OPEN GENEROUS MIND FOR ALL WITH PARDON AND FORGIVENESS PAGE-8 (OPINION)

Vol. VIII, No. 126, 1st Waning of Wagaung 1383 ME www.gnlm.com.mm Monday, 23 August 2021

Republic of the Union of Myanmar Five-Point Ministry of Health Order No 332/2021 Road Map of the State Fullmoon of Wagaung 1383 ME Administration Council 22 August 2021 1. The Union Election Commission will be reconstituted THE Ministry of Health hereby announced the order by exercising the authority stipulated in and its mandated tasks, including the scrutiny of Sub-Section (b) of Section 21 of the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases Law. voter lists, shall be implemented in accordance with 1. The Ministry of Health has taken preventive measures against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COV- the law. 2. Effective measures will be taken with added ID-19) in real-time. Therefore, people from some townships of Nay Pyi Taw, Union Territory Area momentum to prevent and manage the COVID-19 and Taninthayi Region need to stay at home due to the number of confirmed patients on the rise pandemic. in these townships. 3. Actions will be taken to ensure the speedy recovery 2. Hence, the people residing in the following townships in Nay Pyi Taw, Union Territory Area and of businesses from the impact of COVID-19. Taninthayi Region are involved in the Stay-at-Home programme. 4. Emphasis will be placed on achieving enduring peace (a) Nay Pyi Taw, Union Territory Area for the entire nation in line with the agreements set (1) Tatkon Township out in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. (b) Taninthayi Region 5. Upon accomplishing the provisions of the state of (1) Dawei Township emergency, free and fair multiparty democratic (2) Myeik Township elections will be held in line with the 2008 Constitution, 3. The people inclusive of the Stay-at-Home programme of the township need to abide by the and further work will be undertaken to hand over State duties to the winning party in accordance with following disciplines:- SEE PAGE-2 democratic standards.

Yangon receives medical equipment, accessories donated by PLA, Myanmar Embassy, military attaché office in Beijing

THE Air China flight carry- Carrimycin tablets and ing medical equipment and 100,000 masks by the Myan- accessories donated by the mar Embassy in Beijing. Chinese People’s Liberation These medical supplies Army (PLA), Myanmar Em- were transported from the bassy and military attaché Yangon International Airport office in Beijing arrived at to the medical storage depot the Yangon International Air- in Dagon Township and the port yesterday. central vaccine store depot Colonel Zaw Myo Han of the Public Health Depart- of local military hospital in ment on Mindhamma Road in Dagon Township and officials Mayangon Township.—MNA of the Ministry of Health ac- cepted the donations. Photo shows medical The PLA donated 400,000 equipment and accessories SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero donated by People’s Cell) and 403,200 hypodermic Liberation Army of China needles while the Myanmar and Myanmar Embassy and military attaché office (Army, Military Attache office in Navy, Air) in Beijing present- Beijing are unloaded from ed 16 oxygen concentrators, Air China flight. 240 PPE suits and 103,500 masks in addition to 72,000

INSIDE TODAY

NATIONAL NATIONAL LOCAL BUSINESS LOCAL BUSINESS LOCAL BUSINESS MoHA Sagaing Region Chief Agro exports Rubber Salt market expect Union Minister Minister inspects surge to US$ 4.2 bln export exceeds to rise in post-salt inspects Bago development projects during Oct-July $344.9 mln in season, but salt price prison in Myinmu period eight months in Mon State steady PAGE-3 PAGE-4 PAGE-5 PAGE-5 PAGE-5 23 AUGUST 2021 2 NATIONAL THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

State Administration Council Press Release Re-invitation to Myanmar citizens who reside in various regions for many reasons

1. Some student youths, State service personnel and citizens, with worries, have evaded to areas of EAOs and foreign countries due to the incitements and intimidation of NLD members, extremist followers, unlawful associations and terrorist groups such as CRPH and NUG, stimulation of CDM, and persons and organizations at home and abroad not wishing to restore peace and stability of the State since Tatmadaw assumed the State responsibilities on 1 February 2021. 2. They are further worried about the dictatorship statement and speeches of unlawful association and terrorist group CRPH and NUG, and some relevant persons. As they face no security guarantee and difficulties in socio-economic life in those areas, they wish to return to their native lands. 3. The State Administration Council will specifically ease restrictions for service personnel, intellectuals and intelligentsia, and persons from various arenas and citizens who, with worries, absconded from the country except for persons who committed murders, robberies, setting fires, mine explosions and intentional attacks on security troops, those who crowded to attack public service personnel and some people, those who destroyed government and private-owned buildings and those who are highly involved in the CDM activities by providing monetary assistance and other means. 4. As those who evade their native areas are also citizens, the State Administration Council will arrange their returns from the evaded areas to various parts of Myanmar. 5. As such, the information was released that if those who evaded to various areas, except for persons who committed any kinds of crime, wish to return to their native lands in Myanmar of their own accord due to multiple worries, the citizens abroad can contact nearby ward, village, township and district administration bodies and relevant embassies, military attaché offices and consulates in accord with the easing restrictions under the law. Information Team State Administration Council

The State Administration Council will specifically ease restrictions for service personnel, intellectuals and intelligentsia, and persons from various are- nas and citizens who, with worries, absconded from the country except for persons who committed murders, robberies, setting fires, mine explosions and intentional attacks on security troops, those who crowded to attack public service personnel and some people, those who destroyed government and private-owned buildings and those who are highly involved in the CDM activities by providing monetary assistance and other means.

Republic of the Union of Myanmar Public Notification on Ministry of Health Counterfeit COVID-19 vaccine Order No 332/2021 Fullmoon of Wagaung 1383 ME 1. The Ministry of Health is releasing public notifications in a timely manner, exercising its authority under the 22 August 2021 National Drug Law, to ensure that the public has access to high-quality, safe and effective medicines as well as to FROM PAGE-1 (a) Reside at their homes only register them systematically. (1) except for service personnel serving at government department; 2. Amid the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Government is (2) except for those serving at private firms such as banks and monetary services, filling sta- administering the vaccines against the COVID-19 disease, tions, foodstuffs and livestock and fishery, cold storage, medicine and medical equipment which were both purchased and donated, according to the production and distribution, purified water production and sales, factories of manufacturing national priority programme. On 12-8-2021, the public was daily personal goods and related industries; informed the guidelines to comply with if private pharma- (3) those in the airline industry who provide services in relief flights/cargo flights and charter ceutical companies, social organizations, private companies flights, ground services, aircraft refuelling, import/export of goods by air, international import the effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines that are freight forwarder companies, companies and agencies that provide customs services, aircraft food production and export and aircraft maintenance; planted internationally. The public was also notified that (4) except for staff from private ports, shipping agencies offices, international freight for- the counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines are being sold online warder companies, customer service companies and agencies, container truck services, or by other means. port export and import cargo trucks and watercraft, inland container depot and dry ports; 3. On 16-8-2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued (5) except for staff from communication service providers such as post services, line phones Medical Product Alert No.5/2021: Falsified COVISHIELD and mobile phone communication services, internet services (exclusive of sales of tele- Vaccine, notifying that counterfeit vaccines are being man- phone and data at shops), tower and fibre maintenance services; ufactured and sold in Southeast Asian countries, India and (b) relevant region and state governments to issue necessary orders and directives and super- vision for prevention of COVID-19 infection at CMP factories and workshops; Africa. Myanmar was also notified regarding the counterfeit (c) organizations and companies to perform their works from homes; COVID-19 vaccines. (d) one person from each house to go out shopping; 4. The counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines are being counterfeited (e) only two persons per house to go to hospitals and clinics; and sold under the COVISHIELD brand, and include (f) wear masks if they go outside the houses; (a) a 5ml bottle sufficient for ten doses, (g) allow ferries and registered vehicles only to transport returnees from workplaces to pass (b) a 2ml bottle containing four doses of vaccine the wards; 5. Therefore, if private clinics, hospitals and the people are (h) allow one person only in addition to the driver in a vehicle for shopping in the ward and two found to be importing and distributing counterfeit COVID-19 persons except for the driver to go to hospitals or clinics; (i) abide by the standard operating procedures (SOP) for trucks to ensure smooth flow of com- vaccines, they will by severely punished in accordance with modities in the township; the existing laws. 4. People need to inform relevant ward/village administration bodies about seeking approvals to Samples of counterfeit COVISHIELD vaccines go outside the houses if they have reasons to raise the limited number of participants in the measures and other emergency issues mentioned in subparagraphs (d), (e) and (h) of Paragraph 3. The relevant administrative bodies need not allow ingoing and outgoing persons, except for officials and those returnees from duty. 5. Action will be taken against those who fail to abide by the order under the existing laws. 6. The order came into force at 4 am on 23-8-2021.

Dr Thet Khaing Win Union Minister Ministry of Health 23 AUGUST 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NATIONAL 3 BGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGA Efforts should be made for ensuring political peace and stability as well as security peace and stability

THE tenure of the current government is a short time. He has explained it in the address delivered to mark the six months period of the government duty. The legal permission for incompletion of the tasks within the state of emergency period is mentioned in the chapter of the provision of the State of Emer- gency. Depending on management of the government and good cooperation of the people, the period for carrying out the tasks can be changed. Although the government takes responsibility for a short period, it is necessary to manage food, clothing and shelters of the people without fail. Likewise, efforts should be made for ensuring political peace and stability as well as security peace and stability. Only when the country is peaceful and stable, can the election be held smoothly.

