Monday, May 25, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

With COVID-19 Tests and Quarantines for MPs, Yangon Parliament Back to Session Soon

Posted: 25 May 2020 06:37 AM PDT

Yangon's controversial regional budget is due to be discussed next week after parliamentarians are tested for COVID-19.

NYDC CEO Says New Yangon City Project Will Move Forward

Posted: 25 May 2020 05:44 AM PDT

Serge Pun says megaprojects under China's Belt and Road Initiative are crucial to Myanmar's recovery from COVID-19 as they can create employment.

Myanmar Facebook User Sued for Accusing Mandalay Chief Minister of Corruption

Posted: 25 May 2020 05:25 AM PDT

A Mandalay government employee – allegedly at the request of chief minister Dr. Zaw Myint Maung – has used the Telecommunications Act to counter Facebook allegations.

First Myanmar Doctor to Contract COVID-19 Recovers

Posted: 25 May 2020 04:57 AM PDT

Dr. Myint Myint Sein was discharged from the hospital Monday, six weeks after she risked her own health in an attempt to save a coronavirus patient in early April.

Ethnic Kuki Man Killed in Northern Myanmar, Locals Blame Ethnic Shanni Army

Posted: 25 May 2020 03:35 AM PDT

Two ethnic Kuki men were shot in Sagaing's Homalin Township on Saturday by gunmen who locals say belong to the Shanni Nationalities Army.

Online Film Festival Spotlights Mental Health Effects of Isolation Amid COVID-19 in Myanmar

Posted: 25 May 2020 12:30 AM PDT

The artistic and mental health communities have come together to launch an online film festival to highlight the impact of isolation on people amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas, Water Cannon at Protesters

Posted: 24 May 2020 10:47 PM PDT

Police in Hong Kong fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters as unrest returned to the city in response to China's plans to impose a new security law.

Taiwan Promises ‘Necessary Assistance’ to Hong Kong’s People

Posted: 24 May 2020 10:38 PM PDT

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to assist the people of Hong Kong as renewed protests erupted in the city against Beijing's plans to impose harsher security laws.

Beijing Accuses US of Spreading ‘Political Virus’ Vilifying China

Posted: 24 May 2020 10:38 PM PDT

China said the US is spreading a 'political virus' and trying to trigger a 'new Cold War' at a time when the two countries should be working together to fight COVID-19.

India Scrambles to Find More Hospital Beds as Coronavirus Cases Surge

Posted: 24 May 2020 10:30 PM PDT

Hospitals in India's large cities are being overwhelmed as the country makes slow progress in flattening its curve of coronavirus infections.

The Day Myanmar’s Most Esteemed Foreign Monk Passed Away

Posted: 24 May 2020 07:09 PM PDT

On this day in 1966, Italian-born U Lokanatha died of cancer in Pyin Oo Lwin after many decades of promoting Buddhism around the world.
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Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

This Week in Parliament

Posted: 22 May 2020 08:30 PM PDT

The Irrawaddy briefs you on the week that was in the national legislature.

Irrawaddy Business Roundup

Posted: 22 May 2020 07:30 PM PDT

This week Myanmar saw major pledges from the World Bank and Alibaba as the government promised COVID-19 relief will reach businesses beyond Yangon.

What’s Stopping Myanmar From Modernizing its Electricity Sector?

Posted: 22 May 2020 06:30 PM PDT

The Irrawaddy talks with electrical engineer U Myint Zaw about the history of Myanmar's electricity sector and what it will take to modernize it.
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Friday, May 22, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar to Relocate Rohingya IDP Camp, Build Houses and Infrastructure

Posted: 22 May 2020 05:16 AM PDT

Kyauktalone camp in Rakhine's Kyaukphyu houses Rohingya who were displaced following sectarian violence in 2012.

KIA Says Myanmar Military Offers Supplies, but No Planning, to Fight COVID-19

Posted: 22 May 2020 04:34 AM PDT

A Tatmadaw delegation offered supplies and promises of help at a meeting with the KIA's COVID-19 response team, but no actual plans were discussed, the armed group said.

Wa State Hands Drug Suspect and Meth Bust to Myanmar Authorities

Posted: 22 May 2020 04:07 AM PDT

To counter major drug dealer claims, the UWSA has handed an alleged smuggler and 3.5 million methamphetamine pills to Myanmar's authorities.

Myanmar Parliament Approves US$50 M World Bank Loan for Health Care Systems

Posted: 22 May 2020 03:45 AM PDT

A US$50 million loan from the World Bank will be used to improve the country's health care systems and support the fight against COVID-19.

