COVID-19 cases surge with Rakhine outbreak
The recent outbreak of locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases in Rakhine State has proved to be the country’s worst since the early months of the pandemic. Authorities have reported more than 100 new cases since August 16th, increasing the total nu
Panglong Conference ends with new pledges
The fourth Union Peace Conference, also called 21st Century Panglong, has ended with a new truce dealing with the implementation of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and an early plan for an eventual federal system. Members of the government,
Some Muslim candidates disqualified in election
As the general election draws closer, a major issue has proved to be who can and cannot run. This week, the Rakhine State sub-commission of the Union Election Commission disqualified five Muslim candidates. “They were rejected mainly because th
Government fears new COVID-19 wave in Rakhine
On August 17th, the government reported the first locally-transmitted COVID-19 case in more than a month: “Case 375,” a bank worker in Sittwe, Rakhine State. Two days later, three more cases emerged in Sittwe, two of which had been in con
New US ambassador throws shade on China
The United States’ and China’s war of words in Myanmar continued last week when incoming United States ambassador to Myanmar Thomas Laszlo Vajda urged the U.S. to engage with Myanmar, warning against “malign foreign influences and c
