People Visit Shwedagon Pagoda with COVID-19 Preventive Measures

FARM CHEMICAL BAN NEEDS PROACTIVE ACTION PAGE-8 (OPINION)

NATIONAL NATIONAL Bawdikan bridge construction completed 84% in Yay Pyan Gyi waterfall in Taninthayi township Nawnghkio PAGE-3 PAGE-14-15

Vol. VII, No. 305, 4th Waxing of Tabodwe 1382 ME www.gnlm.com.mm Monday, 15 February 2021 Message for 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of MRTV sent by State Administration Council Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing

TODAY is the 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of Myanma Radio and Televi- Although the Myanma Broadcasting Service was first piloted in 1936-1937, sion which started broadcasting as Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS) on 15 it was not an independent national broadcasting service. In March 1945, My- February 1946. If we think of the life expectancy, the 75 years old one is rich in anma Revolutionary Tatmadaw Boradcasting was established and introduced experiences and knowledge such as hardships, challenges and development as an independent national broadcasting service. after passing many decades. The MRTV has been using modern techniques by overcoming the various Together with the motto “To inform, to educate and to entertain the pub- challenges through generations to be on par with the world countries, with lic,” MRTV which provides access to information, knowledge and news for innovative ideas and creation for the public. the national, ethnic people living in the country and other Myanmar nationals The name of Rangoon Radio was changed into Burma Broadcasting Ser- residing in foreign countries, will always be in the heart of the Myanmar people vice (BBS) on 15 February 1946 and it has been operating new programmes in addition to others around the world. for the public since then. SEE PAGE-3

People visit Shwedagon Pagoda with COVID-19 preventive measures

SHWEDAGON PAGODA was crowded with devotees during the COVID-19 prevention and control period, in accordance with the pandemic precaution methods. People are allowed for three pilgrimage sections respectively in the morning and afternoon- from 6:00 am to 7:00 am, 8:00 am to 9:00 am and 10:00 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. There will be six times for pilgrimage and 500 visitors will be allowed at a time, and a total of 3,000 people can visit per day. Four stairways of the pa- godas are allowed for the pil- grimages to reach the famous pagoda. The pilgrims must wear masks, wash their hands with sanitizers and must take their Devotees are seen worshipping at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. PHOTO: MYINT MAUNG temperature screening conducted by the officials at the age to the pagoda by keeping bers in the designated forms 10 months during the COVID-19 drop of the pandemic across stairways. social distancing after complet- and record books. period, but was reopened on 8 the country.—Myint Maung/ The pilgrims can pay hom- ing personal data, phone num- The pagoda was closed for February due to a significant GNLM 15 FEBRUARY 2021 2 NATIONAL THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

Republic of the Union of Myanmar Republic of the Union of Myanmar State Administration Council State Administration Council State Administration Council Law No (5/2021) State Administration Council Law No (6/2021) Law Amending the Penal Code Law Amending the Code of Criminal Procedure 3rd Waxing of Tabodwe 1382ME 3rd Waxing of Tabodwe, 1382ME 14 February 2021 14 February 2021 1. The State Administration Council enacts this law according to Article 419 of 1. The State Administration Council enacts this law according to Article 419 of the the State Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. State Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. 2. This law shall be called the Code of Criminal Procedure Amendment Law. 2. This law shall be called Law Amending the Penal Code. 3. At the table (2) of Code of Criminal Procedure, 3. The Penal Code Section 121 shall be substituted as follows: (a) The Column (2) of Penal Code Section 124-C shall be added as “sabotage or “121.Whoever wages war against the Union of Myanmar or any constituent unit hinder the performance of the Defence Services of the Union or Law En- thereof, or assists any State or person or incites or conspires with any person forcement agencies”, while Column (3) as “Shall not arrest without warrant”, within or without the Union to wage war against the Union or any constituent Column (4) as “warrant”, Column (5) as “Not bailable”, Column (6) as “Not unit thereof, or attempts or prepare to alter unconstitutional means or any compoundable” and Column (7) as “imprisonment for a term of twenty years, other means or otherwise prepares by force of arms or other violent means to to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to ten overthrow the organs of the Union or of its constituent units established by the years, to which fine may be added, or with fine”. Constitution, or takes part or is concerned in or incites or conspires with any (b) The Column (2) of Penal Code Section 124-D shall be added as “disrupts or person within or without the Union to make or to take part or be concerned in hinders Defence Services personnel and Government employees”, while the any such attempt shall be guilty of the offence of High Treason.” Column (3) as “Shall not arrest without warrant”, Column (4) as “warrant”, 4. The Penal Code Section 124-A shall be substituted as follows: Column (5) as “Not Bailable”, Column (6) as “Not compoundable” and Column “124 A. Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible rep- (7) as “imprisonment which may extend to seven years, to which fine may be resentation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or added, or with fine”. excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by (c) The Column (2) of Penal Code Section 505-A shall be added as “cause fear, law for the Union or for the constituent units or the Defence Services or Defence spread false news, agitate directly or indirectly criminal offence againsts a Services Personnel shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to Government employee” while Column (3) as “May arrest without warrant” twenty years with fine or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years and Column (7) as “imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which with fine or fine.” fine may be added, or with fine”. 5. After Penal Code Section 124-B, the Section 124-C and Section 124-D shall be I hereby sign under Article 419 of the State Constitution. added as follows: “sabotage or hinder the performance of the Defence Services of the Union Sd/ Min Aung Hlaing Senior General or Law Enforcement agencies Chairman 124 C. Whoever intends or causes to sabotage or to hinder the success of perfor- State Administration Council mance of the Defence Services and law enforcement organizations who are en- gaged in preserving the stability of the State, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of twenty years, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to twenty years with fine or with imprisonment which may Republic of the Union of Myanmar extend to ten years with fine or fine.” disrupts or hinders Defence Services and Government employees State Administration Council 124 D. Whoever causes or hinders the Defence Services personnel and Govern- ment employees towards the Government, disrupts or hinders by any means, Order No (64/2021) 3rd Waxing of Tabodwe 1382ME those who are carrying out their duties, such a person shall be punished with 14 February 2021 imprisonment which may extend to seven years or with fine or with both.” 6. At Penal Code 505, Appointment of Region/State Administra- (a)Sub-section (a) shall be substituted as follows: tion Councils Members “(a) whoever with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, a member of the Defence Services or government employees to deprive affect, hinder, disturb, damage the motivation, discipline, health, conduct upon Government or the The Region/State Advocates General are appointed as additional members of Defence Services and the duty of government employees or members of defence Region/State Administration Councils in accordance with Article 419 of the State services to being into the hatred, disobedience, disloyalty; Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. (b) sub-section (a),(b), (c) shall be reclassified as sub-section (b),(c) and (d). 7. After, Penal Code Section 505, Section 505-A shall be added as follows: By order “cause fear, spread false news, agitate directly or indirectly criminal offence Sd/Aung Lin Dway against a Government employee Lieutenant-General 505 A. Whoever- Secretary (a) causes or intends to cause fear to a group of citizens or to the public, State Administration Council (b) causes or intends to spread false news, knowing or believing that it is untrue, (c) causes or intends to commit or to agitate directly or indirectly criminal offence against a Government employee, any kind of Government employees or Government employees; Such a person shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three Public Announcement years or with fine or with both.” 8 February 2021 I hereby sign under Article 419 of the State Constitution. Local banks are providing daily services with helps in livelihoods and businesses of the people. Regular banking services are fundamental to economy Sd/ Min Aung Hlaing of the country. The Central Bank of Myanmar is supervising the systematic Senior General operation of banking services in the country. People are requested to take part Chairman in this process for ensuring economic stability of the country. State Administration Council Central Bank of Myanmar ဖေဖော်ဝါရီ ၁၁၊ ၂၀၂၁ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီ ၁၁၊ ၂၀၂၁ 15 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NATIONAL 3

NNMNMNNNMNMNNNNNNNMNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNMNNNN

NNMNMNNNMNMNNNNNNNMNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNMNNNN We have adopted new plans for the vaccination programme to cover all the people

NN THE Ministry of Health and Sports and the military medical corps are working hard in offering public healthcare services. NN NN NN We are taking great care in building the country’s strength and the health of people amid COVID-19 pandemic. Almost all the N N

N health workers at the front-line against the pandemic, volunteers and high-ranking officials above the directors of respective N

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N departments have received the first round of vaccination. The vaccination programme has reached the elderly persons of 65 N

N N N years old and above in the townships included in the stay-at-home order. The programme will also be extended. Two million N N N N N

N doses of Covishield injection against COVID-19 as a second batch will arrive in Myanmar from India today. We have adopted N

N N N N

N new plans for the vaccination programme to cover all the people. N N N N N

N (Excerpt from the speech to the Situation Report on the Country made by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar State Administration Council Chairman N

N Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on 12 February 2021) N N N NNMNMNNNMNMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNMNMNNNMNMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN ဗဟိုဘဏ် အဖွဲ့ဝင်များအဖဖစ် ခန့်အပ်တာဝန်ပပး ေန်ေုန်မမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီ ဖွဲ့စည်း ဗဟိုဘဏ် အဖွဲ့ဝင်များအဖဖစ်th ခန့်အပ်တာဝန်ပပး ေန်ေုန်မမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီ ဖွဲ့စည်း Messageပြည်ဖောင်စုသမတပမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖတာ် for 75 Diamond Jubilee Anniversary ofပြည်ဖောင်စုသမတပမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖတာ် MRTV sent by State ပြည်ဖောင်စုသမတပမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖတာ် ပြည်ဖောင်စုသမတပမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖတာ် Administrationနိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ Council Chairman Senior Generalနိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ Min Aung Hlaing နိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ နိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ အမိန့်အမှတ် (၄၆/ ၂၀၂၁) အမိန့်အမှတ် (၄၇ / ၂၀၂၁) FROM PAGE-1 အမိန့်အမှတ် (၄၆/ ၂၀၂၁) During the State Administrationအမိန့်အမှတ် Council (၄၇ / ၂၀၂၁) takeover, MRTV has been con- ၁၃၈၂ ခုနှစ်၊ ပြာသိုလပြည့်ဖေျာ် ၁၄ ရေ် ၁၃၈၂ ခုနှစ်၊ ပြာသိုလပြည့်ဖေျာ် ၁၄ ရေ် ducting the programmes for the public with added momentum according to Burma Broadcasting၁၃၈၂ Serviceခုနှစ်၊ ပြာသိုလပြည့်ဖေျာ် was transferred ၁၄ ရေ်to Pyay road as “Myanma ၁၃၈၂ ခုနှစ်၊ ပြာသိုလပြည့်ဖေျာ် ၁၄ ရေ် ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁၀ ရေ် ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁၀ ရေ် Athan”. It was then renamed as Myanma Athan under the Revolutionary its aims and objectives. Similarly, the Information and Public Relations De- ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁၀ ရေ် ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁၀ ရေ် Council Governmentဗဟိုဘဏ်အဖွဲ and Burma့ဝင်များအဖဖစ် Socialist ခန့်အပ်တာဝန်ပပးဖခင်း Programme Party. The name was partment, the Printingေန်ေုန်မမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီ and Publishing Department, ဖွဲ the့စည်းဖခင်း News and Periodicals ့ ့ changedနိုင်ငံတော်စီမံအုပ်ချုပ်တေးတောင်စီသည် into the Informationဗဟိုဘဏ်အဖွဲ andဝင်များအဖဖစ် ဖွဲ့စည်းပုံအတြခခံဥပတေ Broadcasting ခန့်အပ်တာဝန်ပပးဖခင်း Department ပုေ်မ ၄၁၉ အေ တအာေ်ပါပုဂိုလ်များေို in 1972, Myanma Enterpriseနိုင်ငံတော်စီမံအုပ်ချုပ် and MRTVေန်ေုန်မမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီတေးတ haveောင်စီသည် also successfully ေန်ေုန်မမို့တော်စည်ပင်သာယာတေးတ been servingဖွဲစည်းဖခင်း ော်မthe ေီေduties ို တအာေ် of publicပါအေိုင်း ဗဟိုဘဏ်Televisionနိုင်ငံတော်စီမံအုပ်ချုပ်တေးတောင်စီသည် အဖွဲ့ဝင်များအြဖစ် and Radio ခန့်အပ်ောဝန်တပးလိုေ်သည် Department ဖွဲ့စည်းပုံအတြခခံဥပတေ (MTRD) - under ပုေ်မ the ၄၁၉ Tatmadaw အေ တအာေ်ပါပုဂိုလ်များေို Government relations,ဖွဲ့စည်းလိုေ်သည်နိုင်ငံတော်စီမံအုပ်ချုပ် information - တေးတ andောင်စီသည် media. ေန်ေ ုန်မမို့တော်စည်ပင်သာယာတေးတော်မေီေ ို တအာေ်ပါအေိုင်း ဗဟိုဘဏ်in 1991(၁) အဖွဲ့ဝင်များအြဖစ်andတ Myanmaေါေ်ော ခင်နိုင်ဦး ခန့်အပ်ောဝန်တပးလိုေ်သည် Radio and Television - (MRTV) in 1997, respectively. ဖွဲ့စည်းလိုေ်သည်From(၁) the ဥေဋ္ဌ၊ 75th - Diamondမမို့တော်ဝန် Jubilee Anniversary, may MRTV be a fourth pillar During(၂)(၁) ဦးတအာင်တေျာ်သန်းတ ေါေ်ောthis special ခင်နိုင်ဦး occasion of 75th anniversary of MRTV, the commemo- that is (၂)(၁)reliable ဥေဋ္ဌ၊ေုေိယဥေဋ္ဌ for theမမို့တော်ဝန် country ၊ ေုေိယမမို့တော်ဝန် and credible for the people. rative(၂) programmes ဦးတအာင်တေျာ်သန်း for diamond jubilee were broadcast as the achievements (၃)(၂) အဖွဲ့ဝင်(၄)ဦးေုေိယဥေဋ္ဌ ၊ ေုေိယမမို့တော်ဝန် (၃) အဖွဲ့ဝင်(၄)ဦး of MRTV. On the 75th anniversary of MRTV, MRTVအမိန့်အရ Radio arranged to broad- (၄) အေွင်းတေးမှူး Senior General Min Aung Hlaing အမိန့်အရ (၄) အေွင်းတေးမှူး cast a new “Myanmar Radio” FM Channel in the English(ြုံ)ဖအာင်လင်းဖွေး language initially State Administration Council Chairman and (ြုံ)ဖအာင်လင်းဖွေး for Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw. It will also broadcastွုတိယဗိုလ်ချုြ်ကေီး news section in Commander-in-Chiefအမိန့်အရ of Defence Services ွုတိယဗိုလ်ချုြ်ကေီး အမိန့်အရ English on MRTV TV channel. အတေင်းဖရးမှူး (ြုံ)ဖအာင်လင်းဖွေး နိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီအတေင်းဖရးမှူး ွုတိယဗိုလ်ချုြ်ကေီး(ြုံ)ဖအာင်လင်းဖွေး နိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ ွုတိယဗိုလ်ချုြ်ကေီးအတေင်းဖရးမှူး နိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီအတေင်းဖရးမှူး Bawdikanမနပေးမမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီ bridge construction ဖွဲ့စည်း completed 84% in Taninthayiနိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ township မနပေးမမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီ ဖွဲ့စည်း THE connecting bridgeပြည်ဖောင်စုသမတပမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖတာ် be- for the financial years 2019- ပြည်ဖောင်စုသမတပမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖတာ် ဖမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖပန်တမ်း tween Taninthayi Townshipနိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ ဖမန်မာနိုင်ငံဖပန်တမ်း2020 and 2020-2021. and Bawdikan village tract hasနိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ Before and during the အမိန့်အမှတ် ( ၄၈ / ၂၀၂၁) been under construction since construction of the bridge, အမိန့်အမှတ် ( ၄၈ / ၂၀၂၁) ဝန်ထမ်းအဖွဲ့အစည်းအကေီးအမှူးများ အတည်ဖပုခန့်ထားဖခင်း 1 May 2018 and about ၁၃၈၂84 per ခုနှစ်၊ ပြာသိုလပြည့်ဖေျာ် ၁၄ ရေ် ဝန်ထမ်းအဖွဲ့အစည်းအကေီးအမှူးများ အတည်ဖပုခန့်ထားဖခင်းthe villagers have to rely on ၁၃၈၂ ခုနှစ်၊ ပြာသိုလပြည့်ဖေျာ် ၁၄ ရေ် cent of the bridge is complet၂၀၂၁- ခုနှစ်၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁၀ ရေ် တအာေ်တဖာ်ြပပါ ဝန်ထမ်းအဖွဲ့အစည်းအကေီးအမှူးများေ ို အစမ်းခန့်aေ singleာလ ( ၁ ) နှစ်ferry ြပည့်တြ ownedမာေ်သည့် တနby့မှစ၍ the ed to date, said U Win Aung,၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁၀ ရေ် အေည်ြပုခန့်ထားလိုေ်သည်တအာေ်တဖာ်ြပပါ ဝန်ထမ်းအဖွဲ့အစည်းအက - ေီးအမှူးများေ ို အစမ်းခန့်townshipောလ ( ၁ ) နှစ် development ြပည့်တြမာေ်သည့် authorတန့မှစ၍ - Assistant Director ofမနပေးမမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီ Bridge ဖွဲ့စည်းဖခင်း အေည်ြပုခန့်ထားလိုေ်သည် - ity to cross the river. ့ အမည် ဝန်ေမ်းအေေဲ့အစည်းအကေီးအမှူး Constructionနိုင်ငံတော်စီမံအုပ်ချုပ် Groupမနပေးမမို့ပတာ်စည်ပင်သာယာပေးပော်မတီတေးတ 4 ofောင်စီသည် the မနတလးမမို့တော်စည်ပင်သာယာ ဖွဲစည်းဖခင်းတေးတော်မေီေ ို တအာေ်ပါအေိုင်း The bridge will make the အမည် ဝန်ေမ်းအေေဲ့အစည်းအကေီးအမှူးရာေူး၊ ဌာန Ministryနိုင်ငံတော်စီမံအုပ်ချုပ် of Construction.တေးတောင်စီသည် မနတလးမမို့တော်စည်ပင်သာယာတေးတော်မေီေ ို တအာေ်ပါအေိုင်း villages in Bawdikan village- ဖွဲ့စည်းလိုေ်သည် - ရာေူး၊ ဌာန The construction can be (၁) ဦးေဲေိုးသွင် ဦးတောင်ညန်ကေားတေးမှူးtract easily accessible as well ဖွဲ့စည်းလိုေ်သည်(၁) ဥေဋ္ဌ၊ - မမို့တော်ဝန် completed at the end of March, (၁) ဦးေဲေိုးသွင် လပ်စစ်ဓာေ်အားြဖဦးတောင်ညန်ကေားတေးမှူးas theyန့် ြဖူးတေးလုပ်ငန်း can travel to Maw- (၂)(၁) ဥေဋ္ဌ၊ေုေိယဥေဋ္ဌ မမို့တော်ဝန် ၊ ေုေိယမမို့တော်ဝန် 2021, he added. လပ်စစ်နှင့်စွမ်းအင်ဝန်ကေီးဌာနလပ်စစ်ဓာေ်အားြဖtaungန့် ြဖူးတေးလုပ်ငန်း town, the border town (၃)(၂) အဖွဲ့ဝင်(၂)ဦးေုေိယဥေဋ္ဌ ၊ ေုေိယမမို့တော်ဝန် The Bawdikan Bridge is လပ်စစ်နှင့်စွမ်းအင်ဝန်ကေီးဌာနbetween Thai and Myanmar (၃) အဖွဲ့ဝင်(၂)ဦး (၂) ဦးဟိန်းထေ် ညန်ကေားတေးမှူးချုပ် 787 feet(၄) long အေွင်းတေးမှူးwith 24 feet for at any time, facilitating the the (၂) ဦးဟိန်းထေ် တေအားလပ်စစ်အတောင်အထည်တဖာ်တေးဦးစီးဌာနညန်ကေားတေးမှူးချုပ် vehicles,(၄) and အေွင်းတေးမှူး 3 feet for side- flow of goods and services for လပ်စစ်နှင့်စွမ်းအင်ဝန်ကေီးဌာနတေအားလပ်စစ်အတောင်အထည်တဖာ်တေးဦးစီးဌာန walk on each side. This R.C အမိန့်အရ the people and definitely im- လပ်စစ်နှင့်စွမ်းအင်ဝန်ကေီးဌာန Concrete-made bridge will အမိန့်အရ (၃) ဦးဝင်းတော်တအာင် ညန်ကေားတေးမှူးချုပ်prove living standards of the Picture shows the Bawdikan Bridge(ြုံ)ဖအာင်လင်းဖွေး in Taninthayi Township, Taninthayi Region. PHOTO: NAN THAYI (IPRD) permit 75 tonnes of vehicle (၃) ဦးဝင်းတော်တအာင် ညန်ကေားတေးမှူးချုပ်residents.—Nan Thayi, Htein ွုတိယဗိုလ်ချုြ်ကေီး(ြုံ)ဖအာင်လင်းဖွေး ြပည်သူ့အင်အားဦးစီးဌာန and cargo weights. struction has been construct- of K2,450 million and K1,150 ion Government and ြပည်သူ့အင်အားဦးစီးဌာနTanin- Win/GNLM ွုတိယဗိုလ်ချုြ်ကေီးအတေင်းဖရးမှူး အလုပ်သမား၊ လူဝင်မကေီးကေပ်တေးနှင့် The Department of Con- ing this bridge with the budget million received from the Un- thayi region governmentအလုပ်သမား၊ fund လူဝင်မကေီးကေပ်တေးနှင့် နိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီအတေင်းဖရးမှူး ြပည်သူ့အင်အားဝန်ကေီးဌာန နိုင်ငံဖတာ်စီမံအုြ်ချုြ်ဖရးဖောင်စီ ြပည်သူ့အင်အားဝန်ကေီးဌာန 15 FEBRUARY 2021 4 NATIONAL THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

