Monday, February 10, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Local Woman Who Worked for US, Myanmar Operators of Cannabis Farm Is Freed

Posted: 10 Feb 2020 05:42 AM PST

A Mandalay court has freed a local employee after 10 months in jail in a cannabis plantation case. Her employer said it had official permission to grow the drug.

Myanmar Maid Quarantined in Yangon After Boss in Singapore Infected With Coronavirus

Posted: 10 Feb 2020 05:26 AM PST

A Myanmar domestic worker, who returned from Singapore and her coronavirus-infected employer, is being held in isolation at Yangon's Waibargi Hospital.

Yangon Govt Leases $750M of Land to Malaysian Conglomerate

Posted: 10 Feb 2020 05:02 AM PST

Yangon's regional government has inked a $750-million development deal with Malaysian conglomerate Berjaya; Myanmar's Investment Commission has yet to approve it.

Military MPs Oppose Merging Myanmar Charter-Change Proposals

Posted: 10 Feb 2020 04:32 AM PST

Military-appointed MPs in Parliament object to a committee's plan to have their charter-change proposals debated together with those submitted by the ruling party.

Another NLD Member Abducted by Unknown Armed Group in Western Myanmar

Posted: 10 Feb 2020 02:05 AM PST

A leader of the local National League for Democracy chapter on Rakhine State's Ramree Island was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen Saturday evening.

Who Is Myanmar’s New Home Affairs Minister?

Posted: 10 Feb 2020 12:00 AM PST

The Parliament has approved Lt-Gen Soe Htut as home affairs minister; the incoming minister is viewed as being very close to military chief Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

British Troops’ Bloodiest Crackdown on Anti-Colonial Protestors in Myanmar

Posted: 09 Feb 2020 11:55 PM PST

On this day in 1939, colonial troops in British Burma launched their deadliest crackdown on anti-colonial protestors when they fired on unarmed crowds in Mandalay, killing 17.

60 More Test Positive for Coronavirus on Cruise Ship in Japan

Posted: 09 Feb 2020 11:50 PM PST

More than 60 new cases of coronavirus have been reported on a cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama, Japan, taking the total number of infections on the vessel to some 130.

Virus Death Toll Tops 900 in China as Businesses Reopen After Long Holiday

Posted: 09 Feb 2020 11:42 PM PST

The death toll from the coronavirus in China has risen to 910 with over 40,000 infections; businesses began reopening Monday after an extended Lunar New Year Holiday.

On Thai Buddhist Holy Day, Gunman’s Carnage Shatters Temple Peace

Posted: 09 Feb 2020 09:12 PM PST

A temple was one of the first scenes of carnage as a disgruntled Thai soldier shot 29 people to death in the town of Nakhon Ratchasima on Saturday.

South Korea’s ‘Parasite’ Beats Hollywood Greats to Make Oscar History

Posted: 09 Feb 2020 09:05 PM PST

'Parasite' wins four Oscars; Joaquin Phoenix, Renee Zellweger named best actors while Martin Scorsese's 'Irishman' leaves empty-handed.

American Dies of Coronavirus in China; Five Britons Infected in French Alps

Posted: 09 Feb 2020 08:52 PM PST

US Embassy confirms death of 60-year-old American in Wuhan; China death toll passes 900, approaches global deaths from SARS
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Sunday, February 9, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Death toll hits 21 from Thai rampage after attempt to stop shooter

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 05:53 PM PST

One member of Thailand's security forces was killed in a raid into a shopping mall to try to stop a soldier on a rampage that has now killed at least 21 people.
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Saturday, February 8, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 08:30 PM PST

Visiting business delegations from the US, France and Belgium met with Myanmar counterparts this week as the coronavirus outbreak continued to hurt tourism and trade.

This Week in Parliament

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 08:00 PM PST

The Irrawaddy briefs you on the week that was in the national legislature.
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Friday, February 7, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Is Myanmar’s Ruling NLD Pushing Hard Enough on Constitutional Amendment?

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 09:29 AM PST

This week, The Irrawaddy and two veterans of Myanmar's democracy movement discuss the military's aversion to charter change, and how the ruling NLD should deal with it.

Myanmar Pastors Held Over Kachin Revolution Day Event

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 06:04 AM PST

The Kachin Baptist Convention says it is in talks with the military to secure the release of two pastors who allowed a Kachin Revolution Day event in their church.

