Myanmar morning news for May 20, 2020

Myanmar’s COVID-19 cases reach 191
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar has risen to 191, with three more confirmed cases reported on Tuesday, according to a release from the Ministry of Health and Sports.
— Xinhua

New bill aims to update Myanmar’s communicable diseases law
The health ministry on May 18 submitted to parliament a new bill aimed at controlling communicable diseases.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar Government Rejects Motion to Shutter Polluting Chinese-Owned Coal Plant
Myanmar’s government on Tuesday rejected a Shan state member of parliament’s proposal to shutter a Chinese-owned coal-fired power plant residents of his region say has exceeded land use specifications, severely polluted the local environment, and jeopardized their health and livelihoods.
— Radio Free Asia

Migrant workers left destitute by economic nosedive
Four months pregnant, unemployed and relying on money borrowed from friends, War War Hywe, a 29-year-old migrant worker from Myanmar’s city of Mandalay, wishes she could go home.
— Bangkok Post

Myanmar announces support to mitigate impact of pandemic but construction likely to be affected
Despite sharing a 2,100km porous border with China, Myanmar reported its first confirmed coronavirus case relatively late on 24 March.
— Designbuild-network

World Bank pledges to support economic reform in Myanmar
The World Bank will support Myanmar under a new country partnership framework from 2020 to 2023, it said on May 18.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar to Double Health Spending to Supply Free Medicines
The health ministry will spend 300 billion kyats (US$216 million) in the next fiscal year as the numbers seeking treatment at public hospitals has increased year by year.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar Police Make Asia’s Biggest-Ever Drugs Bust in Shan State
A massive drug bust in Shan State included a huge haul of liquid fentanyl–a sign that local drug syndicates are moving into the lucrative opioid business.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar launches 1 GW solar tender
The country’s Ministry of Electricity and Energy is seeking proposals for 30 large-scale solar plants. The selected developers will be awarded 20-year power purchase agreements.
— Pv-magazine

Myanmar Power Plants Delayed by COVID-19 to Start Operating in Coming Months
Five emergency power projects approved in the wake of outages last year but delayed by COVID-19 will be operating by September, the deputy electricity minister said.
— Irrawaddy

Squatters ordered to vacate land in Rakhine
The government of western Myanmar’s Rakhine state capital has issued an order requiring ethnic Rakhine Buddhist families to vacate more than 1,250 shelters erected on top of a former Rohingya Muslim area of the township that was razed eight years ago during a flare up of sectarian violence, RFA reported.
— Mizzima

Govt cancels immunisation in strife-torn areas in Rakhine
Health workers cancelled the annual immunisation programme in war-torn areas in Rakhine State over safety fears, a senior state health official said.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar police seize largest haul of synthetic drugs
Police in Myanmar have seized South East Asia’s biggest ever haul of synthetic drugs, the scale of which they described as “off the charts”.
— BBC

New World Bank Group Partnership Framework for Myanmar Puts Strong Focus on Social Inclusion and Peace
The World Bank Group’s support for Myanmar’s economic and political transition will be marked by a strong focus on social inclusion, including in conflict-affected areas, under the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Myanmar, which lasts from 2020 to 2023.
— India Education Diary

YGN outer ring road to connect YGN-MDY highway to Dala through Thilawa SEZ
A highway outside of Yangon will be constructed to connect Yangon-Mandalay highway to Dala through Thilawa Special Economic Zone, according to an announcement of the Ministry of Construction.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Union Minister participates in the 2nd World Economic Forum’s APAC-RAG-COVID-19 Action Platform Videoconference
Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations U Thaung Tun, yesterday participated in the second meeting of the Regional Action Group for Asia-Pacific (APAC-RAG) – COVID-19 Action Platform, facilitated by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

ROK donates COVID-19 test kits to Myanmar
The Republic of Korea government presented COVID-19 test kits to Myanmar yesterday. Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe received the donation items at his office in Nay Pyi Taw.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Fourth-year performance of Kachin State government
Htein Nan Naw (Kachin State IPRD) Steady development comes to the land of Manaw, boosting society and economy Padan Manaw, Sut Mandaw, Ju Manaw, Gwum Manaw and Shadup Manaw from the land of Manaw are quintessential celebrations for the people of Kachin State.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Thailand Allows Stranded Myanmar Migrants to Return
Buses under police guard will bring migrants from Bangkok to Mae Sot each night as Thailand grants an exception to its travel bans to send migrants home.
— Irrawaddy