Kayah State Administration Council Request to health workers meets public, private bankers 1. It is appreciated for the strenuous efforts of the medical doctors, nurses, medical experts and other health works at the respective departments under the Ministry of Health and Sports at the front-line in the fight against prevention, containment and treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COV- ID-19). 2. As the vaccination programme of COVID-19 is being conducted for the public and the real-time healthcare services are required for the people, all the staff members at the respective departments under the Ministry of Health and Sports are strongly urged to return to their duties with taking the well-being of patients into consideration. Ministry of Health and Sports 8 February 2021 Request to Public Officials from Kayah State Administration Council meet with officials from Myanma Economic Bank and private banks in Loikaw, Kayah State yesterday. PHOTO: LOIKAW IPRD 1. Democracy practices have granted the public freedom of speech, practices OFFICIALS from Kayah State Admin- Afterwards, officials from Myanma and living. Such freedoms should not harm others. Diverse views of others istration Council yesterday met officials Economic Bank and Private Bank briefed should be understood, but should not be disturbed or harassed. However, from Myanma Economic Bank and pri- on the current banking situation. with the reason for human rights, some persons are now under pressure, vate banks at the meeting hall of Kayah Next, Colonel Myint Wai, urged to harassed and threatened in breaching the laws. Undisciplined acts could State Administration Council in Loikaw, the officials that necessary coordination lead to tarnishing the image of democracy. Kayah State. should be made and security problems 2. For preventing destructive actions against the stability of the State, the First, Colonel Myint Wai, a member of should be reported in advance. safety of the public and the rule of law, it is also required to take proper the Kayah State Administration Council, Members of Kayah State Adminis- actions in line with the law. spoke to the officials of the Myanma Eco- tration Council and Secretary; Officials 3. All the people who favour justice, freedom, equality and safety are requested nomic Bank in Kayah State that if there of Myanma Economic Bank and Private to oppose breaching the laws and prevent such actions for the benefit of are any security problems in opening Bank and invited person joined the meet- country and people. private banks, they will be assisted. ing. — Loikaw IPRD

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

Mandalay Region Administration Council’s Announcement to Public

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

16 new cases of COVID-19 reported on 14 February, total figure rises to 141,601

MYANMAR’S COVID-19 positive cases rose to 141,601 after 16 new cases were reported on 14 February 2021 according to the Ministry of Health and Sports. Among these confirmed cases, 3,189 died, 130,331 have been discharged from hospitals.—MNA

Updated at 8 pm, 14 February 2021 Daily death toll until 8 pm 14-2-2021

Total Cases 141,601 New Cases 16 1

Total Death Tally 3,189 Discharged from Hospital 130,331 Ministry of Health and Sports 15 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR LOCAL BUSINESS 5 YSX stock trading value drops by 50 per cent in Jan 2021

The value of shares traded price also dipped to K8,200 from K13.39 billion, were traded on the on the Yangon Stock Exchange K8,400. The cost of FPB showed exchange in 2019. (YSX) in January 2021 plunged a small drop from K23,000 to In 2016, shares of only three by half compared with January K22,000, while TMH slightly fell companies were traded on the 2020, the YSX’s monthly report to K2,700 from K2,850. The share YSX — FMI, MTSH, and MCB. indicated. price of EFR listed in May 2020 One more public company, FPB, In January 2021, K640 mil- on the exchange stood at K3,600 was listed on the YSX in 2017. lion worth of 121,893 shares were in January 2021. In 2018, TMH debuted on the traded on the exchange. The Amid the COVID-19 crisis, exchange. EFR entered the ex- Amid the COVID-19 crisis, Myanmar’s securities market has been able to figures plummeted from K1.2 Myanmar’s securities market change in 2020. This year, Amata continue operating without stopping trading. PHOTO: GNLM/FILE billion worth of 196,836 shares has been able to continue oper- Holding Public Co., Ltd. (AMATA) largest declines since the 2008 listed public companies with registered in January 2020. ating without stopping trading. will be listed on Yangon Stock financial crisis. Similarly, the local fund-raising opportunities and At present, shares of six In 2020, the value of stocks Exchange (YSX) on 12 March equities market is also scared by build a bridge toward listing on listed companies — First Myan- traded on the exchange peaked 2021, and its share trading will the COVID-19 crash, a market YSX, the Yangon bourse stated. mar Investment (FMI), Myanmar at K1.48 billion in February. In be made on the same day, YSX observer points out. The YSX was launched four Thilawa SEZ Holdings (MTSH), contrast, trading on the exchange notified on 29 January. YSX held webinar sessions years ago to improve the private Myanmar Citizens Bank (MCB), registered an all-time low of More than 2.5 million shares on 26 and 27 December to share business sector. It disseminates First Private Bank (FPB), TMH K552.9 million in November due of three listed companies were the future benefit of stock invest- rules and regulations regarding Telecom Public Co. Ltd (TMH) to the COVID-19 resurgences in traded on the YSX in 2016, and ment for the investors, in coor- the stock exchange and knowl- and the EFR are being traded Myanmar, the exchange’s month- their values were estimated at dination with securities compa- edge of share trading through on the exchange. ly report showed. K70 billion. In 2017, despite an nies (MSEC, KBZSC, CBSC, AYA stock investment seminars. The The shares prices last month A total of K12.6 billion worth increase in the stock trading Trust SC, KTzRH and uabsc). stock exchange has also sought showed downtick compared to of 1.87 million shares by six listed volume to 2.6 million shares, the Next, the Securities and Ex- the government’s support to get the prices registered in January companies were traded on the trade value was only K22 billion. change Commission of Myanmar more public companies to par- last year. The price per share of exchange in 2020, a significant In 2018, 2.3 million shares of five (SECM) has allowed foreigners to ticipate in the stock market and FMI decreased from K11,500 in drop compared to 2019, according companies, worth K11.5 billion, invest in the local equity market help more institutional investors, January 2020 to K9,700 in Jan- to the annual report released by were traded on the exchange, from 20 March 2020. such as financing companies, in- uary 2021. Similarly, the share the exchange. according to the annual report Furthermore, YSX launched vestment banks, and insurance price of MTSH slid to K3,900 from Over 2.4 million shares from of the YSX. The stock markets pre-listing board (PLB) on 28 companies, to emerge. — KH/ K4,000 last year. MCB’s stock five listed companies, valued at worldwide have reported their September 2020 to provide un- GNLM Imports of machinery, spare parts via Myawady border increase year over year

Myanmar’s imports of ma- Additionally, the import val- crisis, the Ministry of Commerce cannot be driven on public roads, and Industry released on 29 July chinery and spare parts through ue of machinery and spare parts provided fully online licence sys- such as excavators, bulldozers, 2020. Myawady land border has in- via both sea trade and land bor- tem for the car showrooms for car wheel loaders, vibratory roller, The government lowered creased year over year, the Min- ders are estimated at over $1.2 imports. It will extend its online clamp loader, motor grader, road custom duty from 30 to 20 per istry of Commerce stated. billion during the past FY2019- service to sales centres later, said roller compactor, bridge crane, cent on imported private cars SMEs constitute 90 per cent 2020 and $121.76 million in the the Ministry’s statement issued gantry crane, tower crane, pilling with the engine under 2,000 CC of businesses in Myanmar. There- first two months (Oct-Nov) of the on 2 November 2020. machine, crawler drill/crane, mo- and 40 to 30 per cent on cars with fore, machinery and spare parts current financial year 2020-2021, According to the press re- bile crane, rough-terrain crane, 2,001 CC and above. Meanwhile, are increasingly imported into the Ministry of Commerce’s data lease of the Commerce Ministry, forklift, boom lift and asphalt fin- the locally assembled vehicles the country via Myawady border. indicated. under the 2021 vehicle import pol- isher are allowed to be brought under the SKD system were to- To effectuate Myanmar’s in- Similarly, the country im- icy, 2019 will be the oldest model into the country as long as they tally exempted from 10 per cent dustrial development, the trade ported $899.89 million worth of to be issued an import permit for are 15 years old or less. tax. Additionally, tariffs on SKD department permits importing vehicles and spare parts last year private cars with non-commercial Myanmar cuts tariff on im- vehicles with 2001 CC and above machinery and spare parts with- and $163.4 million in Oct-Nov of purpose. port of private cars and Semi- were reduced from 20 to 5 per out import licence according to current FY. Except for machinery, all im- Knocked Down vehicles amid the cent. the notification order (68/2020) of Imports of commercial ve- port vehicles must be left-hand COVID-19 impacts. This move Additionally, starting from 7 the Ministry of Commerce. How- hicles and machinery have been drive under the 2021 vehicle im- is likely to bring down the prices August 2020, registration fees at ever, importers will be required permitted through seaports and port policy. of vehicles with engines above the Road Transport Administra- to pay the set duties with Import three land borders — Muse, When vehicles with engines 1,500 CC. The dealers pointed out tion Department (RTAD) on FOB Declaration ID to the Customs Myawady, and Tachilek. under 1,350 CC are individually that the price could drop by K2 to price of the private vehicles were Department. The importers use “Starting from 1 January, im- imported, the model year must 15 million depending on vehicle reduced from 30 to 15 per cent for Myawady border trade to import ports of commercial vehicles on a be 2019 and later. Passengers brand and specifications. vehicles with 1,500 CC and above, machinery and spare parts based company licence are not allowed. vehicles such as mini-bus, city In a bid to remedy the busi- 50 to 25 per cent for vehicles with on fair logistic cost and advantag- Importers are required to operate bus, express bus and commercial nesses slowdown caused by the 1,351-2,000 CC, 80 to 40 per cent es of road transportation. a car showroom in line with the trucks manufactured in 2017 and COVID-19 impacts, the govern- for cars with 2,001-5,000 CC and The import values of ma- prescribed rules and regulations. later can be imported. ment has brought tax cuts on 120 to 60 per cent for cars with chinery and spare parts stood at However, the new policy can pose Under a free-of-charge the importation of private cars 5,001 CC, and above respective- US$17.125 million in the financial difficulties for traders conducting (FOC) licence system, fire trucks, with non-commercial purpose ly, the RTAD stated. However, year 2018-2019, $21.731 million in business on a manageable scale,” ambulances and hearse vehicles and SKD vehicles assembled in tax cuts still do not cover special the FY2019-2020, $5.6 million in said importers. manufactured in 2012 or later are Myanmar starting from 1 August goods tax, commercial tax and the October of current FY, the To maintain the social dis- imported. 2020, according to notification of income tax to hold the vehicle Ministry stated. tancing during the coronavirus Heavy equipment, as they the Ministry of Planning, Finance ownership status.—KH/ GNLM 15 FEBRUARY 2021 6 PANDEMIC: ROLLING UPDATE THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

