No flood risk for Yangon, Ayeyawady fish ponds in July unless extreme weather hits
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In order to prevent fish ponds from being submerged due to flooding, the Fisheries Department has been consistently issuing announcements. If there is no simultaneous occurrence of heavy rain, rising water levels, and high tides during the last 10 days of July, the risk of flooding in fish ponds located in Yangon and Ayeyawady Regions is minimal, and there is no cause for concern. “Although the fish farmers do not know the water level in Yangon, they know what to do according to their experience. This year, we have received continuous rain. The fish farmers have to be aware of unusual tides, continuous rainfall, full moon or new moon tides, and water flows from the upper part. Although we do not know the places where we will encounter floods, we should make preparations,” said Dr Toe Nandar Tin, senior vice president of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation. The fish ponds in Nyaungdon and Twantay townships, located in the foremost part of Ayeyawady River, will not be flooded as the water from the river flows into the sea through the river tributaries of Panhlaing (Yangon River) and Maubin township. “There is no need to worry about the fish ponds in Nyaungdon, Bawlel field and Sanlin field for unusual tides or river water. If the embankments are overtopped, cracked or breached, the water can only enter the fish ponds. When there is flooding in the western part of Bago, water can flow from Panhlaing River to Nyaungdon field. We experienced such a case last year. The fish ponds were flooded significantly. Currently, the water level still needs to rise nearly three more feet to reach the top of the ponds. Everyone has already taken preventive measures in advance,” said U Kyaw Kyaw Oo, fish pond owner from Sanlin field of Nyaungdon township. Although the water levels of Chindwin and Ayeyawady rivers reach the danger level, the fish farmers in Yangon and Ayeyawady regions will not face floods. But, if there are heavy rainfalls, floods and high tides, the fish ponds can be flooded. The tides will be the highest on the full moon day of Wagaung this year, the fish farmers suggested. Some fish ponds in Yangon and Ayeyawady regions were flooded in 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2024. Last year, the fish ponds in Bago were flooded due to heavy waterflows from the mountains and rivers. The Fisheries Department provided fingerlings. — Thitsa (MNA)/KTZH
HONG KONG/SHANGHAI, July 21 (Reuters) - China's Premier Li Qiang announced construction had begun on what will be the world's largest hydropower dam, located on the eastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau and estimated to cost around $170 billion, the official Xinhua news agency said.The dam is China's most ambitious hydropower project since the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, with operations expected sometime in the 2030s.Made up of five cascade hydropower stations, the dam will be located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo. A section of the river falls a dramatic 2,000 metres (6,561 feet) within a short span of 50 km (31 miles), offering huge hydropower potential.India and Bangladesh have already raised concerns about its possible impact on the millions of people who live downstream, while NGOs have warned of the risk to the environment, one of the richest and most diverse on the plateau.Beijing has said the dam, with the capacity to produce 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, will help meet power demand in Tibet and the rest of China without having a major effect on downstream water supplies or the environment.Wang Zhuo, partner of Shanghai Zhuozhu Investment Management, said the project offered investors both long-term investment opportunities and a theme for short-term speculation. "From an investment perspective, mature hydropower projects offer bond-like dividends," Wang said. But he cautioned that speculative buying into related stocks triggered by the announcement would inflate valuations.DOWNSTREAM IMPACTThe Chinese premier described the dam as a "project of the century" and said special emphasis "must be placed on ecological conservation to prevent environmental damage," Xinhua said in its report on Saturday. China has not given an estimate on the number of jobs the project is likely to create.The Three Gorges Dam, which took almost two decades to complete, generated nearly a million jobs, state media reported, though at least a similar number of people were displaced by the massive project.Authorities have not indicated how many people would be displaced by the Yarlung Zangbo project or how it would affect the local ecosystem.NGOs including the International Campaign for Tibet say the dam will irreversibly harm the Tibetan Plateau and that millions of people downstream will face severe disruptions to their livelihoods.The Yarlung Zangbo becomes the Brahmaputra River as it leaves Tibet and flows south into India's states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and finally into Bangladesh. China has already started hydropower generation on the upper reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo, which flows from the west to the east of Tibet.Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and Samuel Shen in Shanghai; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Kate MayberryRef : Reuters
