At least 39 explosions took place in Yangon Region from September 1 to 22, resulting in casualties.
Eleven Media Group made a data on explosion occurred in Yangon Region from September 1 to September 22.
A ward administrator was shot at Bamaw Atwin Win road, Shwe Lin Ban industrial zone, Hlaing Tharyar Township on September 2. When security forces came for inspection, explosion occurred twice and three security forces were wounded.
On September 3, explosions occurred at a fish sauce factory near poultry market, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township and police station in north Dagon. On September 4, an explosion occurred at a municipal police guest house in Kamaryut Township and two explosions occurred near a communication office, Thunanda road, north Okkalapa Township.
On September 5, an explosion took place at a car parking lot in Bawga Thiri condo, no-2 ward, Mayankone Township where 2 men died. On September 6 and 7, explosions occurred at traffic control outposts in Mayankone and Hlaing Townships. On September 8, a series of explosions occurred at Ahlone, Thaketa and Insein Townships.
On September 9, two explosions occurred near a vehicle of security forces in north Dagaon Township killing an officer and another security force member.
On September 12, an explosion took place at a vehicle registration office in south Okkalapa Township and at a outpost near Kamaryut police station, Thakhin Mya park, Ahlone Township.
On September 14, six explosions occurred at Kyan Sit Thar road and Nyaungdone Road in Hlaing Tharyar Township and recorded as the most explosion took place in a single day.
On September 15, an explosion took place near Ocean super center in 9 mile, Mayankone Township.
On September 17, explosions occurred at Kamaryut, Shwe Pyi Thar, Insein, Pazundaung, Thanlyin, Khayan, and north Dagon Townships.
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On September 19, an explosion occurred near KBZ bank, cinema bus-stop in Thaketa Township. On September 22, two explosions took place in Dawbon Township and an explosion took place in police outpost in Shwe Pyithar Township. As a result of explosions, more investigations are being made in Yangon region.
The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan met for talks on Thursday and restated differences on wartime history that have been at the center of a bilateral feud, but agreed to resolve the issue and improve their soured ties.
South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, held talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Their meeting came as the neighbors are mired in a protracted row over problems stemming from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea, such as wartime forced labor and sex slavery issues, as well as Japan’s politically motivated export curbs.
During their meeting, Chung explained South Korea’s position on the historical issues and stressed the need to work together with Japan to find a solution. The minister called on Motegi to accelerate bilateral diplomatic consultation and reiterated that Tokyo’s export curbs should be retracted at an early date, according to the ministry.
Motegi, for his part, repeated Japan’s position on the matter.
Kyodo News reported that the two envoys failed to narrow the gaps over a host of bilateral points, including wartime compensation, but they shared views that it is necessary to normalize Seoul-Tokyo ties and cooperate in broad areas.
The two also discussed other thorny issues, including Tokyo’s recent decision to discharge radioactive wastewater from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, as well as a territorial dispute over Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo, which Japan calls Takeshima.
Meanwhile, the envoys reaffirmed cooperation between the two countries, as well as trilateral cooperation with the US in dealing with North Korea, following its recent launches of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
Chung stressed the inter-Korean cooperation, dialogue and engagement for the complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. In turn, Motegi pledged to continue cooperation for substantive progress in the peace efforts, according to the ministry.
On the previous day, the two held a three-way talks involving US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, where they underscored cooperation in persuading the North to abandon its nuclear arsenals.
The last time Chung and Motegi met in-person was in May, on the sidelines of the Group of Seven meeting in London. Back then, the two also discussed various issues, but failed to narrow their differences on key historical matters.
India and China should avoid falling into the trap of ”outdated Western thinking” and view bilateral relations from a comprehensive rather than one-sided perspective, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said on Friday.
”Analysed from the prism of the so-called realism in international relations’ theory of the West, China and India, as two neighbouring major countries, would inevitably view each other as a threat and adversary, whose main interactive patterns would be competition and confrontation, and the result that one gains while the other loses would be unavoidable,” he said at the opening ceremony of the 4th high-level Track II Dialogue on China-India Relations.