UK eyes next phase in vaccine EU to fast-track jabs against rollout as 15 mln get jabs virus variants BRITAIN was preparing Sun- had received a first dose. day to move to the next phase And Foreign Secretary THE EUROPEAN UNION has of its coronavirus vaccination Dominic Raab said it was “on agreed to fast-track approvals programme, as it neared a tar- track” to meet the “important of vaccines updated to target get of inoculating 15 million of milestone” and officials could coronavirus variants, the bloc’s the most vulnerable people. now focus on vaccinating all health commissioner said Sun- The country will start ad- over-50s by May and all adults day, following criticism of the ministering vaccines from Mon- by September. EU’s sluggish vaccine drive. day to those aged between 65 “(It is) the first milestone “We looked at the process to- and 69 and the clinically vulner- towards the wider plan to get 99 gether with the European Med- able to Covid-19, with almost 1.2 percent of those at risk of dying icines Agency (EMA),” Stella million already invited to book (from Covid-19) vaccinated with Kyriakides told German daily their jabs, the state-run Nation- a first dose by the end of April, Augsburger Allgemeine in an al Health Service (NHS) said. and then everyone in the coun- interview. The step comes after the try... by the autumn,” he told The European Union has agreed to fast-track approvals of vaccines “And we have now decided government was set to meet its Sky News. updated to target coronavirus variants, the bloc’s health commissioner that a vaccine, which has been said Sunday, following criticism of the EU’s sluggish vaccine aim to have offered vaccinations Britain, which has been the improved by a manufacturer drive. PHOTO: AFP to the top four priority groups of hardest hit in Europe by the based on its previous vaccine around 15 million people by the pandemic, registering nearly to combat new mutations, no a larger share of the population She also warned that sci- end of this week. 117,000 deaths within 28 days longer has to go through the has been injected so far. entists do not yet know if the That comprises all over- of a positive Covid-19 test, be- entire approvals process. European Commission chief vaccines approved so far -- those 70s, care home residents and gan its biggest ever vaccination “So it will be faster to have Ursula von der Leyen last week by BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna staff, NHS workers and the ex- campaign in early December. suitable vaccines available with- admitted that mistakes had been and AstraZeneca/Oxford -- will tremely clinically vulnerable to It now has one of the high- out cutting corners on safety,” made in procuring vaccines on remain effective against new the virus. est proportions of people vac- she said. behalf of all 27 member states. mutations. The government said Sat- cinated against the virus in the The EU’s vaccine rollout She told the European Par- “But we do know these var- urday more than 14.5 million world.—AFP has been snagged by delays and liament that the bloc had been iants will continue to emerge. controversies, leaving it lagging late to authorise jabs, and had And we do know that we need to behind countries like the United underestimated the difficulties anticipate and prepare immedi- States, Britain and Israel where of vaccine mass production. ately,” she said.— AFP Israel, Cyprus agree travel deal for vaccinated citizens

referred to an arrangement Britain is set to meet its aim to have offered vaccinations to the top whereby vaccinated people four priority groups of around 15 million people by the end of this from both countries would be week. PHOTO: AFP/FILE permitted reciprocal travel with few restrictions. NEWS Anastasiades, who is IN scheduled to meet Prime BRIEF Minister Benjamin Netanya- Schools in England could reopen by 8 March, hu later Sunday, was quoted in says foreign secretary the Israeli statement as saying that Cyprus and the Jewish Dominic Raab told interviewers the government plans to reopen state had “an ambitious plan of schools for all pupils from 8 March, after more than 60 Tory MPs action for cooperation between wrote to the Prime Minister demanding lockdown restrictions be our countries.” eased. The so-called Covid Recovery Group said their demands Israel’s aggressive vac- were based on the vaccine rollout and called for a complete end to Israeli medical worker fills an international certificate of vaccination for cination campaign has seen domestic controls. The lockdown-sceptics added that a lockdown coronavirus at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan near the coastal 3.8 million receive the first of could no longer be justified once all over-50s were vaccinated. city of Tel Aviv on Dec. 19, 2020. PHOTO: AFP/FILE two required doses of the Pfiz- Boris Johnson is expected to unveil a plan for coming out of lock- er-BioNTech vaccine, while 2.4 down on 22 February.—AFP ISRAEL AND CYPRUS have “Let me say how pleased million have received the sec- agreed in principle a deal al- I am with the recent under- ond shot. N.Z. gov’t orders Auckland lockdown after lowing coronavirus-vaccinated standings that will allow the The country of nine mil- community coronavirus cases citizens of the two countries to renewal of flights between Is- lion people, currently easing The New Zealand government imposed a lockdown for three days travel between them without rael and Cyprus and call on restrictions after ending its in the country’s largest city Auckland from midnight Sunday after limitations, once flights re- more countries to adopt the third nationwide lockdown this the discovery of coronavirus infections in a family. sume, Israel’s president said ‘green pass,’” Israel’s Presi- month, is aiming to vaccinate Under the first lockdown in the country since August, people are Sunday. dent Reuven Rivlin said in a everyone over the age of 16 by required to work from home unless they are unable to do so and Israel reached a similar statement after meeting his the end of March. public venues such as libraries, museums, gyms and pools must agreement with Greece last Cypriot counterpart Nicos An- Israel has recorded 723,038 remain closed. week, as the Mediterranean astasiades. coronavirus cases, including The infections were found in three members of a household -- a nations seek to revive tourism Rivlin’s spokesman Jon- 5,368 deaths. The country’s father, mother and their daughter who goes to high school. The industries battered by the pan- athan Cummings confirmed airport remains closed to all mother reportedly works for an airline catering provider, but it is demic. to AFP that the ‘green pass’ non-emergency travel.—AFP unclear how they got infected.— Kyodo 15 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR WORLD: TOP STORIES 7 Japan approves first vaccine with Olympics in sight

JAPAN on Sunday approved medical workers from as early continues to affect the entire its first coronavirus vaccine, as Wednesday, before making world. clearing the way for mass in- it and other coronavirus vac- Athletes and other partic- oculations as the nation pre- cines available for more medical ipants will be encouraged, but pares to host the postponed 2020 workers and the elderly from not obliged, to be vaccinated to Olympics. April. take part. Japan is now trying to “The health minister today The government is yet to secure enough special syringes gave a special approval to the outline the exact rollout sched- that can extract the full six dos- Pfizer vaccine,” the prime min- ule for the rest of its population es from each vial of the Pfizer ister’s office said in a tweet. of 126 million people. vaccine. Japan is now expected to Olympics officials have in- More commonly used sy- put the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine sisted that the Tokyo Games will ringes can only draw five dos- Japan is expected to put the Pfizer vaccine in the arms of thousands of in the arms of 10,000 to 20,000 take place even though Covid-19 es.—AFP medical workers. PHOTO: THOMAS KIENZLE/ AFP/FILE

China’s Lebanon kicks off vaccinations against Covid

online the country,” Hassoun told AFP. to be vaccinated. “Today is not He received a Pfizer/BioN- my turn,” said the 61-year-old health Tech vaccine, a day after the very premier. “The priority is for the services first 28,500 doses landed at Bei- health sector, which has... made rut’s airport. Healthcare workers great sacrifices,” he said. expand and those over 75 years are the Healthcare workers at three first to be vaccinated under the Beirut hospitals in total were to amid national rollout plan. receive their first shot on Sunday. Popular Lebanese comedi- From Monday, another 18 hos- COVID-19 an Salah Tizani, 93, who is best pitals across the country are to known by his stage name Abu join in the vaccination campaign, CHINA’S online health Salim, was second to roll up his health ministry adviser Moham- services industry ex- Head of the intensive care unit at Lebanon’s Rafik Hariri Hospital shirt in front of the cameras. ad Haidar has said. panded further in battling the coronavirus, Mahmoud Hassoun, receives the first “I’m telling everyone to come The World Bank has allocat- 2020, with wider user coronavirus jab as the Mediterranean country kicks off its inoculation and get vaccinated and not be ed $34 million to inoculate two drive on Valentine’s Day. PHOTO: ANWAR AMRO/ AFP groups and increasing scared. Better to get vaccinated million of Lebanon’s six million service providers as LEBANON Sunday gave its first head of the intensive care unit than to be knocked down by this inhabitants. Lebanon has been the COVID-19 epidemic Covid-19 vaccines dose to a doctor at the key Rafik Hariri Hospital deadly virus,” he told AFP. under a lockdown since mid-Jan- reshaped the country’s and an elderly actor, as it started battling coronavirus, was the first Caretaker premier Hassan uary, after an unprecedented healthcare sector, said an inoculation drive it hopes will person to get the jab, an AFP cor- Diab visited the Rafik Hariri Hos- spike in cases blamed on holi- a report on the coun- keep the pandemic in check amid respondent said. pital in Beirut and praised the day gatherings that forced over- try’s internet develop- deepening economic crisis. “Hopefully this will be the hard work of healthcare workers, whelmed hospitals to turn away ment. Mahmoud Hassoun, the start of the end of this plague in but said he would wait his turn patients for lack of beds.—AFP By December 2020, online health service users in China totaled 215 million, accounting Sri Lanka import ban takes the spice out of life for 21.7 per cent of the AN import ban in cash-strapped budding smugglers to take their posed a ban on many imports to ery parts are among the items internet-using popula- Sri Lanka is leaving a bad taste chances with the spice. With no stop money leaving the country, prohibited but it is a ban on tur- tion, according to the in the mouths of its curry lov- foreign cash coming in as Cov- so that it can pay $4.5 billion this meric that has the Indian Ocean report issued by the ers, depriving them of vital tur- id-19 cripples the tourism indus- year to service its international island simmering with anger. China Internet Network meric supplies and encouraging try, the government in March im- debt. Cars, floor tiles and machin- The aromatic root is a vital Information Centre. ingredient in curries and other It said that by the local cuisine and also increasing- end of October 2020, ly sought after as a health sup- China had over 900 plement. But only a fifth of the online hospitals, more 7,500 tonnes Sri Lanka consumes than 5,500 major hos- every year is produced locally. pitals in China offered Since the pandemic, demand online services, and a has increased so much that remote medical coordi- prices have shot up 20-fold to an nation network covered eye-watering 9,000 rupees ($48) a all prefecture-level cit- kilogramme -- a week’s wages for ies. many Sri Lankan workers. The report also “Our home-cooked curries noted that online and are not the same since the pan- offline health services demic,” said health worker Prart- in China, as well as in- hana Weerasinghe, who claimed surance services, had that many market varieties were been boosted in a more now “adulterated”. coordinated way with “We never thought turmeric greater participation would be such a big issue. We from major internet had taken it for granted. Now, we companies in the sec- Customs agents recently found 25 tonnes of turmeric smuggled into Sri Lanka from India, while navy patrols can’t afford to use it in our daily tor.— Xinhua have seized several tonnes from Indian fishermen. PHOTO: AFP cooking.”—AFP 15 FEBRUARY 2021 15 FEBRUARY 2021 8 OPINION THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NATIONAL/ARTICLE 9 Farm chemical UNSC to discuss problem of global access to Myanmar Daily Weather Report (Issued at 7:00 pm Sunday 14 February, 2021) BAY INFERENCE: Weather is generally fair over the North ban needs COVID-19 vaccines Bay and partly cloudy over the Andaman Sea and elsewhere over the Bay of Bengal.

