BE ON ALERT FOR FIRES WITH DRY SEASON PAGE-8 (OPINION)

Vol. VII, No. 313, 12th Waxing of Tabodwe 1382 ME www.gnlm.com.mm Tuesday, 23 February 2021 Council needs to put energy into reviving country’s ailing economy: Senior General

Chairman of the State Administration Council Senior General Min Aung Hlaing presides over the third coordination meeting at the Council’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw on 22 February 2021.

he State Administration Sein, Jeng Phang Naw Taung, carried out the use of tear gas vice personnel. Some service patient manner, the government Council organized the U Moung Har, U Sai Lone Sa- bombs, rubber bullets and wa- personnel participated in the did not conform to the current T 3rd coordination meet- ing and Saw Deniel, Secretary ter cannons to crack down the CDM, some of whom joined it situation. So, the problems hap- ing at its office in Nay Pyi Taw Lieutenant-General Aung Lin crowds of riots and interruption with fear. With regard to the pened. yesterday morning. Dway, Joint Secretary Lieu- of the internet. In comparing CDM measure, service person- Data was collected for the Commander-in-Chief of De- tenant-General Ye Win Oo and the number of dead and injured nel were urged to re-discharge absence of State service per- fence Services Senior General Union Minister for Home Affairs persons in other countries’ their duties last week. State ser- sonnel last Friday. Medical doc- Min Aung Hlaing, the chairman Lieutenant-General Soe Htut. demonstrations, there were vice personnel are associates tors are absent from hospitals of the Council, held talks at the At the meeting, the Senior four deceased persons within of ours. Service personnel can and clinics. Medical doctors meeting. General said the Council had as- three weeks in Myanmar. In vote for those they like, but they are service personnel to pro- Present at the meeting to- sumed the duty for about three reviewing the deaths, the dead must focus on serving the State vide health care service to the gether with the Senior Gener- weeks. During the period, many woman was about 20 years old. only during duty hours. The civ- people. There are three crucial al were Vice-Chairman of the reforms have been undertak- It was found that she herself il service personnel will have service personnel in the coun- Council Deputy Command- en. For the first point related participated in the riots. It was things they like or unlike. It is try. They are health staff, police er-in-Chief of Defence Services to the State peace and stability, found that riotous protesters acceptable for democracy prac- force and the Tatmadaw, and Commander-in-Chief (Army), although protests were staged used catapults, stones and nuts tice. However, civil service per- they always have to prepare to Vice-Senior General Soe Win, during the period between the in attacks. In the event, police sonnel need to serve the people. be ready. The Tatmadaw alerts members of the Council Gen- second and third weeks, the members used rubber bullets, State service personnel need to regiments and units in regions eral Mya Tun Oo, Admiral Tin Council took measures under not lead balls. The documentary perform State duty. Likewise, and states to be readiness for Aung San, General Maung control as much as it can. The video clip has been checked in citizens must serve the State. defending the State. Police Maung Kyaw, Lieutenant-Gen- action was taken similar to detail. It was a reality. The current event was based members also are discharging eral Moe Myint Tun, Mahn Nye- that of democratic countries Effective action will be tak- on voting frauds. Although the duty in unity at respective units in Maung, U Thein Nyunt, U in accord with the practices en against those who initially Tatmadaw cooperated with the and police stations. Khin Maung Swe, Daw Aye Nu of democracy. Other countries propagated CDM to the ser- past government in its term in a SEE PAGE-3

INSIDE TODAY

NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL Vice-Senior General holds MoNREC Cash, offertories donated People receive discussions with Australian discusses to Sitagu Sayadaw, medical Vice-chief of Defence Force situations of state- pro-rector of State Pariyatti treatments at over phone owned businesses University in Mandalay military hospitals PAGE-4 PAGE-4 PAGE-5 PAGE-5 23 FEBRUARY 2021 2 NATIONAL THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Announcement of Union Election Commission (22 February 2021)

THE Union Election Commission scrutinized the voter lists in 2 townships in Yamethin Township of Mandalay Region in relation to the multiparty democracy general elections which took place on 8 November 2020. According to the findings, the number of voters released by the previous UEC was 415,129 while the figure of Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population up to November 2020 confirmed 358,453 eligible voters with the 18-year-old and above. The voter lists of 38,187 include citizens, associate citizens, naturalized citizens and those without any scrutiny cards, while the same national scrutiny card number of 4,933 voters was found three times and above in the voter lists and 55,380 voters two times. The findings from the respective townships are as follows:

Sr Township and polling station Figure of township Figure of MoLIP Voter lists without any Same national scrutiny card Same national scrutiny commission scrutiny cards found three times and above card found two times in in voter lists voter lists 1 Yamethin Township with 247 polling 198,438 182,726 15,964 3,067 29,376 stations 2 Pyawbwe Township with 295 polling 216,691 175,727 22,223 1,866 26,004 stations Total 415,129 358,453 38,187 4,933 55,380

Excerpt from Public Voice Myanmar Economic Bank gives 1. Legal actions will be taken against those who are making disturbances and out retirement pensions harassment to the civil service personnel in performing their State duties and public services. There have been intimidation rumours not to open shops, stores and markets.

2. The civil service persons must be protected effectively from insults and threats However they opened normally nationwide. Branches of Myanmar Economic as they are working for the country and people. Bank is giving out retirement pension for civil service personnel at its branches

3. With sympathy and empathy for the situations of civil service personnel who in respective regions and states, commencing 22 February. need to care for their families, they should not be disturbed or harassed. The retired civil service personnel can get their pensions beginning 21st of

A civil service employee each month at the banks, mobile money or mobile agents.—MNA

Request to Public 1. Democracy practices have granted the public freedom of speech, practices and living. Such freedoms should not harm others. Diverse views of others should be understood, but should not be disturbed or harassed. However, with the reason for human rights, some persons are now under pressure, harassed and threatened in breaching the laws. Undisciplined acts could lead to tarnishing the image of democracy. 2. For preventing destructive actions against the stability of the State, the safety of the public and the rule of law, it is also required to take proper actions in line with the law. 3. All the people who favour justice, freedom, equality and safety are requested to oppose breaching the laws and prevent such actions for the benefit of country and people.

Mandalay Region Administration Council’s Announcement to Public

Some unscrupulous persons are putting various forms of pressures and posing threats to civil service personnel in performing their duties at present. The civil service personnel who have encountered such pressures and threats shall contact the following phone numbers. Strong legal actions will also be taken against those who make such pressures and threats.

Contact phone numbers -02 403 9635 -02 403 6869 -09 797 144 144 -02 403 7199 -02 403 6978 -09 694 740 311

State Administration Council’s Announcement

Some unscrupulous persons are putting various forms of pressures and posing threats to civil service personnel in performing their duties at present. The civil service personnel who have encountered such pressures and threats shall contact the following phone numbers. Strong legal actions will also be taken against those who make such pressures and threats. Contact phone numbers -067 412 168 -067 412 246 -067 412 388 -067 412 598 -067 412 539 -067 412 222 -067 412 387 -067 412 444 -067 412 066 -067 412 540

Call 09251022355 23 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NATIONAL 3 Council needs to put energy into reviving country’s ailing economy: Senior General

FROM PAGE-1 violations will face strict action. It trade deficits every year. That community over the temporary rewards are being offered to Likewise, health staff dis- follows suit in the police force as affects the country’s currency assumption of State duties by the government employees, mem- charge duty in unity at respec- well. Police members need to try value, so a substantial currency Council, the situation in Rakhine bers of the police and Tatmadaw tive hospitals and clinics to pro- to become ones the public trust value is required. The economy State, the confusing political sit- members depending on their per- vide health care services to the and the State relies on. Discipli- must be raised through trade. uation caused by a personality formance. Teachers are required people. One of the nine points of nary action will be taken against Five objectives have been laid cult, electricity bill reduction for to prepare to make ready for the oaths of medical doctors men- service personnel if they fail to down. The Council needs to put religious buildings, incitement to reopening of schools with main- tions: “I shall respectfully and val- report and go to work. its energy into reviving the coun- CDM by encouraging civil serv- tenance when students return uably protect the lives and souls Coordinated plans are un- try’s ailing economy. Economic ants to participate, the imposition to schools by holding meetings of humans with medical knowl- derway to present cash awards remedy measures must be taken. of those organizations which are that contribute to teaching and edge we learnt.” Medical doc- to the doctors depending on It is necessary to reduce import behind the instigation and taking undergoing pieces of training. tors break their oaths if they do the degrees they obtained. In and boost export to cut the trade of action against them and the As Myanmar is an agri- not perform medical treatment. the education sector, teaching deficit. Agriculture and livestock need for protection of the service culture and livestock breeding Likewise, the oaths of nurses say, quality must be raised. Teachers breeding play a key role in man- personnel who are shouldering country, it is necessary to nurture “Physical and mental health of all are crucial for the country. They ufacturing local products. their duties. technicians in agriculture and human beings will be assumed produce human resources. As Meanwhile, the spending The Senior General said the livestock breeding by opening as our measures,” and “I shall their role is essential, measures of State funds must be reduced voter lists related to the com- new training schools, colleges prevent any acts which can harm will be taken for their capacity as much as possible. It is also mission would be publicized as and universities for agriculture danger of lives and health of hu- building. In the education sector necessary to improve electric- quickly as possible. The com- and livestock breeding. Effective man beings.” In reviewing these also, cash awards should be pre- ity generation, transport and mission is initially inspecting research must be conducted to points, acts of health staff can sented based on their degrees. In communications as well as ed- the townships that received the manufacture products that are be assumed as breaking their the country’s human resources, ucation and healthcare services most complaints. The findings suitable for the respective re- ethics. Although there are 1,262 the two important points are un- necessary for the development over the inaccuracies of the voter gions. It is necessary to imple- hospitals across the nation, the derstanding laws and conducting of human resources. Renewable lists are being announced. The ment hydropower projects, and data received on the previous courses on BA (Law) at univer- energy sources such as hydro- inspection will continue for the measures will be taken to supply day mentioned that 778 hospitals sities. Discussion is underway power and solar power must be remaining townships. The min- electricity to respective states. As are opened to provide medical to open courses on BA (Eco) for extensively tapped for reducing istry concerned needs to try to electricity is essential for social treatment; 27 hospitals do not business knowledge in respective electricity charges and increased issue identity to citizens. development, hydropower pro- offer treatment, and 357 hospitals regions. Efforts must be made to generating of electricity. Regular Concerning the media, jects that will not harm the envi- are totally closed. create a good education atmos- maintenance of railroads and mo- measures must be taken to reg- ronment must be implemented. Just consideration will know phere. Only then will students tor roads is necessary for good ulate the press in accordance As water is the most vital need how many people are getting into be motivated to learn. Education transport. Ways must be sought with press ethics through the in daily lives, measures must trouble. There is no such impor- and healthcare promotion plans to supply drinking water to the Myanmar Press Council. Warn- be taken to prevent excessive tant thing as human lives. So, must be carried out. When it townships with scarce water. Ef- ings have been issued against tapping of underground water measures are being taken with comes to CDM, there are instiga- forts must be made without fail the use of military government in regions that receive little rain the least restraint not to harm tors online and supporters behind to improve the socio-economy of that staged a coup in news re- as it can worsen the shortages of public lives in handling riots. them. There are also sponsors ethnic nationalities. ports, and action will be taken water. Requests have been made Disciplinary actions will be tak- providing money. The Council will Next, Council Vice-Chair- against violators who continue to to resume banking operations, en against medical doctors and continue what is necessary to do man Vice-Senior General Soe use such usage in their writings and security measures will be nurses for violating civil service in accord with the law. Protests Win and members U Thein by revoking publishing licences. taken as much as possible. As rules and disciplines. Health cause a great impact on the coun- Nyunt, Mahn Nyein Maung, Investigations will be conduct- healthcare services of the public workers have already taken their try. In order to avoid losses to the Jeng Phang Naw Taung, Daw ed into the work of Kofi Annan are important, measures must oaths. Likewise, police and mil- country, it is necessary to explain Aye Nu Sein, U Moung Har and report, and action will be taken be taken to enable healthcare itary personnel are public serv- with patience to the protesters so U Khin Maung Swe reported on on work done in the self-interest workers to return to their work, ants who have taken their oaths they can understand, reach the progress in mine clearance in of an individual without taking and action must be taken against by holding a State flag. They right track and cooperate with Kachin and Rakhine states and national interests into consider- those who put pressures on them must, therefore, not be disloyal. the people. continuation of mine clearance, ation. Electricity bills have been in accordance with the law. — In the Tatmadaw also, discipline The country sees budget and opinions from the international reduced and exempted. Cash MNA/GNLM

