BANGKOK: Several hundred Buddhist nationalists, including monks, rallied in Myanmar’s largest city on Wednesday to urge stronger action against insurgents from the Muslim Rohingya minority for attacks on police last week.
The attacks in Rakhine state in western Myanmar have spiraled into chaotic violence, with more than 100 dead and villages torched.
At least 18,000 Rohingya have fled the violence and crossed into Bangladesh in less than a week, with hundreds stranded in a no man’s land at the countries’ border, the International Organization for Migration said Wednesday.
The army, responding to last Thursday’s attacks, launched what it called clearance operations against the insurgents, but advocates for the Rohingya say they are attacking and burning Rohingya villages, shooting civilians and causing others to flee.
The government blames Rohingya insurgents and their sympathizers for the continuing violence. Government figures put the death toll since last week at a minimum of 103, including 12 members of security forces, 77 people described as insurgents and 14 civilians. There were reports of additional deaths Wednesday.
Rohingya advocates fear the death toll for civilians is much higher.
Most of Myanmar’s estimated 1 million Rohingya live in northern Rakhine state. They face severe persecution in the Buddhist-majority country, which refuses to recognize them as a legitimate native ethnic minority, leaving them without citizenship and basic rights.
Longstanding tension between the Rohingya Muslims and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists erupted in bloody rioting in 2012. That set off a surge of anti-Muslim feeling throughout the country.
Wirathu, a Buddhist monk and leader of the anti-Muslim movement who is known for virulent sermons, told Wednesday’s protesters in Yangon that only the military can control the situation in northern Rakhine.
He criticized the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi for not responding quickly to the army’s call Tuesday for a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, which could declare a state of emergency in Rakhine and give the military absolute authority to enforce it. The military holds a majority on the council, which was created by the 2008 military-drafted constitution.
“Only the military’s commander in chief can protect the lives and the properties of the people,” Wirathu said. “The military is the only one that can give a lesson to tame the Bengali terrorists.” Myanmar nationalists use the term Bengali for Rohingya because of a belief they migrated illegally from Bangladesh, even though many families have been in Myanmar for generations.
Wirathu also denounced international aid groups that the government has accused, without evidence, of giving assistance to the Rohingya insurgents. The allegations have circulated widely on social media.
The Information Ministry said Wednesday that 45 homemade bombs were detonated and seven villages, one security post and two neighborhoods in the township of Maungdaw were burned down on Sunday and Monday.
Maungdaw, in the northern part of Rakhine state, is a center of the violence, though villages over a much wider area were also hit.
Sanjukta Sahany, a spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on the border with Myanmar, said the Rohingya crisis was not just an issue between Myanmar and Bangladesh but of international concern.
Ali Hossain, Cox’s Bazar district’s top government official, told The Associated Press that its resources were under huge stress after some 87,000 Rohingya entered Bangladesh since October last year and another 18,000 since last Friday.
The UN refugee organization on Tuesday urged Bangladesh to continue to allow Rohingya fleeing violence to seek safety. It said it was ready to help Bangladesh with assistance for the refugees.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the United States on Wednesday to pressure Myanmar so its government would stop pushing Rohingya toward Bangladesh, her spokesman said.
Hasina made the request during talks with Alice Wells, US acting assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, said Ihsanul Karim, Hasina’s press secretary.
The insurgent raids last Thursday were deadlier than an attack by the militants on three border posts last October that killed nine policemen and set off months of brutal counterinsurgency operations against Rohingya communities. Human rights groups accused the army of carrying out massive abuses, including killing, rape and burning down more than 1,000 homes and other buildings.
Myanmar Buddhists seek tougher action against Rohingya
Myanmar Buddhists seek tougher action against Rohingya
Pakistan says Saudi Arabia has granted additional 10,000 slots for private Hajj scheme
- Nearly 90,000 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj pilgrimage under government scheme
- Around 23,620 Pakistani were to perform Hajj through private scheme before new slots added
ISLAMABAD: Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said on Monday Saudi Arabia had granted Pakistan an additional 10,000 slots for Hajj pilgrims traveling under the private scheme.
The annual Islamic pilgrimage is expected to take place this year in June. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Hajj Agreement 2025 in January, under which Pakistan was given a quota of 179,210 for the pilgrimage to be divided equally between government and private schemes.
