People and government
Ethnic armed groups still deadlocked over ceasefire signing
No breakthrough was reported on 28 September as leaders of 18 of Myanmar’s armed ethnic groups failed to resolve differences over how many would sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement with the government next month. Pu Zing Cung, general secretary of the Chin National Front and a member ...
Youth leaders debate new development goals
Forty young people from throughout the country gathered in Yangon on 26 September to exchange ideas about adopting sustainable development objectives in Myanmar. The youths, who represented a range of ethnicities and social groups, were participating in the Social Good Summit at Chatrium Hotel in Yangon. Keep ...
ADB to double climate financing to US$6b for Asia-Pacific
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao announced on 25 September that the ADB will double its annual climate financing to US$6 billion by 2020, up from the current US$3 billion. ADB’s spending on tackling climate change will rise to around 30 percent of its overall ...
English classes catch on in Laos
Some primary schools in Laos have started offering English lessons. A group of primary students in Laos feels very excited and happy to learn English for the first time. The sounds of the ABCs and laughter can be heard from a long distance away. Keep reading ...
Bar Association rebuts report
The Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC) has hit back at a damning report from the International Bar Association, refuting accusations that it is a politicised facilitator of endemic corruption in the judiciary. In a statement released on 26 September, the BAKC insisted it ...
Junta mulls 'Great Firewall' for Thailand
Thailand’s junta is facing growing opposition over plans to introduce a single Internet gateway for the country to make it easier to monitor the web and block content. Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition against the proposal, which has been dubbed the “Great ...
Villagers forced to flee as Kachin State clashes continue
Over 100 villagers in Kachin State’s Mansi Township were forced to flee their homes on 27 September after clashes continued between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army in the state’s southernmost township. Keep reading ...
Police seize another 3.8m pills tied to Mingaladon probe
Police have seized another large quantity of stimulant tablets as part of a months-long investigation following a major drug bust in Yangon’s Mingaladon Township in late July. Keep reading ...
Education in Mekong below State standards
The Mekong Delta produces most of Vietnam’s agricultural exports and contributes roughly 20 per cent to the country’s GDP, but its education level and quality remains below national standards. At a conference held on 25 September chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam at Can Tho ...
Ethnic leaders meet as ceasefire signing deadline looms
Leaders of some 20 ethnic armed groups from Myanmar are due to meet in Chiang Mai today amid divisions over whether to sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement with the government. Pu Zing Cung, general secretary of the Chin National Front and a member of the groups’ ...