(Excerpt from the speech to the meeting 1/2021 of the Provisional Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar made by Republic of the Union of Myanmar State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister of the State Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on 11 August 2021) CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHD MoHA Union Minister inspects Bago prison

UNION Minister for Home Af- and it needs to have knowl- fairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut, mem- edge of security and the offi- ber of State Administration cials should regularly check Council inspected the Bago the operations not to occur prison and met the officials of security breaches. He then departments concerned under gave instructions to officials the ministry on Saturday. to operate manageable scale During the visit, the Un- livestock and breeding farms ion Minister instructed the and follow the COVID-19 rules. officials to keep the inmates He also inspected the hand in accordance with the prison sanitizer and hand gel produc- rules, provide proper meals tion processes of police at re- and examine the foodstuff by gion Police Force compound the inspection team. He also and encouraged them to sell stressed the need to follow the the products at fair prices to Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut meets departmental officials at Bago Region Police Force office. COVID-19 health rules. the public in addition to the The Union Minister then departments affiliated with the Region Police Force yesterday. said the Ministry of Home Af- police members.—MNA met the officials of relevant ministry at the office of Bago During the meeting, he fairs mainly serves for security Mandalay seasonal fruit market records brisk sales

THE seasonal fruits from var- the fruits in the divesting COV- ious regions are plentifully ID-19 for the health benefits. flowing into Mandalay market This is why fruits are highly these days. demanded in the market, es- The COVID-19 impacts pecially sunkist fruit, tange- brought positive changes to rine and pomelo. Normally, the consumer behaviour in domes- domestic market sees a brisk tic market, said fruit vendors in sale during Thadingyut and Nyaungpin market, Aungmyay- Thingyan festivals,” Daw Yu thazan Township. Yu Win, a vendor, said. The seasonal fruits are Depending on the size of abundantly harvested for now. the fruits, the prices stand The bountiful supply of sea- at K100-K200 each for cus- sonal fruits including pomelo, tard-apple, K600-K800 for ap- custard apple, pineapple, pas- ple, K 1,200 for pomegranate, sion fruit, avocado, tangerine, K800 for sunkist fruit, K400 apple, pear, pomegranate im- for avocado, K1,000-K1,200 for ported by Thailand and sunkist pear, K400-K500 for pineapple, fruits are seen in Mandalay K2,500 for pomelo of Thailand market. origin, K1,000 for pomelo of “Mandalay market sees a Myanmar origin, K500 for tan- greater inflow of fruits import- gerine and K500 for passion ed by Thailand than those from fruit respectively.—Min Htet China. Most importantly, the Aung (Mandalay sub-printing local residents like to enjoy house)/GNLM Vegetables and fruits are being sold at the domestic market. 23 AUGUST 2021 4 NATIONAL THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Sagaing Region Chief Minister inspects development projects in Myinmu SAGAING Region Chief Minister with departmental officials to U Myat Kyaw, accompanied by grow 59,746 acres of cotton be- the region government officials, fore the cotton plantation season made an inspection tour to de- in 2020-2021. velopment projects in Sagaing Afterwards, the Chief Min- Region on 21 August. ister and party attended the During the inspection tour, donation ceremonies of oxygen the Chief Minister and party cylinders, concentrators, COV- inspected the Pyawt Ywa Hy- ID-19 preventive equipment dropower Project in Myinmu and foodstuffs in Myinmu and Township, which supplies irri- Myaung. Chief Minister U Myat gation water to 2,000 acres of Kyaw addressed the meeting monsoon paddy and 1,000 acres and township departmental of- of summer paddy. ficials reported on the regional The Chief Minister and par- development activities and cur- ty also viewed round broadcast- rent implementation works. ing of fertilizers in the model plot The donations, COVID-19 in Pyawt Village, and proceeded preventive equipment, foodstuffs to the local breeding and animal and cash assistance were hand- Sagaing Region Chief Minister U Myat Kyaw inspects cow breeding farm in Htihsaung village of Myinmu feed development research farm ed over to the officials from the Township. in Htihsaung Village, Myinmu township COVID-19 control and Township. In the farm, a total animal feed making trainings are During the visit to a model North Myoma ward in Myinmu, emergency response commit- of 159 cows are being raised and being conducted. Shwetaung-8 cotton plantation in the Chief Minister coordinated tees.—Region IPRD/GNLM

Myanmar continues to import medical supplies

2,173 new cases of COVID-19 MYANMAR’S import of medical tons of mask, 514 PPE suits and house in Chinshwehaw and one supplies for the prevention, con- 203 medical regulators and 83 red FOTON truck on 22 wheels reported on 22 August, total trol and treatment of the COV- oxygen masks arrived again. also sent 1,538 boxes with 2,500 ID-19 disease is maintaining mo- A red FOTON truck on six- masks to Nagani warehouse in figure rises to 373,685 mentum with non-stop services wheels, a red FOTON truck on Chinshwehaw. at the border checkpoints even 12 wheels, one brown FOTON Moreover, another red on the public holdiays. truck on 22 wheels and three FOTON 12-wheeler and a golden MYANMAR’S COVID-19 positive cases rose to 373,685 after The medical supplies for the red FOTON trucks on 22 wheels FOTON 22-wheeler transported 2,173 new cases were reported on 22 August 2021 according prevention, control and treatment conveyed over 2,200 boxes with 1,000 empty chemcial container, to the Ministry of Health. Among these confirmed cases, of the COVID-19 are imported 7,000 masks, 615 boxes of 100,000 600 empty oxygen cyliners (15L), from China via Nanphahaw bor- surgical caps, 40 regulators, 500 2,000 masks and 50 PPE suits 298,875 have been discharged from hospitals. Death toll der post between Myanmar and empty oxygen cylinders (15L), 150 and 20 regulators to Arlen yard reached 14,374 after 138 died. China in Chinshwehaw of Kokang oxygen masks and 50 PPE suits in Chinshwehaw. COVID-19 vaccine is being injected to those of priority Self-Administered Zone in the to Rolden Triangle warehouse The medical equipments northern Shan State. On 21 Au- located in Shwekuwa village, are imported by linking with groups in regions and states for prevention and control gust, 1,100 empty oxygen cyliners Kunlong Township. cross-border posts in accordance of the disease. Up to 21-8-2021, a total of 4,456,857 people (15L), three oxygen plants, 600 Additionally, a red FOTON with the regulations of the related have been vaccinated. Of them, 1,796,830 people have been empty spirit container cartons, 12-wheeler delivered 100 PPE ministries.—Sithu Maung Maung 615 surgical cap boxes, 3,810 car- suits to Wangchunhlyan ware- (IPRD)/GNLM vaccinated two times and 2,660,027 people once.—MNA

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Should you submit www.globalnewlightofmyanmar.com a text longer than 500 words please be aware that your letter will be edited. 23 AUGUST 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR LOCAL BUSINESS 5 Agro exports surge to US$ 4.2 bln during Oct-July period Salt market THE agricultural exports soared expect to rise to US$4.22 billion in the past ten months (Oct-July) of the current in post-salt financial year 2020-2021, in spite season, but salt of the downward trend in other export groups triggered by the price in Mon COVID-19 impacts. The figures reflect an in- State steady crease of $913.5 million this FY. THE price of salt in Mon State The agro exports topped $3.3 bil- is fixed although the trader ex- lion in the corresponding period pected the salt market to go up of the 2019-2020 FY, according to in the post-salt season, accord- the trade figures released by the ing to Mawlamyine commodity Ministry of Commerce. depot. The agricultural exports In Mon State, salt pro- climbed up even though the main duction period is December, trade partner China shut down all January and February. During the border in wake of COVID-19 this period, most salt farmers surge in Myanmar. will sell their raw salt to cover The coronavirus pandemic labour cost and other expendi- impacted the foreign demand for tures. However, the salt pro- other export groups; agricultural duction in Mon State has been products, fishery, livestock, min- Farming workers are nurturing saplings of crops. declining due to heavy rain in erals, forest products, finished last February and April. industrial goods and other goods. agro products are also shipped to cific export plans for each agro required in order to meet pro- Besides, the salt price In the exports sector, the other countries. product, as they are currently ex- duction targets, the Agriculture fetched K60-K70 per viss (a viss agriculture industry performed Myanmar agro products are ported to external markets based Department stated. equals 1.6 kilogrammes) in salt the best, accounting for 35 per primarily exported to China, Sin- upon supply and demand. The G The Commerce Ministry is production period of February cent of overall exports. The chief gapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, to G pact also ensures the strong working to help farmers deal with and March. But, the intermit- items of export in the agricul- Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, market for the farmers. Contract challenges such as high input tent rain pushed up the salt tural sector are rice and broken and Sri Lanka. Sometimes, the farming systems, involvement costs, procurement of pedigree price at the end of April. rice, pulses and beans and maize. export market remains uncertain of regional and state agriculture seeds, high cultivation costs, and The local salt farmers are Fruits and vegetables, sesame, due to unsteady global demand. departments, exporters, traders, erratic weather conditions. – KK/ facing inconvenience situation dried tea leaves, sugar, and other The country requires spe- and some grower groups, are GNLM that they have salt but there is no price and they have price, but there is not salt. This being Rubber export exceeds $344.9 mln in eight months so, the salt price in Mon State is inching upward after post-salt MYANMAR’S rubber export rates, Myanmar Rubber Plant- Rubber is primarily pro- Viet Nam, the Republic of Korea, season in June, July and Au- generated more than US$344.9 ers and Producers Association duced in Mon and Kayin states India, Japan, and other countries, gust, National Enlightenment million revenue in the past eight (MRPPA) stated. and Taninthayi, Bago, and Yangon according to the MRPPA. Institute (NEI) estimated. months (Oct-May) of the current The growing demand of regions in Myanmar. As per 2018- About 300,000 tonnes of rub- The National Enlight- financial year 2020-2021, the Min- rubber gloves during the early 2019 rubber season’s data, there ber is produced annually across enment Institute (NEI) is an istry of Commerce’s data showed. outbreak coronavirus pandemic, are over 1.628 million acres of rub- the country. Seventy per cent of organization that studies the The price of domestic nat- shortage of natural rubber, the ber plantations in Myanmar, with rubber produced in Myanmar state’s economic development ural rubber depends on model depreciation of Kyat were the rea- Mon State accounting for 497,153 goes to China. It is also shipped to process. of supply and demand when the sons of price rise last year, rubber acres, followed by Taninthayi Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, On 22 August, the current harvest season ends. The rub- exporters pointed out. Region with 348,344 acres and Viet Nam, Korea, India, Japan, raw salt price (normal) is K 120- ber production usually declines Myanmar’s rubber is priced Kayin State with 270,760 acres. and other countries. 130 per viss while the raw salt during the off-season and it was lower than the international rate About 300,000 tonnes of rubber At present, Myanmar is ex- (pure) is K150 per viss. The cur- priced around K900 per pound, owing to raw material variability. is produced annually across the porting only rubber sheets owing rent salt price has been stable according to Mawlamyine com- Rubber price stood at US$2,600 country. Seventy per cent of rub- to lack of machinery and tech- for almost four months in April, modity wholesale centre. per tonne in 2020-end in global ber produced in Myanmar goes nology. Export rubber varieties May, June and July. Myanmar’s natural rubber market, whereas Myanmar rub- to China. It is also shipped to include synthetic rubber, ribbed Annually, Mon State pro- price is also tracking the global ber fetched only $2,100 per pound. Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, smoked sheet RSS 1, 3 and 5, My- duces nearly 40,000 tonnes of anmar Standard Rubber MSR- sun-dried salt beyond magne- 20, Technically Specified Rubber sium chloride (MgCl2), iodized TSR-20, and Crepe Rubber. salt (I2) and table salt (NaCl). About 150,000 tons of rubber There are about 5,000 was exported in the 2017-2018 fis- salt-pitches in Mon State. cal year. Myanmar shipped over Among them, nearly 4,000 190,000 tonnes of rubber, with an acres of salt-pitches produce estimated value of $250 million, nearly 40,000 tonnes of salt and to external markets in the 2018- domestic salt consumption is 2019 fiscal year, an increase of 10,000 tonnes. The 2019-2020 41,000 tons which helped boost statistics showed 14 iodine salt earnings by $60 million compared processing plants and one facto- to the year-ago period, according ry each for magnesium chloride to data released by the Ministry (MgCl2) and table salt (NaCl) of Commerce. Myanmar export- production, with the production ed over 200,000 tonnes of natural capacity of 60 tonnes of mag- rubber to foreign countries last nesium chloride, 204 tonnes of FY 2019-2020, generating income table salt and 12,132 tonnes of A worker is loading ribbed smoked sheet rubber onto turck. of over $200 million.—GNLM iodized salt.—NN/GNLM 23 AUGUST 2021 6 NATIONAL THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Commerce Ministry operates importation processes as planned