Personal and Historical, Visitors Flock to Shan State National Day

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 05:58 AM PST

Whether it's to celebrate their history, find long-lost loved ones or just enjoy the festivities, people flock to Shan State National Day from all corners of the region

Myanmar Deports Chinese Coronavirus Suspect While Hunting Another Four

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 05:41 AM PST

A healthy Chinese woman, who was being tracked down in Shan State amid the coronavirus scare, has been deported to China. Four other virus suspects are at large.

Members of Religious Orders Should Have Right to Vote, Myanmar’s Cardinal Bo Says

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 05:31 AM PST

The leader of Myanmar's Catholic community, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, has called for the Constitution's ban on voting by members of religious orders to be scrapped.

Myanmar Election Commission Says No Campaigning, No Polls Near Military Barracks

Posted: 07 Feb 2020 02:30 AM PST

The Election Commission says parties are barred from campaigning in military cantonments for the 2020 election and polling will no longer be conducted inside barracks.

Kachin Leaders Demand Charter Reform to Establish Peace

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 11:39 PM PST

The leaders of Kachin parties say the 2008 Constitution must be reformed ahead of this year's general election if further bloodshed is to be avoided.

Myanmar Gunmen Rob Bank of 60 Million Kyats, Leave Fake Bomb Behind

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 10:06 PM PST

Two gunmen robbed a CB Bank in Yangon's North Dagon of about 60 million kyats on Friday morning; an apparent explosive device they left behind was fake, officials said.

Japan’s Propaganda Press in Occupied Myanmar

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 10:00 PM PST

On this day in 1943, the Japanese government occupying Myanmar began publishing the country's only English newspaper at the time, the heavily propagandist Greater Asia.

Chinese Doctor Who Blew Whistle About Coronavirus Outbreak Dies

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 09:50 PM PST

A Chinese doctor who drew official ire for sounding the alarm in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak has died of the disease, prompting public grief and anger.

Amid Hydropower Boom, Laos Moves Ahead on Latest Mekong Dam

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 09:28 PM PST

Laos is forging ahead with its third dam on the Mekong River, but critics say the impacts of existing projects should be fully assessed first.

China Says Coronavirus Could Disrupt Economy in Q1, Upbeat on Recovery

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 09:04 PM PST

China's central bank admits the coronavirus outbreak could hurt the economy in Q1 but says it has measures in place to ensure a quick recovery.
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Thursday, February 6, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Nine Minor Myanmar Parties Form Electoral Pact

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 05:00 AM PST

Nine minor parties in Myanmar have formed an electoral alliance to boost their chances of winning seats at the November general election.

Former Labor Attaché on Trial for Corruption Attacks Irrawaddy Photographer

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 04:09 AM PST

Ex-Myanmar labor attaché U San Maung Oo attacked a photographer from The Irrawaddy after a court hearing on Wednesday in the ongoing corruption case against the attaché.

Workers and Farmers to Run in Myanmar’s 2020 Election to Promote Rights

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 03:46 AM PST

Trade unionists in Myanmar are due to run in the 2020 general election because they say the National League for Democracy has let them down.

Karen Rebel-Backed Firm, Govt to Study Industrial Estate Proposal in Myanmar’s Deep South

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 03:36 AM PST

The government of Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region has inked an MOU with a company backed by the Karen National Union on a feasibility study for an industrial estate project.

Myanmar’s Military Intelligence Chief Tapped to Become New Home Affairs Minister

Posted: 06 Feb 2020 01:33 AM PST

Lieutenant General Soe Htut has been nominated by the military to become the new minister of home affairs, as the current minister is set to retire.

Myanmar Army Generals Attend Shan National Day Event at RCSS’ HQ for First Time

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 10:11 PM PST

For the first time, high-ranking Myanmar army generals and the Union attorney-general are attending a Shan National Day event at the RCSS headquarters in Loi Tai Leng.

The Day Dag Hammarskjöld Visited Myanmar

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 09:30 PM PST

On this day in 1956, legendary Swedish UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld visited Yangon on the first of two visits.

Coronavirus Death Toll Passes 560 in China

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 09:16 PM PST

Health authorities in China said the death toll from the coronavirus in the country has passed 560 with more than 28,000 confirmed cases.

Thailand Scraps China-Led Project to Blast Open Mekong River

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 09:15 PM PST

The Thai cabinet has agreed to scrap a Chinese-led project to blast rapids and conduct dredging in the Mekong River that would have opened it up for shipping.

