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.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


The Irrawaddy Business Roundup

Posted: 21 Aug 2020 07:30 PM PDT

Despite the COVID-19 threat, a Myanmar-based company has proposed construction of an oil refinery at Dawei SEZ and there are plans to scrutinize shareholders' income.

Myanmar’s Election 2020: A Look Into the Crystal Ball

Posted: 21 Aug 2020 06:30 PM PDT

This week, The Irrawaddy talks with officials from two smaller parties, Ma Noe Noe Htet San and Ko Mya Aye, about their expectations for this year's election and beyond.

Friday, August 21, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar’s Rakhine State Capital Under Curfew as COVID-19 Cases Spike

Posted: 21 Aug 2020 07:36 AM PDT

After a month without any domestic transmissions of coronavirus, Rakhine State has reported 19 cases in six days.

Myanmar Peace Conference Ends With Participants Praising ‘Meaningful’ Principles, Post-Election Plan

Posted: 21 Aug 2020 07:21 AM PDT

As the fourth session of Myanmar's Union Peace Conference ended Friday, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi praised the 20 newly agreed principles as 'more sincere' than past efforts.

Chief Minister of Myanmar’s Kayah State Targeted for Impeachment Over Spending, Land Allegations

Posted: 21 Aug 2020 05:10 AM PDT

Kayah State lawmakers have submitted an impeachment motion against Chief Minister L Phaung Sho of the ruling NLD over charges he misused funds and state land.

AA Abducts Two Monks, Two Novices From Monasteries in Myanmar’s Rakhine State: Abbot

Posted: 21 Aug 2020 04:32 AM PDT

The Arakan Army has abducted two monks and two novices in Rakhine State's Mrauk-U Township, according to local witnesses.

Rescuing Myanmar From the Chinese Debt Trap

Posted: 21 Aug 2020 12:21 AM PDT

A careful observation of the Myanmar government's approach to China shows that it is using great caution in its relationship with Beijing.

World Faces Intense Heat Wave Amid Continued Coronavirus Fears

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 10:49 PM PDT

Health experts are warning that people may let their guard down against COVID-19 amid a heat wave in the Northern Hemisphere.

Democrat Kamala Harris Is First Woman of Color Nominated for VP by Major US Party

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 10:44 PM PDT

Democratic Senator Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to be nominated for VP in the US, said Joe Biden would build a more inclusive country if elected president.

Mass Infections at South Korea Church Grow to Over 670 Cases

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 10:31 PM PDT

Thousands of people who attend a church in Seoul have been tested for COVID-19 as the number of cases traced to it topped 670.

Only a Fraction of Myanmar Migrants Have Applied to Vote in November Election

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 10:27 PM PDT

According to the Foreign Ministry, only about 100,000 of the 4 million-plus Myanmar nationals living abroad have registered to vote in the upcoming general election.

Indonesia Inks Deal With China on Virus Vaccine Supply From November

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 10:21 PM PDT

A Chinese drugmaker and a local partner will send 40 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine to Indonesia from November; the drug is now in the final testing phase.

Thursday, August 20, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Military Chief Blames Ethnic Armies, Govt for Myanmar’s Protracted Peace Process

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 06:11 AM PDT

Myanmar's army chief told the Union Peace Conference that stakeholders' dishonesty and lack of adherence to principle were to blame for the failure to achieve peace.

Monk Granted Bail in Myanmar Military Lawsuit

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 05:05 AM PDT

Sayadaw U Sein Ti Ta has faced multiple lawsuits after he posted on Facebook that the military was more interested in personal gain than national security.

Myanmar’s Rakhine State Capital Under Partial Lockdown Due to Spike in Local COVID-19 Transmissions

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 04:32 AM PDT

Parts of Sittwe have been placed under lockdown after six locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were found in the Rakhine State capital in four days.

Myanmar Seizes Massive Methamphetamine Hauls Destined for Malaysia and Indonesia 

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 03:20 AM PDT

The police authorities say they have discovered nearly 2,400 kg of crystal meth or Ice in Yangon and Rakhine State.

The Day Japan Founded a Military Training School in Wartime Myanmar

Posted: 20 Aug 2020 01:34 AM PDT

Japan founded its Officer Training School to bolster its grip on the former British colony, only for its graduates to rise against the occupation forces in 1945.

North Korea’s Ruling Party to Hold First Congress Since 2016 in January

Posted: 19 Aug 2020 10:33 PM PDT

North Korea's ruling Workers' Party will hold its first congress in more than four years in January to work out a new five-year economic development plan.

Democrats Nominate Biden for President, Vow to Revive Alliances

Posted: 19 Aug 2020 10:20 PM PDT

Ex-Vice President Joe Biden secured the Democratic Party's nomination for president with a vow to restore the United States' relationships with international partners.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Song, Video Depicting Fighting Dropped From Myanmar Peace Conference Opening Event

Posted: 19 Aug 2020 07:06 AM PDT

A dramatic music video depicting the civilian cost of war was withdrawn from the opening ceremony of the Panglong conference, allegedly after a government order.