In order to prevent fish ponds from being submerged due to flooding, the Fisheries Department has been consistently issuing announcements. If there is no simultaneous occurrence of heavy rain, rising water levels, and high tides during the last 10 days of July, the risk of flooding in fish ponds located in Yangon and Ayeyawady Regions is minimal, and there is no cause for concern.“Although the fish farmers do not know the water level in Yangon, they know what to do according to their experience. This year, we have received continuous rain. The fish farmers have to be aware of unusual tides, continuous rainfall, full moon or new moon tides, and water flows from the upper part. Although we do not know the places where we will encounter floods, we should make preparations,” said Dr Toe Nandar Tin, senior vice president of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation.The fish ponds in Nyaungdon and Twantay townships, located in the foremost part of Ayeyawady River, will not be flooded as the water from the river flows into the sea through the river tributaries of Panhlaing (Yangon River) and Maubin township.“There is no need to worry about the fish ponds in Nyaungdon, Bawlel field and Sanlin field for unusual tides or river water. If the embankments are overtopped, cracked or breached, the water can only enter the fish ponds. When there is flooding in the western part of Bago, water can flow from Panhlaing River to Nyaungdon field. We experienced such a case last year. The fish ponds were flooded significantly. Currently, the water level still needs to rise nearly three more feet to reach the top of the ponds. Everyone has already taken preventive measures in advance,” said U Kyaw Kyaw Oo, fish pond owner from Sanlin field of Nyaungdon township.Although the water levels of Chindwin and Ayeyawady rivers reach the danger level, the fish farmers in Yangon and Ayeyawady regions will not face floods. But, if there are heavy rainfalls, floods and high tides, the fish ponds can be flooded. The tides will be the highest on the full moon day of Wagaung this year, the fish farmers suggested.Some fish ponds in Yangon and Ayeyawady regions were flooded in 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2024. Last year, the fish ponds in Bago were flooded due to heavy waterflows from the mountains and rivers. The Fisheries Department provided fingerlings. — Thitsa (MNA)/KTZHGNLM
Thitsa (MNA)The northernmost part of Myanmar is rich in natural beauty with its snow-capped mountain ranges, while the southernmost part of the country features long coastlines and numerous islands, showcasing both terrestrial and marine splendour. In the southern region lies the Taninthayi Nature Reserve, which remains lush and verdant, home to a diverse range of species, ecosystems, and habitats. This area, where forests meet the sea, supports the survival and development of a wide variety of botanical, zoological and marine life, further highlighting the natural beauty of Myanmar.The government sets objectives to establish natural land areas to ensure the sustainability of biodiversity and ecosystems. The Taninthayi Nature Reserve was established on 30 March 2005 to conserve the tropical evergreen forest ecosystems and biodiversity in the northern and eastern parts of the Taninthayi Region, which serve as shelters for Asian elephants. It is also the first conservation area in the Taninthayi Region.The eastern part of the Taninthayi Nature Reserve, which borders Thailand, is a hilly and mountainous area. The mountain ranges run from north to south. The slopes gradually descend from west to east, with elevations ranging from 15 meters to 1,400 metres. Within the reserve area, there are 32 watersheds. The rivers and streams in the northern, western, and southern parts of the reserve flow into the Dawei River, while those in the eastern part flow into the Taninthayi River.In the Taninthayi Nature Reserve, there are different types of forests such as evergreen forest, mangrove, and hill forest. The area is mostly covered by closed forest (46.67 per cent) and open forest (29.76 per cent). A total of 384 plant species, 90 orchid species, 30 bamboo species, 17 cane species, and other rare herbal plants have been recorded in the reserve. Many wild animals, plant species, and endangered animal species can survive in the area, while the reserve is proudly known as an important habitat and sanctuary for Asian elephants.The reserve boasts the endangered Indonesian tiger species and Asian elephants. A total of 244 bird species have been recorded in the area, including three species that are endangered and 10 near-threatened species. Moreover, the reserve also boasts 30 