By Nirmal Ghosh, The Straits Times Washington – A new report from the International Crisis Group (ICG) describes increasing lawlessness and chaos in Myanmar as conflict in the country spreads since the Feb 1 coup, with armed militias proliferating in both rural and urban settings. Some of these militias, armed with hunting rifles and other
World news
UK government to probe leak of Hancock footage
By Reuters Staff, published by The Hindu BRITAIN’S government will investigate how footage of former minister Matt Hancock kissing and embracing his aide found its way into the media and forced his resignation, in the latest scandal to hit Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government. After first facing down calls for Hancock to be sacked or
Read moreHong Kongers snap up final edition of Apple Daily newspaper
By AFP, published by Channel NewsAsia Hong Kong – Hong Kongers queued today (June 24) for the final edition of the city’s beloved pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily after it was forced to close under a sweeping new national security law, ending a 26-year run of taking on China’s authoritarian leaders. The sudden death of the
Read moreRussian forces reportedly fire warning shots at British destroyer in Black Sea
By Reuters Staff, published by Channel NewsAsia Moscow – A Russian military ship fired warning shots at a British Royal Navy destroyer after it entered Russian waters in the Black Sea, and a Russian jet dropped bombs in its path as a warning, Interfax cited Russia’s defence ministry as saying today (June 23). The HMS
Read moreMyanmar anti-junta militia vow to take on army in Mandalay
By Reuters Staff, published by Channel NewsAsia MYANMAR security forces backed by armoured vehicles clashed today (Jun 22) with a newly formed militia group in the second-biggest city of Mandalay resulting in at least two casualties, according to members of the group and media reports. Since the army seized power on Feb 1 and removed
Read morePope joins Myanmar bishops’ appeal for humanitarian corridors
By Reuters Staff, published by Channel NewsAsia Vatican City – Pope Francis today (Jun 20) appealed to Myanmar’s military leaders to allow aid to reach displaced, hungry people who have fled fighting since the Feb 1 coup and to respect religious sites as places of sanctuary. Speaking at his Sunday blessing to crowds in
Read moreMyanmar protesters wear flowers to mark Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Yangon – Anti-coup protesters in Myanmar donned flowers in their hair today (June 19) to mark the birthday of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest and is due to face court again next week. Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government was overthrown
Read moreBiden, Putin face off at long-awaited summit
By AFP, Reuters and AP, published by DW US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin kicked off a highly-anticipated summit in Geneva today (June 16). The leaders’ first in-person meeting, which is taking place at a lakeside villa, comes amid soaring tensions between their two countries. Opening the talks, Putin said he
Read moreNato designates China a ‘systemic’ challenge as Biden rebuilds bond with Western alliance
By Reuters Staff, published by The Straits Times Brussels – US President Joe Biden today (June 14) told fellow Nato leaders that the defence of Europe, Turkey and Canada was a “sacred obligation” for the United States, a marked shift from his predecessor Donald Trump’s threats to withdraw from the military alliance. Arriving in Brussels,
Read moreChina to G7: Small groups do not rule the world
By BBC CHINA has warned the G7 leaders that the days when a “small” group of countries decided the fate of the world were long gone. The comments, by a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in London, come as the leaders, who are meeting in England, seek a unified position over China. They adopted a
Read moreMyanmar junta accuses ethnic armies over bombings
By Reuters, published by Channel NewsAsia MYANMAR’S junta on today (June 12) accused some of the country’s two dozen ethnic armed groups of providing training to its opponents to carry out a wave of bombings that it said had targeted public buildings including schools. Bomb attacks have become a daily occurrence as the army struggles
Read moreMyanmar violence escalating, creating ‘rights catastrophe’: UN
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Geneva – The United Nations rights chief said today (Jun 11) that violence was escalating across Myanmar, warning that the country had plunged into a “human rights catastrophe” since the Feb 1 coup. Pointing to reported military build-up in several regions of the country, UN High Commissioner for
Read moreDoctors Without Borders ordered to stop work in Myanmar city
By AFP, published by Channel NewsAsia Yangon – An international medical charity warned today (June 9) of “life-threatening” consequences for thousands of HIV and tuberculosis patients in Myanmar after it was ordered by the junta to stop work in a southern city. Doctors Without Borders – widely known by its French initials MSF – received
Read moreTrump demands China pay US$10 trillion over coronavirus pandemic
By South China Morning Post and AFP FORMER US president Donald Trump on Saturday sharply attacked infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, demanded reparations from China and denounced an investigation into his finances in a speech in North Carolina. It was Trump’s first speech in months, and he took
Read moreThailand concerned over violence in Myanmar
By Reuters Staff, published by MSN News THAILAND has expressed concern about the violence in many parts of Myanmar and called on its neighbour to take action and end the turmoil roiling the country since a February 1 coup. Myanmar’s military has shown little sign of heeding the “Five-Point Consensus” agreed among the Association of
Read moreUS seeks freedom for 2 American journalists in Myanmar
By AP, published by MSN News A US State Department official called today (June 2) for the immediate release of two American journalists who were arrested by Myanmar’s military junta. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the arrests of Danial Fenster and Nathan Maung were of deep concern, and urged that they be freed
Read moreMyanmar military fails to quell protests four months after coup
By Reuters Staff, published by Channel NewsAsia MYANMAR protesters took to the streets today (June 1) in several districts, as fighting between the army and anti-junta militias raged in border areas, four months after the military ousted an elected government in a coup. Myanmar’s military is still struggling to impose order after arresting Aung San
Read moreRemains of 215 children found at former indigenous school site in Canada
By Reuters Staff, published by Euronews.com Toronto – The remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, were found at the site of a former residential school for indigenous children, a discovery Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as heartbreaking on Friday. The children were students at the Kamloops Indian Residential School
Read more8 explosions and shooting death of accused informant reported in Yangon
By Myanmar Now EIGHT explosives went off this morning (May 27) in Yangon’s Thaketa Township, where a local ward administrator was also shot and killed by three gunmen in the latest sign of escalating violence by anti-regime forces. The explosions took place near the township’s No. 1 and No. 2 police stations, a local market,
Read morePutin-Biden summit rewards Putin, some experts say
By CNBC WHEN US President Joe Biden meets Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in June, it will be one of the most closely watched summits of the year. But there are doubts whether the summit can achieve much, given the poor state of relations. And not everyone is happy about the summit even going ahead, particularly
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