In an obvious reference to the Sino-India military stand-off at Eastern Ladakh, he noted that since last year, the China-India relationship has witnessed difficulties unseen for many years. The relations remained at a low level.
”The current status of bilateral relations is obviously not in the fundamental interest of either side. Many far-sighted people from both countries have advocated that China and India should improve their relations, and bring the China-India relations back on track, the Chinese envoy added.
Sun was of the view that the Western ”mindset of power politics and the law of the jungle runs counter to the trend of the 21st century which is peace, development and win-win cooperation.”
Referring to the withdrawal by American troops from Afghanistan, he said even the most powerful country in the world was doomed to fail for making ”wanton military intervention” in other countries and imposing its own values and social systems on others.
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The ambassador said India and China should view the bilateral relations from a comprehensive rather than one-sided perspective. ”China-India relations are multi-faceted and multi-dimensional. Despite disputes and differences, there is more consensus and cooperation. Every field of bilateral relations should promote rather than undercut each other. We should avoid taking a part for the whole, or losing sight of the forest for the trees,” he added.
Chinese authorities have moved to forestall and handle the risks related to virtual-currency trading and speculation, according to a notice made public on Friday by the Peoples Bank of China.
“All virtual-currency-related business activities are illegal and should be strictly prohibited and cracked down upon in accordance with the law,” said the notice jointly issued by the central bank and nine other government departments.
It is also considered an illegal financial activity for overseas virtual-currency exchanges to provide services for domestic residents via the internet, according to the notice.
China’s policies for virtual currencies are consistent, the PBOC said in a Q&A statement, reiterating that virtual currencies do not have the same legal status as fiat currencies and cannot be circulated in the market.
A raft of measures will be rolled out to strengthen virtual-currency regulation. Financial institutions and non-bank payment institutions are banned from offering services for virtual-currency-related business activities, according to the notice.
China will enhance the management of internet content and access, market entity registration and advertising related to virtual currencies, the notice said.
Efforts will also be made to impose a harsh crackdown on virtual-currency-related illegal financial activities and criminal activities.
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In recent years, the rampant expansion of virtual currencies such as Bitcoin has disrupted the economic and financial order, bringing about criminal activities such as money-laundering, and severely endangering the safety of people’s property, said the central bank.
China has taken a tough line on virtual currencies. Also on Friday, the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planner, published a notice to step up its crackdown on virtual-currency mining.
China to tighten clampdown on virtual currency mining
BEIJING — China will step up its crackdown on virtual currency mining as part of the nation’s efforts to save energy and cut carbon emissions, said a notice published on the official website of the National Development and Reform Commission on Friday.
Virtual currency mining is energy-intensive, produces high carbon emissions and contributes little to the economy, according to the notice.
The country will intensify regulation over the whole process of virtual currency mining and strictly prohibit new mining projects, the notice said.
The decision on ending the pandemic-related state of emergency may come as early as Monday. The emergency has currently been declared in effect through Sept. 30 for 19 prefectures including Tokyo. Even if the emergency is allowed to end on that date, the government may shift some prefectures to pre-emergency priority measures.
Nationwide, new infection numbers and hospital bed occupancy rates have improved significantly, so the government is considering letting the emergency end for many municipalities.
As of Tuesday, the occupancy rate of hospital beds for critical COVID-19 cases has fallen below the threshold for stage 4 in all 19 prefectures except Tokyo, according to the Cabinet Secretariat. The severest level of stage 4 is the usual basis for declaring a state of emergency related to the novel coronavirus.
“As long as the occupancy rate of hospital beds goes down, we can fully end the emergency,” a senior government official said.
Some people are cautious about ending the emergency in Okinawa and other prefectures where the number of newly infected people or those undergoing treatment remains high. The government plans to make the decision after hearing the opinions of experts.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga discussed the infection situation with relevant ministers at the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday, ahead of his visit to the United States from Thursday to Sunday.