Ex-Regional Chief Minister Jailed for 30 Years in Landmark Myanmar Corruption Case

Posted: 22 May 2020 01:26 AM PDT

Ex-Tanintharyi chief minister Daw Lei Lei Maw has been jailed for 30 years for bribery; she is the highest official convicted of corruption so far during the NLD's term.

One Year on, Still No Justice in Myanmar’s ‘Victoria’ Toddler Rape Case

Posted: 22 May 2020 01:23 AM PDT

A year after the rape of a toddler at a Naypyitaw nursery, and months after the President's Office vowed to uncover the truth, no one has been brought to justice.

Personal Histories Behind the Headlines of Modern Myanmar

Posted: 21 May 2020 11:30 PM PDT

Thant Myint-U offers a unique perspective on developments in Myanmar in recent decades in a book that blends history with personal recollection.

Death Toll From Cyclone Amphan Rises to 82 in India, Bangladesh as Tidal Surge Floods Lowlands

Posted: 21 May 2020 10:39 PM PDT

Rescue teams continued to search for survivors on the Bay of Bengal coast of India and Bangladesh as the death toll from Cyclone Amphan rose to 82.

Malaysia Confirms More Coronavirus Cases at Migrant Detention Center

Posted: 21 May 2020 10:34 PM PDT

Malaysian health authorities confirmed 35 new COVID-19 cases at a detention center for illegal aliens, prompting criticism of its immigration crackdown amid the pandemic.

China Scraps GDP Target, Vows Spending as Virus Overshadows Parliament

Posted: 21 May 2020 10:02 PM PDT

The Chinese government has decided not to set an annual GDP growth target for this year, citing the economic uncertainty amid COVID-19.

China Says 2020 Defense Spending to Rise 6.6% This Year

Posted: 21 May 2020 09:41 PM PDT

China's defense spending is set to rise 6.6 percent from last year in 2020, amid a steep contraction in the country's economy due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Thursday, May 21, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar Finds 18 Imported COVID-19 Cases In a Week

Posted: 21 May 2020 05:57 AM PDT

Returning migrants from Malaysia and UAE have brought fresh coronavirus cases after a lull in new infections.

Myanmar’s Remote Naga SAZ Has Only Two Doctors for Its 130,000 Residents

Posted: 21 May 2020 05:36 AM PDT

The self-administered zone is among other least-developed areas in Myanmar facing a serious shortage of health care workers.

Myanmar’s Largest Ethnic Armed Group Invites Military Chief to Visit

Posted: 21 May 2020 03:44 AM PDT

It's the second time Wa State has invited Myanmar's military chief to visit the area controlled by the best-equipped ethnic rebels in Myanmar.

Xi Hopeful on Belt and Road Projects in Myanmar During COVID-19

Posted: 21 May 2020 03:26 AM PDT

During a call on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar President U Win Myint discussed how to speed up cooperation on Belt and Road Initiative projects.

Myanmar Parliament Indefinitely Postpones Referendum on Charter Amendments

Posted: 21 May 2020 01:18 AM PDT

Myanmar lawmakers have approved a request by the Election Commission to indefinitely postpone a referendum on charter amendments, citing its estimated $10-million cost.

Cyclone Kills 14 in India, Bangladesh Leaving Trail of Destruction

Posted: 20 May 2020 10:28 PM PDT

At least 10 people in India's West Bengal state and four in Bangladesh were killed as Cyclone Amphan pounded the Bay of Bengal coast.

Thailand Detains 15 Rohingya Migrants for Illegal Entry

Posted: 20 May 2020 10:14 PM PDT

Thai police in Mae Sot have detained 15 Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine State for illegal entry; they are believed to have been heading for Malaysia.

The Day the First British Missionary Entered Myanmar’s Buddhist Order

Posted: 20 May 2020 06:30 PM PDT

On this day in 1902, Charles Henry Allan Bennett entered the Buddhist Order in Myanmar, becoming the first Buddhist missionary in Britain.

Hotels to Slash Wages in Myanmar’s Capital Because of COVID-19 Closures

Posted: 20 May 2020 04:49 AM PDT

Hotel bosses in Naypyitaw say they can no longer afford to pay full wages as income crashes amid coronavirus closures.

MP Warns Australian-backed Mining in Myanmar’s Far North May Spark Protest

Posted: 20 May 2020 04:31 AM PDT

A Kachin lawmaker says local communities object to an Australian-backed mining survey in Myanmar's northernmost township over possible impacts on their land and livelihoods.

