Myanmar morning news for January 31, 2020

Myanmar suspends up to seven airlines due to novel coronavirus
Six airlines from China are temporarily suspended direct flights between Myanmar and China due to novel coronavirus and up to seven airlines suspended their flights to Myanmar, according to Yangon International Airport (YIA).
— Eleven Myanmar

Business groups voice opposition to Myanmar govt′s car plan
The Automotive Association of Myanmar (AAM), European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) and other vehicle industry bodies are voicing their opposition to a plan announced by the Ministry of Commerce that would see the providing of vehicle import permits to senior governments officials as an incentive.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar to evacuate 63 students from Wuhan
The Myanmar government will evacuate 63 students stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan as the new coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.
— Myanmar Times

Amyotha Hluttaw accepts motion to debate minimum wage law
The second-day meeting of the Second Amyotha Hluttaw’s 15th regular session took place in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday where MPs raised starred questions and amendments to The Minimum Wage Law, 2013, were debated.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

US Ambassador stresses close ties with Myanmar despite tension over the Rakhine crisis
In a wide-ranging public discussion in Yangon, U.S. Ambassador Scot Marciel stressed that contrary to perceptions, Washington is continuing its strong engagement with Myanmar, despite the fallout over the Rakhine crisis, and the imposition of targeted sanctions against military personnel.
— Mizzima

Melon trading at Muse border halted amid coronavirus fears
Myanmar watermelon traders have begun to feel the pinch of the coronavirus outbreak as Chinese buyers have stopped showing up at border crossings to buy their produce.
— Myanmar Times

Industry group helps phone importers get on right track
We founded MMIA to improve the mobile phone industry, to serve technology-related businesses, and to negotiate with the government any policies that cause difficulties for the industry. We also coordinate with importers to ensure market stability.
— Myanmar Times

On Myanmar’s property scene, cheaper condos are hot
PROPERTY players in Myanmar be jostling for condominiums in the low- to middle-income market, a real estate consultancy has suggested in its latest quarterly report.
— Business Times

GIC said to become Yoma Bank’s second foreign shareholder
Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC Pvt Ltd (GIC), and Norway’s private equity firm, Norfund, have bought a substantial stake in Yoma Bank, led by tycoon Serge Pun.
— Myanmar Times

Experts resume excavation of royal palace in Bagan
Archaeologists will soon restart excavation of the ancient palace of King Anawrahta and King Kyan Sit in Bagan in Mandalay Region, according to the Department of Archaeology and National Museum.
— Myanmar Times

Ministry of Commerce discusses auto imports
The Oversight Committee on Car Imports and Related Activities held meeting No. (1/2020) at the Ministry of Commerce yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

China Leaps Into Breach Between Myanmar and West
A raft of new multibillion-dollar deals announced by Xi Jinping worry Washington and New Delhi.
— Foreign Policy

Myanmar Minister Says Country Will Not Destroy Evidence in ICJ Rohingya Case
Myanmar will not destroy evidence related to allegations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims, a government minister from violence-ridden Rakhine state said Wednesday, nearly a week after the U.N.’s top court ordered the country to preserve evidence and take measures to protect the minority group from genocidal acts.
— Radio Free Asia

VP U Myint Swe emphasizes implementation of 14 plans to combat money laundering, financing of terrorism
The second coordination meeting of Steering Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday morning, with an opening speech of Committee’s Chairman Vice President U Myint Swe and discussions by member of committees to implement 14 plans adopted in the Asia Pacific Joint Group.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

State Counsellor met with student protest
Myanmar university students staged a rare protest during a speech by the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi at an education sector event in the capital Naypyidaw on Tuesday, criticizing the civilian-led government’s decision to extend the academic year by one month, RFA reported.
— BNI Online

New Course of Study Planned for Rohingya Students
Bangladeshi officials say they will expand educational programs for Rohingya children living in refugee camps. The hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya children currently only receive basic lessons.
— VOA

Ooredoo, Facebook send vans with digital literacy trainers to remote areas of Myanmar
Ooredoo and Facebook report they have sent two vans carrying trainers across remote areas of Myanmar in the last two months of 2019 and educated people on how to use internet safely and responsibly. The initiative was designed to support the two partners’ nationwide “Internet 101” digital literacy programme.
— Telecompaper

A Tale of 3 Myanmar Political Assassination Plots
Wednesday marked the third anniversary of the shooting death of prominent lawyer and constitutional reform advocate U Ko Ni outside Yangon International Airport.
— Irrawaddy

Workers returning from China via illegal route face virus monitoring at Kachin borders
Despite no Wuhan virus cases in Kachin State, border gates have come under scrutiny as Myanmar migrant workers return from China through illegal route, according to the Kachin State government.
— Eleven Myanmar