Nearly 90,000 Pakistanis are expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme this year and 23,620 Pakistani were to perform Hajj through private tour operators, which means that over 60,000 slots from the total quota had remained unfilled.
“We have been allowed 10,000 more in the quota, this is not government but private quota,” Yousaf told reporters.
The development has not yet been confirmed by Saudi authorities.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe why Pakistan had failed to use the full 179,210 quota for Hajj 2025.
Hajj flight operations will begin from Apr. 29 with the first flight departing from Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore.
While a precise number for Hajj 2025 is difficult to determine in advance, projections suggest it will be a record-breaking year, with over 2.5 million pilgrims expected.
Philippines, US to conduct first ‘full battle test’ during joint military drills
- About 14,000 Filipino, American soldiers involved in the annual exercises
- Drills take place as tensions simmer between Manila and Beijing over disputed South China Sea
MANILA: The Philippines and the US began their annual joint military drills on Monday, which will, for the first time, include “full battle tests” to simulate real-world combat in the face of regional security concerns, including tensions in the South China Sea.
The exercises, known as Balikatan — Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder — will run until May 9 and involve about 14,000 troops, including 9,000 from the US and about 150 Australian forces.
“This is a signature exercise dedicated to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific and ensuring the defense of the Philippines,” Lt. Gen. James Glynn, commander of US Marine Corps Forces Pacific, said at an opening ceremony. We will push ourselves and our equipment to the edge of our capabilities.”
Glynn described the full battle tests — conducted for the first time since the drills began 30 years ago — as the “purposeful integration of real-world security challenges relevant to the region.”
Throughout the three-week exercise, soldiers from the two militaries will participate in live and simulated training where capabilities of both forces will be measured in numerous scenarios.
Balikatan is “about testing our ability to defend, to de-escalate and to respond together,” Glynn said.
This year, the drills will also feature an array of US weapons that include the NMESIS anti-ship missile system and HIMARS rocket launchers.
More than a dozen countries are sending observers to the drills, including first-timers such as Poland, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
The exercises take place at a time of continued tension in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines, which have been involved in frequent maritime confrontations in recent years.
Manila and Beijing have overlapping claims in the resource-rich waterway, a route for much of the world’s commerce and oil.
China has been increasing its military activity over the past few years, with the Chinese Coast Guard regularly encroaching on the Philippine part of the waters, the West Philippine Sea, despite a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal in The Hague dismissing Beijing’s expansive claims.
The Philippines, meanwhile, has been steadily deepening its defense cooperation with other countries, including treaty ally the US, since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022.
“Balikatan is not against any nation,” said Maj. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo Jr., Balikatan exercise director from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“It is joint training with the US to increase our capability to secure our territory. It enhances our responsiveness and deters possible incursions or invasions.”
The drills this year will emphasise interoperability across domains, including maritime and air defense, and stretch from Palawan to the northern Luzon islands — areas facing the South China Sea and Taiwan.
“During this year’s Balikatan, we underscore our drive to modernize the armed forces of the Philippines, enhancing interoperability with our allies and reinforce the comprehensive archipelagic defense concept,” said AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
“It is our way of ensuring that the AFP remains a capable, agile and forward-thinking force, prepared to defend and ready to respond and poised to lead.”
Farasan Islands celebrate annual harid fish arrival
RIYADH: The shores of the Farasan Islands are witnessing the annual arrival of large schools of harid fish, which travel for months from the Indian Ocean, through the Arabian Sea, and into the Red Sea.
The harid fish, or parrotfish, is a diverse species inhabiting coral reefs and plays a key role in the marine ecosystem.
Recognizable by its parrot-like beak and vibrant colors, the harid thrives in coral-rich habitats, with over 90 species, each having unique shapes and colors.
Farasan, a group of coral islands 40 km off Jazan’s coast, becomes the site of this natural event as vast schools of harid fish gather, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Residents can predict the fish’s arrival by a distinct scent carried from the sea after sunset on the 15th day of the lunar month.
The annual harid catch, celebrated in late April, is a tradition reflecting the islands’ cultural heritage and has brought joy to Farasan for centuries.
Recognizing the cultural and tourism significance of harid fishing, Jazan Gov. Prince Mohammed bin Nasser inaugurated the first Farasan Islands Harid Festival in 2005.