amphibian species and 36 reptile species, and Asian elephants.There are two main species of elephants in the world — the Asian elephant and the African elephant. In Myanmar, a population of Asian elephants ranging from at least 45 to over 64 has been recorded in the Taninthayi Nature Reserve located in the southern part of the country. A 2011 survey revealed that approximately 90 per cent of the reserve area was home to this number of elephants. However, to date, there is no documented data confirming whether the population has increased or declined. In 2000, scientists reclassified African elephants into two distinct species: the larger African bush elephant (or savanna elephant) and the smaller African forest elephant.African ElephantThe African elephant is the largest living land mammal, weighing 8,000 kilogrammes and standing 10 to 13 feet tall at their shoulders. There are over 150,000 muscles in the trunk alone. Both male and female African elephants have curved ivory tusks that grow throughout their lives. Their tusks are used to fight, dig, and strip bark off trees. Large, thin ears radiate heat to help the elephant stay cool in the intense heat. African elephants can hold up to eight litres of water in their trunks and use their trunks as a snorkel when swimming.Asian ElephantThe Asian Elephants are found mostly in India, and also in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Laos. The Asian Elephants reach heights of around 10 feet. The Average life expectancy of a Myanmar elephant is approximately 60 years, and the pregnant period is between 18-22 months. An elephant gives birth about six times in its lifetime, usually having one baby each time. Male elephants have tusks, while female elephants do not. Female elephants have a rounded forehead and smaller ears. In Myanmar, elephants are used for logging and in the tourism industry, and the people have protected elephants since the time of ancient kings up to the present day.Habits of elephantsElephants live between 60 to 100 years. Male elephants become fully grown between the ages of 30 and 40. A newborn elephant weighs over 260 pounds. An elephant can grow up to 10 feet tall and can weigh up to 6 tonnes (11,000 pounds), and their size and shape vary depending on the region they live in. The elephant’s skin is 0.98 inches thick. Its wrinkled skin can hold 10 times more water than the skin of other animals. An elephant eats about 150 kilogrammes (around 330 pounds) of food each day. About half of the food it eats is not fully digested and passes out of its body. At the age of two, elephants begin to grow tusks. These tusks help them eat and defend themselves from enemies. However, because of their tusks and thick skin, elephants are often hunted and killed. Elephants usually live in groups of 5 to 20, but some may live alone as solitary males. Male elephants can become aggressive during mating season, and during this time, they may act violently for about two weeks. Elephants search for food during both day and night, and they only sleep for about three hours a day. Even though their eyesight is weak, they have a strong sense of smell and hearing. They also have a memory as good as that of a five-year-old child.From 2006 to 2016, researchers counted elephants over two years. They studied a large grassland area of 540,000 square kilometres across 18 African countries. They found that one-third of the elephants, about 144,000, had been killed. They also estimated that the remaining 430,000 elephants in Africa could be killed within the next 10 years. This prediction, made for the years 2016 to 2026, is now proving to be true as the number of wild elephants continues to decrease.Asian elephants are also facing hunting and killing every year. In countries like India, Myanmar, and other ASEAN nations, people are working together to protect wild Asian elephants from extinction. In Myanmar, elephants live in regions such as Ayeyawady, Bago, Sagaing, Kachin State, and the Shan Yoma area. To reduce poaching, the Forest Department and NGOs are working together. These efforts help protect not only elephants but also other wild animals and various species.In 1879, during the Konboung era, the Elephant Preservation Law was enacted and amended in 1883. Elephants are classified as fully protected animals under the Protection of Wildlife and Conservation of Natural Areas Law, enacted in 1994. According to surveys, there were over 10,000 wild elephants in Myanmar in 1941, before the country gained independence. Between 2001 and 2003, a field survey was conducted in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution (SI), and the estimated number of wild elephants was around 5,000. By 2018, records showed that only about 2,000 wild elephants remained. To protect wild elephants, Myanmar began setting up protected areas starting in 1927. In 2014, six elephant conservation areas were designated, covering a total area of 9,205.51 square miles. From 2010 to 2014, there were 72 criminal cases recorded in Myanmar related to the illegal killing of wild elephants. Among these, 26 cases were due to the demand for tusks, skin, and meat, showing that many elephants were hunted for these body parts.After India, Myanmar is the country with the second-largest population of elephants. Wild elephants live across the country, from the northern to the southern regions. In the Taninthayi Nature Reserve, Asian elephants continue to survive and thrive through the collaboration of Myanmar and Thailand.In Myanmar, 22 elephant camps have been established. