Myanmar morning news for April 30, 2020

UPDATE: Myanmar COVID-19 case count now at 150
Myanmar’s COVID-19 case count is now at 150 after the health ministry reported a new case at 7am on April 29.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar Govt to Probe Fatal Shooting of WHO Driver Transporting COVID-19 Swabs
The President has authorized an investigation committee to probe the shooting death of a WHO driver who was attacked while transporting COVID-19 swabs in Rakhine State.
— Irrawaddy

UN rapporteur urges new probe into possible Myanmar ‘war crimes’
Myanmar army accused of launching air raids in Rakhine, Chin states burning villages and torturing civilians.
— Aljazeera

Myanmar central bank cuts interest rates to support economy amid COVID-19 outbreak
The Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) will cut interest rates for the third time this year to support the country’s economy amid the COVID-19 outbreak, state-run media quoted a statement of the central bank on Wednesday.
— Xinhua

Myanmar’s military medical personnel discuss with PLA medics
Myanmar military medical personnel discussed control and treatments COVID-19 with the medics from China People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the 1,000-bedded Defence Services General Hospital in Mingaladon Township, Yangon Region, on April 27th.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar Front-line Medical Workers Face Discrimination Amid COVID-19 Fight
Front line medical workers in Myanmar’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic are being shunned by neighbors and landlords who fear infection from them, they told RFA Tuesday as experts warned that discrimination would reduce the number of people willing to help with the crisis.
— Radio Free Asia

Myanmar’s Rohingya: An Unwanted People
Xenophobic sentiments on social media against “the most discriminated people in the world” – the Rohingya of Myanmar – is on the rise in Malaysia.
— The Asean Post

Myanmar’s former ‘Mr Burma’ still pumping iron at 91, although coronavirus has forced him to shut his gym
Myanmar has a robust bodybuilding culture, and competitions held at malls often draw enthusiastic crowds
— South China Morning Post

Myanmar forms panel to probe attack on WHO vehicle
Myanmar President’s Office on Wednesday (April 29) announced the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate into a recent armed attack on a vehicle of the World Health Organization (WHO) carrying Covid-19 surveillance samples in Rakhine state.
— The Star Online

For Myanmar’s Refugees, Hunger is Bigger Concern Than COVID-19
In Myanmar, an estimated 350,000 internally displaced persons living in crowded and sometimes unsanitary conditions face the danger of a widespread outbreak of COVID-19.
— VOA

Myanmar seeks investments to make Covid-19 medical equipment at idle factories
New investments have been invited to produce medicines and medical equipment necessary to combat Covid-19 at idle state-owned factories, said Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Thaung Tun.
— The Star Online

Myanmar workers from Malaysia caught in Sungai Kolok
Seven Myanmar nationals who said they had been working in Malaysia have been arrested in Sungai Kolok district of Narathiwat, Department of Special Investigation deputy director-general Traiyarit Temahiwong said on Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post

US panel urges targeted sanctions on India, Myanmar
The US government has been urged to impose targeted sanctions on the governments of India and Myanmar and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and barring their entry to the United States.
— New Age BD

Myanmar to accelerate preventive measures against Dengue fever this year
Myanmar health authorities have been planning to accelerate preventive and control measures against Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever this year, an official from the Public Health Department told Xinhua on Wednesday.
— Xinhua

Myanmar bodybuilder still going strong at the age of 91
Flexing his oiled, bulging biceps and pecs, 91-year-old one-time bodybuilding champion Sein Maung admires himself in the mirror before starting to pump iron in his Myanmar gym.
— The Phnom Penh Post

“I Do Nation”, and Myanmar’s street vendors
Last week a row broke out at the Seikanthar Street markets in Yangon, with a crowd of middle-aged women shouting at YCDC officials.
— Myanmar Times

Indigenous Groups in Myanmar Lash out at ‘Restrictive’ Conservation Policies
In late 2018, following a series of demonstrations and confrontations, indigenous communities primarily from the Rawang ethnic minority expelled the Myanmar Forest Department and its international partner, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), from an area known as the Hkakaborazi Landscape, amid mounting dissent over a potential UNESCO World Heritage nomination.
— Pulitzer Center

Millions in Myanmar risk having mobile phones cut off after SIM registration deadline
Responding to questions from The Myanmar Times, PTD assistant director Daw Aye Myint San confirmed that the deadline is April 30. After that date, she said, users would still be able to access websites and applications for registration purposes.
— Myanmar Times

UNFPA scales up its support to Myanmar’s State and Regional Health Departments in fighting COVID-19 pandemic
UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, delivers 350 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Kachin State Health Department in Myitkyina to strengthen its response to COVID-19 outbreak.
— Reliedweb

Myanmar govt will pay social security for insured workers
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population will provide social security benefits for insured workers from factories and workshops which are temporarily suspended for inspections.
— Myanmar Times