THE Ministry of Commerce is making concert- ported via Yangon International Airport, Muse, ed efforts to import the anti-COVID-19 related Chinshwehaw, Myawady and Hteekhee border medical supplies and equipment via air, sea and camps. Of four oxygen bowsers, three were border trade camps. Moreover, the ministry distributed to Yangon and one to Mawlamyine, cooperates with the department concerned to while two oxygen plants were delivered one provide services during public holidays from each to Mandalay and Lashio. 23 to 31 August in accordance with the SOP. It is reported that the Ministry of Com- Yesterday, a toal of 78 tonnes of liquid ox- merce is allowing the importation of COVID-19 ygen, seven tonnes of liquid oxygen cylinders, devices in accordance with the SOP priority one oxygen container, one oxygen distribu- negotiated by relevant departments, and an- tor, 4,964 empty oxygen cylinders, two oxygen nouncements related to the imports of medical plants, one oxygen refill, 597 home oxygen supplies and equipment are posted on com- conentrator, PPE suits and masks were im- merce.gov.mm.—MNA A truck carries oxygen container.

Cylinders are refilled with oxygen at the plant. A cargo truck transports liquid oxygen container.

A cub is seen with oxygen cylinder.

Truck is carrying liquid oxygen from Myawady.

A truck transports liquid oxygen container. 23 AUGUST 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR WORLD 7 ‘Please let us on the bus’: Heartbreak on Kabul airport convoy AFGHANS aboard a convoy of and waved his passport say- buses that was given a Taliban ing ‘I have a British visa, but escort to Kabul’s airport spoke can’t get in. Please let us on Sunday of the heartbreak of the bus’.” driving past huge crowds des- There have been reports of perate to join them. the Taliban stopping, harass- Tens of thousands of peo- ing and even detaining Afghans ple are gathered around the trying to flee, but the reporter airport north of the capital in said his convoy passed largely the hope of getting a flight out without incident. of the country as an evacuation “The didn’t care about us,” run by the US military contin- he said. ues in chaos. ‘One day, you’ll thank me’ People have been crushed The United States — and to death in the melee, while other nations — had plans to images of a family handing a offer sanctuary this year to child over a wall to a soldier tens of thousands of Afghans — and of young men clinging following Washington’s deci- to the side of a military plane sion to withdraw all its troops as it rolled down the runway from the country. for takeoff — have shocked the Those offered the chance Afghans mass near the airport in Kabul hoping to get in and catch an evacuation flight out of the world. of a new life abroad mostly country. PHOTO: AFP A journalist aboard the included Afghans who had convoy that left a downtown Families hoping for a mir- ers from US troops and the wards the buses,” he said. worked for foreign forces dur- hotel early Sunday told AFP a acle escape were crowded be- remnants of an Afghan special “They were showing us ing the 20-year occupation that huge crowd was camped at an tween the barbed-wire bound- forces brigade helping them. their passports or other doc- followed the ousting of the Tali- intersection close to the airport aries of an unofficial no man’s “As soon as they saw our uments — One man came to ban in the wake of the Septem- — many sleeping in the open. land separating Taliban fight- convoy they got up and ran to- my window with wife and child ber 11 attacks . — AFP