The 21st edition of the festival launched on Monday, showcasing the islands as a promising destination for tourists and investors.
The festival highlights Farasan’s unique customs, traditions, folk games, handicrafts, and historical sites, while also showcasing local handicrafts such as fishing traps, palm weaving, bag and rug creation, and hat knitting.
Dubai inflation eases to 2.79% in March as housing, transport costs moderate
RIYADH: Dubai’s annual inflation rate eased in March, hitting its lowest level since October 2024, according to official data released by the Dubai Statistics Center.
The inflation rate in the emirate slowed to 2.79 percent in March, down from 3.15 percent in February. The decline was primarily driven by a deeper deflation in food and beverage prices, which dropped by 3.34 percent year-on-year, compared to a 0.85 percent decline in the previous month.
Dubai continues to report relatively moderate inflation compared to other major cities in the region. Analysts attribute this trend to the government’s proactive measures to maintain price stability while fostering economic growth.
Despite persistent global inflationary pressures, Dubai’s economy remains resilient, supported by a diverse mix of sectors including tourism, real estate, and trade.
Looking ahead, the UAE Central Bank has forecast nationwide inflation at 2 percent for 2025 —well below the global average. Non-tradable components of the consumer basket are expected to be the main contributors to price movements in the coming year.
The March data also pointed to continued deflation in other key categories. Food and beverage prices posted a monthly deflation rate of 0.31 percent, slightly higher than the 0.21 percent recorded in February.
Clothing and footwear prices declined 2.69 percent year on year, mirroring the previous month’s figures. Meanwhile, prices in the information and communication sector saw a 1.96 percent annual drop in March, compared to a 1.95 percent decline in February.
The data also showed a continued rise in prices within several key sectors. The housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels category recorded a 7.16 percent increase in March, slightly down from 7.36 percent in February.
The insurance and financial services sector experienced notable inflation as well, with prices rising 5.83 percent, up from 5.20 percent the previous month.
Price increases were also observed across health, education, and personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods and services. Health costs climbed 3.1 percent, education rose 2.76 percent, and personal care and related services increased 2.52 percent.
For comparison, September’s figures showed no change in health and education, while personal care had risen by 1.48 percent.
The tobacco sector registered a 2.12 percent year-on-year increase, unchanged from February. Meanwhile, prices in the recreation, sport, and culture category grew 1.66 percent, though at a slower pace compared to 3.93 percent in the previous month.
Additional monthly gains were recorded in insurance and financial services, which edged up 1.47 percent in March versus 1.41 percent in February. Prices for furnishings, household equipment, and routine maintenance rose 0.36 percent, matching the previous month’s rate. The restaurants and accommodation services category saw a 0.25 percent increase, down from 0.72 percent in February.
In a separate report published in December, FOREX.com, a subsidiary of US-based StoneX Group Inc., projected strong economic resilience for the UAE in 2025.
The outlook was supported by solid consumer spending, record-high foreign direct investment, and the nation’s ongoing economic diversification efforts, despite regional challenges.
Saudi aid agency helps crisis-hit people worldwide
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief continues to deliver vital humanitarian assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
In Kenya, a KSrelief volunteer medical team performed 28 cochlear implant surgeries for children in a single day, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
They also provided speech and language rehabilitation for the children and held education sessions for their families.
In the Syrian Arab Republic, KSrelief distributed 650 clothing bags to orphaned children in Al-Bab, Afrin, and Akhtarin in Aleppo governorate.
The bags included new clothes suitable for children of various ages, to meet their needs and bring them joy.
In Jordan, KSrelief concluded its 30th volunteer program at the Zaatari refugee camp, involving 12 medical volunteers.
During the week-long campaign, the team provided healthcare to 1,141 beneficiaries, offering treatments in dermatology, gynecology, oncology, pediatrics, family medicine, and physical therapy.
In Yemen, KSrelief distributed 176 shelter bags and 45 tents in Al-Shihr district, Hadramout governorate, benefiting 1,056 individuals.
In Sudan, KSrelief distributed 1,660 food baskets to displaced and needy families in Ad-Daba, Northern State, benefiting 9,960 individuals.
Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has implemented 3,393 projects worth nearly $7.9 billion across 106 countries, in partnership with more than 309 organizations.
