Author: Thura Bo Thu

UNICEF’s Ted Chaiban issued an urgent call for international action on Thursday, highlighting the worsening situation for children in Myanmar. Since the February 2021 military coup, the country has been engulfed in escalating violence, severely impacting children. Conflict between the military and ethnic groups has intensified, with artillery and airstrikes causing widespread destruction. Over 650 children have been killed or injured this year, and many are caught in the ongoing violence between ethnic militias and government forces. Deadly weapons are being used in civilian areas, including schools and hospitals, leaving children without safe spaces. Over 3.4 million people have been…

Vietnam’s internet economy is expected to reach $36 billion in 2023, a 16% rise from last year, according to a forum hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Over 500 businesses attended to discuss digital transformation and green initiatives. Deputy Minister Trương Thanh Hoài forecasted higher economic growth for Vietnam in 2024, driven by e-commerce and the digital economy as key sectors of development. A Google-Temasek report estimated retail e-commerce will contribute $22 billion this year, making up 61% of the internet economy, with potential growth to $200 billion by 2030. The forum provided a platform for agencies and…

Paris/Jakarta (24/7 – 28.57). “Coffee is the common man’s gold, and like gold, it brings to every person the feeling of luxury and nobility.” – Sheik-Abd-al-Kadir A friend recently opened a coffee shop is called after its owner, Muteeya. Though modest, it embodies the burgeoning coffee culture found in Paris, London, the US, and now Jakarta. The coffee is steaming hot, and soft tunes fill the air. Outside, rain pounds against the window, streaking down and forming small puddles on the street. As I gaze through the glass blurred by water, I take a sip of my warm coffee,…

Kiev (6/6 – 33.33) The air was thick with tension as the elite Ukrainian special forces team, known as the “Steel Wolves,” huddled in a makeshift command post on the outskirts of a war-torn city. Outside, the sound of distant gunfire echoed through the night, a grim reminder of the relentless advance of Vladimir Putin’s troops. Colonel Yuri Ivanov, the commanding officer of the Steel Wolves, surveyed his men with steely determination. These were the best of the best, handpicked for their courage, skill, and unwavering loyalty to Ukraine. They had been fighting tooth and nail to slow the Russian…

HCM CITY – The market for food products made from ginseng is growing as the ability of Vietnamese consumers to pay for health-supporting products is increasing. Đặng Trần Cẩm Vân, an owner of a restaurant specialising in serving dishes containing ginseng in HCM City, said that Vietnamese people today not only want to eat delicious food but also eat to serve their health. Therefore, her restaurant has developed a series of products combining the use of ginseng such as phở, coconut candy, coffee and drinks with the expectation of sales increasing by 10-15 per cent per year. Dr. Hà Thị Loan, deputy director of HCM City Biotechnology…

Dushanbe 25/2 (35.71) The social networking activity of “influencer” Ismoil Mahmadzoir is causing a stir within the country’s political and security corridors. His grandfather President Emomali Rahmon is planning his succession, which has triggered quiet maneuvering within elite factions, including Mahmadzoir’s relatives. Nobody is clear about how becomes the next president of Tajikistan. The daughters jockeying for the top job besides the grandson.Video of a bland speech by Tajikistan’s long-time President Emomali Rahmon was posted late last month on Instagram by Buzkashi_1111, a handle created by Ismoil Mahmadzoir, the 25-year-old son of Firuza Emomali, one of the president’s daughters, who…

Warsaw, Berlin (25/3 – 80) A diverse group of Pamiri and Ismaili interest groups gathered to discuss the terror attack in Moscow. “We reject the notion this were Pamiris or Ismailis representing us”, said one of the spokespeople, who want to remain anonymous out of fear of persecution by the Tajik authorities. “They are Takfiris”, he said. Non-believers, apostates to the cause. The majlis (meeting) was called after Moscow was quick to blame Tajik immigrants for the terror attacks. Previous warnings were ignored by Moscow. “We as a Pamiri community do not belief in the use of violence against the…

HERNDON, Va. — January 11, 2024 — BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) won a multi-year contract from PT Len supporting the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia to provide immediate access to subscription-based real-time, high-frequency imagery and analytics services. “Meeting the growing global demand for real-time monitoring solutions, BlackSky has the unique ability to activate instant access to high-cadence imagery and AI-driven analytics for our customers,” said Brian E. O’Toole, BlackSky CEO. “The Indonesian MoD has made a bold and innovative step towards defense modernization as an early adopter of space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance on-demand.” The Assured access…

In a ruling handed down on January 17 the Moscow city court overturned the ruling of Moscow’s Simonov district court to refuse the arrest of Salmon Rajabzoda (Salmon Jumaboy), the blogger from Tajikistan, and the case has been sent for retrial, the Telegram channel of Moscow’s courts of general jurisdiction reports.   The Moscow’s Simonov district court had earlier refused the arrest of the blogger on the basis of a probe launched by Russia’s Investigative Committee against Salmon Rajabzoda allegedly inciting hatred (Article 282 (2) of Russia’s Penal Code) over a video that spread on social networks in December last year. The video allegedly…

Giant portraits of President Emomali Rahmon adorn even the most nondescript buildings in Tajikistan’s capital of Dushanbe. Throughout the country, his sayings are featured on posters and billboards. Their ubiquitous presence underscores the consolidation of power by Rahmon – officially described as “Founder of Peace and Unity, Leader of the Nation” – since he emerged victorious from the 1992-1997 Tajikistan civil war that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. After three decades in power, he has established himself as an absolute ruler with no tolerance for dissent. Rahmon’s bid to centralize control includes efforts to silence political opponents, human rights activists, and independent…