11 new cases of COVID-19 reported on 22 February, total figure rises to 141,761

MYANMAR’S COVID-19 positive cases rose to 141,761 after 11 new cases were reported on 22 February 2021 according to the Ministry of Health and Sports. Among these confirmed cases, 3,197 died, 131,318 have been discharged from hospitals.—MNA

Updated at 8 pm, 22 February 2021 Daily death toll until 8 pm 22-2-2021

Total Cases 141,761 New Cases 11 1

Total Death Tally 3,197 Discharged from Hospital 131,318 Ministry of Health and Sports 23 FEBRUARY 2021 4 NATIONAL THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

MNM MNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNNMNM False news on this issue MNM MNM

The discussions were coordinated on such issues as the order of State pardon and remitting prison sentences of the inmates for their peaceful living not to lose their rights in line with democratic practices, false news on this issue, the role of media as the fourth pillar of the country, the need

MNM of accurate news and information, and the joint security measures of Tatmadaw personnel, police forces and fire brigade members. MNM

(Excerpt from the speech to the coordination meeting of the State Administration Council made by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar State Administration Council Chairman NN NN Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on 16 February 2021)

MNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNMMNN Vice-Senior General holds discussions with Australian Vice-chief of Defence Force over phone

VICE-CHAIRMAN of State handling protests in line with Administration Council, Dep- democratic norms and existing uty Commander-in-Chief of laws in the last three weeks Defence Services and Com- under the state of emergency, mander-in-Chief (Army) held and using the minimal forces a meeting with Vice-Admiral in controlling riots. David Johnston AO RAN over The Australian Vice-Admi- the phone yesterday. ral discussed that his country At the meeting, the Vice- is a development partner coun- Senior General talked about try of Myanmar, with making the leading role of the State bilateral cooperation as an Administration Council in ac- ASEAN’s partner country. cordance with the 2008 State He also said that Australia Constitution for the establish- will provide assistance in COV- ment of a democratic State ID-19 containment measures with justice and freedom, the and the economic sector of five work plans of the Coun- Myanmar. cil, and the implementation The meeting also dis- of existing policies on politics, cussed the reason of Tatmad- economy, peace and foreign Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Vice-Senior General Soe Win holds phone talks with aw for taking all the powers of Australian Vice-chief of Defence Force yesterday. PHOTO: MNA affairs. the country and cooperation He continued to say that democratic Tatmadaw as the democratic practices includ- avoidance of brutal crackdown between the two militaries.— Myanmar Tatmadaw is a Australian military, valuing ing freedom of expressions and on the peaceful protesters, MNA/GNLM MoNREC discusses situations of state-owned businesses

THE Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conser- vation held a meeting to discuss the situations of its state-owned enterprises yesterday. Union Minister U Khin Maung Yi explained the five objectives of meeting over scrutinizing income and expenditure, reviewing the budget, capacity balance for the staff members, preventing budget waste, and focus on the welfare of the country and people. He also discussed the needs of disciplines, transparency, respon- sibility and accountability for ensuring a corporate governance, sys- tematic plans for the success of enterprises in line with the existing laws, rules and the standard organizational procedures, knowing the targets of businesses and avoiding the conflict of interest. The managing directors from No. 1 Mining Enterprise, No.2 Mining Enterprise, Myanmar Gems and Jewellery Enterprise, Myanmar Pearl Production and Trade Enterprise and Myanmar Timber Enterprise reported on the existing works of their enter- prises.—MNA

Union Minister U Khin Maung Yi presides over the meeting to discuss the State-owned enterprises’ situations on 22 February 2021. PHOTO: MNA 23 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NATIONAL 5 Cash, offertories donated to Sitagu Sayadaw, pro-rector of State Pariyatti University in Mandalay

UNION MINISTER for Reli- Union Minister said about gious Affairs and Culture U reopening of the pagodas in- Ko Ko donated offertories and cluding Shwedagon and Maha cash funds to the Sitagu Sayad- Muni Buddha Image, propaga- aw Dr Bhaddanta Nyanissara tion of Buddha Sasana, hold- at the Sitagu International ing annual Pariyatti exams Vipassana Academy in Sagaing and other religious exams for Township yesterday. Buddhist text, religious title The Union Minister and conferring ceremony and the party also paid homage to the meetings of 47-membered pro-rector (Admin) Sayad- State Sangha Maha Nayaka aw Dr Bhaddanta Kesara Committee. and the leading monks of the The Union Minister and State Pariyatti University at party also held a meeting with Aungmyaethazan Township in religious communities at the Mandalay Region, and donated National Theatre in Aungmy- offertories and cash funds. aethazan Township and offered During the donations, the assistance.—MNA

Union Minister U Ko Ko and party donate cash and offertories to the Sitagu Sayadaw on 22 February 2021.

39th Meeting of High-level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration held via videoconferencing

DEPUTY MINISTER for Min- regional and multilateral fora, istry of Investment and For- including the United Nations, eign Economic Relations U ASEAN, BIMSTEC and Me- Than Aung Kyaw joined the kong-related organizations. He thirty-ninth meeting of High highlighted that the Govern- - Level Task Force on ASEAN ment’s commitment to hon- Economic Integration (39th ouring the existing bilateral HLTF-EI) which was held via and multilateral agreements in videoconference on 22 Febru- line with the national interest ary 2021. of Myanmar and international During the meeting, obligations. HLTF-EI Leaders discussed The meeting was chaired Priority Economic Delivera- by Mr Gabriel Lim, Permanent bles for Brunei Darussalam’s Secretary for Ministry of Trade ASEAN Chairmanship, Im- MIFER Deputy Minister U Than Aung Kyaw joins the 39th Meeting of High-level Task Force on ASEAN and Industry, Singapore. Dep- plementation of the ASEAN Economic Integration online yesterday. uty Ministers and Permanent Comprehensive Recovery framework, ASEAN’s Strategic Ministers’ Retreat which will the world, particularly with Secretaries who are HLTF-EI Framework(ACRF) , Mid-Term Economic Engagement with be held on 2 March 2021. neighbouring countries on the Leaders from ASEAN Member Review of the AEC Blueprint External Parties , Terms of Deputy Minister informed basis of mutual respect and States, Deputy Secretary Gen- 2025, Development of ASEAN Reference of the HLTF-EI and the meeting that Myanmar will understanding. He also said eral from ASEAN Secretariat Post -2025 Vision, the Fourth HLTF-EI Recommendations continue to maintain friend- that Myanmar will continue and representatives took part Industrial Revolution(4IR) to the 27th ASEAN Economic ly relations with countries of to actively participate in the in the meeting. —MNA

People receive medical treatments at military hospitals

MILITARY hospitals in respective commands have provided medical services to 23,546 outpatients and 3,139 inpatients from 5 February until now. Among them, 983 patients received major operations, and 515 patients did minor operations. Professors and medics also gave intensive medical treatments to serious cases. Moreover, 591 babies were born by caesarean section and 905 with regular delivery, totalling 1,496 babies until now. Officers from the respective military commands comforted the patients and presented foodstuffs to them.—MNA

Officers from the respective military commands treat and comfort one of the patients at the military hospital. 23 FEBRUARY 2021 6 ASIA THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Iran says IAEA chief’s visit led to ‘significant achievement’

