Russia warns Myanmar sanctions could spark 'full-blown civil conflict'

AFP

Russia said on Tuesday it opposed sanctions against the junta in Myanmar, warning that punitive measures could spark a large-scale civil war in the country.

"A course towards threats and pressure including the use of sanctions against the current Myanmar authorities has no future and is extremely dangerous," news agency Interfax quoted a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson as saying.

Such policies would "push the Burmese towards a full-blown civil conflict."

Myanmar activists splash red paint to protest bloodshed

AFP

Myanmar activists daubed roadways with red paint Tuesday to protest against the junta's bloody crackdown on protests, as an online fundraising drive to support the movement neared the $10 million mark.

The country has been in turmoil since the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, rocked by daily clashes between protestors and authorities that have left at least 570 people dead.

On Tuesday, in the commercial capital Yangon, people smeared red paint and handprints on bus stops and pavements in protest at the military's violence.

Race to find dozens missing in deadly Indonesia, East Timor floods

AFP

Rescuers were searching for dozens of people still missing Tuesday after floods and landslides swept away villages in Indonesia and East Timor, killing at least 120 people and leaving thousands more homeless.

Torrential rains from Tropical Cyclone Seroja, one of the most destructive storms to hit the region in years, turned small communities into wastelands of mud, uprooted trees and sent around 10,000 people fleeing to shelters across the neighbouring Southeast Asian nations.

Protests continue in Yangon

Mizzima

Protesters in Myanmar clapped together in a show of dissent against the military on Monday as a regional bloc prepared for talks on the crisis that has killed nearly 600 people, Reuters reported.

Clapping began in various parts of the main city Yangon at 5 p.m. (1030 GMT) in response to a call by protest organisers, residents said.

The gesture would honour “Ethnic Armed Organisations and Gen Z defence youths from Myanmar including Yangon who are fighting in the revolution... on behalf of us,” Ei Thinzar Maung, a protest leader, wrote on Facebook.

South Korea considering Myanmar travel ban

Mizzima

The government could consider banning travel to Myanmar and arrange additional temporary flights to help South Koreans leave the country if the political unrest there worsens, a foreign ministry official said Monday, Koreabizwire reported.

The government has helped organize one or two temporary flights a week from the Southeast Asian nation since the Feb. 1 military coup that plunged the nation into turmoil.

Over 50 dead after flash floods in Indonesia and Timor Leste

AFP

More than 50 people were killed after flash floods and landslides swept through eastern Indonesia and neighbouring Timor Leste on Sunday, authorities said, warning the toll could rise further.

Floods sparked by torrential rain wreaked havoc and destruction on islands stretching from Flores Island in Indonesia to Timor Leste, a small nation east of the Indonesian archipelago.

The deluge and subsequent landslides caused dams to overflow, submerging thousands of houses and leaving rescue workers struggling to reach survivors trapped in the aftermath.

SAC steps up campaign against celebrities

Mizzima

The State Administration Council (SAC) stepped up its campaign against celebrities who support nationwide protests against its seizure of power, publishing wanted lists in the state press and warning against using their work. AP reported.

The lists published Sunday and Monday in the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper include actors, actresses, musicians and social media influencers charged with violating Section 505(A) of the Penal Code for “spreading news to affect state stability.” The penalty for the offence is up to three years' imprisonment.

Brunei calls for leaders’ meeting to discuss the situation in Myanmar

Mizzima

Brunei, current leader of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has called for a regional leaders’ meeting to discuss the situation in Myanmar, VOA reported.

In a joint statement with Malaysia, Brunei said both countries have asked their ministers and senior officials to undertake “necessary preparations for the meeting to be held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia.”

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