Seeing a boy die in Myanmar made me so thankful to work as a nurse in the NHS
I still wonder whether he would have survived with access to treatments we would have used in the UK.
— The Guardian

KNU Denies Targeting Myanmar Military Officer Killed in Mine Blast
The KNU has rejected the military’s claim it deliberately targeted a battalion commander killed while providing security for a road project the ethnic group opposes.
— Irrawaddy

State Counsellor receives NMSP delegation in Nay Pyi Taw
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity as Chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, received a delegation from New Mon State Party led by its Chairman Nai Han Thar at the NRPC in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

This tiny African country got the U.N.’s top court to investigate Myanmar for genocide
On Thursday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a unanimous ruling that ordered Myanmar to “take all measures within its power” to protect its ethnic minority Rohingya population from genocide. The case — against which Myanmar’s civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, argued unsuccessfully — ended up in front of the ICJ because of a tiny African country thousands of miles away. Here’s what you need to know about this story.
— Washington Post

Myanmar reports over 950 drug-related cases in 2 years
Myanmar has reported 957 drug-related cases, involving 1,480 suspects within two years, Xinhua reported quoting state-run media reported.
— Mizzima

Government’s involvement in businesses may hinder private sector: NLD MP
The private sector will not see development as the government itself is doing business, taking overseas loans, said Upper House MP Than Soe from Yangon Region Constituency-4, at the session of the Union Parliament on 28 January.
— Eleven Myanmar

VP U Henry Van Thio inspects NyaungU airport upgrade, renovation of Bagan pagodas
Vice President U Henry Van Thio inspected upgrade of NyaungU airport for customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities and renovation of quake-affected pagodas in Bagan.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Ygn government to build squatter housings in Twanty
The Yangon Region Government Committee is going to build over 26,000 housings in Twanty Township for the squatters, says Nilar Kyaw, Yangon Region’s Minister of Electricity, Industry and Transport at 11th regular meeting of Yangon Parliament held yesterday.
— Eleven Myanmar

MoALI prepares for FAO Regional Conference
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation organized a preparative meeting for the 35th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC 35) which will be held in Thimphu, Bhutan, from 17 to 20 February.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Amid Chinese Flu Fears, Mandalay Goes Without Masks While Dealers Make Profits
Face-mask supplies are running low in Mandalay, although pharmacies say dealers are buying them in the hope of selling them on later for profit.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar Parliamentary Committee Chairman Says Members Returned Cash Gifts to Mining Company
Members of an Upper House committee did not realize gifts they received from a mining company included cash, the panel’s chairman said after bribe accusations.
— Irrawaddy

UEC, Facebook Team discuss ‘Connecting with Communities’
Union Election Commission and the Facebook Team discussed preparations for relaunching the commission’s social media page ahead of 2020 General Election.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar’s Karen Education Group Sounds Alarm Over Sharp Cut to Funding
The Karen Teacher Working Group says a key donor will cut 80% of its funding for the Karen education system, putting over 1,500 Karen schools at risk of losing teachers.
— Irrawaddy

President U Win Myint accepts Letters of Credence of Ambassador of Viet Nam
Mr Ly Quoc Tuan, the newly-accredited Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, presented his Letters of Credence to U Win Myint, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, at the Credentials Hall of the Presidential Palace, Nay Pyi Taw at 10:40 am yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar ‘On Waiting List’ to Evacuate Students From Virus-Hit Wuhan
The government said plans are in place to evacuate and conduct health checks on 63 Myanmar students in virus-hit Wuhan, China, pending approval from Chinese authorities.
— Irrawaddy

Pyithu Hluttaw convenes second day meeting of 15th regular session
The second Pyithu Hluttaw held its second day meeting of 15th regular session yesterday, with the answers of respective ministries to asterisked questions and approving the Tax Appeal Tribunal Bylaws.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar accepts Letters of Credence of Ambassador of Canada
Mr Francois Lafreniere, the newly-accredited Ambassador of Canada to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, presented his Letters of Credence to U Win Myint, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, at the Credentials Hall of the Presidential Palace, Nay Pyi Taw at 10:00 am yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Beats and Breaks in Burma: Myanmar’s Biggest Dance Crew
After winning ‘Myanmar’s Got Talent’, Junior Creative dance crew took to the ‘America’s Got Talent’ stage and will soon compete in Asia’s version of the competition.
— Irrawaddy

The Day Author and Traveler Somerset Maugham Revisited Myanmar
On this day in 1960, the 86-year-old British author W. Somerset Maugham visited Yangon to recount stories of his 1923 exploration of the country during colonial rule.
— Irrawaddy

Feature photo Birds in Myanmar

This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo focus on raptors of Asean, here the White-eyed Buzzard.

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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