IRAN on Monday hailed a visit diplomacy with Iran and rescue by the UN nuclear watchdog the nuclear deal that was struck chief and a temporary agree- with the five permanent mem- ment on site inspections as a bers of the UN Security Council “significant achievement”, amid and Germany while he served international efforts to salvage under former US president Ba- its troubled nuclear deal. rack Obama. US President Joe Biden, The parties to the deal with European powers and Tehran Iran saw it as the best way to are trying to keep alive Iran’s stop the Islamic republic from 2015 nuclear agreement that building a nuclear bomb -– a has been on the brink of collapse goal Tehran has always denied. since Donald Trump withdrew Iran’s Foreign Minister Mo- from it almost three years ago. hammad Javad Zarif warned Tehran demands Wash- Sunday that if the sanctions ington take the first step by are not lifted, his nation would scrapping sanctions Trump continue scaling back its com- reimposed since 2018, while mitments under the nuclear Washington insists Iran first deal. return to all its nuclear com- The stockpile of “enriched mitments, some of which it has uranium will increase”, he said, backed away from. That deal effectively bought time as the United States, European powers and Tehran try to salvage the 2015 stressing that Tehran had the In the standoff, Iran’s par- nuclear agreement that has been on the brink of collapse since Donald Trump withdrew from it. PHOTO: AFP right within the agreement to liament last year demanded stop observing commitments that Tehran by Tuesday this suspend so-called “voluntary able to “retain the necessary de- the region through support for “totally or partially” if the other week limit some inspections by transparency measures” -- no- gree of monitoring and verifica- Shiite Muslim militant groups, parties fail to honour theirs. the International Atomic Ener- tably inspections of non-nuclear tion work”. The last-minute deal especially in Iraq, Lebanon and “We are still in the partial gy Agency (IAEA) if sanctions sites, including military sites had prevented the IAEA from Yemen. Animosity deepened un- phase,” Zarif said. “We can be were not lifted by a deadline two suspected of nuclear-related “flying blind”, he said, adding der Trump, whose diplomatic total.” The head of US forces days before then. activity. Tehran will also deny that now “political discussions and economic “maximum pres- in the Middle East, General IAEA chief Rafael Grossi the IAEA real-time access to at other levels can take place”. sure” campaign has denied Iran Kenneth McKenzie, in an AFP on Sunday held last-ditch talks footage from surveillance cam- Iran’s foreign ministry on crucial oil revenues and cut it interview Sunday urged Iran in Tehran, where the two sides eras installed at some sites and, Monday hailed the outcome, off from global banking, deep- to refrain from any provoca- hammered out a temporary if sanctions are not lifted within saying it complied with parlia- ening its economic woes. Under tion and not to undertake any technical deal for up to three three months, delete it, Iran’s ment’s demands and “resulted Trump, the United States and “nefarious activities”, in a bid months that is in line with the Atomic Energy Organization in a very significant diplomatic Iran came to the brink of war to rebuild trust. “I would think Iranian parliament’s demands. has said. achievement and a very signif- several times, most recently this would be a good time for They confirmed that Iran Not ‘flying blind’ icant technical achievement”. early last year when a US drone everybody to behave soberly will continue to allow access to Grossi said afterwards that The United States and strike in Baghdad killed top Ira- and cautiously, and see what UN inspectors to its declared under the new temporary un- Iran have been bitter enemies nian general Qasem Soleimani. happens,” said the head of the nuclear sites. derstanding “there is less ac- since the 1970s, and Washington ‘Soberly, cautiously’ US Army Central Command. But Iran will temporarily cess” but that the IAEA will be accuses Iran of destabilising Biden has sought to resume — AFP

Gunmen kill four female aid Rockets target US embassy workers in northwest Pakistan PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN — Four ers were affiliated with a pro- in Iraqi capital: military women aid workers were gunned gramme run by a local institute down Monday in a restive part of to develop household skills for BAGHDAD, IRAQ — A volley of by Iraq’s security services. Iraq fight jihadists since 2014. northwestern Pakistan, police women. The incident and death rockets on Monday targeted the A security source told AFP Two people were killed, in- said, as a fresh wave of extrem- toll was confirmed by Rasul high-security zone in the Iraqi at least one rocket hit the head- cluding one foreign contractor ist violence rattles the Afghan Khan, another local police offi- capital that is home to the US quarters of Iraq’s National Secu- based at the airport, who died borderlands. cial. The so-called tribal areas embassy, the military and secu- rity Service near the US diplo- immediately, and a civilian, who The aid workers were am- along the Afghan border remain rity sources said. matic mission. Others crashed died of his wounds on Monday. bushed by two gunmen as they notorious for the availability of The attack is the third in a into nearby residential districts, On Saturday, another wave were driving through a village cheap guns, drugs and smuggled week to target Western diplo- including a multi-storey parking of rockets hit the Al-Balad air- in North Waziristan district, goods. matic, military or commercial complex in the neighbourhood base north of Baghdad, where according to local police chief The region was once home installations across Iraq after of Harithiya, a witness told AFP. Iraq keeps most of the F-16s it Shafiullah Gandapur, who said to a wide array of jihadist groups months of relative calm. The attack comes one week has purchased from the US in just one passenger survived the and was a focal point in the global At least two rockets hit with- after more than a dozen rock- recent years. Security sources assault. “No one has claimed war on terror. Attacks have de- in the perimeter of the Green ets targeted a military complex said at least one local contractor responsibility for the attack so creased in recent years following Zone, where the American and at the Arbil airport in northern for Sallyport, the US company far but it was surely an act of a series of military offensives other foreign embassies are Iraq, which hosts foreign troops that maintains the planes, was terrorism,” he told AFP. against homegrown and foreign based, according to a statement from a US-led coalition helping wounded.— AFP Gandapur said the aid work- militants. — AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR HEALTH 7 Coronavirus: Latest global developments