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has set this goal to involve the public in conservation efforts and raise awareness about the importance of elephants in maintaining healthy ecosystems.In countries where natural forests thrive, the ability to protect elephants reflects the health of their ecosystems. Protecting wildlife, safe forests, and wetland areas is often recognized as a sign of a healthy environment. In Myanmar, many safe forests and wetlands continue to develop well, creating many opportunities for wild elephants to live and survive. The presence of wild elephants in a natural reserve shows that a forest ecosystem is rich and healthy. Among large mammals, elephants are the strongest and have a wider range of habitats than tigers. They tend to live long-term in a well-protected natural reserve with abundant food. Neighbouring countries earn foreign income from elephant-related tourism. In Myanmar, elephant conservation supports 22 tourism projects. To help elephant populations grow, it is especially important to stop poaching, and all citizens need to be aware of and follow conservation efforts.Some of the wild elephants from Bago Yoma enter Okkan and Thonze townships near Yangon, and the departmental officials, NGOs and residents cooperate to reduce human-elephant conflicts. Conservation of wild elephants in Taninthayi Nature Reserve protects the beauty of the reserve, whereas deforestation and impact on wild elephants affect the natural environment.The forests in 32 watershed areas in Taninthayi Nature Reserve are home to Asian elephants, and the Taninthayi Nature Reserve, covered with mangrove, evergreen forest, and hill forests, is a haven for Asian elephants, promoting the dignity of the country.Translated by KTZHGNLM
The dreadful sound of gunfire signals the tragic loss of parents for many children caught in armed conflicts. Both sides in these clashes are eager to secure victory, often without considering the lives and futures of innocent children. Their focus remains solely on defeating each other. In reality, everyone must recognize that children—innocent and uninvolved in the fighting — are the ones who truly lose their future. Ultimately, the fate of these children reflects the future of the states involved.Actually, 2024 was a year marked by the outbreak of wars and armed conflicts across the world. These conflicts left millions of people homeless and led to a rise in crime and violence. Wars and armed conflicts, indeed, posed a serious threat to global peace and stability.Those orphans suffering from the nightmares of armed conflicts are certain to face various challenges, including mental trauma, poverty, and lack of access to basic needs such as education and healthcare services. These children are often unable to enjoy their rights fully. While some are under the care of orphanages, others live with surviving family members. However, as their lives are filled with hardship, they frequently suffer from malnutrition, exposure to serious diseases, and other unexpected difficulties.Although conflicts arise from various causes, the United Nations often misses opportunities to mediate and resolve them. Armed conflicts occur mostly in Asia and Africa, as well as in other regions of the world, and show little sign of ending. These conflicts contribute to shifting power dynamics and changing geopolitics globally.Generally, wars and armed conflicts do not benefit any country. Prolonged armed conflicts lead to a growing number of orphans day by day, as many children lose their parents and family members in the violence. In addition, some children become orphans due to abandonment for various reasons. Without anyone to care for them, these children often end up facing the harsh and difficult life of war refugees. According to UNICEF estimates, there are approximately 2.2 billion children worldwide, around 150 million of whom are orphans due to armed conflicts and political crises. Among them, about 17.6 million have lost both parents.Those orphans suffering from the nightmares of armed conflicts are certain to face various challenges, including mental trauma, poverty, and lack of access to basic needs such as education and healthcare services. These children are often unable to enjoy their rights fully. While some are under the care of orphanages, others live with surviving family members. However, as their lives are filled with hardship, they frequently suffer from malnutrition, exposure to serious diseases, and other unexpected difficulties.Armed conflicts, wars, racial instability, and intense rivalries among countries often result in a generation of orphans. Losing parents due to armed conflicts is a profound tragedy. Therefore, everyone should show loving-kindness and compassion to these orphans, helping them regain their physical and mental strength — the greatest gift we can offer.Ref: GNLMPhoto: MDPI
