World

Myanmar military has begun a ceasefire for more than three months in order to concentrate its energy on handling Covid-19 crisis. The ceasefire however will not cover areas where ethnic rebels the government considers terrorist groups are based. Among the exceptions are Arakan Army (AA) rebels, which mainly operate in the states of Rakhine (west) and Chin (northwest), the conflict with which has intensified since January, reports Efe news. The unilateral ceasefire declared by the Myanmar military, also known as the Tatmadaw, was announced on Saturday night and will remain in effect until August 31. The Tatmadaw, which has been accused of having committed multiple crimes against humanity, did not explain in its statement the reasons why it will continue fighting in certain areas and threate

South East Asian nations have decided to Wednesday to deepen tourism cooperation so as to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on the sector. The The announcement was made via a joint statement following a special meeting of the tourism ministers of the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the Covid-19 via video conferencing, which was chaired by Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon. The ministers agreed to foster coordination among the member countries in speeding up information exchange about travel, especially pertaining to health standards and other measures implemented by the member countries in controlling the spread of Covid-19, so as to provide timely and accurate information for travellers and tourism marketers. They also struck a deal to deepen t

The US is planning to capitalise on anger among South East Asian nations over persistent Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. Even as other littoral states have been focused on dealing with the health crisis, China has continued to assert its dominance of the strategically important waters during the coronavirus pandemic. “Their harassment has not served them well. And it has helped start some conversations that we are having now about how to deal with China,” said a US diplomat in south-east Asia. The incidents have piled up in recent weeks: the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat by a Chinese coast guard vessel; Chinese maritime survey activity in waters off Malaysia; and Beijing’s inclusion of disputed land features in new Chinese administrative districts. Mike Pompeo, the US sec

Workers' demonstration at a nickel project run by France's Eramet and China's Tsingshan Holding Group turned violent, which led police to arrest eight people. The May 1 rally at the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) during the coronavirus pandemic, turned violent with demonstrators destroying company property and looting food, North Maluku police spokesman Adib Rojikan said. Eight people had been named suspects for their involvement in the violence and four others were being questioned, Rojikan said by telephone. The demands by workers included rejecting lay-offs and getting a full salary during the proposed lockdown, as well as blocking parliamentary deliberation in Jakarta of a bill that calls for a steep cut in severance compensation, said Rojikan. IWIP said in a statement that

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) had delivered emergency food to the strife-torn Paletwa township in Chin State of Myanmar, whose residents have faced a food shortage since January due to fighting between government forces and the Arakan Army (AA). The food arrived in Paletwa on May 2, the WFP said in a statement. “Some 3700 conflict-affected people will receive food assistance …starting today (May 3),” the statement said. “Families were forced to skip meals and forage wild plants for food. Some resorted to selling or eating their livestock, a coping strategy that could hurt longer-term agricultural productivity and food security.” The UN aid was the latest emergency assistance to reach Paletwa since all access to the area was cut off in late January by intense fighting betwee

European Union has urged all armed forces in Myanmar to implement an unconditional cease-fire and return to the peace process. “Several hundreds of Rohingya people, including women and children, have been drifting for weeks at sea in appalling conditions, being pushed away from the shores in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea,” EU High Representative Josep Borrell said in a written statement. He said the bloc urges governments in the region to carry out a search and rescue operation for stranded Rohingya. “Bangladesh granted safe landing and assistance to 400 Rohingya on one of the boats on 16 April 2020, showing continued generosity and humanity,” Borrell said, adding that it expects other countries to follow suit. Bangladesh coast guard units rescued a boat carrying 390 Rohingya who w

The King of Thailand is living in luxury quarantine when the lives of common people have come to a standstill by the coronavirus pandemic. The normally bustling streets of Bangkok are deserted. Suvarnabhumi Airport, normally a hub of international tourism, is seeing a fraction of its usual traffic. Thailand's critical tourism industry, which made up 20% of the country's GDP in 2018, has ground to a halt.   During a crisis, people expect leaders to demonstrate solidarity and encouragement. But Thailand's king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, has largely been absent from his kingdom since the coronavirus pandemic began. He has been riding out the coronavirus at a luxury hotel in the Bavarian Alps. Vajiralongkorn enjoys special permission to reside at Hotel Sonnenbichl in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Accordi