jabs — the United Nations, the Vaccination ‘is the big chal- cess to vaccine doses. FORECAST VALID UNTIL AFTERNOON OF THE 15 proactive troops’ countries of origin or those lenge now,’ said Olof Skoog, the UN secretary-general An- February 2021: Light rain or thundershowers will be isolated where they are deployed? European Union ambassador to tonio Guterres has repeatedly in Kachin State. Degree of certainty is (80%). Weather will be ‘Vaccine, vaccination is not the council. ‘A long way to go be- sounded a warning that as the partly cloudy in Upper Sagaing, Mandalay, Taninthayi regions really the job of the security coun- fore people are fully vaccinated.’ virus and its multiple variants and (Southern and Eastern)Shan, Mon states and generally action cil,’ said one ambassador, speak- Skoog, who is Swedish, noted spread around the world, global fair in the remaining regions and states. ing on grounds of anonymity. that the EU has contributed to security can be assured only if ith the demand for agricultural inputs being high The security council, with a creating the global Covax initia- everyone enjoys the same level STATE OF THE SEA: Seas will be moderate in Myanmar before the cultivation season, current efforts to mission of maintaining peace and tive which, under UN auspices, of protection. waters. Wave height will be about (4-7) feet off and along W prevent the sale of banned or counterfeit pesticides security around the world, has aims to provide at least two billion He has repeatedly called for Myanmar Coasts. and fertilizers in the country. no special health expertise, the doses by the end of the year, in- vaccines to be treated as a ‘global To make fruits and vegetables at market safer to consume, ambassador noted, adding, ‘the cluding at least 1.3 billion doses to public good,’ without specifying OUTLOOK FOR SUBSEQUENT TWO DAYS: Likelihood we must continue inspections and strengthen law enforcement security council can just have a 92 lower-income countries. exactly how that might happen. of isolated light rain or thundershowers in Upper Sagaing, and especially pay attention to prevent the flow of banned pes- contribution.’ ‘What we don’t want to see is Asked recently about the Taninthayi regions and Kachin State. ticides and fertilizers as well as counterfeit and poor quality He added that no resolution a kind of vaccine apartheid,’ with eventual UN role in establishing products through borders. on the matter is likely to come rich Northern countries receiving a sort of counterfeit-proof ‘vac- FORECAST FOR NAY PYI TAW AND NEIGHBOURING The banned agricultural pesticides and fertilizers linger this week. ample supplies and poorer South- cination certificate,’ UN spokes- AREA FOR 15 February, 2021: Generally fair weather. longer in vegetables and rice and seriously affect the health The security council’s only ern countries — as South Africa man Stephane Dujarric said that of consumers. direct involvement in the pan- recently warned — going without, ‘there needs to be international FORECAST FOR YANGON AND NEIGHBOURING AREA There is an increas- demic came in July 2020 when, said the ambassador speaking coordination and standardization FOR 15 February, 2021: Generally fair weather. ing demand for generally after long and difficult negotia- anonymously. of these things moving forward.’ healthier food. The author- tions to resolve sharp US-Chinese He said negotiations over a Also of concern, he added, ‘is FORECAST FOR MANDALAY AND NEIGHBOURING The Pesticide ities concerned should be tensions, it passed a resolution security council resolution were the criminal element of people AREA FOR 15 February, 2021: Partly cloudy. proactive in cracking down encouraging ceasefires in coun- likely to be ‘complicated,’ with falsifying vaccine certificates or, Local artists paint murals on a wall along a street amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Tangerang in Banten province, on sales and trading of tries in conflict in order to limit some countries uncomfortable even worse, giving people false Law does not Indonesia. PHOTO: AFP/FILE banned agricultural inputs the spread of COVID-19. at the ‘transparency’ involved in vaccines that are not actual vac- allow the import and related activities in all t the initiative of Britain, tween council members. peacekeeping troops in some 15 Britain recently shared with committing themselves to leave cines. and export of the regions. If no one is which boasts of having an How, for example, can vac- countries, along with other UN a few other countries a draft res- no country wanting for vaccine. ‘So, I think the more interna- taking the threat serious, A effective vaccination pro- cines be distributed fairly — with- employees deployed around the olution on vaccine management, Several countries, including tional cooperation we can get on chemicals, their the ban would end in vain. gram, the UN Security Council on out, as has been the case, going world, be declared essential work- diplomats said. China, Russia and some Gulf na- this, the better it is.’ Pesticide Registration Wednesday will debate the prob- first to the richest countries in the ers and receive vaccine priority ‘There is a draft resolution,’ tions, have already launched ‘vac- repackaging, or Board (PRB), constituted lem of global access to COVID-19 North while those in the South — including in countries yet to one said. ‘The negotiations have cine diplomacy’ initiatives, either SOURCE: AFP with 10 competent author- vaccines, raising issues likely to suffer? receive vaccine doses? just started. It will take some showcasing their own production sale, whether ities from the ministries underscore sharp differences be- Should blue-helmeted UN If so, who should provide the time.’ capacity or providing easier ac- of Agriculture, Health and retail or Sports, Forest, Trade, and wholesale, in the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, country without was formed in 1992, under EU Health Chief: COVID Here To Stay the law. It has been issu- he world should be pre- as effective against some variants all the answers, but it has added permission from ing licences to distributors pared for the coronavirus of COVID-19, especially the South important information that takes after scrutinizing the effi- T to continue to circulate African and Brazilian ones. us closer to understanding the the Registration ciency of chemical inputs long-term despite the roll-out of "The question is what it then origins of the virus. Board. to ensure that farmers get vaccines, the head of the Europe- means in terms of the changes "The mission achieved a bet- quality inputs, to conserve an Union’s (EU) European Cen- of the virus for the vaccine effec- ter understanding of the early the environment, and pre- tre for Disease Prevention and tiveness," Ammon said, citing the days of the pandemic, and identi- vent undue harm to hu- Control (ECDC) health agency, seasonal flu as an example where fied areas for further analysis and mans. Andrea Ammon, said on Friday. vaccines are adapted annually. research. And we will continue The sale of agricultural inputs, including pesticides and "We should be prepared that "It might turn out that (the working to get the information herbicides, has been allowed only through registered distrib- it will remain with us," the head of coronavirus) goes the same way, we need to answer the questions utors as they are crucial to farmers. the Stockholm-based health agen- or that at one point it remains that still need to be answered." The Pesticide Law does not allow the import and export cy said in an interview with AFP. stable and we can use one vaccine At a press conference in Wu- of chemicals, their repackaging, or sale, whether retail or "It seems more likely that it for a longer period," she said. han on Tuesday, Ben Embarek wholesale, in the country without permission from the Reg- would stay. It seems very well All Hypotheses Still Open On quashed the theory that a leak istration Board. adapted to humans," she said. COVID Origins from a virology lab in Wuhan could Spurious and illegal pesticides often contain chemicals "It wouldn't be the first virus The head of the World Health have caused the pandemic. which are either banned or restricted due to the risk they that is with us forever, so it's not Organization (WHO) said Friday "The laboratory incident hy- pose to human health and the environment. As the contents an unusual feature for a virus." that all hypotheses on the ori- Peter Ben Embarek (C) talks with Liang Wannian (L) and Marion Koopmans (R) after a press conference to wrap up pothesis is extremely unlikely," he of fake and illegal products are unknown, their use can pose While vaccines dramatically gins of the COVID-19 pandemic a visit by an international team of experts from the WHO in the city of Wuhan on 9 February, 2021. PHOTO: AFP said. It "is not in the hypotheses a high-risk to farmers, the environment, and crops. reduce the risk of contracting the remained on the table, following that we will suggest for future 09251022355, To save the farmlands and to protect people from the risks illness caused by COVID-19, sci- an investigation mission in China. laboratory. entific exercise in very difficult that all hypotheses remain open studies." Thin Thin May, Call 09974424848 posed by unregistered pesticides, punitive action must be entists have not yet established The WHO's mission to Wu- At a press conference in circumstances". and require further analysis and Tedros said he hoped a sum- taken against those who sell illegal pesticides and fertilizers. with certainty whether vaccines han, where the first cases were Geneva alongside mission head "Some questions have been studies. mary report from the mission with us/ By enforcing the ban on the toxic agricultural additives, the also reduce transmission of the identified, failed to identify the Peter Ben Embarek, WHO di- raised as to whether some hy- "Some of that work may lie would be published next week, authorities are obliged to act in the best interest of the public. virus. source of the virus but poured rector-general Tedros Adhanom potheses have been discarded. outside the remit and scope of with the full final report to follow A d v e r t i s e Hot Line : Only then, will the people enjoy healthier life. There is also particular con- cold water on the theory that it Ghebreyesus said the team had Having spoken with some mem- this mission. We have always said in the coming weeks. cern that the vaccines may not be leaked from the city's virology conducted a "very important sci- bers of the team, I wish to confirm that this mission would not find SOURCE: AFP 09974424848 15 FEBRUARY 2021 10 GLOBAL NEWS THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Trump acquitted by US Senate Kosovo election pits