Paris, France compiled from official sources Beginning of the end? months with most schools lim- country’s vaccine drive falls be- These are the latest de- at 1100 GMT. British Prime Minister Bo- iting the return to the young- hind schedule. velopments in the coronavirus After the US, Brazil has the ris Johnson is set to start un- est children and halving class Cricket case crisis: most deaths at 246,504, followed winding England’s third and -- sizes. Sri Lankan fast bowler Lahi- US nears 500,000 deaths by 180,107 in Mexico, 156,385 in he hopes -- final lockdown, as a Vax passport ru Kumara tests positive on the The death toll in the United India and 120,580 in the United quickening UK-wide vaccination Air New Zealand is to trial eve of the team’s departure to States is set to cross the half a Kingdom. drive relieves pressure on hard- a digital travel pass which will the West Indies for a tour already million mark. Experts say the number hit hospitals. give airlines and border officials delayed by the virus. At least 498,901 deaths were of deaths is broadly under-es- Pandemic pretext access to passenger health infor- French rugby floored recorded there early Monday, timated. UN chief Antonio Guterres mation, including their vaccina- France captain Charles Ol- with average daily deaths almost India first criticizes countries that are us- tion status. livon is one of five more play- certain to push it over the 500,000 The world’s biggest vaccine ing the pandemic to justify crack- Australia pulls FB ads ers ruled out of this weekend’s mark. maker, India’s Serum Institute, ing down on dissent and reining Australia’s health authori- crunch Six Nations clash against But the catastrophic mile- tweets that it has been instruct- in the media. ty joins the country’s row with Scotland after testing positive stone comes amid signs of hope ed to prioritize its production of He also slams inequalities Facebook by cancelling ads along with Cyril Baille, Peato with millions there now vacci- the AstraZeneca vaccine for In- between rich and poor countries pushing its vaccination scheme, Mauvaka, Romain Taofifenua nated and its massive spike in dians and urges other countries in accessing vaccines as a “mor- though it will continue to post on and Brice Dulin. infections dropping. to be “patient”. al outrage”. its Facebook page. It takes the catastrophic in- Globally, the pandemic French Riviera downer German pupils return to Mumbai ban fection toll in the French camp has killed more than 2.46 mil- The French Riviera will go school All religious, social and po- to 14, with star scrum half An- lion people since the outbreak into lockdown for the next two Hundreds of thousands of litical gatherings are banned in toine Dupont and manager Fa- emerged in China in December weekends to contain rising in- German children go back to Mumbai as cases rise in India’s bien Galthie already sidelined. 2019, according to an AFP tally fections in the tourist hotspot. class for the first time in two worst-affected region and the —AFP French Riviera to go into Poor diet in pregnancy can lead to child obesity: study weekend lockdown over Covid Paris, France — Children born healthiest diets -- rich in fruits, to mothers who eat a lot of pro- vegetables, whole grains, low- cessed foods packed with sugar fat dairy products nuts and leg- and salt face an increased risk umes — were at one end of the of obesity late in childhood, re- spectrum. searchers said Monday. Those eating a lot of red “Children born to mothers and processed meats, along food who eat a low-quality diet — stuffs larded with saturated fat, high in inflammation-associated sugar and salt were at the other foods — during pregnancy may end. be more likely to have obesity or More fat, less muscle excess body fat,” Ling-Wei Chen In the follow up, children’s from University College Dublin’s BMI was calculated in early, mid School of Public Health, said in and late childhood, roughly 10 to a statement. 11 years old. “Mounting evidence has They found that older chil- pointed to the first 1,000 days of dren born to mothers who eat The coastal area affected by the lockdown includes Nice and other famous resorts including Cannes and life — from conception to two poorly throughout pregnancy Antibes Valery HACHE. PHOTO: AFP years old — as a critical period were likely to have significantly for preventing childhood obe- more fat and less muscle mass. The French Riviera will official Remi Salomon has de- President Emmanuel Macron sity.” Almost no difference, how- go into lockdown for the next scribed the epidemic as “out to allow the economy to gain Obesity in childhood often ever, was seen in younger chil- two weekends to contain Cov- of control” in the region and some steam. Currently main- carries on into adulthood and is dren. “Our findings suggest that id-19 which has been spreading said measures taken in recent land France has a nightly cur- associated with a higher risk of promoting an overall healthy faster in the tourist hotspot weeks have not been sufficient. few beginning at 6:00 pm. The type-2 diabetes, high blood pres- diet, high in fruit and vegeta- than elsewhere in France, the The coastal area affected only part of the country with sure, heart disease and other bles and low in refined carbo- region’s top official said on by the lockdown, stretching a complete lockdown in place health problems. To examine hydrates and red and processed Monday. from Theoule-sur-Mer to Men- is the Indian Ocean island of how maternal diet might affect meats, throughout pregnancy Controls at airports and at ton, includes Nice and other fa- Mayotte where the measure childhood obesity, Chen and col- may help prevent childhood the land border the southern mous resorts including Cannes has been in effect since Feb- leagues analysed data collected obesity,” said lead investigator Alpes-Maritimes region shares and Antibes. ruary 5. from 16,295 mother-child pairs Catherine Phillips, also of the with Italy would be tightened Residents will be allowed The curfew has been cred- in Ireland, France, Britain, the University of Dublin. over the next two weeks, pre- to go out for one hour daily ited with keeping a lid on in- Netherlands and Poland. Previous research has fect Bernard Gonzalez said, so long as they stay within a fection rates but government On average, mothers were found that low levels of muscle and stores larger than 5,000 radius of five kilometres (three spokesman Gabriel Attal said 30 years old and had a healthy mass may be associated with metres square (54,000 square miles) from their homes during Saturday the latest trends body-mass index (BMI), a stand- a higher risk of combined dia- feet) would be closed. the lockdown which will start were “not good”. ard measure for obesity calcu- betes, high blood pressure and The coastal city of Nice, the at 6:00 pm on Fridays and end After a slow start, France’s lated on the basis of weight, obesity. The authors cautioned region’s capital and France’s at 6:00 am on Mondays. France vaccination campaign has height and sex. The women that their observational study fifth-biggest city, has been has avoided imposing a third gained some momentum with reported the food they ate be- does not directly show cause recording 700 positive cases nationwide lockdown to fight more than 2.5 million people fore and during pregnancy. The and effect, nor does it explain per 100,000 inhabitants, three the virus, in contrast with some receiving a first dose and, of researchers graded the diets on biologically why poor maternal times the national average. of its neighbours, in what ana- those, over 1.1 million a second a five-point scale. diet might lead to childhood obe- Senior French hospitals lysts see as a risky gamble by dose. —AFP Participants with the sity.—AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 23 FEBRUARY 2021 8 OPINION THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR ARTICLE 9 Be on alert Remote medical technology useful tool in battling Myanmar Daily Weather Report pandemic in Japan (Issued at 7:00 pm Saturday 22 February 2021) for fires with BAY INFERENCE: Weather is a few cloud to partly cloudy over ocal authorities and tion of a worsening condition for the Andaman Sea and South Bay and a few cloud elsewhere hospitals in Japan the respiratory illness, making over the Bay of Bengal. have been using a oxygen levels essential to track. FORECAST VALID UNTIL AFTERNOON OF THE 23 Feb- L range of remote mon- Fitbit Inc. of the United ruary 2021: Weather will be partly cloudy in Upper Sagaing, dry season itoring devices to keep tabs on States has a watch with sensors Magway, Bago, Yangon,Taninthayi Regions and Kachin, Shan, coronavirus patients recovering that shine red and infrared light Chin, Mon States and generally fair in the remaining Regions at home or in designated hotels on the wrist’s skin and blood ves- and States. during the pandemic. sels and uses the reflected light The equipment includes to estimate how much oxygen is STATE OF THE SEA: Seas will be moderate in Myanmar innovative technology such as in the blood — with poorly oxy- waters. Wave height will be about (4-8) feet off and along s we are entering the dry season, which always brings fires a shirt that gauges a patient’s genated blood reflecting more Myanmar Coasts. to our communities, we all should be on alert for fires. heart rate and a bed that tracks infrared light than red light, and A To safeguard communities in regions and states, every respiratory function. richly oxygenated blood doing community in a high-risk area needs to have risk-reduction plans And according to a team at the opposite. OUTLOOK FOR SUBSEQUENT TWO DAYS: Generally plan for minimizing vulnerabilities to fire. St. Luke’s International Univer- However, both watches fair in the whole country. The plans would include sity in Tokyo that has developed were developed to monitor a preventing illegal storage and its own telenursing system, such wearer’s general health and con- FORECAST FOR NAYPYITAW AND NEIGHBOURING trading of fuels and intensify- devices could even play a role dition during workouts and are AREA FOR 23 February 2021: Generally fair weather. However, we ing the fire response activities in lowering the infection risk not suitable for making medical such as encouraging fire drills for overburdened health care decisions, experts say. FORECAST FOR YANGON AND NEIGHBOURING AREA and creating critical buffers. providers. Kamei’s team at SLIU has have seen fires FOR 23 February 2021: Partly cloudy. Generally, high winds and “If used effectively, they developed a remote wireless dry temperatures in the sum- could lessen the risk of (COV- system that uses a tablet con- caused by a FORECAST FOR MANDALAY AND NEIGHBOURING mer are the perfect ingredi- ID-19) infections that come trolled by the patient to record short circuit ents for a fire. from in-person medical care and medical history, including blood AREA FOR 23 February 2021: Generally fair weather. As the climate warms, outpatient visits,” said Tomoko oxygen saturation levels using a fires spread faster and burn Kamei, a geriatric nursing pro- pulse oximeter. Data is automat- and people’s hotter. fessor who heads the telenurs- ically sent to a nurse monitoring However, we have seen ing system development team station at the university. negligence fires caused by a short circuit at SLIU. “The systems can be Nurses check the data and and people’s negligence an- applied in treatment of corona- confirm any points of concern annually. Many nually. virus cases in the home when a with patients via video chat. The Many fires have been hu- condition becomes severe.” information is then shared with Clockwise from top left: A man wearing Mitsufuji Corp.'s shirt that monitors heart rates; Paramount Bed Co.'s "smart bed system," with a patient lying in fires have been man-caused and these are all The shirt, developed by a bed that measures respiratory and heart functions; Apple Inc.'s Apple Watch; and Fitbit Inc.'s smartwatch. PHOTO:KYODO doctors who assess courses of preventable. Mitsufuji Corp., a textile man- treatment. human-caused Fires including forest fire ufacturer based in Kyoto, uses Some local authorities have are one of the nine natural dis- special threads that conduct down, is detected, and a distress in Tokyo, sells a “smart bed sys- stations. An alarm is triggered the beds were used last year for been distributing medical pulse and these are asters adopted by the country electricity with a small sensor signal sent. tem” that uses a sensor attached in the event of an emergency. patients staying at hotels. oximeters to COVID-19 patients to be addressed. attached to measure heart rate Kyoto Prefecture has ac- to the bottom of a bed to monitor Aside from using the beds Watches that constantly while they recover at home or Hence, we need to design and perform an electrocardio- quired Mitsufuji’s shirts to use a patient’s respiratory function, for remote monitoring of pa- track blood oxygen levels, such in hotels, but supplies have run all preventable. a programme to reduce the gram in real time. for telenursing of COVID-19 pa- heart rate and sleeping state. tients in the home, several hos- as Apple Inc.’s Apple Watch and low. number of fires by helping Data can be sent to the pa- tients recuperating in hotels, The sensor is sensitive to pitals have also acquired them Blood Oxygen app, have also “It has been popular with people understand how fires tient, a caregiver such as a fam- making it easy for health care subtle movements made by the to allow nurses to observe coro- become popular, although they users,” Kamei said. “They say occur and we need to review ily member or medical workers providers to immediately re- body with each breath. The data navirus patients at their station are technically not medical it gives them peace of mind to our yearly plans in accordance with the changing types of natural using a special app or by email. spond when there is a drastic appears on a bedside monitor without making frequent visits devices. be watched over, even at a dis- disasters and modern technologies. An alarm sounds if an abnor- change in a patient’s condition. that patients can view and are to check on them in person. In A sudden drop in oxygen tance.” While people may react differently to various forms of mality, such as the person falling Paramount Bed Co., based regularly sent to hospital nurse Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, saturation is a possible indica- Kyodo disaster, such as evacuating from a fire or sheltering in place following an earthquake, With any disaster, preparedness is the same. The more prepared we are, the better our survivability. Prevention works must be conducted in places where nat- Global tech firms in Australia launch anti-disinformation code ural disaster could occur and preparedness and drills must be conducted nationwide. Having correct and timely information was important in SYDNEY: Global tech firms in Australia unveiled a new code of prac- visibility," the group said in releasing the 29-page code. society," it said in a statement. conducting search, rescue and rehabilitation works. Emphasis tice on Monday (Feb 22) to curb the spread of disinformation online, The voluntary code was developed in response to an Australian ACMA chair Nerida O'Loughlin welcomed the code as a "flexible must be placed down to the grassroots for this. following pressure from the government. government inquiry into the role of online platforms in the spread of and proportionate approach" to the risk of harm posed by misinfor- We can take concrete steps and should still practice how The lobbying group DIGI - representing Facebook, Google, Twitter, misinformation and disinformation. mation. Signatories agreed to report to the government on initial to be safe when disasters happen. Microsoft, TikTok and Redbubble - committed under the code to a The problem became particularly acute during historic bushfires compliance with the code by the end of June, and then issue annual We have to look at how we fight fires, how we prevent fires and range of actions including labelling false content on their platforms, that swept the country in late 2019 and 2020 and during the coronavi- reports after that. demoting fake content and prioritizing credible sources of information. rus pandemic, when social media platforms were flooded with false Communications Minister Paul Fletcher warned the tech firms how we design communities. 09251022355, We can’t just spray water on this year’s fire and hope that next They also agreed to suspend or disable offending and fake ac- information on the origins of the disease and efforts to curb its spread. on Monday that the government would be "watching carefully" to Call year will be better. It won’t be, unless we reduce fires caused by counts, including "bots" that automatically disseminate information The government's Communication and Media Authority (ACMA), ensure they follow through on the measures. 09974424848 our negligence or human caused. across their platforms. which will oversee the code's implementation, said on Monday that The conservative government's pressure for online companies Nobody can predict what’s going to happen. We can hope for The measures - which largely codify existing practices - are said to in 2020 more than two-thirds of Australians expressed concern over to act against misinformation coincided with a more controversial with us/ the best, but we must prepare for the worst so we can be ready target paid and political advertising as well as content shared by users. the extent of online misinformation. campaign to force the biggest of them - Facebook and Google - to pay should the need arise. "All signatories commit to safeguards to protect Australians "False and misleading news and information online - like that for news content they show on their platforms. Legislation governing A d v e r t i s e Hot Line : against harm from online disinformation and misinformation, and spread through the 2020 bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic - has those payments is expected to pass parliament this week. adopting a range of scalable measures that reduce its spread and the potential to cause serious harm to individuals, communities and Source: AFP 09974424848 23 FEBRUARY 2021 10 WORLD THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Boeing grounds 777s after engine fire