Suga will hold another round of talks with relevant ministers on Monday to determine how to handle the emergency for the 19 prefectures and priority measures currently applied to eight other prefectures. A schedule will then be formulated for the formal decision to be made the following day during a government task force meeting.
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In connection with this, Hiroshi Moriyama, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Diet Affairs Committee, and Jun Azumi, his counterpart in the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, met in the Diet Building on Wednesday and agreed to receive the report from the government on the handling of the emergency and related matters at the steering committee of both houses of the Diet on Sept. 28.Speech
BEIJING – China firmly opposes official interactions between any country and the Taiwan region, and firmly rejects Taiwans accession to any agreement or organization of official nature, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday.
Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on Taiwan’s announcement of applying to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership Wednesday.
Noting there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory, Zhao said that the one-China principle is a universally recognized norm governing international relations and the consensus of the international community.
The mainland also resolutely opposes Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party seeking “independence” under the pretext of economic and trade activities.
Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Thursday in response to a query about the DPP’s application to join the CPTPP, saying that the one-China principle is the precondition for Taiwan’s participation in regional economic cooperation.
BEIJING – Regulators in China are said to have instructed developer Evergrande Group to focus on completing unfinished properties and repaying investors while avoiding a near-term default.
But it offered no financial support to the company which has yet to pay US$83.5 million (S$112.5 million) in bond interest due on Thursday (Sept 24).
The world’s most indebted developer now has 30 days to pay the amount.
In a recent meeting, the regulators also told company representatives that Evergrande should communicate proactively with bond holders to avoid a default, Bloomberg reported yesterday, citing a source.
“There’s no indication that regulators offered financial support to Evergrande for the bond payment, and it’s unclear whether officials believe the company should eventually impose losses on offshore creditors,” the news outlet added.
Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the Chinese authorities were asking local governments to prepare for the potential downfall of Evergrande.
Citing officials familiar with the discussions, the report said local governments have been ordered to assemble accountants and legal experts to examine the finances around Evergrande’s operations in their respective regions.
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They have also been told to get local state-owned and private property developers to prepare to take over projects and set up law enforcement teams to monitor public anger and so-called mass incidents, a euphemism for protests, the report added.
Evergrande had not issued any statement as at last night. But its chairman and founder Hui Ka Yan stressed in an internal meeting late on Wednesday night the importance of resuming construction on its stalled projects, and to be responsible towards helping wealth investors redeem their products.
BlackRock, UBS Group, HSBC Holdings and Ashmore Group, a London-based money manager that specialises in buying emerging market debt, are among the biggest holders of Evergrande’s bonds, according to Bloomberg.
Evergrande, China’s second-largest developer, has been struggling to stay afloat amid liabilities of more than 1.97 trillion yuan (S$411 billion) as at June 30.
Analysts told The Straits Times that the cloud of uncertainty hanging over Evergrande’s viability has become darker, given that it also has to pay another US$47.5 million due on other offshore bonds next Wednesday.
“With time having run out for Evergrande, an imminent default followed by a long, painful restructuring is the most likely way forward,” said Dr Zafar Momin, an MBA lecturer at the Nanyang Business School.
Global markets are on tenterhooks as there are fears that Evergrande’s debt crisis could pose systemic risks to China’s financial system. Investors also worry that the impact will hit creditors abroad.
Chinese regulators’ public silence so far on Evergrande’s problems has increased contagion risk to financial markets, said Dr Tommy Wu, lead economist at Oxford Economics, in a note.
Professor Mak Yuen Teen at the National University of Singapore Business School said the People’s Bank Of China is closely monitoring the situation by injecting liquidity into its banking system to avoid a squeeze on funding and meet a seasonal demand increase for financing.
“It’s unlikely that there will be a bailout (but Evergrande) will probably reach an agreement with bond holders (on repayments). It would not be in anyone’s interest to push it into bankruptcy,” he added.
Even if Beijing does come up with a rescue plan, regulators are expected to orchestrate the restructuring as inconspicuously as they can.
