A ceremony to hold the hot-air balloon contest to mark the 2024 Tazaungdine lighting festival was held in conjunction with the awarding of the Mathoe lotus robe contest at the water fountain square in the precinct of Buddha Park of the Maravijaya Buddha Image in Dekkhinathiri Township of Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory yesterday evening.

Putin ratified a treaty with North Korea promising mutual military assistance in case of attack.

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has signed legislation to ratify a bilateral treaty with North Korea, which includes a promise of mutual military assistance if either country is attacked, state media reported.

Tass on Saturday reported Putin’s signing of the law on ratification of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between Moscow and Pyongyang.

The Singha Classic 2024, a premier event on the All Thailand Golf Tour, took place from 7 to 10 November at the Royal Hills Golf Resort in Thailand. Myanmar’s professional golfer Kyaw Thet Oo earned the first runner-up position in this prestigious tournament. Kyaw Thet Oo completed the tournament with a six-under-par 274 strokes on an aggregation on four rounds for 70, 68, 69, and 67 strokes. He finished tied with Thai golfer Newport Laparojkit, who posted a six-under-par 274 strokes on an aggregation in four rounds.

CHINESE President Xi Jinping held talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Beijing on Saturday, expressing the readiness to work with the new Indonesian government to continue promoting self-improvement, solidarity and win-win cooperation among major developing countries. Prabowo is in China for a state visit at the invitation of Xi.

INDIA signed the Host Country Agreement for establishing the BIMSTEC Energy Centre in Bengaluru, for enhanced energy cooperation in the Bay of Bengal and littoral region, including through inter grid connectivity. The agreement was inked on Saturday between Secretary East Jaideep Mazumder and BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey. India has officially established the BIMSTEC Energy Centre in Bengaluru, strengthening regional energy cooperation, including inter-grid connectivity.

RUNNING from 5 to 10 November, the 7th CIIE has attracted 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions. Among all participants, 186 enterprises and institutions have achieved full attendance across all seven editions of the expo, while many others are new faces exhibiting for the first time. The Annual Meeting on Pragmatic Cooperation with in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Framework between Peru and China was held on Friday, according to the organizers.

The Myanmar high-level delegation led by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing who attended the summits including the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion Summit in the People’s Republic of China left Bao’an International Airport in Shenzhen of China by the special aircraft of the Myanmar Airways International (MAI) for Nay Pyi Taw Tatmadaw Airport yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday morning, the Myanmar high-level delegation led by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing who attended the summits including the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit in Kunming of the People’s Republic of China visited BYD automobile manufacturing company in Shenzhen City of China.

STATE Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met Mr Wang Ning, a member of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee and Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee, at the Haigeng Hotel in Kunming, China, yesterday evening.

TRAVEL agencies are ready to provide the best climbing tours to ice-capped mountains this dry season, according to Puta-O Travel Agency.

Visitors can get to Puta-O from Yangon by a three-hour flight, and travel agencies in Myitkyina and Puta-O townships arrange tours to Kaunghmulon Pagoda, Mid-water Natkyun Pagoda and rocky plaque in the Malikha River, traditional culture and local food of ethnic people, Myoma morning market and Garhtu market.