DONALD TRUMP survived a new generation against second impeachment trial Sat- urday when the US Senate acquitted him on the charge of in- an old guard citement of insurrection, ending KOSOVARS went to the polls elites of squandering Kosovo’s Democratic efforts to hold the Sunday in an early election that first years of independence former president accountable could see a new generation of with graft and mismanagement. over the deadly US Capitol riot. politicians take the lead after For most of the past dec- The five day trial, in which tapping into widespread frus- ade, Kosovo has been run by Democratic impeachment tration and fatigue with the the former rebel commanders managers argued that Trump political establishment. who led the 1990s rebellion betrayed his oath of office by The general election of ethnic Albanian guerillas urging his supporters to storm comes after a year in which against Serb forces. Congress in a bid to block certifi- the coronavirus pandemic has But their camp is now cation of the November election, deepened social and economic missing its top leaders after a concluded with an insufficient US Senate voted on Saturday and acquitted former President Donald crises in the former Serbian court in The Hague detained 57-43 majority of senators voting Trump, concluding his second impeachment trial which is the shortest province, which declared inde- ex-president Hashim Thaci to convict. one in the US history. PHOTO: AFP pendence 13 years ago. and others in November on It was the most bipartisan Already one of Europe’s charges of war crimes dating impeachment trial vote ever, Democrats argued that jurisdiction to try a former pres- poorest economies, Kosovo back to the conflict. Analysts with seven Republicans break- Trump’s behaviour was an ident. Most Republican senators is now struggling through a say this has helped open a path ing ranks to join all 50 Democrats “open and shut” example of an agreed. pandemic-triggered downturn, for Vetevendosje, whose calls in seeking conviction — a dark impeachable offense, saying Trump, who has been se- with vaccination yet to start for for change may even win over and permanent stain on a former that as president he repeated cluded in his Florida club since the population of 1.8 million. some who do not align with president who may yet seek to the falsehood that the election leaving office on January 20, is- Vetevendosje (Self-deter- the movement’s radical past, run for office again. was stolen, then whipped up sup- sued a statement in which he mination) -- an anti-establish- including sometimes violent But two-thirds of the cham- porters to attack Congress and expressed thanks for the verdict, ment protest movement turned protests, anti-West rhetoric ber, or 67 senators, is necessary stop the certification of the vote. and called the proceedings “yet political party -- looks set to and incidents in which MPs to convict, and the Senate ulti- “He summoned his support- another phase of the greatest benefit from a growing hunger unleashed tear gas in parlia- mately was not willing to punish ers to Washington, on the Ellipse, witch hunt in the history of our for change. ment. the former president. whipped them into a frenzy, and country.” Polls place it in a comfort- “For many, Vetevendosje In Trump’s historic second directed them at the Capitol,” The 74-year old Republican able first place, though po- is being seen as the last resort impeachment trial, the senators Senate Majority Leader Chuck also hinted at a possible political tentially short of an absolute which will either make or break for the first time ever were not Schumer said after the vote. future, and at “continuing our majority. the country,” Donika Emini, only jurors, but witnesses to the The defense team swatted incredible journey together to The party has been cam- executive director of CiviKos assault at the heart of the charge such evidence away, insisting achieve American greatness for paigning on an anti-corruption Platform, a umbrella group for against Trump. the Senate had no constitutional all of our people.” —AFP platform, accusing traditional NGOs, told AFP. —AFP Aegean Sea a lawless space for Taliban warn NATO against migrants as abuses soar: NGO

THERE was an ‘unprecedent- The report was compiled continuation of war ed escalation’ of human rights in part by reconstructing push- THE Taliban on Saturday the Washington-backed al- violence rages. ‘Our message violations against migrants backs from the testimonies of warned NATO against seek- lies are to meet next week to the upcoming NATO minis- in the Aegean Sea last year, a witnesses who were themselves ing a ‘continuation of war’, as to discuss whether NATO’s terial meeting is that the con- campaign group said Friday, returned. the alliance weighs a planned 10,000-strong mission — most- tinuation of occupation and accusing Greece and the EU’s Frontex is taking on a great- withdrawal from Afghanistan. ly carrying out support roles war is neither in your interest border patrol agency Frontex of er frontline role in patrolling the Defence ministers from — should stay or go, as Taliban nor in the interest of your and being behind a soaring number EU’s borders despite being un- our people,’ the Taliban said in of illegal returns to Turkey. der investigation by OLAF, the a statement. Berlin-based Mare Liberum EU’s independent corruption ‘Anyone seeking extension said it had documented 321 inci- watchdog, over allegations of of wars and occupation will be dents from March to December illegal pushbacks of migrants held liable for it just like the 2020 in which over 9,000 people arriving in Greek waters from previous two decades.’ ‘were violently pushed back to Turkey. ‘These pushbacks are Former US president Turkey and thus deprived of not isolated or extreme instanc- Donald Trump struck a deal their right to asylum’. es of European deterrence, but with the Taliban last year un- ‘Illegal pushbacks at Eu- rather the current and everyday der which the United States rope’s external borders are not ‘modus operandi’ at the EU’s agreed foreign troops would an unfamiliar phenomenon, but external border,’ said Mare leave Afghanistan by May 2021 they have reached an entirely Liberum’s Paul Hanewinkel, in return for conditions includ- new dimension,’ the rights group one of the authors of the report. ing cutting ties with al-Qaeda said in a new report, describing Mare Liberum called for ‘in- and opening peace talks with the Aegean as a ‘lawless space’ dependent control instances, the the Kabul government. for migrants. The report said clarification of all previous cases Joe Biden’s administration that ‘besides the Greek Coast and the abolition of Frontex’. has said it would review the Guard as the main actor, the Since its election in 2019, deal, with the Pentagon ac- European border agency Fron- Greece’s conservative govern- cusing the Afghan insurgent tex and ships under NATO ment has strongly prioritized The Taliban on Saturday warned NATO against seeking a ‘continuation group of not meeting their command are also involved in ‘security’ at its borders, adopting of war’, as the alliance weighs a planned withdrawal from commitment to reduce vio- these systematic and illegal ex- a strict migration policy. —AFP Afghanistan. PHOTO: AFP lence. —AFP pulsions’. 15 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR SOCIETY 11 Germany partially closes borders despite EU criticism

GERMANY partially closed its that first emerged in Britain and borders with the Czech Republic South Africa, and have created and Austria’s Tyrol on Sunday new virus hotspots along the over a troubling surge in coro- Czech border and in Austria’s navirus mutations, drawing a Tyrol region. swift rebuke from the European ‘Enough’ Union. The European Commission, A thousand police officers eager to avoid a return to go-it- have been mobilized to ensure alone pandemic responses, has strict border checks, which recall condemned Germany’s newest the much-criticized early days of restrictions and urged it to facil- the pandemic when EU coun- itate cross-border movement for tries hastily closed their frontiers commuters. to each other. “The fear of the coronavirus At the Kiefersfelden cross- mutations is understandable,” ing in southern Bavaria, officers EU Health Commissioner Stella in yellow high-visibility vests and Kyriakides told Germany’s Augs- wearing balaclavas to stave off burger Allgemeine newspaper the chill in -15 degrees Celsius on Sunday. (5 degrees Fahrenheit), metic- “But the truth is that the vi- ulously stopped each vehicle rus cannot be stopped by closed coming from Austria. A thousand German police officers have been mobilized to ensure strict border checks, which recall the much- borders,” she said, adding that Under the new rules, in criticized early days of the pandemic when EU countries hastily closed their frontiers to each other. PHOTO: vaccines and following hygiene place until February 17, only AFP/FILE precautions were “the only Germans or non-German resi- lowed for essential workers German rail company were on Sunday checking pas- things that work”. dents are allowed to enter, and in sectors such as health and Deutsche Bahn has suspended sengers arriving from Vienna “I think it’s wrong to return they must provide a recent neg- transport, as well as for urgent services to and from the affected and Prague. The restrictions are to a Europe with closed borders ative coronavirus test. humanitarian reasons, the inte- areas. At Frankfurt airport, the aimed at slowing the spread of like we had in March 2020,” she Some exceptions are al- rior ministry has said. country’s largest, federal police new, more contagious variants added. —AFP First bodies recovered from Indian Fire ‘catastrophe’ destroys 100 fuel tankers on Afghanistan-Iran border flood disaster tunnel AT least 100 oil and gas tankers goods that were being import- have been destroyed by fire in ed and exported across the RESCUERS on Sunday pulled a “catastrophe” at Afghani- border, Younus Qazi Zada, the the first bodies from a blocked stan’s biggest trade crossing head of the Herat Chamber of tunnel at a power complex in with Iran, causing millions of Commerce said. a northern Indian valley dev- dollars of losses, officials said “The catastrophe was astated by a flash flood a week Sunday. much bigger than imagined,” ago, where 161 people remain The huge blaze, which he said, adding: “Unfortu- missing. broke out Saturday afternoon nately, irresponsible people Scores were killed in Uttara- at Islam Qala port 120 kilo- have looted a large number khand state when the deluge -- metres (75 miles) from the of goods.” thought to have been triggered western city of Herat, has been Qazi Zada said initial es- by a chunk of glacier sliding contained and an investigation timates were of “millions of down a mountainside or a glacial launched into its cause. dollars of losses”. lake breaching its banks -- swept “We were told that 100 Farhad added that inves- down the Rishiganga valley in or 200 tankers have been de- tigators needed more time to minutes, destroying roads, bridg- Forty three bodies have now been recovered after a flash flood stroyed, but this number could examine the extent of damage. es and buildings. Amid warnings devasted an Indian valley a week ago, but over a hundred remain be higher,” Jailani Farhad, Videos posted on social missing. PHOTO: AFP that river levels could rise again, spokesman for the governor media on Saturday night the corpses of three victims were that those inside might still be One of those identified was of Herat province, said after showed the towering fire and retrieved from the tunnel, where alive in air pockets. Two more that of Alam Singh, a father of visiting the scene. huge clouds of thick black at least 30 people are thought bodies were found in a devas- two. His family received a call During the blaze looters smoke billowing into the sky. to have been trapped by mud tated village nearby, police said, from rescue officials early Sun- descended on the site, stealing —AFP and rocks. bringing the total recovered over day telling them that his body Initially there were hopes the past week to 43. had finally been found. —AFP