Public awareness of possible storm amid COVID-19 pandemic
Storms commonly move across Myanmar in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods, and that it is important to have an increased awareness of the storms and make preparations in facing against the seasonal disasters amid the outbreak of COVID-19 disease.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Symptom-free people pose big challenge in Myanmar COVID-19 fight
Myanmar health authorities take little comfort in the low number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country.
— Myanmar Times

Control and response actions for COVID-19 continue at IDP camps
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, in cooperation with related departments and organizations, implemented prevention, control and response actions against COVID-19 at the IDP camps in four states from 25 to 28 April.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

More than 1,800 Yangon Factories to Reopen After Passing Myanmar’s COVID-19 Tests
Myanmar’s business hub Yangon has more than 6,000 factories and the coronavirus inspections are ongoing.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar nuns provide food and masks for the poor
Catholic nuns in Myanmar have filled a gap in the Church’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak by providing food and cloth masks for the poor and sewing protective suits for health workers.
— UCA News

Sixth Myanmar COVID-19 Death Reported in Yangon
A 63-year-old has died with coronavirus, hypertension and diabetes. His infection was linked to the Yangon religious event behind most of Myanmar’s cases.
— Irrawaddy

China donates 15 ventilators to Myanmar
CHINA donated ventilators to aid the containment and treatment of COVID-19 in a ceremony in Muse, Shan State on 28 April.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Committee formed to coordinate Government and EAOs’ COVID-19 response
The Myanmar government has formed a coordination and cooperation committee to work with Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) in the fight against COVID-19, said an order issued by the President’s Office on Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
— Mizzima

Over 16,000 Myanmar workers wish to return from Thailand
The labour attache office in Thailand said 16,324 Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand have registered online to return to Myanmar.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar Launches Sweeping COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan
State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said her government’s comprehensive COVID-19 response plan would soften the economic blow of the pandemic and leave no one behind.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar army again guilty of abuses, possible war crimes: UN expert
Myanmar’s military must be investigated for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity as a conflict with rebels in the country’s northwest ramps up, a UN rights expert said Wednesday.
— CNA

Finland takes over as co-facilitator for ETVSCG
Union Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi participated in 14th online meeting for the Education & TVET Sector Coordination Group (ETVSCG) at 2 pm yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

U.N. human rights expert: Myanmar targeting civilians in fight with rebels
Myanmar’s military is intensifying a bloody campaign against armed rebels and civilians amid the coronavirus pandemic and ignoring a call for cease-fire, a United Nations human rights investigator said Wednesday.
— UPI

ASEAN Tourism Ministers Meeting held via video conferencing
The Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers on COVID-19 was held through a video conference at 8:30 am yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar unlikely to see large outbreak of Covid-19, says Health Ministry
The Ministry of Health and Sports has issued a statement saying that Myanmar would not see a large outbreak of Covid-19 if effective and systematic preventive and control measures continue.
— The Star Online

Republic of Union of Myanmar Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population Minister Office Notification 83/2020 Nay Pyi Taw
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population announced on 19 April 2020 that factories, workplaces and work establishments need to follow recommendations and guidelines of Ministry of Health and Sports to reopen, as a move to contain the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) after making.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Shan State Militia, AA Deny Links Through Lucrative Drug Trade
The Arakan Army and a Shan State militia deny being partners in an illegal drug trade that nets tens of millions of dollars with the approval of the Myanmar military.
— Irrawaddy

Supreme Court of the Union releases Court Annual Report 2019
The Court Annual Report 2019 (both English and Myanmar versions) was published by the Supreme Court of the Union on 30 April 2020.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

I want the people to be open-minded, strong-willed, determined and united: State Counsellor
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she wanted the people to be open-minded, strong- willed, determined and united on her Facebook page yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar schools to re-open in June if virus situation is contained
Schools in Myanmar will re-open in June only if the COVID-19 situation in the country could be mitigated in May, said an official from the education ministry.
— Myanmar Times

Doctor-Turned-COVID-19 Patient Sheds Light on Myanmar Health Care Workers’ Struggle
In a videoconference, an anesthesiologist being treated for COVID-19 thanked Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for her leadership but urged her to make sure doctors are equipped.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar authorities check returning workers for virus
Officials across the country are checking the health thousands of people returning from jobs in China and Thailand, and putting them in quarantine.
— Myanmar Times

Corporate Responsibility Is an Integral Part of Korean Investment in Myanmar
A growing number of Korean enterprises are making corporate social responsibility an integral part of their investment in Myanmar.
— Irrawaddy

When Myanmar Made One of the Largest Bells in the World
On this day in 1808, the casting of the Great Mingun Bell, now the second-largest bell in the world, began along the Irrawaddy River in central Myanmar.
— Irrawaddy

Feature photo Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists
This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo focus on World Press Freedom Day, May 3.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

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About Myanmar morning news.

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