PREDICTIONS of imminent AI-driven mass unemployment are likely overblown, but employers will seek workers with different skills as the technology matures, a top executive at global recruiter ManpowerGroup told AFP at Paris’s Vivatech trade fair.The world’s third-largest staffing firm by revenue ran a startup contest at Vivatech in which one of the contenders was building systems to hire out customizable autonomous AI “agents”, rather than humans.Their service was reminiscent of a warning last month from Dario Amodei, head of American AI giant Anthropic, that the technology could wipe out half of entry-level white-collar jobs within one to five years.For ManpowerGroup, AI agents are “certainly not going to become our core business any time soon,” the company’s Chief Innovation Officer Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic said.“If history shows us one thing, it’s most of these forecasts are wrong.” An International Labour Organization (ILO) report published in May found that around “one in four workers across the world are in an occupation with some degree of exposure” to generative AI models’ capabilities.“Few jobs are currently at high risk of full automation,” the ILO added. But the UN body also highlighted “rapid expansion of AI capabilities since our previous study” in 2023, including the emergence of “agentic” models more able to act autonomously or semi-autonomously and use software like web browsers and email.Soft skillsChamorro-Premuzic predicted that the introduction of efficiency-enhancing AI tools would put pressure on workers, managers and firms to make the most of the time they will save.“If what happens is that AI helps knowledge workers save 30, 40, maybe 50 per cent of their time, but that time is then wasted on social media, that’s not an increase in net output,” he said.Adoption of AI could give workers “more time to do creative work” -- or impose “greater standardization of their roles and reduced autonomy,” the ILO said.There’s general agreement that interpersonal skills and an entrepreneurial attitude will become more important for knowledge workers as their daily tasks shift towards corralling AIs.Employers identified ethical judgement, customer service, team management and strategic thinking as top skills AI could not replace in a ManpowerGroup survey of over 40,000 employers across 42 countries published this week.Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
Renewable energy plays a key role in the journey to net zero carbon emissions, helping to reduce the demand for fossil fuels by providing cleaner sources of energy.But as the world derives an increasing amount of its electricity from these renewable energy sources, there’s a growing need for technologies that can capture and store it.Why does renewable energy need to be stored?Renewable energy generation mainly relies on naturally-occurring factors – hydroelectric power is dependent on seasonal river flows, solar power on the amount of daylight, wind power on the consistency of the wind – meaning that the amounts being generated will be intermittent.Similarly, the demand for energy isn’t constant either, as people generally tend to use different amounts of energy at different times of the day and the year.How would storing renewable energy help to reach net zero?Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy creates clean power without producing greenhouse gases (GHGs) as a waste product. By storing and using renewable energy, the system as a whole can rely less on energy sourced from the more greenhouse-gas emitting fuels like coal, natural gas or oil.What are other benefits of storing renewable energy?A key benefit of being able to store this energy is that it helps to prevent renewable resources from going to waste.There are times when the amount of electricity being generated by renewables can exceed the amount that’s needed at the time. When this happens, some renewable generators may need to curtail their outputs in order to help the system remain ‘balanced’ – i.e. when electricity supply meets demand – meaning that an opportunity to generate clean electricity has essentially gone to waste. What technologies are used for renewable energy storage?Energy storage technologies work by converting renewable energy to and from another form of energy.These are some of the different technologies used to store electrical energy that’s produced from renewable sources: 1. Pumped hydroelectricity energy storagePumped hydroelectric energy storage, or pumped hydro, stores energy in the form of gravitational potential energy of water. When demand is low, surplus electricity from the grid is used to pump water up into an elevated reservoir. When demand increases, the water is released to flow down through turbines to a lower reservoir, producing hydroelectric power