Political

Police in Myanmar raided the homes of protesting railway employees.

Published

3 years ago

March 10, 2021

Myanmar security forces raided a neighborhood in the country’s largest city early Wednesday, which is home to state railway employees who have gone on strike to protest the military coup last month.

The Ma Hlwa Kone train station and housing for railway employees are located in Yangon’s Mingalar Taung Nyunt neighborhood, which has been cordoned off by police. Officers were seen blocking streets and what seemed to be people fleeing in photos and videos shared on social media. At least three arrests were confirmed, but confirmation could not be obtained immediately.

The raid comes just days after a number of Myanmar unions, including the Myanmar Railway Worker’s Union Federation, called for a nationwide strike. The strike will be part of a larger attempt to “completely shut down the Myanmar economy,” according to the statement.

After the Feb. 1 coup, which ousted elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s government just as it was about to begin her second term, Myanmar has been roiled by demonstrations and other acts of civil disobedience. After five decades of military rule, the coup halted years of gradual progress toward democracy in the Southeast Asian nation.

Mass arrests and, at times, lethal force have been used by security forces. According to the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 60 protesters have been killed since the military takeover.

Authorities have also taken steps to stifle critical reporting on the crisis, including arresting journalists and shutting down media outlets.

Protests continued Wednesday in cities and towns across the region, including Yangon, Mandalay, Monywa, Dawei, and Myitkyina, despite security forces’ increasingly violent tactics.

State railway employees were among the first organized protest backers, and their strike began shortly after the coup.

Last month, police in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest district, attempted to intimidate railway workers by roaming through their housing area one night, shouting and firing guns at random.

The country’s new ruling junta, officially known as the State Administration Council, recognized the rail strike’s efficacy in a roundabout way.

In a Tuesday report on a junta meeting, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper quoted officials as saying that rail service between Yangon and Mandalay would resume “in the near future.”

It also acknowledged that the protest movement has had an impact on the banking sector.

After an 8 p.m. curfew, police marched through suburban neighborhoods in many towns, shooting weapons and stun grenades, and staging selective arrest raids.

More demonstrators died in detention after being arrested on Tuesday, according to reports. According to media reports and an activist who knew him, a school principal died of unexplained causes after being taken into custody by security forces.

An activist from Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party had previously died in custody. According to Human Rights Watch in New York, witnesses said his body had wounds consistent with torture.

More than 1,930 people have been arrested in connection with the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Several journalists have been detained, including Thein Zaw of The Associated Press, who has been charged with violating a public order statute that carries a three-year prison sentence.

Authorities raided the offices of Kamayut Media and detained its co-founder and editor-in-chief on Tuesday, continuing their assault on the media. Mizzima, an online news service, was also raided by the military. During the second raid, no one was arrested, but equipment was vandalized and property was taken away.

Five local media outlets — Mizzima, DVB, Khit Thit Media, Myanmar Now, and 7Day News — had their licenses revoked by the military government on Monday. All five had been covering the protests in great detail.

Education

Puthuppally bypoll: Congress’ Chandy Oommen wins big in Kerala seat

Published

3 weeks ago

September 8, 2023

Recentlyheard

With a whopping 1.76 lakh registered voters, Puthuppally saw the opening of 182 polling places.
The Puthuppally by-election, which was held in Kerala’s Kottayam district earlier this week, was won by Chandy Oommen, a leader in the Youth Congress and an enthusiastic participant in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra last year, by 78098 votes.

Puthuppally’s by-election saw a 72.91% turnout (File Photo).
Puthuppally’s by-election saw a 72.91% turnout (File Photo).

At the Baselius College’s special station, the ballots for postal and service voting were first counted.

The death of seasoned Congressman Oommen Chandy, who twice held the position of Chief Minister and had held it continuously since 1970, forced a byelection. The Congress candidate was replaced by Chandy’s son Chandy Oommen.

With a whopping 1.76 lakh registered voters, Puthuppally saw the opening of 182 polling places. Four polling places were designated as “sensitive” during the election, which necessitated the implementation of enhanced security measures.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) engaged in a ferocious battle in front of the electorate. Given the conflict’s huge stakes for both the ruling and opposition fronts in the state, there have been tense exchanges in recent weeks.