“The government would not want to be seen as bailing out the firm or its corporate creditors” amid its campaign to reduce moral hazard, Dr Wu said, referring to how high-flying firms have been borrowing and splurging and counting on the government to bail them out if they default.
Evergrande has been trying to rein in its ballooning debt since last year when Beijing introduced curbs on highly leveraged developers that had been borrowing to fuel their growth.
“Borrowing for large Chinese companies like Evergrande had never been a problem in the past,” said Professor Michael Pettis at Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management.
“Local governments and regulators were always expected to step in at the last minute to restructure liabilities and recapitalise the borrower if necessary,” he added in a think-tank report on Monday.
The company said last Saturday that it has begun repaying investors in its wealth management products with real estate.
These products rode on Evergrande’s reputation as one of China’s “too big to fail” firms, and attracted more than 70,000 retail investors with promises of up to 12 per cent in annual yield rates.
Prof Mak said: “The Chinese government will be particularly sensitive about the impact of (an Evergrande restructuring) on ordinary citizens… and would probably look to protect the interests of the man in the street as a priority.”
Local suppliers and contractors are likely to be next in line, followed by Chinese banks and other Chinese creditors, “with external-currency creditors probably bringing up the rear”, Prof Pettis said.
NEW YORK – President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Thursday attended the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on climate security at the invitation of Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin, the rotating UNSC chairman, stressing that it is a topic of strategic importance and immense relevance to our time.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, heads of state, prime ministers and high-ranking representatives of Security Council member states joined the debate. At the session, the chairman and delegates expressed deep concern about the negative impacts of climate change on international peace and security, emphasising the need for the international community to strengthen response to climate change. The Secretary-General of the United Nations called on countries to intensify efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create breakthroughs in adaptation and enhance the resilience of nations and communities. The United Nations Secretary-General called on developed countries to fulfil their commitment to contribute US$100 billion per year to the Green Climate Fund, and called for increased multilateral cooperation to tackle the overlapping challenges of climate change and security, saying it is not too late to act to ensure that climate action contributes to international peace and security.
Addressing the session, President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said “climate change represents the greatest global challenge of our time, and is shaping the future of mankind”.
It was taking up valuable resources meant for socio-economic development, and worsening poverty, unemployment and social inequality, he said.
“We are also witnessing how climate change is igniting disputes over natural resources between populations. They are displacing tens of millions from their homes to seek new livelihood, and triggering trans-border security threats of ecology, environment, food and water resources,” he said.
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“These consequences may well erupt into geopolitical tension and instability, damaging peace, security, development and prosperity of states and nations. This is truly a ‘code red’ and a war without gunfire, so to speak, that causes economic damage and losses in lives no less dire than actual wars and conflicts.”
Against such backdrop, the Vietnamese President suggested three points that member countries should act vigorously:
First, the UNSC must uphold its leading role in establishing mechanisms for assessment, forecast and warning of climate security risks at the early stage and while they are still distant. This would help it proactively outline effective response strategies and measures. Conflict prevention, peace-keeping missions, and humanitarian assistance and post-conflict reconstruction efforts under the auspices of the UNSC must include climate security in a proper manner.
He proposed that the UN should establish a comprehensive database system on multi-dimensional impacts of sea-level rise in support of global response policy formulation.
“Second, the people’s interest, especially that of vulnerable groups, needs to take centre stage if we are to harmoniously address the inseparable relationship between security, development and humanitarian activities,” he said. “Việt Nam strongly supports the full implementation of Resolutions 2532 and 2573 of the UNSC in order to achieve a global ceasefire as early as possible, and protect civilians and critical infrastructure in areas of armed conflicts.”
Third, he said member countries needed to continue to safeguard the sovereignty, key role and resilience of nations in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. They also needed to step up international cooperation to supplement and coordinate resources to effectively realize the 2030 SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and other key international treaties.
They must resolve to cut greenhouse emissions, in which developed countries should take the lead. Ample resources should also be set aside to provide developing countries with assistance in financing, technologies and know-how, so as to ensure that no country is left behind in the common fight against climate change.
