COVID-19 in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 06:53 AM PDT

Aid agencies including UNICEF and RI have been forced to suspend or limit activities as staff have been affected by COVID-19. 

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi Pledges Full Support to Fight Rakhine COVID-19 Outbreak

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 05:07 AM PDT

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says Rakhine State will get the food, protective equipment and investment it needs to tackle its coronavirus spike.

Westerner Behind the Wheel

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:58 AM PDT

In the second of six articles about touring by car outside of Yangon, Oliver Hargreave journeys through Bago before making it to Mon State's Thaton by nightfall.

Myanmar’s Ruling NLD Rejects Calls to Ditch Muslim Candidate

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 03:26 AM PDT

The National League for Democracy has rejected a demand from voters and Buddhist monks to replace a Muslim candidate in Mandalay for the November election.

Myanmar to Jail Illegal Returnees Amid COVID-19 Surge

Posted: 28 Aug 2020 02:42 AM PDT

Myanmar's southernmost town, Kawthaung, has seen many migrants from Thailand and Malaysia cross the border illegally after losing work because of coronavirus.

South Korea Shuts Parliament as Coronavirus Outbreak Deepens in Capital

Posted: 27 Aug 2020 09:20 PM PDT

The South Korean parliament was shut down Thursday and a number of lawmakers were quarantined after a political reporter tested positive for COVID-19.
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Thursday, August 27, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar’s Rakhine State Under Partial Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Surge

Posted: 27 Aug 2020 05:25 AM PDT

After nearly 100 coronavirus cases were reported overnight in Rakhine State this week, its population has been told to stay at home.

Subsidiaries of Chinese Firm Involved in Myanmar’s New Yangon City Project Blacklisted by US

Posted: 27 Aug 2020 03:33 AM PDT

The US has sanctioned units of China's CCCC, a key player in the New Yangon City project, for allegedly aiding land reclamation in disputed South China Sea waters.

Myanmar Amends Privacy Law to Protect Citizens From State Intrusion

Posted: 27 Aug 2020 02:10 AM PDT

Parliament on Wednesday amended the controversial Privacy Law; a ruling party MP said it would now serve its original aim of protecting citizens from state harassment.

US Slaps Sanctions on Chinese Firms, Individuals Amid S. China Sea Dispute

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 11:57 PM PDT

The US has blacklisted a number of Chinese firms and barred entry to some executives over their support for Beijing's 'unlawful' claims in the South China Sea.

Protections Fail to Stop Pangolin Trafficking in Myanmar’s Deep South

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 11:54 PM PDT

In remote villages of Myanmar's deep south, poaching the shy creatures means big money for those who live hand to mouth.

The Day Allied Commander Who Seized Myanmar From Japanese Forces Was Assassinated

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 06:30 PM PDT

Lord Louis Mountbatten, who helped establish Myanmar's military and was a friend of dictator General Ne Win, was assassinated in Ireland in 41 years ago.
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Wednesday, August 26, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar Sets Out Re-entry Rules for Foreign Staff

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 04:38 AM PDT

Myanmar's investment agencies say foreigners applying for work visas must have urgent businesses to be personally taken care of in Myanmar.

Myanmar Reports 100 New COVID-19 Cases Overnight in Country’s Largest Jump So Far

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 03:08 AM PDT

A record number of new COVID-19 cases, detected in just a 12-hour period, has prompted more partial lockdowns in Rakhine State, where most of the cases were reported.

Myanmar Opposition MP Questions Govt Online Monitoring Body

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 02:44 AM PDT

A Union Solidarity and Development Party lawmaker has claimed the Social Media Monitoring Team is trying to manipulate Facebook in favor of the government.

Myanmar Closes Govt and Private High Schools Amid COVID-19 Surge

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 02:41 AM PDT

After 100 coronavirus cases were reported overnight, the government has moved to close government and private schools.

China Backs Myanmar Probe of Controversial Border ‘New City’ Backed by Chinese Investors

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 01:11 AM PDT

The Chinese Embassy said it supports Myanmar's investigation of the Shwe Kokko casino development in Karen State, which is backed by Chinese investors.

New Ethnic Faces Dot Myanmar’s 2020 Election Landscape

Posted: 26 Aug 2020 12:14 AM PDT

In November's election, many young and women candidates from ethnic parties will bring fresh voices to Myanmar's democracy; The Irrawaddy spoke to some of them.

Schools in South Korean Capital Go Back Online as COVID-19 Cases Surge

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 10:09 PM PDT

Amid a resurgence of coronavirus cases, schools in the South Korean capital have been closed again, with all classes moving online at least until Sept. 11.

Hong Kong Leader Chides Critics of China’s Universal Coronavirus Test

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 09:58 PM PDT

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing Chief Executive Carrie Lam has dismissed criticism of China's coronavirus testing program as politically motivated.