Hong Kong youngsters to chat with NEWS IN BRIEF astronauts on space station 102 migrants rescued in Channel trying HONG Kong youngsters will sent into space and entered the and answer questions collected to reach Britain have the opportunity to engage space station core module Tian- in advance. in a real-time dialogue with three he on 17 June and have since People who are interested OVER 100 migrants were rescued in the Channel on Saturday as mainland astronauts on China’s carried out a number of tasks in taking part should submit they tried to reach Britain on makeshift boats, the French maritime space station next month. as planned. their questions on the Hong prefecture said. The three astronauts, Nie It is reported that during Kong STEM (science, technol- A first boat carrying 38 migrants was reported in difficulty off Haisheng, Liu Boming and the conversation on 3 Septem- ogy, engineering, mathematics) Boulogne, the authorities said. Tang Hongbo, on board the ber the astronauts will give a Education Alliance’s website The migrants were rescued and returned to France before Shenzhou-12 spaceship were virtual tour of the core module from Aug. 23. — Xinhua being handed over to border police, a statement said. A further 60 migrants were also rescued off Hardelot, including 58 through the intervention of a tug, and two others by a patrol Afghan resistance ready for conflict but vessel. Four further migrants were picked up by the same patrol boat. prefers negotiations All the migrants were now safe, the statement added. Since the end of 2018, illegal crossings of the Channel by FORMER Afghan government trol of the country following a son of legendary Mujahideen migrants seeking to reach the UK have soared despite authorities forces forming a resistance move- lightning charge into the capital commander Ahmad Shah Mas- warning of strong currents, low temperatures and the perils of ven- ment in a fortified valley are pre- Kabul, thousands of people have soud who was assassinated by turing into one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. — AFP paring for “long-term conflict”, made their way to Panjshir to Al-Qaeda two days before the but are also seeking to negotiate both join the fight and find a safe September 11, 2001 attacks, with the Taliban, their spokesman haven to continue their lives, Ali has assembled a fighting force Taliban meets Afghan political figures, told AFP in an interview. Maisam Nazary said. of around 9,000 people, Nazary assuring security Since the Taliban took con- There, Ahmad Massoud, the added. Pictures taken by AFP THE Taliban announced on Saturday that its delegation met during training exercises show with political figures in the Afghan capital Kabul, assuring dozens of recruits performing them of security and safety. fitness routines, and a handful “A delegation from the Political Office of the Islamic Emir- of armoured humvees driving ate of Afghanistan met with a number of political figures in across the valley northeast of Kabul today,” tweeted Muhammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Kabul. The National Resistance Political Office of the Taliban in Qatari capital Doha. Front’s main goal is to avoid fur- According to the spokesman, the delegation told the ther bloodshed in Afghanistan attendees about the future of the “Islamic Emirate,” the name and press for a new system of of Afghanistan under Taliban rule, which wants a strong central government. government that respects the rule of law and gives every citi- But Nazary said the group zen the opportunity to serve his country. is also prepared for conflict, and The Taliban entered Kabul on 15 August after taking con- if the Taliban do not negotiate trol of most parts of Afghanistan, following the rapid withdraw- The National Resistance Front says Panjshir become a safe zone for all they will face resistance across al of the U.S. and NATO forces from the country that began in those groups who feel threatened in other provinces. PHOTO: AFP the country. — AFP May. — Xinhua 23 AUGUST 2021 23 AUGUST 2021 8 OPINION THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR ARTICLE /NATIONAL 9 Open generous ` mind for all Tokyo Paralympics to open under shadow of pandemic Myanmar Daily Weather Report with pardon and The Tokyo Paralympics open Tuesday after a year-long pandemic delay and with the virus continuing to cast (Issued at 7:00 pm Sunday 22 August 2021) a long shadow as Japan battles a record surge in cases. BAY INFERENCE: Monsoon is weak over the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. forgiveness “But we believe we will reach But Olympic officials say egories and classes depending more than four billion people there is no evidence of infection on the nature of their disability. FORECAST VALID UNTIL MORNING OF THE 23 August, verybody should uphold the generosity in relations with through broadcasting.” spreading from the Games to the Badminton and taekwondo are 2021: Rain or thundershowers will be widespread in Taninthayi others by opening the mind for their relatives and friends Local officials say the Games rest of Japan, where case numbers appearing for the first time. Region and Kachin State, fairly widespread in Upper Sagaing Ein addition to neighbouring people. can be held safely, with athletes were already on the rise. Top names include Germa- Region and Eastern Shan, Chin, Rakhine, Kayin, Mon States, They have an excellent practice with forgiveness and tolerance and other participants subject to Still organisers acknowledge ny’s Markus Rehm, dubbed the scattered in Nay Pyi Taw, Bago, Yangon, Ayeyawady Regions over others in all cases without grudge against the opponents. Their the same anti-infection rules that the worsening environment. “Blade Jumper” for his gravity-de- and (Northern and Southern) Shan States and isolated in the minds should be kept away from grievance, bitterness, rancour, applied to the Olympics. “The infection situation today fying feats in long jump, which remaining Regions and States with likelihood of isolated heavy- disgruntlement, pique, umbrage, dissatisfaction, bad feelings, hard Virus ‘situation has deterio- is different to how it was before have earned him three gold med- falls in Kachin State. Degree of certainty is (100%). feelings, resentment, ill feelings, ill will and so on. rated’ the Olympics. It has deteriorated,” als and a bronze. Those wishing to become the generous persons should have Competitors can only enter said Tokyo 2020 official Hidemasa He has pushed to be included STATE OF THE SEA: Seas will be slight to moderate in to wash their dirt minds. They need to forge their minds to be gen- the Paralympic Village shortly be- Nakamura on Friday. in the Olympics, but so far with- Myanmar waters. Wave height will be about (4 -7) feet off and erosity. Gradually, they would have the capacity to influence over fore their event and must leave “And the local medical system out success over concerns that along Myanmar Coasts. others with generous mind. If so, they will be the noble persons. within 48 hours of the end of their is also in a very tight situation.” his prosthetic blade gives him an Their powerful minds can easily remove the negative attitudes for competition. The virus surge has caused advantage. OUTLOOK FOR SUBSEQUENT TWO DAYS: Likelihood of malpractice such as envy, deceitfulness, slander, etc. from their They will be tested daily and tensions, with some local regions Other household names in- increase of rain in Upper Sagaing Region and Kachin, Northern souls. Hence, those persons limited to moving between training and schools cancelling planned clude Tatyana McFadden, the Shan States. can be dubbed as generous venues, competition sites and the trips to Games events despite American wheelchair racer who ones. Village. support for the programme from will be competing in her fifth sum- FORECAST FOR NAY PYI TAW AND NEIGHBOURING The mind The persons forging the The measures are intended to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. mer Paralympics. AREA FOR 23August, 2021: Isolated rain or thundershowers. generous minds will auto- prevent the Games from becom- ‘Blade Jumper’ She also appeared at the Sochi Degree of certainty is (100%). of generous matically culture the com- ing a superspreader event — and The mood among Paralym- Winter Games, where she won a passion and loving-kindness Photo taken on 17 August 2021, shows the athletes’ village for the Tokyo Paralympics in the capital’s Harumi officials say the Olympics proved pians remains buoyant though, silver medal in the country where FORECAST FOR YANGON AND NEIGHBOURING AREA waterfront district, which formally opened the same day ahead of the 24 August opening ceremony of the person can over attacks, assault and the restrictions work. after the uncertainties of the year- she was born, as her adoptive US FOR 23 August, 2021: Isolated rain or thundershowers. Degree games. PHOTO: KYODO battery and encroachment There were 552 positive cases long delay. “It’s our time to take mother and Russian birth mother of certainty is (100%). shape the committed by others. If so, S at the Olympics, the the country going through a fifth and International Paralympic linked to the Olympics reported aim at gold!” tweeted US archer cheered her on. Japan will be hop- their enemies would change event will be marked by virus wave. Committee chief Andrew Parsons from 1 July until Sunday, the ma- Matt Stutzman, a Paralympic sil- ing it can repeat the gold rush that FORECAST FOR MANDALAY AND NEIGHBOURING world to be their minds to frankly associ- A strict virus rules, with al- More than 25,000 new cases has warned participants against jority among Japan residents em- ver medallist who uses the handle saw it bring home a record 58 gold AREA FOR 23 August, 2021: Isolated rain or thundershowers. ate with those generous per- most all spectators banned and were recorded on Thursday, and complacency. ployed by the Games or working “Armless Archer”. Olympic medals. Degree of certainty is (80%). sons. In facts, the generosity tough restrictions on athletes and medics across the country have Despite the backdrop, IPC of- as contractors. Stutzman is among those like- Among its top medal hopes peaceful and and compassion can conquer other participants. warned hospitals are at breaking ficials insist the reach of the event So far, 138 cases related to the ly to be appearing on the medal is Shingo Kuneida, the reigning FLOOD BULLETIN over all. While a swell of domestic sup- point with serious cases also at will be “incredible.” Paralympics have been confirmed, podium during the Games, which world number one wheelchair (Issued at 08:00 hrs MST on 22-8-2021) tranquil. So, Opening the generous port emerged during the Olym- record highs. “Of course the fact that we will also mostly among Japan-based will see 4,400 athletes from around men’s single champion and con- mind is similar to the emp- pics after months of negative polls, It’s a challenging environ- not have spectators at the venues Olympic officials, though at least 160 national teams competing. sidered one of the greatest figures FLOOD CONDITION OF CHINDWIN RIVER all the global ty drum which can admit there is deep concern in Japan as ment for the most important is a challenge,” Parsons told AFP four athletes have also tested pos- There are 22 sports, with ath- in the sport. According to the (07:30) hrs MST observation today, the everything to its full brim. the Paralympics approach with sports event for disabled athletes, in an interview. itive. letes competing in different cat- SOURCE: AFP water level of Chindwin River at Homalin has exceeded by peoples should Those persons have the en- about (½) foot above its danger level. It may remain above its durance and tolerance over danger level during the next (1) day. try hard to others. Nature of their minds is always peaceful and tran- ADVISORY quil without any frats. Even Indonesia sharply cuts RT-PCR test prices amid call from public It is especially advised to the people who settle near the realize the if the generous persons face river banks and low lying areas in Homalin Township, to take the impolite and rude acts, precaution measure. practice of they can analyze the moti- NDONESIAN President Joko to the account of the Indonesian RT-PCR tests which have been ing price is 495,000 rupiahs for vation of these moves to be Widodo has ordered to cut Secretariat Cabinet on 15 August. effective from 17 August. RT-PCR and 125,000 rupiahs for FLOOD BULLETIN the test prices of the Reverse generosity transformed into the useful I Widodo also ordered that the Director General of Health antigen. (Issued at 19:00 hrs MST on 22-8-2021) ones based on the pardon and Transcription Polymerase Chain results of the RT-PCR tests in In- Services Abdul Kadir said the new Easier for the public to be able to forgiveness. Despite no ex- Reaction (RT-PCR) to a range be- donesia should be available within prices of the RT-PCR tests were “This will make it easier for FLOOD CONDITION OF THANLWIN RIVER pectation to get the benefits, tween 450,000 rupiahs (some 31.24 24 hours as the country needs set together with the Financial the public to have COVID-19 tests, According to the (18:30) hrs MST observation today, the shape the the generous persons will U.S. dollars) and 550,000 rupiahs speedy outcomes. and Development Supervisory which will lead to an overall im- water level of Thanlwin River at Hpa-an has exceeded by about have to enjoy the chances in from the previous maximum of The Indonesian government Agency. provement in Indonesia’s health (2) inches above its danger level. It may continue to rise from touch of the opened mind. It 900,000 rupiahs set by the Health has set the highest price for the “From the evaluation results, climate,” the company’s Presi- the present water level by about (½) foot during the next (1) world in peace is because the generous per- Ministry. RT-PCR tests at 495,000 rupiahs we agree that the highest price for dent Director Verdi Budidarmo day and may remain above its danger level. sons are ready to pardon for The move means that the for the islands of Java and Bali, RT-PCR examinations is lowered said. and tranquility. the misdeeds of opponents. prices of the RT-PCR tests in In- and 525,000 rupiahs for the areas to 495,000 rupiahs for Java and Agus Chandra, acting presi- ADVISORY Everybody should try donesia will be cut between 38.9 outside the two islands. Bali islands, and 525,000 rupiahs dent director of PT Kimia Farma It is especially advised to the people who settle near the hard to improve themselves per cent and 50 per cent over the RT-PCR test prices for outside Java and Bali islands,” Diagnostika (PT Kimia Farma’s river banks and low lying areas in Hpa-an Township, to take to become generous persons with new mind-set whereas the previous ones. The government decided to he said at a virtual press confer- business unit) said his compa- precaution measure. generous persons need to open their minds for forging forgiveness “One way to increase test- cut the RT-PCR test prices fol- ence in Jakarta on 16 August. ny would follow the president’s The Directorate General of Health Services has issued a regulation and compassion over malpractices and misdeeds of opponents and ing is to reduce the RT-PCR test lowing debates about the pric- State-owned pharmaceuti- instruction to lower the prices concerning the prices for RT-PCR tests which have been effective from 17 August. PHOTO: Xinhua those standing on opposite site. prices. I have told the health es of the COVID-19 tests in the cal company PT Kimia Farma of the RT-PCR tests as much as The mind of generous person can shape the world to be minister about this and I asked country, which were considered has decided to reduce the prices possible. for the regular type of device and country have yet to follow the peaceful and tranquil. So, all the global peoples should try hard to for the cost of the PCR tests to too expensive. of RT-PCR and Antigen tests to “In addition to lowering the for the Abbot Panbio brand it falls president’s instruction to lower realize the practice of generosity to be able to shape the world in be in the range between 450,000 The Directorate General of meet the regulation. price of the RT-PCR test to 495,000 to 125,000 rupiahs,” he said. the prices of the RT-PCR tests to peace and tranquility. rupiahs and 550,000 rupiahs,” said Health Services has issued a reg- Currently, the company’s rupiahs, we also reduced the price However, several health fa- detect COVID-19. the president in a video uploaded ulation concerning the prices for most expensive COVID-19 test- of antigen swab to 85,000 rupiahs cilities including hospitals in the SOURCE: Xinhua 23 AUGUST 2021 10 ENVIRON: WORLD THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Israel increasingly uses drones to catch environmental offenders NEWS