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES with this engine have been the aircraft returned to Denver —Boeing confirmed Monday grounded,” a spokeswoman for airport. that dozens of its 777 aircraft the planemaker told AFP in a There were no injuries on were grounded globally after text message. the plane or on the ground, au- the engine of a United Airlines Flight UA328 had been thorities said. plane caught fire and scattered headed from Denver to Hono- Stepped-up inspections debris over a suburb of Denver, lulu when it experienced engine The US Federal Aviation Ad- Colorado. failure shortly after departure. ministration had ordered extra It is a fresh blow for the be- A video shot from inside inspections of some passenger leaguered US aviation giant that the plane -- which had 231 pas- jets after the incident. was forced to ground another sengers and 10 crew on board Steve Dickson, the head of fleet of planes after a series of -- showed the right engine ablaze the regulator, said he had con- deadly crashes. and wobbling on the wing of the sulted with experts, signalling Boeing said Monday that 128 Boeing 777-200. the planes would likely be re- of it 777 planes with Pratt & Whit- Residents in the Denver moved from the air. There were no injuries on the plane or on the ground. PHOTO: AFP ney engines will stop flying after suburb of Broomfield found large “I have directed them to the fire Saturday that forced the pieces of the plane scattered issue an Emergency Airwor- tain Pratt & Whitney PW4000 rea’s second-largest carrier, had United Airlines plane to make an around their community. thiness Directive that would engines,” he said in a statement. also said it would not fly any of its emergency landing. Its front cowling, which require immediate or stepped- Dickson added that a pre- seven currently operational 777s. “I have just had confirma- landed in the front yard of a up inspections of Boeing 777 liminary safety data review Fresh blow for Boeing tion that all the 777s equipped house, was entirely missing as airplanes equipped with cer- pointed to a need for additional The engine failure is unwel- checks of the jet engine’s fan come news for Boeing following blades, which were unique to several high-profile accidents. the engine model and only used The manufacturer’s 737 on 777 planes. MAX was grounded worldwide Officials from the FAA met in March 2019 after 346 people with Pratt & Whitney and Boe- died in two crashes -- the 2019 ing representatives on Sunday Lion Air disaster in Indonesia evening, he added. and an Ethiopian Airlines crash The US National Transpor- the following year. tation and Safety Board also said Investigators said a main it is investigating the incident, cause of both crashes was a while United Airlines, Asiana, faulty flight handling system Japan Airlines and All Nippon known as the Maneuvering Airways grounded their planes Characteristics Augmentation earlier. System, or MCAS. Japan’s transport ministry Boeing was forced to re- had earlier said it had ordered vamp the system and implement stricter inspections of the en- new pilot training protocols. gine after a Japan Airlines 777 This month the aircraft plane flying from Haneda to made its first commercial flight Naha experienced trouble with in Europe since the grounding, “an engine in the same family” after the continent’s air safety in December. regulator EASA approved the Debris from the failed engine of a United Airlines airplane in the Denver suburb of Broomfield. PHOTO: AFP Asiana Airlines, South Ko- return of the 737 MAX.—AFP Migrant found hiding in Swede charged with spying for Russia toxic waste at Spanish port STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — A sia, with Stockholm subsequent- Swedish tech consultant has ly denying visas to two Russian MADRID, SPAIN — Police across a dead body. 23,023 -- landed on the Canary been charged with espionage envoys. Moscow responded by found an aspiring migrant hid- But after being removed Islands after a perilous sea for allegedly selling information expelling two Swedish diplomats. den in a sack of toxic waste at from the sack, the person re- crossing which last year saw about truckmaker Scania and In a statement on Monday, the port in Spain’s Melilla en- gained consciousness and was the number of arrivals soar Volvo Cars to Russia that put prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said clave on Morocco’s northern saved. eightfold. Sweden’s security at risk, pros- that at the time of his arrest, the coast, the Guardia Civil said Police discovered a total of Over the same period, ecutors said on Monday. Swedish consultant had just re- Monday. 41 migrants at the port trying to around 1,500 migrants reached The 47-year-old man, whose ceived 27,800 kronor ($3,355, 2,770 The discovery was made illegally board boats to the Span- Melilla, one of two Spanish en- name was not disclosed, was euros) for passing information on Friday when a person was ish mainland on Friday, hidden claves on the northern coast arrested in dramatic fashion in to Moscow. found unconscious in a sealed in lorries and other vehicles. Morocco which represent the February 2019 while dining at a “As a consultant at his for- plastic bag containing flue ash, A number were hidden in land borders the European Un- restaurant in central Stockholm mer workplaces, I allege that he a by-product of burning coal containers full of broken glass ion has with Africa. with a Russian diplomat suspect- has obtained material with the which is classed as toxic under for recycling and had suffered Both are popular destina- ed of being an intelligence officer. purpose of providing information European waste laws. “multiple cuts”, police said. tions for migrants seeking to The Russian diplomat was to a foreign power, in this case The officer who made the Last year, 41,861 migrants enter Europe illegally, with mi- briefly detained but released on Russia,” he said. “He has been discovery first noticed a shape entered Spain illegally by land grants regularly trying to scale account of his diplomatic immu- well-paid for this information, like a human leg and immedi- and sea in a figure which was the border fence or reach them nity. and this shows the value the Rus- ately called an ambulance af- 29 per cent higher than in 2019. by swimming along the coast.— The arrest led to a diplomat- sians place on the information ter initially thinking he’d come More than half of them -- AFP ic row between Sweden and Rus- provided,” he added.—AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR WORLD 11 Trump ‘offered Kim Jong Un a ride home on Air Force One’ DONALD Trump offered North noi and the president said: ‘I can Korean leader Kim Jong Un a get you home in two hours if you ride home on Air Force One after want.’ Kim declined.” a summit in Hanoi two years For his first summit with ago, according to a new BBC Trump in Singapore in 2018, Kim documentary. hitched a ride on an Air China Kim and Trump first en- plane, with Beijing keen to keep gaged in a war of words and mu- North Korea -- whose existence tual threats, before an extraordi- as a buffer state keeps US troops nary diplomatic bromance that in the South well away from Chi- featured headline-grabbing sum- na’s borders -- firmly within its mits and a declaration of love by sphere of influence. the former US president. During the Singapore sum- But no substantive pro- mit, Trump gave Kim a glimpse gress was made, with the pro- inside his presidential state car -- cess deadlocked after the pair’s a $1.5 million Cadillac also known meeting in Hanoi broke up over as “The Beast” -- in a show of sanctions relief and what Pyong- their newly friendly rapport. yang would be willing to give up But last month Kim said the in return. US was his nuclear-armed na- According to a BBC doc- tion’s “biggest enemy”, adding umentary, “Trump Takes on Donald Trump met Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in 2019. PHOTO: AFP that Washington’s “policy against the World”, the US president North Korea will never change” “stunned even the most sea- fer, it would have put the North security issues. Asia expert on Trump’s National no matter “who is in power”. soned diplomats” by offering Korean leader -- and probably In the event, Kim turned it Security Council, told the BBC, it North Korean official media Kim a lift home on Air Force some of his entourage -- inside down. reported at the weekend. have yet to refer to Joe Biden One after the 2019 summit in the US president’s official air- “President Trump offered “The president knew that -- who beat Trump in last year’s Vietnam. craft and seen it enter North Ko- Kim a lift home on Air Force Kim had arrived on a multi-day election -- by name as US presi- If Kim had accepted the of- rean airspace, raising multiple One,” Matthew Pottinger, the top train ride through China into Ha- dent. —AFP

Social media users more likely to believe Polish institute employee resigns misinformation: study over Nazi salutes WARSAW, POLAND — A top bassy said on Twitter earlier. WASHINGTON, UNITED struggles by traditional media the pandemic such as claims that official at a Polish research “In Poland, a country that STATES — Americans who rely in the digital age. Vitamin C could prevent infec- institute charged with investi- suffered so much under Nazi on social media as their main The Pew report found some tion, the survey found. gating Nazi and communist-era occupation, there should be no source of news are more likely 18 per cent of respondents in the On political news, social crimes resigned Monday after place for the use of Nazi sym- believe false or unproven stories survey got most of their politi- media users were less informed photos emerged of him per- bols,” it said, inviting Greni- about important topics such as cal and election news via social about facts such as the function of forming Nazi salutes in public uch to visit Auschwitz to learn politics and Covid-19, a survey media. the state-by-state Electoral Col- a few years ago. about “the dangers of Nazi showed Monday. But those people were less lege votes, which ultimately de- Tomasz Greniuch had ideology”. The Pew Research Center likely to correctly answer fact- cide who wins the White House, been named earlier this month But IPN had defended the report found that people who based questions about politics or the unemployment rate. as director of the Wroclaw nomination, with Szarek saying used social platforms for news and current events than those The report comes from a se- branch in southern Poland of that Greniuch had “apologized” were less informed about major relying on print, broadcast or ries on interviews with some 9,000 the Institute of National Re- for his Nazi salutes and that public affairs topics and more news apps. US adults from November 2019 membrance, known by its Pol- this was “behaviour from his susceptible to believing rumors Social media news consum- through December 2020. ish acronym as IPN. youth”. and hoaxes. ers were more aware of specific A majority in the survey said Shortly after his nomi- In a statement, IPN had The report comes with so- false or unproven stories about they distrusted social media, nation on February 9, photos quoted Greniuch saying: “I cial media platforms becoming the coronavirus and said they had with Facebook the least trusted began to emerge of Greniuch have never been a Nazi. I apol- a growing source of news amid seen more misinformation about among the platforms. —AFP performing Nazi salutes at far- ogize once again for the irre- right rallies several years ago. sponsible gesture from several IPN director Jaroslaw Sza- years ago and I consider it a Dutch probe Boeing engine fire after rek said in a statement that it mistake.” was no longer possible for Gre- Poland’s nationalist gov- debris hits town niuch “to continue to perform ernment has been accused this function” and that he had in the past of politicizing the THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS the same day that a United Air- Joris Melkert, a Dutch accepted his resignation. IPN’s work, including a cam- —Dutch authorities confirmed lines Boeing 777’s engine caught aviation expert, told AFP that IPN was set up in 1999 to paign against memorialising Monday that they are probing fire over a suburb of Denver, the 747-400 cargo model uses investigate and prosecute Nazi communist-era figures who an engine fire on board a Boeing shortly after departure. a smaller version of the Pratt and communist-era crimes in fought against Nazism. cargo plane which showered a Large pieces of debris were & Whitney 4000-112 engine on- Poland. Polish official attitudes to small town with debris over the scattered over the American board the Denver plane. There was immediate crit- the country’s troubled past weekend, injuring two people. suburb, but no one on board or “We have started a prelim- icism of IPN’s decision to nom- have been in the spotlight al- Pieces of the Boeing 747- on the ground was injured in the inary investigation,” said Luisa inate Greniuch, both in Poland ready this month. 400 came down on Meerssen 777 incident. Boeing on Monday Hubregtse of the Dutch Safety and internationally. A Warsaw court on Febru- on Saturday shortly after it confirmed that dozens of its 777 Board, the organization respon- “We were surprised to ary 9 ordered two leading Hol- took off from the nearby Maas- aircraft had been grounded sible for looking into aviation in- learn that the new director of ocaust historians to apologise tricht-Aachen airport, injuring globally following the Denver cidents. the IPN Branch in Wroclaw, to the descendant of a Polish at least two people. incident, while Britain tempo- “However, at this stage it’s Tomasz Greniuch, sees nothing village mayor they had referred Saturday’s incident over the rarily banned the model from too early to draw any conclu- wrong with raising his hand in to as betraying some Jews dur- southern Dutch town came on its airspace. sions,” she told AFP. —AFP a Nazi salute,” the Israeli em- ing World War II. —AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 12 SOCIETY THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Boeing 777s are BANNED from flying over Britain: Grant Shapps says ALL planes with same engine as one that caught fire over Denver cannot enter UK airspace

