Governments may change, but geography does not.
“#India has always had a relationship with #Myanmar,” Barua said. “We have a contiguous boundary of 1,643 kilometres and the simple answer is we cannot ignore it, no matter what government is in power in the capital.”#realitystrikes
No smoking gun, but the preponderance of evidence points to smartphones, not economics, as the culprit for the global drop in fertility:
• In the US and UK, births fell first and fastest in areas that got 4G earliest
• Birth rates were stable in the US, UK and Australia until 2007; in France and Poland until 2009; in Mexico and Indonesia until 2012; in Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal until 2013-15
Each of these inflection points matches local smartphone adoption (see picture).
• The younger the age group, the sharper the drop.
• in-person socialising among young adults is dropping. In SK, by 50% in 20 years
• Sexual dysfunction is higher among heavy social media user
• Effect is largest in culturally traditional societies — Middle East, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa
• Decline holds across countries hit hard by GFC 2008 and those not hit, fast-growing and not growing.
Excellent again @jburnmurdoch.
https://t.co/RYEMXD2bRM
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkaew held talks Myanmar’s coup leader-turned president Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. Sihasak discussed strengthening trade, investment and energy ties while reiterating Thailand’s commitment to building bridges between Myanmar and ASEAN, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry.
As of this afternoon, Min Aung Hlaing has outlasted all of the ASEAN leaders who summoned him to Jakarta in April 2021—with the lone exception of the Sultan of Brunei, who chaired the meeting.
Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh, only 19 days into the job then, stepped down today.
On this day in 1963, the military regime nationalized 31 domestic and international banks, including HSBC and Chartered.
Read more: https://t.co/oZxadk0Wsj
#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
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Help The Irrawaddy Report the Truth from Myanmar
https://t.co/3StkYCheeR
#Myanmar to use yuan for direct investment by Chinese investors - yuan payment directly to China banks, open yuan bank accounts … https://t.co/1n2nU5i1KR
Despite the recent and latest crackdown on scam centres in #Myanmar, groups of people continue to enter country illegally, allegedly to work for those syndicates
118 more detained
Since end-Jan, 9,669 detained
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, paid a courtesy call on Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in Nay Pyi Taw.
During the courtesy call, Foreign Minister underlined the importance of full and meaningful implementation of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, particularly on the cessation of violence, upscaling humanitarian assistance and inclusive dialogue with Myanmar stakeholders.
The upcoming elections in Myanmar were also discussed.
The working visit is pursuant to the decision of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting on July 2025 and undertaken in Foreign Minister's capacity as ASEAN Chair 2025.
#WismaPutra #ASEAN #MyASEAN2025 #Myanmar
Mogoke residents accuse the armed group of monopolizing ruby sites, sidelining small miners, and scarring the landscape despite promises of regulation.
#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
https://t.co/UxOWB3LZlg
As Myanmar welcomes the New Year, the vibrant Thingyan festival brings communities together in a joyful celebration of renewal.
Rooted in ancient traditions, Thingyan marks a time of transition, symbolizing the arrival of the King of Gods who visits earth to observe the deeds of humanity. Water is splashed in the streets as a sign of cleansing, washing away misfortunes of the past year and welcoming a fresh start.
UPDATE:
Earlier, @ChannelNewsAsia spoke to this mum whose two daughters and husband were missing after the 7.7-quake in #Myanmar
We’re just told all three of their bodies were recovered at Great Wall hotel in Mandalay
They’re among more than 3,600 dead
Thousands of workers freed from scam centres in Myanmar are still trapped there in crowded and unsanitary conditions. Many already traumatized by mistreatment by scam bosses they are suffering mental stress. One woman tried to kill herself last night. Getting them out is urgent.