ISRAEL’S Ministry of Environ- IN BRIEF mental Protection is expanding Children in 4 South its use of drones to fight more effectively against environmen- Asian countries at tal offenders. “extremely high risk” The cameras on drones of impacts of climate make capturing environmental crisis: UNICEF offenses in real-time much eas- ier as the video footage in high YOUNG people living in Af- resolution of wrongdoings can ghanistan, Bangladesh, India serve as substantial evidence and Pakistan are among those in court. most at risk of the impacts of Moreover, the ministry’s climate change, threatening Green Police even has drones their health, education, and with specialized cameras able protection, according to a new to record videos at night using UNICEF report received here infrared or thermal vision. Friday. For each operation, Green In addition, Nepal and Police drone operators adjust the Sri Lanka are among the top machines for specific conditions. Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection is expanding its use of drones to fight more effectively against 65 countries most impacted environmental offenders. PHOTO: IANS/ANI For example, sea missions re- globally. quire drones that can fly in high istry, the Green Police has the ment at Green Police, said that monitoring and enforcing envi- “The Climate Crisis Is a winds, while in open fields, quiet power to conduct investigations, currently “most Green Police ronmental laws, regulations, and Child Rights Crisis: Introduc- drones with a long-distance lens hand out fines and sanctions, cases have drone footage that decrees with a focus on illegal ing the Children’s Climate can do a better job. and monitor polluters such as is very helpful in the court, by dumping, sewage, air quality, Risk Index” is UNICEF’s first As the main enforcement vehicles. Eyal Yaffe, chief of the making the cases unambiguous.” hazardous materials, and con- child-focused climate risk and deterrence arm of the min- unmanned aerial vehicle depart- Green Police inspectors are struction waste. — Xinhua index. It ranks countries based on children’s exposure to On the hunt for climate killing gas climate and environmental shocks, such as cyclones and AFTER finding a rusty gas can- selling carbon credits they earn heatwaves, as well as their ister near his midwest US home, from destroying the chemicals. vulnerability to those shocks, Rick Karas checked online if it Karas connected online with based on their access to essen- was worth anything. Incredibly, a company called Tradewater, tial services. — Xinhua it turned out to be a coveted which subsequently led to one commodity in the battle against of its staffers picking up the can climate change. at his home in tiny Peotone, Illi- Greta Thunberg His roughly basketball-sized nois, about an hour’s drive from drops boycott of container was filled with CFCs Chicago. Minutes later he had COP26 meeting (chlorofluorocarbons), a potent a $100 bill and the gas — once greenhouse gas that is perfectly standard in car air conditioners SWEDISH climate campaigner legal to possess but which has or refrigerators and packed into Greta Thunberg said on Friday been globally banned from man- cans that leak over time — was Companies like Tradewater collect potent greenhouse gases at their she hoped to go to the COP26 facility near Chicago and then sends then for destruction. PHOTO: AFP ufacture for decades. on its way to the incinerator. climate summit in November, Absent a government man- “I feel good. A little cash in mate connection. That’s the way even do business under a differ- months after threatening to date to destroy the ample existing the pocket and it helps the en- the Chicago-based firm prefers it. ent name, Refrigerant Finders, to skip the event because of stocks, a handful of companies vironment,” Karas, who raises They make no mention of sidestep what remains a political- unfair vaccine rollouts. have stepped in to hunt down bees, told AFP, though he was their mission in online ads tar- ly charged subject in the United “I’ve heard from people the gases in a process funded by completely unaware of the cli- geting would-be sellers and they States. — AFP that all the delegates will be of- fered a vaccine,” Thunberg told AFP. “If that’s considered safe, then I will hopefully attend.” Hurricane Henri bears down on US east coast The 18-year-old said in April that by November richer A swath of the US East Coast, in- response efforts. countries would be vaccinating cluding New York City, was under “It’s as serious as a heart young healthy people “very alert Saturday, as storm Henri attack,” he warned. He said the often at the expense of people was upgraded to what could be storm was expected to make in risk groups in other parts of the first hurricane in 30 years to landfall on Long Island, home the world”. hit New England. to the plush Hamptons villages She said at the time that Forecasters warned of vi- where wealthy New Yorkers re- the conference in Glasgow olent winds, heavy rainfall, the treat in summer, around noon should be postponed if every- risk of flash floods and surging (1600 GMT) on Sunday. one could not attend on the seas as the storm churned in the “It will be about a 26-hour same terms. Atlantic, packing maximum sus- event,” Cuomo added, telling New The conference has tained winds near 75 miles (120 Yorkers to expect “significant already been postponed once kilometers) per hour. power outages” and “significant from its original date of No- Nasty weather that preced- flooding” in some suburbs of the vember 2020. ed Henri forced New York City Homes were boarded up in Connecticut as Hurricane Henri steams Big Apple. Henri was anticipated Thunberg spoke to AFP to halt its star-studded Central towards the US east coast. PHOTO: AFP to miss New York City by miles, on Friday, the third anniver- Park concert that was billed as a The approaching hurri- nounce a state of emergency and but it could still cause tropical sary of the start of her now “homecoming” for a metropolis cane had prompted New York the deployment of 500 National storm conditions beginning Sat- world-famous “School Strike hard hit by the pandemic. Governor Andrew Cuomo to an- Guard soldiers in anticipation of urday night. — AFP for the Climate”. — AFP 23 AUGUST 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR PANDEMIC: WORLD 11 India approves emergency use of New President Raisi says tackling Covid, nd 2 locally-made Covid-19 shot reviving economy priorities INDIA on Friday authorised the emergency use of a second homegrown Covid-19 vaccine, which is also the first approved for children older than 12 in the country. India’s Department of Biotechnology announced its approval for ZyCoV-D, by Indian pharmaceutical firm Zydus Cadila, as the “world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine for Covid-19.” The approval for ZyCoV-D, which can be applied using a needle-free injector, comes with vaccination rates picking up across the country over the last few weeks. “This three-dose vaccine — when injected produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response,” the biotechnology department, which partnered with Zydus Cadi- la, said in a statement. “The plug-and-play technology on which the plasmid DNA platform is based can be easily adapted to deal with mutations in the virus, such as those already occurring,” it added. ZyCov-D is now the sixth vaccine to be approved by New Delhi after Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield, Covaxin — which was developed by Indian firm Bharat Biotech, Russia’s Sputnik V, and Johnson and Johnson.— AFP

Cars drive under a bridge with a banner showing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei receiving a COVID vaccine. PHOTO: ATTA KENARE/AFP

IRAN’S ultraconservative confidence expected later this seen what officials have called President Ebrahim Raisi said week. a “fifth wave” of Covid-19 in- Saturday his government will “The government’s first fections, the country’s worst prioritise tackling Covid and priority is controlling the coro- yet, which they have largely accelerating vaccinations navirus, improving the health blamed on the more contagious ahead of an economic reviv- situation and widespread vac- Delta variant of the virus. al, as he defended his cabinet cination,” Raisi said. Daily infections and deaths choices before parliament. “The economy and the live- have hit record highs several The conservative-domi- lihood situation is the second” times this month, raising to- nated parliament began de- priority, he added, noting that tal cases since the pandemic An Indian health worker inoculates a catholic nun with the Covishield vaccine—one of six approved by New Delhi against Covid-19—at Saint bating the male-only, largely his lineup is meant to bring started to over 4.5 million and Mary’s Basilica in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, on 19 conservative lineup in the about “justice and progress”. fatalities to more than 100,000. August 2021. PHOTO: NOAH SEELAM /AFP morning ahead of a vote of Since late June, Iran has — AFP Serbian cave hermit gets COVID-19 jab, urges others to follow NEWS IN BRIEF ALMOST twenty years ago, black market, as he did abroad peeling vegetables for lunch. Hundreds arrested in Australia protests as Panta Petrovic made social dis- for some time. He remarried “Here, nobody is hassling country posts worst Covid rise tancing a lifestyle choice when on multiple occasions, a life he me”, the man added with a smile, he moved into a tiny Serbian called “hectic”. revealing his decaying teeth. HUNDREDS were arrested after violent clashes between an- mountain cave to avoid society. Always a nature lover, he ‘Money is cursed’ ti-lockdown protesters and police in Australia’s two largest cities Last year, on one of his visits gradually found out that isolating Petrovic mostly feeds on Saturday as the country recorded its sharpest rise in daily Covid-19 to town, the dreadlocked man from society brings him freedom mushrooms and fish from the cases since the pandemic began. with a long beard found out there he never tasted before. local creek, but also hikes down- Sydney’s state of New South Wales posted 825 infections -- a was a pandemic raging. After “I was not free in the city. town in search of leftover food record for the entire country — a day after authorities extended the vaccines against COVID-19 be- There is always someone in in the bins. city’s lockdown until at least September to try to head off the Delta came available, he got jabbed your way — you either argue And his visits to the town variant.— AFP and urges everyone to do the with your wife, neighbours, or the have become more regular re- same. police”, Petrovic told AFP while cently.— AFP “It (the virus) does not pick. Veteran US civil rights activist Jesse Jackson It will come here, to my cave, hospitalized with Covid too”, the 70-year-old told AFP in his cave on the forested Stara VETERAN American civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson Planina mountain in southern was hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19, despite having Serbia. been vaccinated, representatives said Saturday. The cave Petrovic calls Jackson, 79, and his wife, Jacqueline Jackson, 77, were in home is accessible only by a treatment at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, the reverend’s steep climb that is not for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition organization said in a statement on fainthearted. Facebook. It is equipped with an old “Doctors are currently monitoring the condition of both. rusty bathtub which he uses as a Anyone who has been around either of them for the last five or six toilet, some benches and a stack days should follow” the guidelines of the government’s Centers of hay that serves as a bed. for Disease Control and Prevention, the brief statement added. Petrovic hails from the Baptist minister Jackson has been a leader in the American nearby town of Pirot where he Serbian hermit Panta Petrovic prepares milk for cats in his selfmade Civil Rights movement since the 1960s, when he marched with worked as a labourer on the house in Pirot. PHOTO: AFP Martin Luther King and helped fundraise for the cause.— AFP 23 AUGUST 2021 12 ECON: WORLD THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Iranian president vows to tackle economic problems