LONDON — All Boeing 777s with gine market and a boost to its [an] investigation is ongoing, we the same engine as the passen- competitors including Britain’s recommended suspending oper- ger plane which caught fire after Rolls-Royce and Boston-based ations of the 69 in-service and 59 take-off scattering engine debris General Electric. in-storage 777 aircraft powered over a US city will be temporarily The near-disaster in Colo- by Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 en- banned from entering UK air- rado has led to the grounding gines.’ space, it was revealed yesterday. of more than a hundred Boeing A Civil Aviation Authority Transport Secretary Grant 777s fitted with Pratt & Whitney spokesman said no airlines op- Shapps has acted after Boeing PW4000 engines, used by United erating in the UK will be affected recommended that airlines Airlines as well as Japan’s two because most use Rolls Royce or ground all 777s with the type of main carriers and a South Ko- engines from other makers. engine that blew apart after take- rean firm. It came as police record- off from Denver International Air- Boeing said today that all 128 ings were released revealing port on Saturday. Video recorded by passengers aboard Flight UA328, which was carrying of the planes have been ground- how close the debris - which Mr Shapps tweeted: ‘After is- 231 travelers and 10 crew members, shows the engine on fire. PHOTO: ed, saying it had recommend- scattered across Broomfield, a AFP sues this weekend, Boeing B777s ed suspending operations of 69 suburb north of the Colorado city with Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 Airlines. tions of the aircraft after one of in-service and 59 in-storage air- - came to hitting people. series engines will be temporarily The UK Civil Aviation Au- its flights made an emergency craft while US authorities inves- One woman who called 911 banned from entering the UK thority said the engine was not landing at Denver International tigate what happened in Denver. said: ‘A piece of it just landed in airspace. I will continue to work used on models operated by UK Airport on Saturday as pieces of The United Airlines Flight front of me. closely with the UK CAA to mon- airlines. the casing of the engine, a Pratt & 328 had been heading to Hawaii ‘It almost landed on my itor the situation’. A statement said: ‘After the Whitney PW4000, rained down on when an engine burst into flames head.’ United Airlines said it had Most carriers with the Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 engine suburban neighbourhoods. shortly after leaving Denver air- grounded its fleet of 777s with the planes in their fleets said they incident on a Boeing 777 aircraft, None of the 231 passengers port on Saturday afternoon. engines. would temporarily pull them from we have suspended this configu- or 10 crew were hurt, and the Remarkably, none of the 231 It is understood to mostly service. ration’s use in UK airspace. It is flight landed safely, authorities passengers or ten crew, or any- affect carriers operating in Amer- According aviation experts not used by any UK airlines. It is said. United is among the carriers one on the ground, suffered any ica and the far east. Cirium, 12 operators have 777s operated by airlines in the USA, that has grounded the planes. injuries in the incident. Japanese regulators also with PW4000 engines: AAR Corp, Japan and South Korea where Shares in Raytheon, the Yesterday Boeing said 128 suspended the use of some 777s AerCap, ANA, Asiana Airlines, authorities have also stopped its parent company of Pratt & Whit- jets with the same type of Pratt with the same engines. Boeing Capital Corp, Egyptair, use.’ ney, had suffered a 2.77 per cent & Whitney engines should be Pratt & Whitney, owned by Japan Airlines, Jet Midwest, The US Federal Aviation drop when markets opened this grounded until inspections can Raytheon Technologies Corp,said Jin Air, Korean Air, Ukraine In- Administration (FAA) ordered morning n a blow to one of the be carried out. it was coordinating with opera- ternational Airlines and United United Airlines to step up inspec- main players in the aircraft en- A spokesman said: ‘While tors and regulators. —AFP Italian ambassador killed in DR Congo attack NEWS IN BRIEF GOMA—Italy’s ambassa- was taken to a hospital dor to the Democratic Re- in Goma in critical condi- Iran could public of Congo was killed tion, the diplomat in Kin- boost uranium on Monday when a UN shasa said. The DRC’s enrichment to convoy came under attack army said its troops were in the troubled east, DRC searching the area for the 60% if needed: sources and the govern- assailants. A vast coun- Khamenei ment in Rome said. try the size of continental Luca Attanasio died western Europe, the DRC TEHRAN, IRAN —Iran’s of his wounds after a is grappling with numer- supreme leader Ayatol- World Food Programme ous conflicts, especially in lah Ali Khamenei said (WFP) convoy came un- its remote, mineral-rich Monday that the Islamic der fire near Goma, a east. republic could boost senior diplomatic source Scores of militias uranium enrichment to said in Kinshasa. Two roam the four eastern 60 per cent if needed, other people also died in provinces, many of them a vowing to “not back the attack, Major Guil- legacy of wars in the 1990s down on the nuclear laume Djike, the army’s that sucked in countries issue”. —AFP spokesman in North Kivu around central-southern province told AFP. Other Africa and claimed mil- sources said the two were lions of lives. Monday’s UK govt sets out the envoy’s driver and attack occurred north of roadmap to ease bodyguard. Attanasio’s Goma -- a region that in- Covid curbs death was confirmed in cludes the UNESCO-list- Rome by the Italian for- ed Virunga National LONDON, UNITED KING- eign ministry, which also Park, which has also been DOM —The UK govern- said an Italian policeman troubled by violence. The ment on Monday set out died. UN’s refugee agency, the a four-step plan to ease Attanasio, who had UNHCR, said last week coronavirus restrictions, been appointed to the that more than 2,000 civil- expressing a hope that life DRC in early 2018, suf- ians were killed in North could get back to normal fered “gunshot wounds and South Kivu and Ituri by the end of June. —AFP Map of DR Congo locating Goma. PHOTO: AFP to the abdomen” and last year. —AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR WORLD BUSINESS / AD 13 Shares in Brazil’s Petrobras plunge 19%

Roberto Castello Branco, But the far-right be at the front,” said the Petrobras had increased leader looks increasing- president, an outspoken fuel prices four times so ly inclined to ditch tight- critic of social distancing far in 2021, a cumulative belt, small-state policies policies against Covid-19. rise of nearly 35 per cent. for populist economics as ‘Clear interference’ The increases came he gears up his bid to win Bolsonaro added as international oil pric- re-election in 2022. that “no one is going to es recovered to pre-coro- “Is Brazil’s oil ours, interfere in Petrobras’s navirus pandemic levels, or does it belong to a pricing policy.” boosted by output cuts in small group of people?” But analysts and oil-producing countries Bolsonaro rhetorically markets did not seem and optimism that vac- asked supporters outside convinced. cines against Covid-19 the presidential palace in “The government will spur a global eco- Brasilia Monday. has clearly showed in- nomic recovery. “There are some terference in Petrobras, But they have trig- things that need to be because Bolsonaro is gered backlash in Bra- explained (at Petrobras). openly against the sys- zil, notably among truck I demand -- not request, tem of floating fuel pric- drivers, who vowed a demand -- transparency es,” said economist Alex An electronic board shows the index chart at the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (B3) in Sao crippling strike. from all my subordinates. Agostini of credit rating Paulo, Brazil, on February 22, 2021. PHOTO: AFP Free-market vs. Petrobras is no differ- firm Austin Rating. RIO DE JANEIRO, BRA- eyes re-election. trading. big-spending Bolson- ent.” “It’s a clear signal ZIL — Shares in Brazil- The company’s or- Bolsonaro on Friday aro He also criticized he’s going to intervene ian state oil company dinary and preferential appointed army reserve Bolsonaro won elec- Castello Branco for work- on prices. And we know Petrobras plummeted shares both dived by general Joaquim Silva tion in 2018 with strong ing from home because of when that’s been done Monday after President more than 19 per cent e Luna as president of backing from the busi- the pandemic. in the past under (for- Jair Bolsonaro changed shortly after opening Petrobras, shortly af- ness sector, wooed by “He’s been at home mer president) Dilma the company’s chief ex- on the Sao Paulo stock ter saying that “people his choice of ultra-liberal for 11 months without Rousseff (2011-2016), ecutive, fueling fears he exchange, which was can’t be surprised” by the Economy Minister Paulo working. He’s working it led to very big losses will try to block further pulled down around five firm’s price increases. Guedes and the promise remotely. This is a time for Petrobras,” he told energy price hikes as he percent overall in midday Under sacked CEO of free-market reforms. when the boss needs to AFP.—AFP