for the grid as it does so. 2. Electrochemical battery energy storageElectrochemical batteries store energy by separating positive and negative charges in rechargeable cells. Different types of electrochemical battery storage technology include:Lithium-ion battery storageGovernment and developers are investing substantially in the creation of huge lithium-ion batteries to store energy for times when supply outstrips demand. Lithium battery technologies are diverse to address custom needs for flexibility, modularity, and size, as well as being relatively inexpensive. However these batteries do degrade over time and present unique fire management challenges.The world’s largest battery energy storage system so far is Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in California. The first 300-megawatt lithium-ion battery – comprising 4,500 stacked battery racks – became operational at the facility in January 2021. Flow battery storageFlow batteries’ cells consist of two charged liquids separated by a membrane. Surplus electrical energy is used to ‘reduce’ the liquid charge state of one and ‘oxidise’ that of the other to efficiently store energy. The process is then reversed to recover electricity with low loss.This flowing reduction-oxidation operation – known as ‘redox flow’ – allows the batteries to store large amounts of energy for long durations and be cycled many times without degradation. However, they do have a relatively large project footprint. 3. Thermal and Phase Transition energy storageWhile not limited to renewable energy, storing excess energy as heat for the longer term is a huge opportunity for industry, where most of the process heat that’s used in food and drink, textiles or pharmaceuticals comes from the burning of fossil fuels.Liquifying rock or superheating sand and water mixtures can be used to store thermal energy. Thermal energy storage technologies include:Liquid-to-air transition energy storageSurplus grid electricity is used to chill ambient air to the point that it liquifies. This ‘liquid air’ is then turned back into gas by exposing it to ambient air or using waste heat to harvest electricity from the system. The expanding gas can then be used to power turbines, creating electricity as needed. Thermal sand batteriesFinnish researchers have developed and installed the world’s first fully working ‘sand battery’, which can store power for months at a time. Using low-grade sand, the device is charged up with heat made from cheap electricity from solar or wind. The sand stores the heat at around 500°C, which can then warm homes in winter when energy is more expensive. 4. Mechanical energy storageThis type of energy storage converts the potential energy of highly compressed gases, elevated heavy masses or rapidly rotating kinetic equipment.Different types of mechanical energy storage technology include:Compressed air energy storageCompressed air energy storage has been around since the 1870s as an option to deliver energy to cities and industries on demand. The process involves using surplus electricity to compress air, which can then be decompressed and passed through a turbine to generate electricity when needed. Gravity storageA ‘gravity battery’ works by using excess electrical energy from the grid to raise a mass, such as a block of concrete, generating gravitational potential energy. When electrical energy is required, the mass is lowered, converting this potential energy into power through an electric generator.Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a type of gravity storage, since the water is released from a higher elevation to produce energy. Flywheel energy storageFlywheel energy storage devices turn surplus electrical energy into kinetic energy in the form of heavy high-velocity spinning wheels. To avoid energy losses, the wheels are kept in a frictionless vacuum by a magnetic field, allowing the spinning to be managed in a way that creates electricity when required. Pumped heat electrical storagePumped heat storage uses surplus electricity to power a heat pump that transports heat from a ‘cold store’ to a ‘hot store’ - similar to how a refrigerator works. The heat pump can then be switched to recover the energy, taking it from the hot store and placing it in the cold store. This produces mechanical work, which is used to power a generator. 5. Hydrogen electrolysisHydrogen electrolysis produces hydrogen gas by passing surplus electrical current through a chemical solution. This hydrogen gas is then compressed to be stored in underground tanks. When needed, this process can be reversed to produce electricity from the stored hydrogen.Hydrogen can be physically stored as either a gas or liquid and even adhered directly to solids. As a gas, hydrogen storage requires high-pressure tanks, while liquid hydrogen requires storage at cryogenic temperatures to prevent it boiling back into a gas. Hydrogen may also be stored on the surface of solid materials (known as adsorption), or within them (known as absorption).Ref : National Grid
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