livelihood and strengthening ing measures are implement- the business environment” are ed and the implementation of the priorities in the agenda of transformation plans in the his government, said Raisi in country are realized, the ex- the parliament meeting in de- isting problems of the country fense of his nominated cabinet. can be dealt with. Solving the problems like Raisi pointed to the criteria inflation, depreciation of value for picking nominees for the of national currency, budget ministerial positions, saying deficit, hardship in people’s that expertise and knowledge livelihoods, high growth of li- in the field of mission was one quidity, high government debt of the factors for the selection are possible through planning, and introduction of nominees. he said, adding that it requires “Commitment to work, rev- efficient human resources olutionary and jihadist spirit, which could create transfor- anti-corruption and popularity mation in the country. were also among other crite- He put current inflation in ria for choosing a minister,” the country at 44 per cent and the Iranian president said, This photo from 12 March 2017, shows an Iranian laborer walking the platform of the oil facility in the Khark 55 per cent, citing recent sepa- noting that his cabinet would Island, on the shore of the Gulf. PHOTO: AFP rate reports by Iran’s Statistic be a combination of youth and IRANIAN President Ebrahim to tackle economic problems of “Economic stability, im- Center and Central Bank of experience so that the efforts Raisi on Saturday said that his the country and improve liveli- provement of macro (economic) Iran respectively. will create effective results. — government will do the utmost hood of the people. indicators, recovery of people’s If follow-up and monitor- Xinhua

Yemen currency clash deepens crisis in war-torn country Taliban inherit untapped ALONGSIDE a grinding sev- riyal’s value plummet to around to the detriment of most in a $1 trillion trove of minerals en-year military conflict, Yemen’s 1,000 to the dollar in govern- country on the verge of famine. government and the Huthi rebels ment areas, while the value in “Right now, we have — an are locked in battle on another Huthi-controlled zones has held exchange rate of the same cur- front — a currency war that has relatively stable at 600. rency inside the country,” said opened up a gulf in riyal values. Citizens and businesses in Amal Nasser, an economist with Both the government and both government and rebel-con- the Sanaa Center for Strategic the Iran-backed Huthis used the trolled zones have been left out Studies. “This is bizarre from same notes until late 2019 when of pocket by the divergence, but an economic perspective”. Ac- the rebels banned new banknotes especially those in the former, cording to Nasser, other experts printed in government-run Aden, given rampant inflation there. and ordinary Yemenis, the gap due to concerns about inflation. This internal exchange rate between the two currency val- The resulting difference in has also complicated trade and ues meant higher transfer costs money supply has since seen the led to manipulation by profiteers, between the two zones. — AFP

The country’s untapped mineral riches have been estimated Lebanon leaders reach short-term compromise on fuel at $1 trillion, though Afghan officials have put it three times as high. PHOTO: AFP LEBANESE leaders agreed to a Lebanon to open a temporary dent, the central bank chief and short-term compromise to main- account to cover urgent and ex- the caretaker prime minister, as THE Taliban now hold the keys hot commodity this year as pric- tain fuel subsidies Saturday, the ceptional subsidies for fuel”. well as the outgoing ministers of to an untouched trillion-dollar es soared to more than $10,000 presidency and prime minister’s A kitty of up to $225 million finance and energy. trove of minerals including per tonne. office said, in a move set to trig- would be set aside to subsidise Lebanon’s currency, the some that could power the Lithium is a crucial ele- ger more price hikes. imports of petrol, fuel oil and Lebanese pound, remains offi- world’s transition to renewable ment to make electric car bat- Earlier this month, the cen- cooking gas until the end of Sep- cially pegged at 1,507 to the dol- energies, but Afghanistan has teries, solar panels and wind tral bank said it could no longer tember, it said. lar, but it has lost more than 90 long struggled to tap its vast farms. support fuel imports at a pref- The decision was taken at a percent of its value on the black deposits. World demand for lithium erential exchange rate, in what meeting attended by the presi- market. — AFP The Taliban are already is expected to grow by over 40 many saw as a de facto end to in a financial bind since they times by 2040, according to the subsidies. returned to power 20 years af- International Energy Agency. Widespread panic ensued, ter their ouster, as major aid And Afghanistan “sits on with distributors scaling back donors halted their support for a huge reserve of lithium that deliveries until new prices were Afghanistan. has not been tapped to this day,” announced and desperate mo- Endless wars and poor in- said Guillaume Pitron, author torists forming long queues out- frastructure have prevented the of the book “The Rare Metals side petrol stations. country from getting its hands War”. Afghanistan is also home At a time when state elec- on the metals that could bright- to rare earths that are used in tricity supply is almost non-exist- en its economic fortunes. the clean energy sector: Neo- ent, fuel oil has also been in short The resources include dymium, praseodymium and supply to run back-up generators bauxite, copper, iron ore, lithi- dysprosium. to power homes, businesses and um and rare earths, according The country’s untapped even hospitals. to a January report by the US mineral riches have been esti- On Saturday evening, the Geological Survey (USGS). mated at $1 trillion by the USGS, presidency announced approv- Lebanese wait to fill their gas cylinders in the southern city of Sidon Copper, which is needed to though Afghan officials have put al of a “request for the Bank of amidst a deepening economic crisis, on 10 August 2021. PHOTO: AFP make power cables, became a it three times as high. — AFP 23 AUGUST 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR BIZ: WORLD 13 Port of Long Beach’s new terminal open to more trade with China THE Port of Long Beach, be beneficial to both sides. gional and national econ- U.S. second busiest port, “Our goal is to oper- omy,” said Long Beach announced Friday the ate as efficiently as pos- Container Terminal CEO completion of a 1.5-bil- sible and this terminal is Anthony Otto. lion-U.S.-dollar new con- a grand example of that,” The cost of shipping tainer terminal designed said Cordero, as he de- a 40-foot container from to become one of the most scribed the new terminal, China to U.S. West Coast technologically advanced which took over a decade has soared from 11,000 dol- cargo facilities in the to plan, design and build, lars in July to almost 20,000 world. as “the greatest achieve- dollars this week, shows “This terminal can ment at the port of choice, Freightos index, giving move 3.5 million contain- a wonder of the maritime rise to some concern that ers per year,” Mario Cor- industry.” these exorbitant fees will dero, Executive Director “It was well worth the negatively impact on the of the Port of Long Beach investment,” said Cordero. terminal’s business. told Xinhua at a comple- “The Port of Long Beach ‘s But Cordero was un- tion ceremony here in mission for their new ter- concerned. “High rates southern California. minal is to create efficien- aren’t going to impact this “And any time you talk cy and reliability. In an age terminal. We’re very busy.” A container ship of China’s COSCO Shipping docks at a new container terminal of the Port of about needing more capac- of e-commerce, consum- He pointed out that the Long Beach in California, the United States, 20 August 2021. PHOTO: XINHUA ity, you are talking about ers expect their products carriers charging an arm China,” he noted. tomorrow. And we have an Coast have remained stat- in its berth productivity, North America. and a leg now were the With two thirds of the Amazon frame of mind,” ic, the Port of Long Beach’s speed of trucks through “Additional capac- same ones that suffered port’s imports coming he added. additional capacity will their gates, and the ve- ity means more cargo, during the 2008-2009 global from China, Cordero is While capacity in most bring it a greater speed locity of their rail system more supply chain jobs, a recession when the rates confident that terminal will terminals on the U.S. West and efficiency reflected throughput, the largest in strengthening of our re- bottomed out. — Xinhua No. of private lodgings in Japan falls with Dark days for tourism in the City of Light demand lost due to virus FEW tourists are gazing at colour-coded system that try’s law on private lodging early 2020, concerns had the Mona Lisa or wander- determines if visitors need business, compared with grown that there would ing the streets of Paris this to take a Covid-19 test be- a peak of 21,385 in April be a shortage of accom- summer, dashing hopes fore arriving, have a com- 2020, according to data re- modation during the To- that the top tourist desti- pelling reason to visit or leased by the Japan Tour- kyo Games, especially in nation would see brighter quarantine. ism Agency. Tokyo, Osaka and other days after last year’s pan- Museums and other In fiscal 2020 through major cities, resulting in demic-linked desertion. cultural venues reopened March this year, a total of a surge of registered pri- The City of Light has after long closures, though 1.14 million people stayed vate lodgings at a pace of seen between 3.6 million visitors have to show proof in those private lodgings, several hundred units per and 4.7 million visitors be- of vaccination or negative down 77 per cent from the month. tween June and August, tests. previous year. The Tokyo Olympics down from 10 million in But Paris visitor num- Photo taken in June 2019 shows a “minpaku” private Private lodging, and Paralympics, origi- 2019, before the coronavi- bers still disappointed. lodging room in the Ishikawa Prefecture city of Kanazawa, known in Japan as “min- nally scheduled for the rus emerged and wrecked ‘Reinventing ourselves’ central Japan. PHOTO: KYODO paku,” has gained atten- summer of 2020, were post- international travel, ac- Arino said occupan- THE number of private foreign visitors during tion since a law legalizing it poned for a year due to the cording to tourism office cy rates at hotels in Paris properties for vacation the Tokyo Olympics and took effect in June 2018 to pandemic. The decision to figures. were worse than elsewhere rental in Japan has de- Paralympics. relieve a shortage of hotel stage the Summer Games Only 2.6 million tour- in France, with revenues clined as the novel corona- As of 12 July, there rooms amid an inbound mostly without spectators ists visited Paris last year. down 60 per cent. virus pandemic caused a were 18,578 vacation rent- tourism boom. to prevent spread of the vi- “With clients from afar Romain Jouhaud, di- nosedive in travel demand, al homes and apartments Before the global rus hit private lodging op- not coming, the impact is rector general of 4 Roues dashing hopes for more registered under the coun- spread of COVID-19 in erators.— Kyodo News considerable,” Didier Ari- Sous 1 Parapluie, a compa- no, director of the travel ny that offers guided visits firm Protourisme, told AFP. in a classic French car in Central Chinese city suspends business, France eased its travel the capital, said he only had rules ahead of the summer 120 customers this summer construction ahead of downpours season, putting countries compared to 360 in 2019.— in a red, orange and green AFP KAIFENG, a city in on Monday, and roadside response for flood preven- el emergency response for rain-ravaged Henan Prov- shops other than those tion at noon on Saturday flood prevention was also ince in central China, on providing life necessities as heavy rainstorms with activated. In the provincial Saturday ordered the full should suspend operations rainfall up to 250 mm are capital Zhengzhou, the res- suspension of construction by midnight Saturday, ac- forecast from Sunday to idents living in flood-hit and business operations cording to the city’s head- Monday. The maximum zones, mountainous are- to cope with heavy rain- quarters of flood preven- hourly precipitation rate as, and those living on the storms forecast for Sunday tion and drought control. may reach 60 to 90 mm, first floor of buildings in the and Monday. The suspended sec- according to the city’s urban area were requested All enterprises, tourist tors may reopen afternoon weather department. In to be evacuated, according resorts and construction on Monday if the rain situ- Zhengzhou and Xinxiang, to a circular issued by the sites are ordered to shut ation allows. two cities that were hard city’s headquarters of flood down or halt operations The city activated the hit by rain-triggered floods prevention and drought The Eiffel Tower reopened in mid-July after a nine-month from 8 a.m. Sunday to noon second level emergency last month, the second lev- control. — AFP hiatus due to the pandemic. PHOTO: AFP 23 AUGUST 2021 14 SOCIETY THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