PROMOTED
Learn to use data science. No prior technological knowledge necessary.
Excellent Education | Sponsored Interiors in Hyderabad from 3.5 Lakhs
HomeLane | Advertised
Rishi Sunak on the Khalistani issue: “Won’t tolerate this kind of violent extremism.”
Haryana Times
Receive a 100% guaranteed income for up to 30 years. ROP
Sponsored: ICICI Pru Life Savings Plan
Why didn’t you vote for her, the BJP responds to Udhayanidhi’s Droupadi Murmu remark.
Hindustan Times only commits 5000 rupees every month.
ICICI Prudential Smartlife’s Smartkid | Sponsored
For a higher quality of life and career, relocate to Canada!
Free Live Masterclass: Make Home Canada | Sponsored Roadmap to SDE Jobs Abroad
Scaler Academy | Featured
Jaick C. Thomas, a leader of the Communist Party of India’s youth wing who had previously run against Chandy unsuccessfully in 2016 and 2021, was put forward by the CPI(M). Despite receiving less than 10% of the vote in 2021, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a small participant in the constituency, nominated Ligin Lal as its candidate.

Given the LDF’s overwhelming 99-seat majority in the 140-member Assembly, the Puthuppally result won’t change the state administration, but it still represents a significant political development that the country is watching.

Business

Back Bypoll Result 2023: Congress secures Kerala’s Puthuppally assembly seat, says, ‘BJP-CPM thrown out’

Published

3 weeks ago

September 8, 2023

Recentlyheard

According to the results of the Kerala by-election, Chandy Oommen, the candidate of the opposition Congress-UDF, won with a lead of more than 36,000 votes, according to a report by PTI citing sources in the Election Commission.

The party’s reaction to Oommen’s victory described it as a victory over the LDF’s mismanagement and a total political triumph for the Congress.

PROMOTED
With upGrad, you can earn a doctorate in business administration.
Receive a Guaranteed Income with a 110% ROP for up to 30 years.
World leaders assemble in Delhi for the G20 Summit, which is sponsored by the ICICI Pru Life Savings Plan and will discuss global challenges.
Just Rs. 5000 per month with Live Mint Invest
ICICI Prudential Smartlife’s Smartkid | Sponsored
American Indian The only serious Republican challenger to Joe Biden is Nikki Haley
Mint Live
Investing.com | Sponsored Greta Thunberg’s Car Shocks The World, Proof In Pictures
For a higher quality of life and career, relocate to Canada!
Canada Make Home | Sponsored
Learn about Monolithic Architecture & Microservices – Free Course at Scaler Academy | Sponsored

Also Read: BJP takes both seats in Tripura; Congress wins Puthuppally in Kerala

The astounding victory in the Puthuppally by-elections is a clear message to the Modi and Pinarayi Vijayan governments, according to Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala in a press conference. The people of Puthuppally have driven out both the BJP and the CPM.No Kerala by-election has ever had such a lopsided victory. The message is extremely straightforward.

Political

Jawan box office collection Day 1: Shah Rukh Khan film likely to open at ₹75 cr, as per early estimates

Published

3 weeks ago

September 7, 2023

Recentlyheard

Few people would have predicted that the record-breaking opening day attendance of Shah Rukh Khan’s spy thriller Pathaan earlier this year would be quickly exceeded. According to early predictions, Shah Rukh’s own action film Jawan might possibly succeed, according to a report from Sacnilk.com. (See also: In most of his films, Shah Rukh Khan flawlessly blends the personal and the political; Jawan is not one of them.)

Jawan, Shah Rukh Khan’s newest movie, is probably going to surpass Pathaan.
New movie starring Shah Rukh Khan Pathaan will probably lose to Jawan.

There are preliminary estimations.
According to the source, Jawan’s domestic box office debut on September 7 is predicted to bring in roughly 75 crore across the three languages of Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. This is merely a selection from Day 1, which also happens to be a holiday because of Janmashtami and falls on a Thursday. Before the first Monday arrives, it is expected to have a fantastic run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Statistics & facts
According to the same survey, the Hindi version had a 46% first day occupancy rate. The movie outperformed Pathaan on Day 1 with ticket sales of 14 lakh.

A long weekend was also enjoyed by Jawan vs. Pathaan Pathaan, which debuted on January 25. To have a successful run at the box office, it had Republic Day, the national holiday, on Thursday, the following Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.