News
Religious leaders take stand on violence against women
Religious leaders from four major faiths in Myanmar called for an end to violence and discrimination against women during an International Women’s Day debate in Yangon over the weekend. The three-hour discussion was organised by UN Women and Religions for Peace, a Yangon-based interfaith group bringing together ...
Yangon's real estate challenge
After a pause while investors awaited the outcome of elections, the property market in Myanmar’s biggest city is picking up again, but some sectors will do better than others. Myanmar has experienced dramatic changes economically and politically over the past few years. As foreign investors rush ...
Myanmar licenses four more banks
Myanmar has granted operating licences to four more Asian banks, bringing to 13 the number of foreign banks allowed to conduct business in the country. Keep reading ...
WHO warns of fake drugs
Beware of fake hepatitis medication. The World Health Organization has warned hepatitis C patients that counterfeit medications are being sold in Myanmar. Drugs branded as “Ledso” and “Dakavir” are fakes, according to an alert put out by the WHO. Keep reading ...
In fight against malaria, NGO explores clothes that bite back
Health specialists met in Yangon on 3 March to discuss insect-fighting clothes as a way of eliminating malaria in Myanmar. NGO Malaria Consortium has been testing its insect-treated arsenal with a local at-risk group: rubber tappers in Thanbyuzayat who work in plantations at night when infective mosquitoes ...
Two director generals fired after jade probe
A three-month investigation into dodgy dealings in the murky jade industry has netted dozens of government officials, with two director generals dismissed from their posts earlier this week. The President’s Office on 3 March confirmed that the director generals from two Union government ministries, as well as ...
New bridge a boon for Myanmar beach tourism
Business operators at Chaungtha are hoping the reopening of a bridge on the road to Pathein will restore tourism to the beach. U Toe Bridge, near U Toe village, about 5 kilometres east of Chaungtha in Ayeyarwady Region, has been temporarily closed for upgrades since January. ...
IDPs must not be forgotten in wake of elections: UN
United Nations representatives are continuing to pressure Myanmar on the international stage over its treatment of Muslim minorities and internally displaced people. A high-ranking UN official who recently toured IDP camps in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states on 2 March spoke of his “heartbreaking” experiences. John Ging, director ...
Thai celebrities join UNHCR campaign to support Myanmar refugees
Well-known Thai actor Saharat “Kong” Sangkapricha and actress and model Priya “Pu” Suandokmai have joined a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) fundraising project that highlights the plight of Myanmar’s displaced in Thailand. The campaign, called “Namjai for Refugees,” aims to assist over 120,000 Myanmar refugees currently living ...
Shan rights groups call for mine clearance
Shan State locals are demanding the government clear landmines from conflict areas surrounding villages in the north of the state. The Kachin Ethnic Network of Shan State made the request in Yangon on 1 March during a press conference. They also demanded armed groups stop detaining civilians. Keep reading ...