Pastors Arrested for Holding Gatherings Amid Myanmar’s COVID-19 Restrictions

Posted: 20 May 2020 04:19 AM PDT

After completing their quarantine periods, two pastors appeared in court and were detained to face charges of violating Yangon's ban on public gatherings amid COVID-19.

Myanmar MP Denounces Govt’s Extension of Controversial Coal Power Plant Operation

Posted: 20 May 2020 02:25 AM PDT

A Shan State lawmaker spoke out against the continued approval of a coal plant in Tigyit despite its damage to local residents' health and environment.

Myanmar Strips Imprisoned Veteran Rakhine Politician of MP Status

Posted: 20 May 2020 02:22 AM PDT

The Election Commission has removed Arakan National Party founder Dr. Aye Maung from the list of MPs and barred him from future elections due to his treason conviction.

Myanmar Doctor Arrested for Facebook Rant Against Monks Who Oppose Sex Education

Posted: 20 May 2020 02:03 AM PDT

A doctor faces jail under a law against insulting religion after he posted a fiery attack on social media against Buddhist monks who oppose the teaching of sex education.

Bankruptcy Court to Oversee Restructuring of Thai Airways

Posted: 19 May 2020 11:17 PM PDT

The Thai government has approved a plan for COVID-19-hit Thai Airways' finances to be restructured under the supervision of a bankruptcy court.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar to Double Health Spending to Supply Free Medicines

Posted: 19 May 2020 06:17 AM PDT

The health ministry will spend 300 billion kyats (US$216 million) in the next fiscal year as the numbers seeking treatment at public hospitals has increased year by year.

Thailand Allows Stranded Myanmar Migrants to Return

Posted: 19 May 2020 05:22 AM PDT

Buses under police guard will bring migrants from Bangkok to Mae Sot each night as Thailand grants an exception to its travel bans to send migrants home.

Investigation of Nursing University Building Collapse Underway

Posted: 19 May 2020 05:08 AM PDT

The Myanmar Engineering Society is investigating the partial collapse of the Yangon Nursing University building on Sunday to determine the cause.

Almost 200 Homes Set Ablaze in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Posted: 19 May 2020 03:39 AM PDT

Displaced residents of Lekka Village say the Myanmar military burned down over half of their homes, while the military blames the Arakan Army.

Myanmar Power Plants Delayed by COVID-19 to Start Operating in Coming Months

Posted: 19 May 2020 03:31 AM PDT

Five emergency power projects approved in the wake of outages last year but delayed by COVID-19 will be operating by September, the deputy electricity minister said.

Myanmar Police Make Asia’s Biggest-Ever Drugs Bust in Shan State

Posted: 19 May 2020 02:12 AM PDT

A massive drug bust in Shan State included a huge haul of liquid fentanyl—a sign that local drug syndicates are moving into the lucrative opioid business.

Myanmar Court Releases Muslim Boys With Orders Not to Break COVID-19 Restrictions

Posted: 19 May 2020 02:05 AM PDT

A Mandalay juvenile court ordered two Muslim boys not to violate restrictions again after they were arrested for attending a religious gathering in April.

Scholar’s Account of Myanmar’s Intelligence Apparatus Lets Its Former Chief Off Lightly

Posted: 19 May 2020 01:55 AM PDT

David Scott Mathieson reviews Andrew Selth's 2019 book 'Secrets and Power in Myanmar: Intelligence and the Fall of General Khin Nyunt'.

Progress in Myanmar Will Require Patience: Outgoing US Ambassador Marciel

Posted: 18 May 2020 11:35 PM PDT

US Ambassador Scot Marciel said the peace process faltered during his posting, but he leaves the country confident it has the human talent needed to reach its goals.

Trump Threatens Permanent Freeze in WHO Funding, Weighs US Membership

Posted: 18 May 2020 11:33 PM PDT

US President Trump said he would permanently cut off funding to the World Health Organization if it did not agree to 'substantive improvements' within 30 days.

India Coronavirus Infections Surge Past 100,000; Deaths Top 3,000

Posted: 18 May 2020 11:23 PM PDT

India's coronavirus outbreak is continuing to spread rapidly, with infections now exceeding 100,000 and more than 3,000 deaths reported.

Colonial Communications Hub Linked Myanmar with Outside World

Posted: 18 May 2020 08:00 PM PDT

The Central Telegraph Office in Yangon was completed by the British in 1917 and continued to play an important communications role under the Japanese and junta.
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