“AA Frees Five Members of Rival Arakan Liberation Party in Myanmar’s West”

Posted: 19 Aug 2020 06:34 AM PDT

Five members of Arakan Liberation Party were detained for a week and questioned by the Arakan Army.

Three More Local COVID-19 Transmissions Reported in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Posted: 19 Aug 2020 06:27 AM PDT

Three more locally transmitted COVID-19 cases have been found in Rakhine. Two are contacts of a case reported Sunday; one was recently at Rohingya IDP camps in the state.

Three Rearrested Over New Year’s Murder of Myanmar Comedian

Posted: 19 Aug 2020 03:06 AM PDT

Three men charged with beating Yangon-based comedian Aung Yell Htwe to death at a party in 2017 are back in prison after being bailed in a controversial appeal.

Kokang Party Vows to Make ‘Friends With All’ if It Wins Seats in Myanmar’s Election

Posted: 19 Aug 2020 01:22 AM PDT

The Shan State Kokang Democratic Party will field seven candidates in the Nov. 8 election; it vows to boost health and education in the Kokang Self-Administered Region.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar Peace Conference Grapples with Mistrust and COVID-19

Posted: 18 Aug 2020 07:55 AM PDT

Despite political parties' reduced role in this fourth session of the 21st-Century Panglong peace conference, the parties complied for the sake of the peace process.

Myanmar’s Ruling Party Unveils Campaign Committees Ahead of November Election

Posted: 18 Aug 2020 06:37 AM PDT

The NLD has set up central and state/regional election campaign committees; State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint lead the central committee.

Critics Slam Myanmar Pro-Military Parties’ Meeting With Army Chief

Posted: 18 Aug 2020 05:49 AM PDT

A meeting at which 34 political parties expressed concern to the army chief over the election commission has been criticized as a bid to involve the military in the Nov. 8 vote.

Five Muslim Candidates Rejected From Myanmar’s Election

Posted: 18 Aug 2020 03:20 AM PDT

Rakhine State's election chiefs have rejected five applicants for the November general election, claiming their parents were not citizens at their birth.

Myanmar Opposition Parties Spend Big on Facebook Ads Ahead of Election

Posted: 18 Aug 2020 03:05 AM PDT

The Irrawaddy's analysis of political ads on Facebook shows opposition parties are far outspending the ruling NLD and popular ethnic parties ahead of the Nov. 8 poll.

Myanmar Firm Ties Up With Krispy Kreme to Create Doughnuts With a Local Flavor

Posted: 17 Aug 2020 11:16 PM PDT

Is that jaggery on my doughnut? Myanmar's Food Tree and global chain Krispy Kreme offer a dynamic duo of traditional and Western flavors.

North Korea’s Ruling Party to Hold Key Meeting Ahead of US Election

Posted: 17 Aug 2020 10:20 PM PDT

The Central Committee of North Korea's ruling party will meet Wednesday; experts say the focus will be planning nuclear policy ahead of the US election.

Monday, August 17, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar Reports First Local COVID-19 Transmission in a Month

Posted: 17 Aug 2020 06:56 AM PDT

A 26-year-old bank employee with no record of overseas travel tested positive for COVID-19 in Sittwe; she traveled to several places in Rakhine State early this month.

Myanmar Think Tank Boss Wins Justice Award for Boosting Trust, Reconciliation in Rakhine

Posted: 17 Aug 2020 05:45 AM PDT

Dr. Kyaw Yin Hlaing of the Center for Diversity and National Harmony has won the MC Bassiouni Justice Award for his work to help address the 2017 Rakhine issue.

Westerner Behind the Wheel

Posted: 17 Aug 2020 05:39 AM PDT

In the first of six articles about touring by car outside Yangon, Oliver Hargreave describes his first experience driving in Myanmar.

How Should Myanmar Citizens Vote This November?

Posted: 17 Aug 2020 01:29 AM PDT

Don't let cynicism keep you from casting your vote in the upcoming general election.

Japan Firms Shift Focus to SE Asia Due to US-China Row

Posted: 16 Aug 2020 10:06 PM PDT

Increasing tensions between the US and China have prompted a growing number of Japanese firms to move their operations to Southeast Asia, a new survey shows.

Tens of Thousands Call for Monarchy Reform at Thailand’s Largest Protest in Years

Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:58 PM PDT

An estimated 20,000-30,000 people, mostly students, demanded reform to Thailand's powerful monarchy at Bangkok's largest protest since 2014.

New Zealand Delays General Election Amid Virus Outbreak

Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:39 PM PDT

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the country's general election would be postponed from next month until October after a new COVID-19 cluster was found.