Since the politics in Myanmar have been scattered in battlefield, natural disasters also hit the country.

 

Fortune did not favor the Kachin State amid intensified clashes. In the village near west of Hpakant, a landslide occurred at the dump of jade mine on Sunday resulting in 33 deaths.

 

Landslides occur frequently in Hpakant which is the world's largest jade mine. This is mainly due to the climate and the illegal dumping of grime. In the incident on Sunday, the pile of dirt and loose soil toppled in the bog burying many people in the mine. Eight miners were also injured and are being treated in Hpakant hospital.

 

 

Maravijaya Pagoda charges admission fees

 

The action taken by junta relating to imposing admission fee at Maravijaya Pagoda are being criticized by people.

 

Starting from 20 August, Myanmar citizens and foreigners need to pay 1000 MMKs and 10 US dollars respectively. Addition charges are   paid for pre-wedding photo shoots and car parking for 50,000MMKs and 20,000MMKs respectively.

 

The Buddhist statue built by Min Aung Hlaing is the first pagoda in Myanmar that is charging admission fee. Pagodas built by former leaders, such as Prime minister U Nu, military dictator U Nay Win and former chief-in-commander Than Swe, do not collect the entrance fees.

 

 

Myanmar will not assume 2026 ASEAN chairmanship

 

On Wednesday, the Thailand-based PBS and Nikkei Asia media quoted unknown diplomatic sources saying that Myanmar will not take the rotation of 2026 ASEAN chairmanship due to the current political turmoil in Myanmar.

 

Myanmar might assume the chairmanship in the next round of rotation of the 10-country grouping.

 

Among the 10 ASEAN member states, each is assigned to assume the chairmanship based on the initial letters of member states.

 

For example, Laos was the chairman in 2024, followed by Malaysia in 2025.  Myanmar was due to assume the chairmanship in 2026.

 

But Myanmar will skip her turn and assume the leadership in 2027,  highlighting the unstable situation in the country, Myanmar, according to PBS.

 

The military spokesperson General Zaw Min Htun said there is no decision in the matter yet.

 

Myanmar became a member of ASEAN in 1997. It gave up the chairmanship position once in 2006 because of the pressure from western countries.

 

Bangladesh bank closes accounts of two sanctioned Myanmar banks

 

Sonali, the biggest bank in Bangladesh, closed accounts of two Myanmar banks that have been sanctioned by the US government, local Bangladesh media reported.

 

After  the Bangladesh government was pressured by US embassy in Bangladesh, bank accounts  from Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB) and Myanmar Investment and Commercial Bank (MICB) with an aggregate deposits amounting to USD more than one million have been freed.

 

Sonali and the two Myanmar banks are used in Bangladesh-Myanmar trade. They closed the transactions after the United Overseas Bank(UOB) in Singapore announced its suspension of its transactions with Myanmar banks. This highlights the economic recession in Myanmar under military regime, analysts said.

 

 

Two political prisoners killed in mine explosion

 

Four people, including two political prisoners, were killed when the truck they were riding struck a landmine, according to the local media.

 

The truck was carrying around 100 political prisoners from Monywa prison when it hit the landmine, casing it to explode.

 

Aside from the two political prisoners, the truck driver as well as a medical doctor were also killed in the incident.

 

The deceased doctor was identified as Dr. Zaw Htoi Aung who was detained after providing medical aid to the displaced people in Sagaing.

 

Fighting rages in Myawaddy’s Lat Kat Taung hill

 

Junta forces have intensified assault in a bid to retake its former the Lat Kat Taung hill, which was seized by the people’s defence forces a few months ago.

 

The Lat Kat Taung Hill is located strategically along the Thai- Myawaddy border, which is the site of the biggest border trading in Myanmar. The resistance group Cobra Force alleged 15 junta troopers,  including Lieutenant commander, were killed in the ongoing clashes. Two Cobra Force members were also killed in the fighting.

 

Burma Associated Press