Snow joke: Scotland’s named gritter trucks warm hearts

TEMPERATURES fell to a record minus 23 its “Trunk Road Gritter Tracker” website, which degrees Celsius (minus 9.4 Fahrenheit) in the allows users to follow their progress. Scottish Highlands this week, as Britain shivered On Friday, “Gritney Spears” and “Spready in the snow and ice of a harsh Arctic cold snap. Mercury” were making their way down the road But one thing distracting people from the towards the English border. “Sir Andy Flurry” big freeze -- and the coronavirus lockdown -- was plying a route from the city of Perth to has been Scotland’s 230-strong army of gritter Dunblane -- home of the British tennis star lorries and snowploughs battling to keep main surnamed Murray -- while over the hills and far roads clear. away, “Sled Zeppelin” was making the roads safe The huge blaze at Islam Qala port has largely been extinguished and Traffic Scotland has seen a surge in clicks to around Loch Lomond. —AFP an investigation launched into its cause. PHOTO: AFP 15 FEBRUARY 2021 12 BIZ THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Algeria’s once ambitious auto US high court justice allows extradition to Japan industry hits a wall of Ghosn allies that it is “preparing the revival of this industry on solid foun- REJECTING AN emergency in the daring escape by onetime dations, which break with the appeal, US Supreme Court jus- automobile titan Ghosn, who practices of the past”. tice Stephen Breyer has cleared holds Brazilian, French and Algeria’s auto industry the way for the extradition to Ja- Lebanese citizenship. was born in 2012 when French pan of two Americans accused Breyer’s decision effective- maker Renault partnered with of helping former Renault-Nis- ly reaffirmed a ruling Thursday the government in Algiers to san boss Carlos Ghosn flee the by a three-judge panel of the build the first plant two years Asian nation. First US Circuit Court of Ap- later near Oran, the country’s Breyer’s order, which fol- peals in Boston. second biggest city. lowed similar rulings by low- A US federal judge in late er courts, was issued without January had given the original Other companies followed comment. The appeal went to go-ahead to extradite the father suit. Breyer as the justice oversee- and son to Japan. South Korea’s Hyundai ing the northeast region where The courts have uniformly An employee of French carmaker Renault group takes a picture of a car opened its assembly plant in the Americans, Michael Taylor rejected the contention by the on an assembly line during the inauguration of a new production plant, 2016 in Tiaret, and Germany’s and son Peter Taylor, live. Taylors’ lawyers that the two in Oued Tlelat, Oran, southern Algeria, Nov. 10, 2014. PHOTO: AFP Volkswagen started operations The Taylors were arrested men would face torture-like the next year in Relizane. in May 2020 after Japan issued conditions in Japanese prison SHUTTERED assembly its ousted president Abdelaziz The sector became a pri- a warrant accusing them of sufficient to merit breaching plants, jailed bosses, laid-off Bouteflika end up behind bars. ority as the North African helping Ghosn flee Tokyo for the extradition treaty between workers. Algeria’s once ambi- Algeria’s dream of cre- country sought to reduce im- Lebanon on December 29, 2019 Tokyo and Washington. tious plans to create a flagship ating thousands of jobs has ports, compete in the sector -- reportedly secreted in a large Federal Judge Indira Tal- auto industry have turned into collapsed and the country is with regional rival Morocco, box in a private jet -- as he faced wani pointed out, moreover, a fiasco. in dire need of new vehicles. and diversify its economy in financial charges in Japan. that their alleged actions would The country’s recent years The government is putting the face of falling oil revenues, Japan has also named a be considered a crime in the of political turmoil have also on a brave face. which had been the source of Lebanese national, George-An- United States, as well as in Ja- seen its foreign joint venture Industry Minister Fer- over 90 per cent of its export toine Zayek, as an accomplice pan. —AFP factories close and cronies of hat-Ait Ali pledged last month earnings. —AFP NEWS IN Fight against smugglers rages BRIEF Beijing Hyundai to recall 425,201 vehicles on EU border with Belarus BEIJING Hyundai Motor Co. will recall 425,201 vehicles from the Chinese market, according to China’s top quality watchdog. The recall, set to begin on March 16, will involve Tucson models manufactured between May 12, 2015 and Dec. 14, 2018, according to a statement by the State Administration for Market Regulation. A short circuit could occur in the faulty hydraulic electronic control unit of the vehicles in question, which may lead to fires under extreme circumstances, the statement added. The company will replace the fuses of the affected vehicles and upgrade related software. — Xinhua

S&P lowers ratings for US oil giants S&P lowered the credit rating for US oil giants ExxonMobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips on Friday, citing higher risk to the industry due to oil price volatility and climate mitigation policies. The ratings agency cut the debt grade for the companies Smugglers are getting increasingly inventive in their efforts to get the contraband into the EU. PHOTO: AFP by one notch to ‘AA-’ for ExxonMobil and Chevron, and to ‘A-’ for ConocoPhillips, following a sector-wide review last month ON the EU’s frozen frontier with last year in this border sector officers and veterinary officials that showed a somewhat worse risk profile the whole industry. Belarus, Latvian border guards alone, which is double the amount to double its inspection capacity. In similar reports on Friday, S&P said that the downgrades are fighting a growing flow of for 2019,” Taivo Hanzens, deputy State involvement? were warranted despite ‘significantly’ better market for energy contraband cigarettes reported- head of customs at Paternieki, Despite the close screen- producers in 2021 ‘and beyond’ compared with 2020. ly benefitting organized crime told AFP at the crossing. ing and inspections, cigarettes S&P said that climate change posed a risk for the indus- and a close ally of authoritarian “And the contraband is still are priced so low in Belarus and try because of the possible loss of market share to renewable Belarusian President Alexander on the rise,” he added. taxed so high in the European energy. Lukashenko. Hanzens said that border Union that contraband remains ‘In our opinion, stricter regulations, substitution and sec- More than 200 trucks a day guards often find cigarettes lucrative, even with millions of ular shifts in industry supply/demand fundamentals will con- cross into European Union mem- hidden among bricks and roof them being confiscated every tribute to a more difficult operating environment for fossil fuel ber Latvia at the Paternieki bor- tiles, or foodstuffs like pasta, as month. producers and will likely augment the risk of stranded assets der point, some of them stuffed he showed off piles of seized cig- EU border guards seized a and significant asset write-downs,’ S&P said in its report on with smuggled cigarettes hidden arettes. total of 370 million illegal ciga- Chevron. among other cargo. To deal with the problem, the rettes in 2020, according to the The S&P analysis suggests the upside for oil giants once “We confiscated 21 million checkpoint is expanding and hir- European anti-fraud agency the world recovers from COVID-19 may not be as high as from illegal cigarettes from Belarus ing more border guards, Customs OLAF. —AFP some past recoveries. —AFP 15 FEBRUARY 2021 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR ECON/AD 13

NEWS City of London pays early price of hard Brexit IN BRIEF

EUROPE’S financial cap- Global gold-backed ETF holdings up ital is feeling the cold of in January: WGC Brexit but UK officials insist the City of London NET inflows to global gold-backed exchange-traded is suffering a temporary funds (ETFs) amounted to 13.8 tonnes in January, data blip and is well-positioned from the World Gold Council (WGC) showed. to profit from new trading The figure brought total global holdings of gold horizons. ETFs to 3,765 tonnes (equivalent to around 226 billion For the first time last U.S. dollars) by the end of last month, according to the month, as Britain’s with- WGC. drawal from the EU took Holdings of gold ETFs listed in Europe saw an full effect, London’s finan- increase of 17.5 tonnes in January, while those listed in cial district lost its Euro- North America decreased by 6.3 tonnes. —AFP pean share trading crown to Amsterdam. Researchers at IHS Renewable energy to become Markit attributed the de- For the first time last month, London’s financial district lost its share trading crown to important heating source in rural cline to a “relatively hard Amsterdam. PHOTO: AFP/FILE China Brexit”, and the UK government’s failure so far of London Corporation, Brexit than was expected, to the Financial Times, an CHINA will promote the use of renewable energy as to persuade Brussels to played down the develop- and we remain very confi- average of 9.2 billion euros one of the important sources of heating in the country’s grant full trading rights to ment. dent about the fundamen- ($11.2 billion/£8.1 billion) of rural areas during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021- City-based firms under a “We’ve always known tal strengths of the City for shares were traded each 2025), the National Energy Administration (NEA) said. regime known as “equiv- that some EU-facing busi- the future,” McGuinness day on Euronext Amster- The administration has issued a circular to im- alence”. London’s daily ness would have to leave said. London “continues dam together with two oth- prove energy structure and utilize renewable energy trading volumes in other the City of London follow- to go from strength to er Dutch share markets. for heating, calling on all localities to take measures in areas such as derivatives ing Brexit, whatever the strength” in emerging That was more than accordance with local conditions. and foreign exchange still shape of the deal,” she told financial technology (fin- four times their Decem- To that end, local governments should set specific vastly outweigh its Eu- AFP. tech) and tech investment, ber figure, and overtook targets based on local conditions and energy demand, ropean neighbours, and “However, significant- as well as green finance, London’s daily average of while supporting the building of a heating system com- Catherine McGuinness, ly fewer jobs have shifted she added. 8.6 billion euros, the news- bining renewable energy with other heating methods, policy chair at the City from the City because of In January, according paper said.—AFP the NEA said. — Xinhua

Even with Biden stimulus, US minority entrepreneurs fear for survival FOR the past 11 months, Reign Free has done rates of death, unemployment and business failure, everything she can think of to keep her catering and less success obtaining federal government company open after the pandemic hit -- a fight assistance intended to provide relief. shared by many Black-owned businesses across President Joe Biden has argued his proposed the United States. $1.9 trillion spending package will both pay for an As her business dried up, Free has taken out aggressive vaccine campaign to end the virus that loans from the US government and other lend- has strangled business, while also addressing the ers and searched for new opportunities, but she longstanding racial inequities that have worsened wonders how much longer Red Door Catering in during the pandemic. Oakland, California can survive the slump. “It is a great effort,” Cathy Adams, president “We’re getting crumbs and it’s not enough. and CEO of the Oakland African American Cham- We’re still having hope, and still trying to stay afloat, ber of Commerce, said of Biden’s plan. but really we’re getting deeper and deeper into the The chamber’s members have managed to Reign Free, founder and CEO of The Red Door Group catering company, hole,” she told AFP. avoid closure, but only with considerable struggle, photographed at her office in Oakland, California on February 12, Racial minorities have borne the brunt of the and Adams fears for their future. “This right here 2021. PHOTO: AFP Covid-19 pandemic in the United States, with higher has hit us so hard,” she said. —AFP