At Least 13 Dead After Building Collapses in India

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 09:49 PM PDT

A five-story building collapsed in India's Maharashtra State on Monday, killing at least 13 people and leaving several more trapped in the rubble.

The Day Suu Kyi Made Her First Public Address in Myanmar  

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 07:11 PM PDT

After returning to her homeland as pro-democracy protests were being crushed, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi demanded the military withdraw from politics and hold elections.
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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Suu Kyi Says No Discrimination Based on Faith, Ethnicity in Fight Against COVID-19 in Myanmar

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 05:58 AM PDT

Amid a spike in local COVID-19 transmissions in Rakhine, the State Counselor calls for public collaboration while vowing equal help for all those affected in Myanmar.

Myanmar Govt Arrests 20 Illegal Chinese Migrants Heading to Thai Border Town

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 05:28 AM PDT

Their destination is Myawaddy, where residents say they have been swamped with Chinese migrants since a firm run by the Chinese began a major project.

Myanmar Army Extends Unilateral Nationwide Truce, Excluding Rakhine State

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 04:22 AM PDT

Citing the need to curb COVID-19 and achieve peace, the Myanmar military has extended its nationwide ceasefire—excluding Rakhine State—by a month until Sept. 30

COVID-19 Tests Taken at IDP Camps Amid Outbreak in Western Myanmar

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 03:37 AM PDT

Four IDP Rakhine State camps in Mrauk-U have been identified as possible coronavirus hotspots after NGO staff test positive.

Japanese FM Discusses Travel Restrictions, Rakhine With Myanmar State Counselor, Army Chief

Posted: 25 Aug 2020 01:50 AM PDT

In meetings with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Japan's foreign minister vowed support for nation building and inquired about Rakhine atrocity probes.

Myanmar Govt-Imposed Internet Restrictions in Rakhine Could Worsen State’s COVID-19 Outbreak, Critics Say

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 11:35 PM PDT

MPs and civil society groups say a lack of internet services in parts of Rakhine deprives locals of vital health information needed to curb the state's COVID-19 outbreak.

TikTok Sues Trump Administration Over US Ban

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 09:40 PM PDT

Chinese-owned TikTok has sued the Trump administration, seeking to overturn a presidential order banning dealings with the app in the United States.

Trump, Renominated as Republican Candidate, Vows to Rebuild US Economy

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 09:32 PM PDT

President Trump vowed to rebuild the US economy as he was renominated as the Republican presidential candidate at the party's convention.
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Monday, August 24, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy

The Irrawaddy Magazine

NGO Activities Restricted in Myanmar’s Rakhine State Amid COVID-19 Spike

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 05:49 AM PDT

UN organizations and other NGOs have been told to cease some activities and gatherings in Rakhine State as the authorities try to clamp down on coronavirus.


Myanmar’s Rakhine State Reports 72 Local COVID-19 Transmissions in Eight Days

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 05:33 AM PDT

Another 53 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were found in Rakhine State over the weekend, taking the Sittwe outbreak's total to 72, and the national case tally to 463.

Myanmar’s Military Chief Urges Personnel to Vote for ‘Correct Candidates’

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 05:22 AM PDT

Military personnel should support candidates who will pursue the national interest and be free of foreign influence, says Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Suu Kyi Tells Her MPs They Depend on Party’s Image

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 02:52 AM PDT

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has told her lawmakers they only won in 2015 because of the National League for Democracy's reputation, not because of any personal achievements.

The Day Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Made Her First Public Appearance in Myanmar

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 02:13 AM PDT

On this day in 1988, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi made a brief speech—her first in the country—to pro-democracy protesters from a makeshift stage at a Yangon hospital.

Strong Rivalries Shape Politics in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 01:24 AM PDT

Parties turn to young candidates in conflict-torn Rakhine amid rivalry between various local ethnic parties and low interest in November's election among the public.

Myanmar’s Election Merchandise Vendors Do a Brisk Trade as Vote Looms

Posted: 24 Aug 2020 01:20 AM PDT

Yangon's Shwegondine quarter, home to many fabric printing shops, is currently a sea of red—the ruling NLD's color—as vendors churn out election-related merchandise.

Japan, Laos Agree to Relax Coronavirus Travel Restrictions

Posted: 23 Aug 2020 10:25 PM PDT

Japan and Laos agreed to allow expats to resume traveling between the two countries provided they self-quarantine for 14 days.

TikTok Parent Firm to Sue Trump Govt for Banning Service in US

Posted: 23 Aug 2020 10:24 PM PDT

The Chinese parent company of popular app TikTok plans to sue the Trump administration in a US court over its order banning the social media platform.

India Exceeds 3 Million Coronavirus Cases

Posted: 23 Aug 2020 09:52 PM PDT

India's total number of coronavirus cases has topped 3 million after the country added 1 million infections in just 16 days.
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