Stellantis to discuss CLAIMS DAY NOTICE CLAIMS DAY NOTICE fate of Vauxhall UK car M.V AS FENJA VOY. NO. (010W) M.V NORDCLAIRE VOY. NO. (107W) Consignees of cargo carried on M.V AS FENJA Consignees of cargo carried on M.V NORDCLAIRE plant: source VOY. NO. (010W) are hereby notified that the vessel will VOY. NO. (107W) are hereby notified that the vessel will be arriving on 23-2-2021 and cargo will be discharged be arriving on 23-2-2021 and cargo will be discharged LONDON, UNITED Astra model at the plant into the premises of MIP/MITT where it will lie at the into the premises of MITT/MIP where it will lie at the KINGDOM — European or shift manufacturing consignee’s risk and expenses and subject to the byelaws consignee’s risk and expenses and subject to the byelaws and conditions of the Port of Yangon. and conditions of the Port of Yangon. carmaker Stellantis will elsewhere. Damaged cargo will be surveyed daily from 8 am Damaged cargo will be surveyed daily from 8 am this week hold talks over “The group is con- to 11:20 am and 12 noon to 4 pm to Claim’s Day now to 11:20 am and 12 noon to 4 pm to Claim’s Day now the fate of its Vauxhall sidering its investment declared as the third day after final discharge of cargo declared as the third day after final discharge of cargo plant in northern Eng- options” over Ellesmere from the Vessel. from the Vessel. land, a source close to the Port, a Stellantis spokes- No claims against this vessel will be admitted after No claims against this vessel will be admitted after the Claims Day. the Claims Day. matter told AFP Monday, man said separately on Phone No: 2301185 Phone No: 2301185 confirming media reports. Monday. Shipping Agency Department Shipping Agency Department The source added “A decision will be Myanma Port Authority Myanma Port Authority however that it remains made shortly,” he added. Agent For: Agent For: unclear whether Stellantis A British government M/S NEW GOLDEN SEA LINES M/S SEALAND MAERSK ASIA PTE LTD will reach a decision yet spokesman told AFP that over the factory, which it spoke regularly with all is located in Ellesmere automotive companies Port, on the northwest including Stellantis, but English coast. Stellantis would not comment on CLAIMS DAY NOTICE CLAIMS DAY NOTICE will discuss the facility in media speculation. M.V SINAR SOLO VOY. NO. (931N/S) M.V TORRES STRAIT VOY. NO. (105S) the context of the overall Stellantis Chief Exec- Consignees of cargo carried on M.V SINAR Consignees of cargo carried on M.V TORRES demand outlook, the on- utive Carlos Tavares had SOLO VOY. NO. (931N/S) are hereby notified that the STRAIT VOY. NO. (105S) are hereby notified that the going transition to electric meanwhile indicated one vessel will be arriving on 23-2-2021 and cargo will be vessel will be arriving on 23-2-2021 and cargo will be vehicles and the likelihood month ago that it would discharged into the premises of MITT/MIP where it will discharged into the premises of MITT/MIP where it will of UK government finan- make decisions within lie at the consignee’s risk and expenses and subject to lie at the consignee’s risk and expenses and subject to the byelaws and conditions of the Port of Yangon. the byelaws and conditions of the Port of Yangon. cial support, according to weeks over its future in- Damaged cargo will be surveyed daily from 8 am Damaged cargo will be surveyed daily from 8 am the source. vestments in Britain. to 11:20 am and 12 noon to 4 pm to Claim’s Day now to 11:20 am and 12 noon to 4 pm to Claim’s Day now The Times newspaper The giant was cre- declared as the third day after final discharge of cargo declared as the third day after final discharge of cargo meanwhile reported that ated from the merger of from the Vessel. from the Vessel. top executives could meet French giant PSA -- and No claims against this vessel will be admitted after No claims against this vessel will be admitted after the Claims Day. the Claims Day. as early as Tuesday to dis- its Peugeot and Citroen Phone No: 2301185 Phone No: 2301185 cuss production options brands -- with the Italian Shipping Agency Department Shipping Agency Department including closure. carmaker Fiat, which Myanma Port Authority Myanma Port Authority Bosses will also de- also owns Chrysler, Jeep, Agent For: Agent For: cide whether to manufac- Alfa Romeo and Maserati, M/S SAMUDERA SHIPPING LINE M/S MCC TRANSPORT (S'PORE) PTE LTD ture the latest Vauxhall among others.—AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 14 WORLD THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR iPhone 12 sales propel Apple to top of smartphone market: survey

Strong sales of iPhone 12 cent of the global market. models lifted Apple to the top of The overall market was hurt the global smartphone market by global consumer caution, with in the fourth quarter, a survey the declines limited by the in- showed Monday. troduction of new 5G handsets, The report by market track- Gartner analysts said. “The sales er Gartner showed Apple sold of more 5G smartphones and some 79.9 million iPhones in the lower-to-mid-tier smartphones final three months of the year -- minimized the market decline in a 15 per cent surge from a year the fourth quarter of 2020,” said earlier -- to leapfrog Samsung Anshul Gupta, senior research in sales in a global smartphone director at Gartner. market which shrank by some “Even as consumers 5.4 per cent. remained cautious in their The California giant cap- spending and held off on some tured 20.8 per cent of the market discretionary purchases, 5G to take the top spot for the first smartphones and pro-camera The Apple logo is seen on a window of the company’s store in Bangkok. PHOTO: AFP time since the fourth quarter of features encouraged some end 2016, according to Gartner. users to purchase new smart- places with 11.3 and 8.9 per cent, to fifth place with 8.9 per cent, lion units, the survey showed. Samsung saw an 11.8 per phones or upgrade their current respectively. according to the survey. Samsung remained the top seller cent dip in sales to 62.1 million smartphones in the quarter.” Huawei, the Chinese firm For the full year, the market for the year with an 18.8 per cent units in the period, giving the China-based Xiaomi and hammered by sanctions limiting suffered a hefty 12.5 per cent share, ahead of Apple’s 14.8 per South Korean company 16.2 per Oppo held the third and fourth its access to US technology, fell drop as sales dipped to 1.3 bil- cent. —AFP

Stock markets ease on concern Dozens of whales strand at over excessive valuations notorious New Zealand bay

Stock markets fell for the points in January, when tough- ter President Joe Biden urged most part Monday as falling er measures to fight the pan- European allies to stand up to infection rates and upbeat demic were introduced. political and economic chal- vaccine news failed to allay European stock markets lenges from Beijing. growing concern over high “have kicked off the week on Key figures around 1430 valuations and inflation. a somewhat unstable footing, GMT While the United States with the fears over rising infla- London - FTSE 100: nears 500,000 Covid deaths, tion and (US) Treasury yields DOWN 0.6 per cent at 6,587.53 optimism is rising as govern- once again dampening senti- points ments embark on immuniza- ment on a day that had prom- Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN tion programmes that should ised to be dominated by reo- 0.5 per cent at 13,903.47 allow economies to reopen. pening hopes”, noted Joshua Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 Prime Minister Boris Mahony, senior market analyst per cent at 5,748.58 Johnson is to start unwinding at the IG trading group. EURO STOXX 50: DOWN England’s third and potential- The pound held gains 0.7 per cent at 3,686.69 ly final coronavirus lockdown above $1.40 — reaching its New York - Dow: DOWN now that a quickening UK-wide highest levels since April 2018 0.5 per cent at 31,336.63 inoculation drive is relieving -- as the British vaccine drive Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.5 pressure on overstretched progresses well. per cent at 30,156.03 (close) Rescuers were racing whales and caring for them on hospitals. Bitcoin fell to below Hong Kong - Hang Seng: Monday to save dozens of pilot the beach, keeping them cool Johnson is expected to $52,000, having hit another DOWN 1.1 per cent at 30,319.83 whales that beached on a stretch and wet until they can be refloat- confirm the reopening of all record high of $58,350 and (close) of New Zealand coast notorious ed,” a DOC spokeswoman said. English schools on March 8 passing $1 trillion in market Shanghai - Composite: for mass strandings, wildlife of- Farewell Spit is a 26-kilo- in the first big step towards capitalization. DOWN 1.5 per cent at 3,642.44 ficials said. metre hook of sand that pro- restoring normal life, nearly a The stock market rally that (close) The Department of Con- trudes into the sea at Golden year after he imposed the first has characterised the past few Pound/dollar: UP at servation (DOC) said the pod of Bay. stay-at-home order. months looks to have ground $1.4035 from $1.4004 at 2130 49 long-finned pilot whales was It has been the scene of at In Germany meanwhile, a to a halt as traders worry that GMT on Friday found early Monday at Farewell least 10 pilot whale strandings survey showed that business prices might have become a Euro/dollar: UP at $1.2145 Spit, about 90 kilometres (55 in the past 15 years, the most confidence has improved this bit frothy. from $1.2114 miles) north of the South Island recent in February 2017, when al- month, with the robust indus- Concern is growing that Euro/pound: UP at 86.53 tourist town of Nelson. most 700 of the marine mammals trial sector of Europe’s top an expected recovery and US pence from 86.48 pence By mid-afternoon, nine of beached, resulting in 250 deaths. economy withstanding the stimulus package will fuel a Dollar/yen: DOWN at the whales had died and more Scientists are unclear as impact of coronavirus restric- surge in inflation, and that the 105.38 yen from 105.46 yen than 60 people were working to to why the beach is so deadly, tions. Federal Reserve would then Brent North Sea crude: UP keep the survivors alive for an although one theory is that the The Ifo institute’s monthly wind back record-low interest 1.7 per cent at $63.98 per barrel attempt to refloat them at high spit creates a shallow seabed in confidence barometer, based rates. West Texas Intermediate: tide, the DOC said. the bay that interferes with the on a survey of 9,000 companies, Investors are also keeping UP 2.3 per cent at $60.60 per “Marine mammal medics whales’ sonar navigation sys- climbed to 92.4 points from 90.3 tabs on China-US relations af- barrel-. —AFP will assist with refloating the tems. —AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR ENTERTAINMENT 15 Queen to send TV message hours before Harry’s tell-all interview LONDON, United Kingdom the annual service was to have as they are formally known, to --Queen Elizabeth II will ap- been held, said Monday the relinquish their honorary titles pear on television to celebrate programme will also involve and patronages following the the Commonwealth on March 7 Harry’s father Prince Charles, confirmation that they would not -- the same day as her grandson elder brother Prince William, be returning as working royals. Harry’s eagerly-anticipated but and other senior royals. The couple relocated to the controversial interview with Op- Harry and Meghan an- United States last year, in a move rah Winfrey will air. nounced last week the “intimate” dubbed “Megxit” by the British She will share her annual interview with the US chat show press, and have since embarked message to mark Common- host, in which they are expect- on several commercial ventures wealth Day, which is on March 8 ed to air their grievances about there including lucrative tie-ups this year, in a special programme how they were treated inside the with the streaming platforms on BBC One that will replace family following their fairy tale Netflix and Spotify. the usual annual service, which wedding in 2018. They announced on Val- has been cancelled due to the Shortly after revealing the entine’s Day that they are ex- coronavirus pandemic. interview, Buckingham Palace pecting their second child, and Her appearance will come announced the couple had per- also hit the headlines earlier just hours before Harry and his manently quit royal duties, just this month when Meghan won wife Meghan tell the world about over a year after they rocked the her high-profile privacy claim why they left the royal family, monarchy by announcing plans against a British newspaper in a move that has reportedly to “step back” from their roles. group for publishing a private Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan seen after a Commonwealth angered its remaining members. The Queen ordered the letter that she wrote to her es- Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London two years ago when they Westminster Abbey, where Duke and Duchess of Sussex, tranged father. —AFP were still working royals. PHOTO: AFP Jay-Z sells half his champagne brand to LVMH French dance music