Voting starts in Yokohama mayor election, result key to Suga’s fate NEWS

appeared to be neck-and-neck The second most populous IN BRIEF heading into the poll with incum- city in the country after Tokyo, Yo- bent Mayor Fumiko Hayashi trail- kohama, the capital of Kanagawa Ex-UK PM Blair ing. Prefecture, is home to the constit- slams West’s A loss by Okonogi, 56, would uency of the prime minister’s seat ‘abandonment’ of be a significant blow to Suga in the House of Representatives. heading into a leadership race Yamanaka is running with Afghanistan of the ruling Liberal Democratic the support of the main opposi- FORMER UK prime minister Party and a general election in tion Constitutional Democratic Tony Blair, who in 2001 took the coming weeks and months. Party of Japan as well as the Jap- Britain into war in Afghanistan Yamanaka, 48, a data sci- anese Communist Party and the alongside the United States, entist by training and a former Social Democratic Party. on Saturday condemned their professor at Yokohama City Uni- He has criticized the gov- “abandonment” of the country versity, has criticized Suga’s gov- ernment as ignoring calls from as “dangerous” and “unneces- ernment over its response to the infectious disease experts to take sary”. coronavirus pandemic. stronger measures to curb the In his first public com- Incumbent Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi is seeking re-election by Japan is experiencing its spread of COVID-19. ments on the crisis since the supporting the Yamashita Pier casino resort project. PHOTO: KYODO largest wave of COVID-19 yet Besides serving as a gauge Afghan government collapsed VOTING is under way in the Yo- the fall. and dissatisfaction with Suga’s for Suga’s popularity, the Yoko- last weekend, Blair criti- kohama mayoral election Sun- Hachiro Okonogi, a former handling of the pandemic is only hama election is a referendum cised the US motives for the day, with the result set to have chairman of the National Pub- growing, with a recent nationwide of sorts on the city’s bid to host a withdrawal as “imbecilic” and major implications for Prime lic Safety Commission and a survey by Kyodo News showing casino after Japan legalized their “driven not by grand strategy Minister Yoshihide Suga’s hopes close Suga ally, and the opposi- support for his Cabinet at a re- operation as part of so-called inte- but by politics”. of remaining in power beyond tion-backed Takeharu Yamanaka cord-low 31.8 per cent. grated resorts in 2018. — AFP “The abandonment of Afghanistan and its people is tragic, dangerous, unneces- ‘Impossible’ to evacuate all allied Afghans by August 31: EU sary, not in their interests and not in ours,” Blair wrote in a “IT’S mathematically impossible” running its air traffic control op- wide-ranging article published for the US and its allies to evac- erations. on his institute’s website. uate tens of thousands of their “As far as I know, for the mo- “We didn’t need to do it. Afghan personnel and families by ment the Americans haven’t said We chose to do it. 31 August, EU foreign policy chief they will stay beyond August 31, “We did it in obedience to Josep Borrell warned Saturday. but they might change their think- an imbecilic political slogan Borrell, speaking to AFP ing,” Borrell said. “They want to about ending ‘the forever from Spain in a telephone inter- evacuate 60,000 people between wars’, as if our engagement in view, added that “we have com- now and the end of this month. 2021 was remotely compara- plained” to the Americans that It’s mathematically impossible,” ble to our commitment 20 or their security at Kabul airport he said. Borrell told AFP that, for even 10 years ago.” — AFP was overly strict and hampering Europe’s evacuation efforts, “the attempts by Afghans who worked problem is access to the airport for the Europeans to enter. — the US checks and security Taliban co-founder 31 August is the deadline the measures are very strong” and Protesters in London carry placards and wave Afghan flags as they march Baradar in Kabul in solidarity with the people of Afganistan. PHOTO: AFP United States had announced for were preventing the passage of for talks to set up the complete pullout of its forces Afghan staff. President Charles Michel and He said just 150 of the 400 from Afghanistan, but President He said Brussels had lodged European Commission President Afghans employed by the EU government Joe Biden has flagged that might a complaint with the US, asking Ursula von der Leyen on a visit to have been evacuated so far. “I’m TALIBAN co-founder be extended if airlifts remain vi- for “more flexibility”. a Spanish air base receiving in- very aware that this is very in- Mullah Abdul Ghani able. The EU’s top foreign policy coming flights carrying European sufficient,” he said. “Planes are Baradar arrived in Kabul on The US military is currently official had been in Madrid ac- citizens and Afghan personnel — leaving while people are still on Saturday for talks on estab- in control of Kabul’s airport and companying European Council and several American citizens. the tarmac,” he said. — AFP lishing a new “inclusive” government in Afghanistan, a senior official said. It comes after other Who’s who in the Taliban leadership senior Taliban leaders were THE Taliban’s senior officials figurehead than a military com- seen in the capital in recent were gathering in the Afghan mander. days, including Khalil capital Saturday for talks with After being appointed leader, Haqqani — one of America’s elders and politicians on forming Akhundzada secured a pledge of most wanted terrorists with a government after their stunning loyalty from Al-Qaeda chief Ay- a $5 million bounty on his sweep to power last weekend. man al-Zawahiri, who showered head. A senior Taliban offi- The inner workings and lead- the cleric with praise — calling cial told AFP that Baradar ership of the group have long been him “the emir of the faithful”. This would meet “jihadi leaders shrouded in secrecy — even dur- helped seal his jihadi credentials and politicians for an inclu- ing their rule from 1996 to 2001 with the group’s long-time allies. sive government set-up”. — but here is a rundown of what Akhundzada was tasked with the Hours later, pro-Taliban so- is known: enormous challenge of unifying cial media accounts showed Haibatullah Akhundzada, the a militant movement that briefly Haqqani announcing that supreme leader fractured during the bitter power Ahmad Massoud — the Haibatullah Akhundzada was The Taliban’s senior leaders are gathering for talks on forming a new struggle after Akhtar’s assassina- son of Afghanistan’s most appointed leader of the Taliban in government after taking over Afghanistan. PHOTO: AFP tion, and the revelation that the famed anti-Taliban fighter a swift power transition after a in 2016. low-profile religious figure. He is leadership had hidden the death Ahmad Shah Massoud — US drone strike killed his prede- Before ascending the move- widely believed to have been se- of Taliban founder Mullah Omar had “declared allegiance” to cessor, Mullah Mansour Akhtar, ment’s ranks, Akhundzada was a lected to serve more as a spiritual for years. — AFP the movement. — AFP 23 AUGUST 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR GLOBAL AFFAIRS 15

NEWS IN BRIEF Key ally Merkel visits Ukraine Israel strikes Gaza after border clashes before leaving office

