A US travel ban on Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing over his role in orchestrating a bloody crackdown against Rohingya Muslims harms the dignity of the military, a spokesman said Wednesday, adding critics failed to properly understand the crisis.The sanctions against the army chief and three other top military brass was the strongest censure from a western power since the army launched its offensive against the Rohingya in August 2017 following attacks on police posts.Secretary of State Mik

At least 10 people have died and thousands of shanty homes have been destroyed by monsoon rains in overcrowded Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh's southeast, officials said Sunday.Bangladesh's meteorological department said the Cox's Bazar district – home to nearly one million Rohingya Muslims who have fled a military crackdown in Myanmar – has seen at least 58.5 centimetres (nearly two feet) of rain since 2 July. An International Organisation for Migration (IOM) sp

More than 60 people were found stranded near a boat in Myanmar's Rakhine state, an official said Monday, as a trafficking route for persecuted Rohingya Muslims appears open for business despite a crackdown.Each year thousands of Rohingya and stateless Bangladeshis try to reach Malaysia or Indonesia by sea.But boatloads commonly wash up on the shores of Myanmar or Thailand, especially in the treacherous conditions brought by the monsoon season.63 "Muslims" were found early Sunda

Eased visa requirements for citizens from six countries are the latest in a string of visa relaxation policies that Myanmar has rolled out in a bid to boost tourism amidst fall-out from the ongoing Rohingya crisis.Visitors from Australia, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and Switzerland can now apply for visas on arrival in Myanmar, where they will have to pay a US$50 visa fee at the country’s three international airports during a one-year trial period which will start on 1 October as stated by

On 21 June, the government of Myanmar ordered mobile phone operators in the country to shut down all Internet data across at least eight townships in Rakhine and one in neighbouring Chin state.

During the recently concluded 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Malaysian leaders made some strong comments on the Rohingya crisis. Last Saturday with his Southeast Asian counterparts, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah called for the “perpetrators of the Rohingya issue to be brought to justice.” This was revealed by his ministry on Twitter.Not long after, it was also reported that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had also asked for International monitoring bodies to

Following the conclusion of the 34th ASEAN Summit last weekend in Bangkok, Thailand, it came as no surprise that the bloc was heavily criticised for suggesting Rohingya refugees will repatriate back to Myanmar within two years. More than 740,000 Rohingya have fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh since a 2017 army crackdown on the stateless minority.

The United States (US)-China trade war and the stalled negotiations for trade pacts and maritime guidelines were among the main issues at last week’s 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, highlighting the region’s concerns over growing geopolitical and trade tensions.Global trade is facing uncertainties after the US and China embarked on a see-saw of tariffs last year, with Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte calling for the two economic superpowers to “resolve their differences before the situation s

Malaysia's prime minister on Friday vowed to help Rohingya Muslims seeking refuge in Malaysia, reiterating the call for Southeast Asian leaders to "stop the oppression" of the stateless minority group expelled from Myanmar. Last year Mahathir Mohamad castigated Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) meet in Singapore for defending the military's crackdown on the Rohingya. His direct condemn

The 34th ASEAN Summit is underway in Bangkok, Thailand. Even prior to its kick off, analysts had made forecasts about what were some of the key topics that would be discussed during the three-day event. Topics such as the United States (US)-China trade war and sustainability were among some of easier ones to guess.