Reasons for optimism in Myanmar’s coronavirus fight
Despite ominous predictions, there are few signs of a disastrous spread of COVID-19, while the capacity to control and treat the disease is increasing with each day.
— Frontier Myanmar

Almost 200 Homes Set Ablaze in Myanmar’s Rakhine State
Displaced residents of Lekka Village say the Myanmar military burned down over half of their homes, while the military blames the Arakan Army.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar Court Releases Muslim Boys With Orders Not to Break COVID-19 Restrictions
A Mandalay juvenile court ordered two Muslim boys not to violate restrictions again after they were arrested for attending a religious gathering in April.
— Irrawaddy

Super cyclone Amphan may hit Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State
When the Super Cyclonic Storm (AMPHAN) raging over the Bay of Bengal passes through India and the border of Bangladesh, it may hit parts of northern Rakhine State, according to an alert by the Meteorologists.
— The Star Online

Colonial Communications Hub Linked Myanmar with Outside World
The Central Telegraph Office in Yangon was completed by the British in 1917 and continued to play an important communications role under the Japanese and junta.
— Irrawaddy

President U Win Myint, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi send congratulatory messages on 45th Anniversay of establishment of diplomatic relations between Myanmar and ROK

U Win Myint, President and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, exchanged congratulatory messages with Mr. Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, respectively, on the occasion of the 45th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Bhone Myint Kyaw advances after six straight wins in China
Myanmar 9-ball pool player Bhone Myint Kyaw has advanced to the second round after six consecutive wins in the China 8-ball pool tournament.
— Myanmar Times

State Counsellor discusses schools reopening with stakeholders in education sector amid COVID-19
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi holds a video conference on reopening of schools with relevant persons in education sector.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar Farmers Dump Crops After China Reduces Cross-Border Traffic
Myanmar farmers along the border rely heavily on exports to China. But in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, China has reduced the number of trucks allowed to cross the border each day.
— Radio Free Asia

AMPHAN likely to lead to scattered rains in Myanmar
The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology released a report on 18 May and the Emergency Management Centre of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement also published its findings on the weather situation, according to state media.
— Mizzima

Amyotha Hluttaw MPs raise queries to Union ministries on second day meeting
The Amyotha Hluttaw convened its second day meeting of 16th regular session yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Tatmadaw vows to cooperate in WHO attack probe
The Tatmadaw (military) vowed to fully cooperate with the government’s investigation of the gun attack on a marked World Health Organization vehicle in northern Rakhine State last month that killed the Myanmar driver and wounded a local health worker.
— Myanmar Times

Pyithu Hluttaw holds second day meeting with questions to MoE, MoEE
Pyithu Hluttaw representatives asked questions to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy on the second day of 16th regular session yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar pastor faces 3 years in jail for defying coronavirus ban
A Christian pastor in Southeast Asia who preached a sermon telling churchgoers they would be immune to coronavirus — then contracted COVID himself — is facing charges for organizing services in defiance of Myanmar government orders, Reuters reports.
— Fox News

Dolphin conservation campaign conducted in Ayeyawady
Ayeyawady dolphin conservation poster and warning signs were erected in Ayeyawady region to protect and conserve the Ayeyawady dolphins.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Investigation of Nursing University Building Collapse Underway
The Myanmar Engineering Society is investigating the partial collapse of the Yangon Nursing University building on Sunday to determine the cause.
— Irrawaddy

Scholar’s Account of Myanmar’s Intelligence Apparatus Lets Its Former Chief Off Lightly
David Scott Mathieson reviews Andrew Selth’s 2019 book ‘Secrets and Power in Myanmar: Intelligence and the Fall of General Khin Nyunt’.
— Irrawaddy

Feature photo Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association – BANCA-BirdLife Myanmar
This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo focus on International Day for Biological Diversity, May 22.

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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