ISRAEL struck Gaza on Saturday after clashes between its troops GERMAN Chancellor Angela and Palestinians protesters on the border left dozens injured, in- Merkel visits Ukraine on Sunday, cluding an Israeli policeman and a 13-year-old Palestinian boy who an ally she has supported in its were both critically wounded. conflict with pro-Russia separa- The clashes, which saw crowds of young Palestinians hurling tists but has disappointed with firebombs and trying to scale the Gaza border wall, with Israeli her appetite for Russian gas. troops firing in return, came exactly three months since Israel and She will meet with President the enclave’s Hamas rulers reached a truce following their deadliest Volodymyr Zelensky just two days fighting in years. The Hamas Islamist-run Gazan health ministry after holding talks with his Rus- said the injured included a 13-year-old boy left in a critical condition sian counterpart Vladimir Putin after being hit in the head.— AFP in Moscow ahead of her depar- ture from office next month. In power for 16 years, the Bolivia ex-leader tried to ‘take her own life’ in German leader has been a key prison, lawyer says ally of Kiev since 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Ukraine ahead of her departure from office next month. PHOTO: POOL/AFP/FILE BOLIVIA’S jailed former president Jeanine Anez attempted to pro-Russia separatists broke take her own life in prison on Saturday, her lawyer said, a day after away from Ukraine in the east. “In my opinion, this is too soft.” peace accords in 2015, which prosecutors charged her with “genocide” over the 2019 deaths of But she has also been un- Despite disagreements over helped halt the fiercest clashes. protesters. wavering in pushing across the the pipeline, Germany is a key But for many in Ukraine, the deal, Anez has been jailed since March, originally on charges — finish line a controversial Russian mediator in attempts to resolve which assumes some autonomy trumped up, her defenders say -- of staging a coup against her gas pipeline to Europe despite the protracted conflict in eastern for the breakaway parts of the predecessor and rival, former president Evo Morales. fierce opposition from Ukraine, Ukraine, which has claimed more Donetsk and Lugansk regions, One of Anez’s lawyers, Jorge Valda, said the former leader, de- the United States and several Eu- than 13,000 lives. was unfavourable for Kiev and spondent over her legal situation, had “attempted to take her own ropean countries. “You can call it Since the fighting broke out, is difficult to fulfil. “With Merkel’s life — an attempt in which, thank God, she failed.” a pragmatic approach,” Zelensky Merkel has been one of the loud- departure, the foundation of the Bolivian officials had announced Anez tried to harm herself, said this week in an interview est voices accusing the Kremlin Minsk agreements will become with Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo saying she had suffered with several media outlets, add- of backing the separatists, which even more fragile,” Kiev-based only “scratches” on her arm in the attempt early Saturday and is in ing that Merkel was conducting Moscow denies.And she played a political analyst Volodymyr Fes- stable condition.— AFP a “very delicate balancing act”. crucial role in clinching the Minsk enko told AFP. — AFP US vice president arrives in Singapore for 1st trip to Asia

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will stay in Singa- where she will become the first Harris arrived in Singapore pore for three days from Sun- sitting US vice president ever on Sunday as part of her first day, holding talks with Prime to visit the country. official trip to Asia that aims to Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Last month, Defense Sec- show U.S. commitment to the Monday, after which they plan retary Lloyd Austin visited Indo-Pacific region amid the to hold a joint press confer- Singapore, Vietnam and the growing clout of China. ence. Philippines, becoming the first Her two-nation trip to Also Monday, she will visit member of Biden’s Cabinet to Asia, which includes Vietnam, Changi Naval Base where she visit Southeast Asia. comes as US President Joe will board a US littoral combat The Biden administration Biden faces strong criticism ship. has been striving to strengthen at home and abroad over the She will deliver a speech cooperation with its partners chaos caused by the hasty US the following day to underscore and like-minded countries to troop withdrawal from Afghan- the importance of partnerships counter China’s growing as- US Vice President Kamala Harris aims to underline Washington’s istan amid the Taliban’s recent and areas for further coopera- sertiveness in the region.— commitment to Asia during her trip to Singapore and Vietnam. PHOTO: takeover of the country. POOL/AFP tion, before flying to Vietnam Kyodo

Nigerian oil hub hails coronation of new king

THOUSANDS of people in traditional red and The new King, Omo Oba Utienyinoritsetsola white attire thronged to the riverine community Emiko, 37, ascended the throne as the 21st Olu of of Ode-Itsekiri in southern Nigeria’s oil hub Warri Warri at the ceremony in Ode-Itsekiri, his people’s on Saturday to witness the ascension of their new ancestral home. The US-educated prince was king. crowned by traditional chiefs of the ancient town The king or Olu of Warri is one of the most in the presence of ministers, governors, senators, important traditional rulers in Nigeria, reigning religious leaders and diplomats. over a kingdom dating back to the 15th century with After the crown was placed on his head, the a trading hub and seaport once used by Portuguese kingmakers bowed to pay hommage to the new and Dutch slave merchants. king to applause from the ecstatic crowd of on- Nigeria’s kings and emirs hold no official po- lookers. The new king, now officially known as litical powers, but they wield enormous influence Ogiame Atuwatshe III of Warri kingdom, urged as custodians of spiritual and cultural heritage Itsekiri to support him, as guests were given dis- The king or Olu of Warri is one of the most important traditional in Africa’s most populous nation which has more plays of music, dancing, acrobatics and a boat rulers in Nigeria reigning over a kingdom dating back to the 15th than 300 ethnicities. regatta.— AFP century. PHOTO: AFP / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI 23 AUGUST 2021 16 SPORT THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

Republic of the Union of Myanmar State Administration Council Nine Objectives 1. Political affairs (b) To develop a stable market economy and promote international in- (a) To build a Union based on democracy and federalism, through a vestment in order to enhance the economic development of the entire disciplined and genuine multiparty democratic system that is fair and National people. just. (c) To promote and support local businesses to create employment oppor- (b) To emphasize the achievement of enduring peace for the entire nation tunities and increase domestic production. in line with the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). (c) To continue implementing the principle of peaceful co-existence among 3. Social affairs countries through an independent, active and non-aligned foreign policy. (a) To ensure a strong and dynamic Union spirit, the genuine spirit of patriotism. 2. Economic affairs (b) To respect and promote the customs and traditions of all National peo- (a) To enhance production based on agriculture and livestock through ples and preserve and safeguard their cultural heritage and national modern techniques and strengthen all-round development in other characteristics. sectors of the economy. (c) To enhance the health, fitness and education quality of the entire nation.

Ancelotti FIFA Ranking: Myanmar team still standing fourth in ASEAN insists his ranking of 120th and 1,149 points. gaze is The Philippines squad is third with world ranking of 128th and focused on 1,132 points. Next, Malaysia national current Real team is fifth after Myanmar in stars ASEAN and the team is standing as 154th in the world ranking REAL Madrid coach Carlo An- with 1,041 points earned. In the celotti again batted away ques- meantime, Singapore is next tions about rumoured galactico with FIFA world ranking of 160th signings and told his pre-match and 1,000 points. press conference on Saturday Indonesia and Cambodia that he was happy working with are in the seventh and eighth the stars he had. Real won 4-1 place in ASEAN with FIFA rank- away to Alaves on the open- ing of 174th and 179th. ing weekend of La Liga and Laos is next in the ninth on Sunday visit Levante, who place with FIFA world ranking drew their opener at Cadiz. of 186th. Brunei and Timor Leste But many of the questions Myanmar striker Suam Lam Mang celebrates the first goal over Tajikistan during their FIFA World Cup are in the tenth and eleventh Qualifiers at Mandalar Thiri Stadium in Mandalay on 14 November, 2019. PHOTO: MFF he faced were about potential place with FIFA ranking of 190th signings. After a while even An- THE Myanmar men’s national August 2021. Team Viet Nam is still stand- and 195th separately. celotti began to lose patience. football team is currently stand- Thailand have dropped 14 ing first in ASEAN with world Myanmar had highest re- “These are personnel issues, I ing fourth in the ASEAN region places while Myanmar down- ranking of 92nd and 1,261 points cords of FIFA ranks as 97th in don’t have to talk about it here,” and ranked 145th in the world graded to sixth from previous earned. Meanwhile, Thailand’s April 1996 and lowest as 182nd he said. Ancelotti dismissed with 1,057 points, according to point of 139th, according to the national football team is placed in August 2012, according to the a question about the possible the FIFA rankings released for data released by the FIFA. second in ASEAN with FIFA FIFA.— GNLM return of Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom the coach won the Champions League and Club Ugas stuns Pacquiao to retain WBA welterweight crown World Cup in a first stint at Real. “The subject is finished,” CUBA’S Yordenis Ugas sent lier this month after the eight-di- Ancelotti said. “We look for- Manny Pacquiao spinning to a vision world champion’s original ward. Everyone at Real Ma- dramatic upset defeat on Sat- opponent Errol Spence Jr. suf- drid loves CR7. I love him even urday, outclassing the Filipino fered an eye injury in training. more, because CR7 has helped boxing icon with a composed But the defending champion me win a lot of the titles I have unanimous points victory at the seized his opportunity brilliantly won.” Ancelotti sidestepped T-Mobile Arena. to win on all three cards, with one a question on whether Kylian In his first fight after a two- judge scoring it 115-113 and two Mbappe might be arriving from year absence from the ring, Pac- others 116-112. Paris Saint-Germain. “I don’t quiao was made to look every bit “That’s boxing,” a deflated know, really,” the Italian said. of his 42 years as the younger Pacquiao said afterwards. “It doesn’t matter to me. I have Ugas dominated with a stinging “I had a hard time in the a very good squad, strong. I jab and cleaner punching to re- ring making adjustments. My want to coach it. I’m very hap- tain his WBA welterweight belt. legs were tight. I’m sorry I lost Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao (left) trades blows with Cuba’s Yordenis py. I’m focused on the team I Ugas during the WBA welterweight title fight in Las Vegas. PHOTO: Ugas, 35, had only been tonight, but I did my best.”— have.”— AFP AFP drafted in to face Pacquiao ear- AFP