He said Viet Nam was one of the countries hardest hit by climate change. Successive natural disasters had caused great losses in life and property. The Mekong Delta, the heart of Việt Nam’s agricultural production, was witnessing a record episode of droughts and saline intrusion, jeopardizing the livelihood and everyday life of 20 million people, as well as food security of the entire country and region.
“For this reason, to realize its aspiration and vision for national development, and perform its duty to the international community, Viet Nam is determined and strongly committed to taking climate action, and developing a green, sustainable and low-carbon economy as pledged at the COP 21,” Phúc said.
“Việt Nam supports all efforts to respond to climate-related challenges at the UNSC, at multilateral forums, and at other cooperation arrangements at the bilateral and regional levels. We hope to continue to receive assistance in resources and policy advice from international friends so as to better fulfil our commitments.”
He was convinced that through international commitment and solidarity, all countries would take bold actions towards a greener and more sustainable future. VNS
South Korea, the US and Japan will further bolster cooperation to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear arsenals, the three countries’ foreign ministers concluded at a meeting on Wednesday.
South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Wednesday (US time) in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
During their session, the three discussed the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula, and pledged to strengthen diplomatic efforts for the complete denuclearization and establishment of permanent peace on the peninsula, according to the Foreign Ministry.
The three-way talks come a day after South Korean President Moon Jae-in reiterated calls for a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War — that finished in an armistice and not a peace treaty — in his address to the UN General Assembly.
It also arrives as tensions are running high on the peninsula, after the North fired two ballistic missiles into the East Sea last week, defying a UN ban, just days after testing a new long-range cruise missile.
The three discussed Moon’s proposal to end the Korean War, with Minister Chung explaining to Blinken and Motegi that the end-of-war declaration could serve as an important momentum in the progress toward the peace process on the peninsula, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam.
The trio also touched on the North’s missile test, with Motegi saying the North’s recent missile launches “pose a threat to Japan, the region and the international community and we shared the view,” according to Kyodo News.
The Biden administration has put trilateral ties with Seoul and Tokyo at the center of its Asia policy, as it believes a security coalition of like-minded allies is key to tackling mounting challenges in the region, such as containing China’s aggression and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
The three ministers last met in person in May on the margins of the Group of Seven foreign and development ministers meeting in London.
Aside from the North Korean issue, the top diplomats also discussed ways to deepen cooperation between the three nations to tackle pressing global challenges, such as combatting the climate crisis and securing supply chains, according to the State Department.
Shortly following the three-way session, Chung held separate talks with Blinken, with the North Korean issue topping the agenda.
The two shared the assessment on the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula, and agreed on the urgency of dialogue for substantive progress on the Korean Peninsula peace process, according to the ministry.
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It said the two discussed “creative and various” measures to engage the recalcitrant regime, without specifying details.
Seoul and Washington have been discussing the possibility of offering humanitarian assistance to the North as a way to engage the regime, with Biden’s point man on North Korea, Sung Kim, saying the US supports aid to the North regardless of progress on denuclearization.
But the North has remained largely unresponsive, saying it will not return to talks until the US drops its “hostile” policy toward Pyongyang, an apparent reference to US-led sanctions.
Meanwhile, Chung is set to hold talks with Motegi on Thursday (US time), amid strained ties between the neighbors due to an ongoing trade and political feud
National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is set to receive its permit from US authorities for conducting regular direct flights to the US.
It has officially completed all necessary documents to be approved by the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the airline said, adding that it is set to receive the permit from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Once licensed, Vietnam Airlines will become the first Vietnamese airline to be allowed to operate regular direct flights to the US – the country with the most stringent barriers, legal procedures and aviation security regulations in the world.
Flights will be organised regularly in accordance with schedules announced by the airline. Tickets will be available on the airline’s website, mobile apps, and ticket offices.
Meanwhile, international special charter flights will be limited in terms of schedule, passenger and purpose. The flights are only allowed to operate within a specified period, and the airline has to re-apply for a new permit when the time frame expires. — VNS
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