India’s Pollution Regulator Threatens to Shut 14 Coal-Fired Power Plants

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 08:57 PM PST

India's Pollution Control Board has given 14 coal-burning power plants 15 days to explain why they have not complied with new emissions rules or face closure.
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Wednesday, February 5, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Mandalay Mayor Lights the Cake for Quarantined Myanmar Birthday Girl

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 06:26 AM PST

A Myanmar student recently evacuated from Wuhan expected a bleak birthday alone in quarantine on Tuesday until she received a surprise from the mayor of Mandalay.

Tha Gyi Thamee Restaurant: Serving Upper Myanmar Cuisine

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 05:27 AM PST

Tha Gyi Thamee, a restaurant opened last year in Yangon, serves simple, home-style cuisine from Upper Myanmar's ah nyar region and offers unique, sustainable to-go boxes.

Two Possible ‘Keys’ to Unlocking Charter Reform in Myanmar

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 04:21 AM PST

Among more than 100 proposed amendments submitted by the NLD, two in particular have the potential to remove the military's power to block constitutional reform.

Teacher in Rakhine Injured by Myanmar Military Shelling

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 02:55 AM PST

A schoolteacher was hit in the chest with shrapnel as a Myanmar military boat fired shells in an alleged clash with the Arakan Army; the AA denies any clash occurred.

UN Security Council Fails to Agree on Statement Urging Myanmar to Follow ICJ Measures in Genocide Case

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 11:21 PM PST

The UN Security Council failed to agree on a statement urging Myanmar to follow the ICJ's provisional steps in the Rohingya genocide case, as China and Vietnam objected.

Gambling Hub Macau to Shut Casinos for Two Weeks Amid Virus Outbreak

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 09:34 PM PST

The Chinese gambling hub of Macau will shut its casinos for two weeks after confirming its first case of coronavirus infection.

Outbreak to Hit iPhone Output if China Extends Foxconn Factory Halt

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 09:23 PM PST

Production at Apple supplier Foxconn is said to be in danger of serious disruption if the coronavirus outbreak is not brought under control soon.

China Farmers, Firms Feel the Pinch on Edge of Virus Exclusion Zone

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 08:57 PM PST

Chinese farmers and business owners in and around the coronavirus exclusion zone are counting the damage at what should be one of the busiest times of the year.
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Tuesday, February 4, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

NLD Renegade Joins New Myanmar Political Party

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 06:21 AM PST

Lawmaker U Kyaw Zay Ya, dismissed by the National League for Democracy for "damaging the party's image," will serve as vice president for the People's Pioneer Party.

Myanmar Opium Cultivation in Decline: UN Report

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 05:48 AM PST

Despite declines elsewhere in Myanmar, the UNODC says, opium growth remains tough to address in conflict areas of Shan and Kachin states.

Coronavirus Hits Myanmar’s Travel Agents

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 04:24 AM PST

Myanmar's travel agents had been expecting another record year for Chinese tourist arrivals but the coronavirus is forcing cancellations until the end of the peak season.

Rohingya Robbery Suspect Killed in ‘Gunfight’ After Refugee Camp Shooting

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 04:02 AM PST

Bangladeshi police shot and killed a Rohingya refugee suspected of robbery hours after an early shooting in Nayapara Camp left a dozen Rohingya wounded.

Young Mother Killed, Three Wounded in Artillery Strike in Myanmar’s Rakhine

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 04:01 AM PST

Both the military and Arakan Army deny targeting civilians, after artillery kills a mother of two and wounds three others in Kyauktaw.

Myanmar Military Asks Govt to Punish Minister for Police Remark

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 03:43 AM PST

A military spokesperson asked the government to reprimand the religious affairs minister for implying the police are controlled by the military, not the government.

Internet Ban Reimposed in Five Townships in Western Myanmar

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 02:33 AM PST

Telecom firm Telenor says the government has reimposed an internet blackout in five townships in Rakhine and Chin states, though no official announcement has been made.

Myanmar’s Arakan Liberation Party Seeks to Hold Rakhine National-Level Dialogue

Posted: 03 Feb 2020 10:54 PM PST

The Arakan Liberation Party, an NCA signatory, has asked the government to let the Rakhine people hold a national-level dialogue before the next Union Peace Conference. 

US Disinfectant Maker Boosts Output as China Hospitals Battle Virus

Posted: 03 Feb 2020 10:39 PM PST

A US disinfectant maker is rushing to fill orders from China, which is running out of supplies needed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Hong Kong Reports First Coronavirus Death as Hospital Workers Escalate Strike

Posted: 03 Feb 2020 10:33 PM PST

Hong Kong has reported its first coronavirus death—and the second outside mainland China—amid a strike by hospital workers demanding the Chinese border be closed.
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