Germany’s ‘mini-jobbers’ hit hard by pandemic fallout CLAIMS DAY NOTICE SINCE losing her job as months of coronavirus M.V VAST OCEAN 1 a school bus driver in No- restrictions, these work- Consignees of cargo carried on M.V VAST OCEAN vember, German mum-of- ers have been declared 1 VOY. NO. (2101) are hereby notified that the vessel will two Viola Auer has had to the “biggest losers of the be arriving on 15-2-2021 and cargo will be discharged into rely on the generosity of crisis” by the German In- the premises of MITT where it will lie at the consignee’s neighbours and a small stitute for Economic Re- risk and expenses and subject to the byelaws and conditions of the Port of Yangon. disability allowance to search. When she lost her Damaged cargo will be surveyed daily from 8 am get by during the pan- job, Auer received no sev- to 11:20 am and 12 noon to 4 pm to Claim’s Day now demic.“Who cares about erance pay. “I’m keeping declared as the third day after final discharge of cargo us, Germany’s working my head high and trying from the Vessel. No claims against this vessel will be admitted after poor?” she asked. Auer, Many workers in Germany’s service sector like waiters and to keep going,” she said. the Claims Day. 47, is one of many Ger- supermarket cashiers are so-called ‘mini-jobbers’ . PHOTO: Auer is now applying Phone No: 2301928 AFP/FILE mans in so-called mi- for welfare benefits and Shipping Agency Department ni-jobs -- part-time, eas- euros ($545) a month. not covered by Germany’s looking for another part- Myanma Port Authority ily terminated contracts Though flexible and tax- vaunted furlough scheme. time job in her home town Agent For: that allow workers to free, these jobs are also As Europe’s top econo- of Singen, southwestern M/S ELDER TRIUMPHANT SHIPPING LINE PTE LTD earn a maximum of 450 extremely precarious and my feels the strain from Germany. —AFP 15 FEBRUARY 2021 15 FEBRUARY 2021 14 TOURISM THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR TOURISM 15

Yay Pyan Gyi waterfall located near Dutthawady River Bridge has become famous recently. Yay Pyan Gyi waterfall in By Thiha Lu Lin Nawnghkio (Thina, the Traveller) Translated by Ei Phyu Phyu Aung HE popular Yay Pyan Gyi wa- is a security checkpoint before the not that clear. It takes about 40 minutes terfall, located in Nawnghkio bridge, and there was a small parking to walk, but there is not much boredom T Township, is a uniquely beau- lot behind the bridge, but we parked along the way as the beauty of river tiful waterfall that flows directly into in the restaurants before reaching the flow, mountains and forests will make PHOTOS: THIHA LU LIN, Duttawady River. The famous waterfalls more convenient security camp. From you amaze and attract you to take pho- KAUNGTHET LIN among the waterfall lovers and tourists there, we need to cross the river bridge tos along the way. are mostly in Nawnghkio Township, and walk down to the lower left of the When I see the Yay Pyan Gyi water- northern Shan State. bridge. It is known that you can go by fall, I think it has only few amounts of After crossing the river Duttawady boat, but you need to book a boat in water and is not pretty enough. But, I river bridge and walking down towards advance. The boat fare is 35,000 kyats. found its height and picturesque scene Hsi-paw along the river, you can see the The problem is that it would be chal- after a few minutes. If you are good Yay Pyan Gyi waterfall with its sur- lenging to order a boat since there is no at swimming, you can go to another rounding area that is great to relax and telephone line. side of the waterfall and feel the falling unwind. water. Some like this side as they can Usually waterfall flows into one Forest road to the Yay Pyan Gyi see the full scene of the waterfall. The end of a river. Still, it is rare for a water- waterfall people can play in the shallow waters. fall to fall straight into a river like this Although it is not very tiring to But, you all need to be cautious. Due to one. For locals and tourists, enjoying walk through a forest, it needs to be the cold weather, the water is cold, and the spectacular waterfall and relaxing careful. You will step on huge stones so you might be confused to play water in the Duttawady river will give a taste and sand on the seashore, giving you in noon. It’s kind of fun for you to come of life. the feeling of being on the beach. back after taking a photo there and just Although it is walking along the river, playing water. How to get to the waterfall? sometimes, you have to go close to the It will be easier in your return. It From Nawnghkio, we need to cross river and sometimes go into the forest. can save about 10 minutes. the dangerous 14-turn road to reach As there were not yet many people Duttawady bridge (Nawnghkio). There visiting the waterfall, the way to it was Waste 15 FEBRUARY 2021 15 FEBRUARY 2021 14 TOURISM THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR TOURISM 15

We have to step on the large stones. Dutthawady River Bridge

As soon as I see the Yay Pyan Gyi waterfall, I thought it has Memorable for 2021 with beautiful Nawnghkio Dutthawady River Bridge. only few amount of water and is not pretty enough.

Some think the place will be full of the waste after the Bloggers posted their trip reviews. But, there is nothing to be covered up on social media. The people want to Like and Share, and so they will post about it. The waste has been existing there before the exploration of real bloggers or not. We don’t have proper knowledge regarding littering. We easily throw the trash wherever we go. So, the places are full of waste. But, it is a shameful man- ner. I want to urge people to keep their litter with them. The plastic bags we left stuck in the trees along the river. I was not feeling tried too much during my trip to Yay Pyan Tuang waterfall. You can quickly get to the waterfall without any rough routes like other waterfalls. So, I want to urge my readers to pay a visit to Yay Pyan Gyi waterfall whenever you reach Nawnghkio.

- If you are good at swimming, you can go to other side of waterfall and feel the falling water. Some like this side as they can see the full scene of waterfall. 15 FEBRUARY 2021 16 SPORT THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Patrick signs one-year contract with Alisson at fault again Yangon United as Leicester earn

of the top scorer list along with 14 goals in Myanmar National comeback win over League 2020. “I’m so sad because two Liverpool teams withdrew from the com- petition last year when I was in LEICESTER, England —An error by Liverpool goalkeeper Sagaing United. If they counted Alisson Becker helped Leicester come from behind to earn these match goals, I would have a 3-1 win on Saturday (Feb 13), with the champions losing earned 16 goals including two three successive Premier League games for the first time goals against Zwekabin United since November 2014, when they were managed by Brendan and one goal against Chinland. Rodgers. And it will be 43 goals in total Liverpool were again forced into a defensive reshuffle due that I earned in Myanmar Na- to Fabinho’s injury, with January loan signing Ozan Kabak tional League. Anyway I hope handed his debut. The 20-year-old’s slip let Jamie Vardy in in to be on the list of top scorers the first half, only for the Leicester striker to hit the crossbar. again with my new team and I be- It was Trent Alexander-Arnold’s turn to hit the woodwork lieve I will have a chance to score from a free-kick just after the interval before Mohamed Salah more goals with an assist of my finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute after being set Patrick Gilles Ella Edubat (right) holds the insignia of Yangon United on his arrival at the team. PHOTO:YUFC teammates to win the trophies”, up by a superb Roberto Firmino backwards flick. Patrick said. Patrick revealed his After VAR had overturned a penalty awarded to Leicester, YANGON UNITED stated that player joined MNL in 2018 with good feeling to join Yangon Unit- James Maddison equalised from a free-kick, before Alisson, Patrick Gilles Ella Edubat from Ayeyawady United and scored ed that, “I feel happy to play for who made two glaring errors in Liverpool’s loss to Manches- Sagaing United has signed a-year 16 goals there. Patrick played for this prestigious club and I will try ter City last weekend, cost his side again. contract till the end of 2021 My- Sagaing United in the 2020 season with my teammates to win. Give The Brazilian came flying out of his goal to meet a long anmar National League season. generating a superb performance all my best to the fans to win more ball over the top but collided with Kabak and allowed Vardy The 23-year-old Cameroonian to put his name in the second trophies. —GNLM in to score in the 81st minute.—AFP

Thiem shocked as Osaka, Williams survive at Australian Open

MELBOURNE—US Open cham- year’s runner-up, sets up a quar- test against Aryna Sabalenka pion Dominic Thiem became the ter-final with surprise package to maintain her bid for a re- first major men’s casualty of the Aslan Karatsev, who is into the cord-equalling 24th Grand Slam Australian Open on Sunday, as last eight on his Grand Slam de- title.Karatsev beat Canada’s Felix Naomi Osaka and Serena Wil- but. “Whether it’s a fairytale or Auger-Aliassime, and Taiwan’s liams survived scares to reach not, it’s a match and you’ve got Hsieh Su-wei, 35, reached the last the quarter-finals. to be ready,” Bulgaria’s Dimitrov eight for the first time after 16 A fatigued-looking Thiem, said of the unheralded Russian. years of trying. coming off a five-set win over Aus- “I’ve seen a little bit of his Later, all eyes will be on tralia’s Nick Kyrgios, slumped in matches, clearly he’s a dangerous whether eight-time winner No- straight sets to Bulgaria’s Grigor player.” vak Djokovic can recover from a An error by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker helped Leicester Dimitrov who took it 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 Earlier, Japan’s Osaka edged serious abdominal injury in time come from behind to earn a 3-1 win on Saturday (Feb 13), with the in just over two hours. a thriller with fellow major-win- for his night match with Milos champions losing three successive Premier League games for the first Dimitrov’s victory against ner Garbine Muguruza and Wil- Raonic, last up on Rod Laver time since November 2014, when they were managed by Brendan Thiem, the third seed and last liams came through a physical Arena.—AFP Rodgers. PHOTO:AFP Diaz’s 12-round southpaw showdown with Rakhimov ends in a draw

LOS ANGELES —Former champion Joseph Diaz fought to a majority draw with Shavkatdzhov Rakhimov in an IBF junior lightweight fight Saturday in the California desert. American Diaz was stripped of his title Friday because he weighed more than three pounds over the 130-pound limit at the weigh-in, leaving Rakhimov with the only chance to claim the title which now sits vacant. The two southpaws put on an entertaining slugfest with Diaz giving up some rounds in the middle before turning it on in the final round to salvage some pride. One judge scored it 115-113 for Diaz while the other two had it 114-114 in the 12-round showdown inside the quarantine bubble at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio. “It wasn’t my best performance,” said Diaz. “I didn’t make weight and vacated my title. It was a mistake on my behalf.” —AFP Joseph Diaz and Shavkatdzhov Rakhimov. PHOTO: AFP