Pro-democracy activists pledge Thingyan protests

Mizzima

Myanmar pro-democracy activists pledged on Tuesday to hold a series of protests this week to maintain pressure on military rulers during the country's most important holiday of the year, Reuters reported.

The five-day New Year holidays, known as Thingyan, are usually celebrated with prayers, ritual cleaning of Buddha images in temples, and high-spirited water-throwing on the streets.

Security forces hunting those responsible for an underground newsletter

Mizzima

In Yangon, authorities are hunting those responsible for an underground newsletter titled "Molotov".

The publication was started by a group of young activists to fight ongoing internet outages and information suppression.

"The Molotov journal is illegally published," the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said, adding that legal action would be taken against those involved.

COVID 19 testing rates plummet

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Aid groups say Myanmar’s efforts to contain the novel coronavirus have been crumbling since a Feb. 1 coup that has plunged parts of the country into chaos, raising fears of a third wave of infections, with  thousands of doctors and nurses have walked off the job to join the protests, VOA reported.

The U.N.’s acting resident country coordinator, Andrew Kirkwood, told reporters in a virtual press conference last month that Myanmar’s health system “has practically collapsed” and that “nearly all COVID-19 testing and treatment has halted.”

UN fears Myanmar could be heading towards ‘Syrian -style’ conflict

AFP

The UN rights chief warned Tuesday Myanmar could be spiralling towards a "full-blown" Syrian-style conflict, after a two-month crackdown that a local monitoring group says has already claimed more than 700 lives.

Myanmar is in chaos and its economy has been paralysed since the military seized power from civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1.

'Heed the warning': Beijing summons 34 tech firms after record Alibaba fine

AFP

Chinese regulators have warned 34 technology giants -- including Baidu and Tencent -- to "rectify" any anti-competitive measures, a statement said Tuesday, days after e-commerce giant Alibaba was fined nearly $2.8 billion for abusing its dominant market position.

The move suggests Beijing's scrutiny of its most powerful tech firms is far from over, with regulators warning they will continue to eradicate monopoly practices and telling internet companies to "heed the warning of Alibaba's case."

India’s Adani Ports removed from S&P Dow Jones Indices due to Myanmar military ties

Mizzima

S&P Dow Jones Indices said it has removed India’s Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd from its sustainability index due to the firm’s business ties with Myanmar’s military, Reuters reported.

India’s largest private multi-port operator is building a $290 million port in Yangon on land leased from the military-backed Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC).

It will be removed from the index prior to the open on Thursday, April 15, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

ANZ failure to condemn Myanmar highlights need for targeted sanctions.

Mizzima  
  
In the face of atrocity crimes, one of Australia’s largest banks last week held firm on refusing to condemn the military violence against unarmed civilians protesting Myanmar’s coup.  
  
The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd or ANZ Bank, retained its ‘wait and see’ position as, warned the International Crisis Group, Myanmar edges towards state collapse.   
  

Kyat depreciates after military takeover

Mizzima

Myanmar's currency has been depreciating since the Feb. 1 coup, considerably increasing the prices of imported goods, Nikkei Asia reported.

The value of the kyat against the U.S. dollar dropped 14% in the two months following the coup. While the price of gasoline jumped more than 20%, imported foodstuffs are also becoming expensive, leading to more strains on consumers.

The violence must cease immediately – UN Country Team

Mizzima

The UN Country Team in Myanmar on Monday, reiterated its call for an end to violence against civilians, amid reports of dozens of deaths in the latest crackdown on protests against the military takeover.

More than 80 people lost their lives on Friday as security forces reportedly used heavy weapons against protesters in the town of Bago, located about 90 kilometres (56 miles) northeast of the commercial capital Yangon, according to media reports.

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