Day meals offered to Sangha members dedicated to monks, people who lost lives in powerful Mandalay earthquake

THE State Administration Council of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar held a ceremony to offer day meals to members of the Sangha as a one-month memorial donation dedicated to monks and people who lost their lives in the incident of the powerful Mandalay earthquake, in Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory yesterday morning.
Before the ceremony, a documentary video clip on loss and damage caused by the Mandalay earthquake, and the tireless endeavours of internal and international rescue teams in rescue and relief operations and the progress of rehabilitation measures was presented.
The congregation took the Five Precepts from State Ovadacariya of Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru Bhaddanta Acinna Maha Thihanada Monastery of Tatkon.
Chairman of the State Administration Council, Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla and attendees listened to the recitation of Metta Sutta by members of the Sangha. The Senior General and his wife donated offerings to Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru Bhaddanta Janinda, Presiding Patron of Paukmyaing Monastery from Lewe in Nay Pyi Taw.
SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win and his wife Daw Than Than Nwe offered alms to Maha Thihanada Sayadaw while the Council Secretary and his wife, the Joint Secretary and his wife, and council members and their wives presented offerings to members of the Sangha.
Presiding Patron of Pali Tekkatho Mingala Zeyon Monastery, Aggamaha Pandita Aggamaha Saddhammajotikadhaja Bhaddanta Vimalabuddhi delivered a sermon, and the congregation, led by the Senior General and his wife, shared merits dedicated to members of the Sangha and people who lost their lives in the incident of the Mandalay Earthquake.
After the ceremony, the Senior General and his wife, the Vice-Senior General and his wife and the congregation offered day meals to members of the Sangha.
Also present at the ceremony were members of the Sangha, the Council Secretary and his wife, the Joint Secretary and his wife, council members, Union-level dignitaries, Union ministers and their wives, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, deputy ministers and officials. — MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, Union ministers and the Nay Pyi Taw Council chairman, yesterday afternoon inspected the National Museum (Nay Pyi Taw) damaged by the Mandalay earthquake.
The Senior General and party viewed round the building of the library, the room where literary works of Alinka Kyawswa Sithu Tekkatho Myat Thu are kept, the electronic library and reading room, Wunzin Min Yazar hall, bookshelves, palm leaves and folded paper section, loss and damage to the library, and systematic keeping of books in genres. The Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture and officials reported on the loss and damage to the library in the earthquake.
After hearing the reports, the Senior General stressed the need to systematically keep books in the library in genres and set records. Repairs must be done for damaged parts. The library must keep good literature on real historical events in the political changes of the State. Officials need to systematically and continuously preserve, protect, and pass Myanmar’s political history down from generation to generation.
The Senior General presented cash support for librarians through an official. At Uppatasanti Pagoda, the Senior General assessed the conditions where cracks, subsidence, and damage had occurred in some areas of the sacred pagoda’s platform and religious structures. Officials reported damaged parts at the pagoda.
In his response, the Senior General instructed officials to swiftly repair damaged parts of the terrace of the pagoda, retaining walls and some religious buildings. The repair process must be done as much as possible before the rainy season. The government will provide necessary assistance for the repair processes. It is necessary to urge well-wishers to make donations for the repair and renovation of the religious buildings at the pagoda.
The Senior General paid homage to the Buddha image in the cave of the pagoda and fed white elephants at the shed. The stake-driven ceremony for Uppatasanti Pagoda took place in 2006. As the cornerstones were laid on 440 bored piles systematically, just a few parts of the pagoda were damaged in the earthquake. As some cracks and subsidence occurred on the terrace of the pagoda, the government plans to swiftly repair them. Hence, people can make donations for the repair and renovation of the terrace of the pagoda and religious buildings as part of performing meritorious deeds. — MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

STARTING 12 May 2025, airport tax will be raised for all passengers leaving the country, said an air ticket agency, referring to a statement released by Yangon International Airport (YIA).
According to the statement, the airport tax will be collected at US$25 for overseas flights and K15,000 for domestic flights at the check-in counter.
“It will take effect for Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay airports, while the tax will be K5,000 for domestic passengers and $2 for foreigners at the rest airports. We will inform customers individually who bought air tickets from our office of this message,” said an official from the air ticket agency. — Htun Htun/ZS

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

ON behalf of the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Union Minister U Ko Ko Hlaing of the Ministry 2 at the Chairman Office of the State Administration Council signed the condolence book for the late former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Malaysian Embassy in Yangon yesterday.
During his visit, Union Minister U Ko Ko Hlaing met the Chargé d’Affaires and officials of the Malaysian Embassy and conveyed heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Government of Myanmar for the demise of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He then signed the condolence book to express Myanmar’s sympathy and solidarity formally.
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi served as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009. — MNA/ MKKS

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

IN memory of Pope Francis, who passed away on 21 April, Union Minister for Ministry 2 at the Office of the State Administration Council Chairman U Ko Ko Hlaing signed the condolence book at the Holy See (Vatican City) Embassy in Yangon yesterday afternoon.
During his visit, the Union Minister met with the Charge d’Affaires and officials of the embassy, extending heartfelt condolences and expressing sympathy over the passing of Pope Francis. The Union Minister offered condolences on behalf of the government of Myanmar and signed the book in tribute to the late Pope.
Pope Francis, who began his papacy in 2013, made an official goodwill visit to Myanmar in 2017. — MNA/KZL