Jay-Z’s champagne brand, superstars Daft Punk split known informally as Ace of Spades, had been “a fantastic PARIS, France — Electronic music stars Daft Punk have split success”, Moet Hennessy CEO up, their publicist confirmed on Monday, ending one of the era’s Philippe Schaus said in a joint defining dancefloor acts. statement with Jay-Z. The French duo released a video titled “Epilogue” ex- “Armand de Brignac breaks cerpted from their 2006 film “Electroma”, in which one of the barriers and reflects contem- robot duo is blown up in the desert, followed by a cutaway porary luxury, while preserving reading “1993-2021”. Their publicist, Kathryn Frazier, confirmed the traditions of the Champagne the news to AFP by email, without giving any reason for the terroirs,” he said. Jay-Z, quoted split. The reclusive pair -- real names Thomas Bangalter and in the statement, said “it is a Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo -- shunned publicity and were partnership that has felt familiar almost never spotted without their iconic robot helmets. Early the entire time”, adding he was singles “Da Funk” and “Around the World” quickly became Jay-Z. PHOTO: AFP confident that “the sheer pow- club fixtures, and led to massive success for their debut album er of the Moet Hennessy global “Homework” in 1997. They followed up with the even more PARIS, France — LVMH, the chase -- for an undisclosed sum distribution framework, its un- successful “Discovery” in 2001, which spawned the hits “One world’s biggest luxury goods and made through its Moet paralleled portfolio strength and More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”. company, said on Monday it Hennessy drinks division -- also its long-established track record Their 2013 single “Get Lucky”, featuring Pharrell Williams had agreed to buy 50 per cent of involved a distribution deal and of excellence in developing lux- and Nile Rodgers was their biggest hit of all, selling millions Armand de Brignac, the cham- would kick off a partnership ury brands will give Armand de of copies around the world and winning them two Grammys, pagne brand owned by rapper reflecting a “shared vision” be- Brignac the commercial power it which came with two more for the album “Random Access Jay-Z. tween the singer and the com- needs to grow and flourish even Memories”. Their success did not lead to the much hoped-for The company said the pur- pany. further”. —AFP return to live touring, which they largely stopped after a legend- ary series of shows through 2006 and 2007. Their appearance at the Grammy Awards show in 2014 was their last public ap- Munch wrote ‘madman’ tag on ‘Scream’ painting, pearance for three years, before they showed up for the same museum rules ceremony in 2017 alongside The Weeknd, after collaborating with him on his most recent album. There was a very rare OSLO, NORWAY —A mysterious The author of the phrase ing in Norway for the first time, insight into the duo’s career in 2015, when they gave approval inscription on Edvard Munch’s has long been a mystery, with all point in the same direction.” for a BBC documentary, which recounted their false start as famed painting ‘The Scream’ has the main theory until now holding The first showing of the work to Parisian youngsters in a 1992 rock band Darlin’. One review stymied the art world for years, that it was a disgruntled viewer the public in Oslo -- then known in the British music press dismissed the band as “daft punky but Norwegian experts have now who penned it at the beginning as Kristiania -- provoked furious thrash” -- giving them their new moniker. concluded it was written by none of the 20th century on one of the criticism and raised questions ‘Human After All’ other than the artist himself. four versions made by Munch. about Munch’s mental state, The helmets first appeared in the video for “Around the Barely visible to the naked But, using infrared technology to which, according to Guleng, like- World” and never left, allowing them to control the fame that eye, the phrase ‘Can only have analyse the handwriting, experts ly prompted Munch to write the quickly encircled them. been painted by a madman’ is at Norway’s National Museum inscription on the canvas shortly “We have daily lives that are a lot more normal... than the written in pencil in Norwegian in have now concluded that it was afterwards. A pioneer of expres- lives of artists who have the same level of fame as us but who the upper left corner of the iconic the artist himself. “The writing sionism, Munch was haunted by might be attached to being physically recognized,” Bangalter painting. The dark painting from is without a doubt Munch’s own,” the premature deaths of several said in the BBC documentary. 1893, now a symbol of existential museum curator Mai Britt Gu- family members, including his The pair also insisted on keeping creative control from an angst, depicts a humanlike figure leng said in a statement. “The mother and his sister Johanne early stage, and took plenty of left-field business decisions along standing on a bridge, clutching its handwriting itself, as well as Sophie, due to illness. In 1908, he the way, including producing the 2003 film “Interstella 5555” head in apparent horror against events that happened in 1895, was temporarily committed to a by Japanese anime master Leiji Matsumoto, which featured the backdrop of a swirling sky. when Munch showed the paint- psychiatric hospital. —AFP music from “Discovery”. —AFP 23 FEBRUARY 2021 16 SPORT THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Solskjaer not giving up hope of catching Man City

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM to go again after a high-intensity six minutes later, though, when — Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not game and it took us to half time Saint-Maximin swept the ball giving up hope that Manchester to get our legs and energy." into the top corner after Harry United can challenge Manches- A run of two wins in 14 games Maguire only half-cleared a cross ter City for the Premier League has left Newcastle just three into the box. After a blistering title, despite the scintillating form points clear of the drop zone, but start to his United career last of the league leaders. Steve Bruce remains confident season, Dan James has struggled City have soared 10 points his side will survive. "Fulham for game time, but the Welsh- clear of their local rivals thanks have had a good week and won man has now scored in his last to an 18-game winning streak in a couple of games, which at the three appearances as he blasted all competitions. United's own in- bottom end of the table is big, but past Darlow from close range consistent form has helped open there are a few of us: Brighton, just before the hour mark. More up the gap, but the Red Devils Burnley and maybe Crystal Pal- good footwork from Rashford beat Newcastle 3-1 on Sunday to ace looking over their shoulders," then drew Joe Willock into an win for just the second time in six Newcastle United's English head coach Steve Bruce (L) chats with said Bruce. ill-advised challenge inside the league games. Manchester United's Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (R) "My message to the support- box and the on-loan Arsenal mid- "We've got to be there just in before the English Premier League football match between Manchester ers is that I'm convinced we'll be fielder conceded a penalty. case," said Solskjaer. "Every time United and Newcastle at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west ok." Darlow had saved the only England, on February 21, 2021. PHOTO: AFP we get three points we've done Poor goalkeeping cost spot-kick Fernandes has missed our job and that's what we've got performance. "We had to find a way to win Bruce's men the opening goal on as a United player when the sides to do and see what other teams Solskjaer made five chang- it in the second-half. The first-half the half hour mark as Rashford met earlier in the season. do." Bruno Fernandes and Mar- es to the side that impressively wasn't up to the standard that we wriggled free inside the area, but But he was wrong-footed this cus Rashford were again on thrashed Real Sociedad 4-0 in the wanted," added Solskjaer. his shot should have been kept time as the Portuguese playmak- target on a night United needed Europa League on Thursday and "Maybe because of Newcas- out by Karl Darlow. er coolly converted to give United their star men to paper over the was lucky not to be punished for tle, maybe because of what we United's sloppy defending the two-goal cushion they craved. cracks of another unconvincing a disjointed start from the hosts. did in the week. We asked them from set-pieces was punished —AFP

'No excuses' - Flick My methods still second to none says Mourinho demands embattled Bayern The two-time Champions League winner's conservative bounce back at Lazio tactics are often accused of be- ing out-dated, but he was bullish BERLIN, GERMANY —Bay- es. We weren't good against when asked if he questioned his ern Munich coach Hansi Flick Bielefeld and Frankfurt. methods amid the poor run of insists there can be no ex- "We have to see that form. cuses when the Champions we're fit again for the Cham- "No, not at all. Not at all. League holders face Lazio pions League. Zero," Mourinho said. away in Tuesday's last 16, first These are special games "Because sometimes the leg after a recent dip in form. which should motivate the results are the consequence of "I want my team to be players." multiple situations in football switched on from the start Defender Niklas Suele is and mine and my coaching staff's and I have total confidence carrying a knock, so Josh- methods are second to nobody in they will do that at Lazio," ua Kimmich is expected to the world." Flick said in Monday's press switch from midfield to right- Tottenham's current run of conference. back. form is far worse than the results Bayern suffered a 2-1 de- Flick said Germany mid- which saw Mauricio Pochettino feat at Eintracht Frankfurt on fielder Leon Goretzka will sacked in 2019. Saturday following a 3-3 draw make his first start since con- But Mourinho is adamant against strugglers Arminia tracting Covid-19 in January. Tottenham, who are nine points Bielefeld upon their return Bayern have reportedly adrift of West Ham in fourth, are from winning the Club World tightened their hygiene rules not in crisis. Cup in Qatar 11 days ago. since Pavard became the Tottenham Hotspur's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho gestures "I don't know what you mean The strength in depth fourth player this year to test on the touchline during the English Premier League football match by crisis," he said. "If crisis is of Bayern's squad has been positive for the coronavirus. between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at The London frustration and sadness in the Stadium, in east London on February 21, 2021. PHOTO: AFP tested since Benjamin Pa- According to daily Bild, dressing room, I'd say so be- vard and Thomas Mueller the entire squad is tested LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM managerial career, could be in cause nobody is happy and we both tested positive for Cov- almost daily and the play- — Jose Mourinho insists he is danger of the sack. Tottenham all showed that in this game. id-19. ers have been told to stay at still one of the best coaches in the were top of the table in mid-De- "When a team fights the way Midfielder Corentin home, unless at training or world despite Tottenham's dismal cember, but since then they have the team did until the last second, Tolisso is also sidelined by a matches. run hitting a new low with a 2-1 won just three of 13 games, mean- trying to get a different result, long-term thigh injury. "We have many tests, it's defeat at West Ham on Sunday. ing their hopes of qualifying for it's never a group crisis, because Nevertheless, Flick is part of life," said winger King- Mourinho's side have lost the Champions League lay with groups are in crisis when you're demanding the Bundesliga sley Coman, who scored the five of their last six league match- winning the Europa League. not together in the search for bet- leaders respond at Rome's winning goal in last season's es and their hopes of finishing in After being sacked in his ter results than you have. Olympic Stadium. Champions League final. the Premier League's top four second spell at Chelsea, then "So I wouldn't say crisis, I "We all know what has "There are many rules look over. dismissed following a difficult would say a bad, a really bad run happened in the last few and regulations, but we have There is mounting specula- stint with Manchester United, of results. That is obvious. We're days," Flick added. to meet all these precautions tion that Mourinho, who is on one Mourinho's critics claim he is past losing too many matches." —AFP "I'm not looking for excus- to be able to play." —AFP of the worst runs of his glittering his best.