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

WORLD leaders remembered Pope Francis as “a beacon of compassion”, as the death on Monday of the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics prompted a global outpouring of grief. Here are some of the first reactions to the death of the 88-year-old pontiff:
‘Rest in Peace’: Trump
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!,” US President Donald Trump, who clashed with the Argentine pontiff on a number of issues, wrote on his Truth Social platform.
‘Prayed for peace in Ukraine’: Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Francis “prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians”. “We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
‘Defender of justice’: Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Francis was a “wise” religious leader, a “statesman” and a “consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice,” who “actively promoted dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches”.
‘Consequential leader’: Biden
Former US president Joe Biden said Francis was “unlike any who came before him”, hailing his record of fighting for peace and equity. “Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time and I am better for having known him,” Biden, a staunch Catholic, wrote on X alongside a picture of him and the Pope.
‘Courageous’: Britain
“His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the church was courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
King Charles, who is also the head of the Church of England, said he was “deeply saddened” by Francis’s death, adding: “Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many”.
Wise despite ‘differences’: Argentina’s leader
“In spite of differences that today seem minor, to have known him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me,” Argentine President Javier Milei posted on X of his countryman Francis.
‘Dialogue between faiths’: Turkey -
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Francis as a “respected statesman”. The leader of the Muslim-majority nation also called Francis “a spiritual leader who placed great importance on dialogue between different faith groups”, who took “initiative in the face of humanitarian tragedies, especially the Palestinian issue”. — AFP

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

without discrimination between the hills and the plains in carrying out the tasks of national reconstruction.
Regarding education, he stated that efforts are being made as quickly as possible to repair and reopen the basic education schools that were damaged by the earthquake before the start of the new school term. It was also emphasized that collective efforts must be made to ensure all school-aged children have access to education.
The Senior General presented foodstuffs and cash assistance for quake victims through officials and gave cash awards to rescue teams.
The Senior General inspected the loss and damage to religious buildings at the Inlay PhaungdawU Pagoda and instructed officials to provide necessary construction materials for maintenance of the main chamber of the pagoda. He stressed the need to build sheet piles at the landscape areas of the retaining wall caused by the earthquake.
During his trip, the Senior General offered gold foils to the pagoda and presented cash donations to the fund of the pagoda.
The Senior General also presented cash awards to members of the Myanmar Police Force and firefighters who participate in rescue and relief operations. — MNA/TTA

Source : The Global New Light of Myanmar 

After the Mandalay earthquake, visitor arrival to Ngwesaung Beach has been low, according to residents and visitors.
Hotel rooms were booked for Thingyan since March but some were resold and cancelled, said a resident.
“It may be related to the quake. The beach has yet to be crowded. People postponed their bookings and some resold. It seems the visitor arrival won’t be large this year. Some visitors won’t come. Rooms are still available. There are just a few visitors for now at the beach,” said a travel planner.
Over previous years, even in early April before the Thingyan Festival, the two local famous beaches – Chaungtha and Ngwehsaung were thronged with visitors including family vacations and company trips, he said.
Similarly, there are still visitors in Bagan after the quake struck, according to residents.
Except for Mandalay and Sagaing, travelling is still possible in other cities based on recent travel information, so travel operators can arrange tours smoothly, the Domestic Pilgrimage and Tour Operators Association announced on 1 April. — MT/ZS

Source: Global New Light of Myanmar

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by his entourage, the chief minister of Shan State, the commander of Eastern Command and officials, yesterday afternoon inspected the loss and damage in Aungban caused by the Mandalay earthquake and beautification process of Kalaw, leaving necessary instructions.
On arrival at the collapsed Hotel Aungban, the Senior General inspected search and rescue operations at the damaged site and gave necessary guidance to officials. The Senior General asked about the search and rescue measures of the rescue teams and fulfilled their needs.
The Senior General also looked into the damaged Sasana Hitakari nunnery in the precinct of Aungchantha Buddhism Learning Centre.

At Kalaw railway station, the Senior General heard reports on expanding the Kalaw Creek and dredging process by the Kalaw District Natural Disaster Management Committee, and the creation of a new landscape in front of the Kalaw railway station by the Kalaw Township Development Committee by the Chief Minister of Shan State and officials.
In his response, the Senior General stressed the need to ensure the proper flow of water along Kalaw Creek without any blockage. Officials need to raise public awareness not to throw garbage into the creek and take action against them with fine punishment. The Senior General urged residents and administrative bodies to cooperate in the beautification of the region and the improvement of the social system.
He viewed the expansion of the width of Kalaw Creek to ensure the proper flow of water, dredging of silt, and progress of landscaping, gave necessary instructions, and visited Kalaw railway station.
In his instruction, the Senior General underlined that the railway station must be systematic with a fence. The yard of the station must be for the employees of Myanma Railways and passengers only. It must be a systematic, neat and tidy station. Documentary photos of the railway station must be displayed systematically. — MNA/TTA

Source: Global New Light of Myanmar

Currently, apart from Russia the Mir card is accepted in 13 countries. Russia’s Mir card is being accepted in more countries worldwide even despite sanctions, head of the Bank of Russia Elvira Nabiullina said at the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament.

"Despite the sanctions, we are gradually expanding the acceptance of Mir cards in friendly countries our tourists go to," she said.

Currently, apart from Russia the Mir card is accepted in 13 countries. In nine of them (Armenia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Laos, Moldova, Myanmar, Tajikistan and Nicaragua) the payment system operates with restrictions - at the discretion of banks or points of sale - or not throughout the entire territory of the country. Mir is accepted everywhere in Abkhazia, Belarus, Cuba and South Ossetia.

Six countries are in the beginning stages of accepting Mir cards on their territory: Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Another three - Egypt, Iran and Mauritius - have announced plans to welcome Mir as well. And six more countries are ready to talk about its introduction. In recent years, Mir has stopped being accepted in Turkey, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Link - https://tass.com/economy/1939839