Day: October 5, 2024

The adoption of solar energy in Myanmar is on the rise due to increasing oil prices and electricity costs, Thi Thi Soe, deputy general manager of Sandisolar, a Myanmar-based Chinese new energy company, told Xinhua on Friday.

Moreover, solar products and related items are increasingly accessible in the market, making them an attractive option, she said.

The reason for opting for solar energy is the unstable electricity supply and rising electricity bills, said Thida Tun and Chaik Sai, who have chosen solar energy for reliability and sustainability.

Thida Tun, 66, emphasized, “I would like to urge communities to harness natural light through solar power. Instead of relying on electricity, we can utilize sunlight, which naturally exists and is abundant.”

Chaik Sai, 46, expressed his preference to Chinese-made solar panels, noting their popularity in Myanmar. These panels can provide steady power and light, which helps prevent the frequent on-and-off situations that can damage electrical appliances.

“By swit
ching to solar energy, I hope to create a more reliable and sustainable energy source for my home,” he added.

Myanmar’s solar market is predominantly led by Chinese companies, including Sandisolar. In 2022, Sandisolar completed 36 solar projects and that number rose to 115 in 2023, with over 200 projects planned for 2024, Thi Thi Soe said.

This growth highlights the increasing use of solar energy in the Southeast Asian country, she added.

Solar installations have been growing each year. They are more widely adopted in both urban and rural regions of Myanmar for homes, businesses and factories, she said.

In rural regions, solar systems are being implemented in rural lighting projects, and small solar devices are being utilized in areas that still lack access to electricity and face transportation challenges, she added.

Thi Thi Soe highlighted that solar energy supports businesses by reducing costs and providing steady power supply. This also helps create a quieter, more environmentally friendly atmosphere
compared to using fuel-powered generators.

The expansion of solar energy projects has been supported by Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) programs and China-Myanmar cooperation programs, according to Sandisolar.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Sudan’s health ministry said on Saturday it has received 1.4 million doses of cholera vaccine from international organizations, as the country grapples with an outbreak that has infected over 20,000 people.

Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said in a statement that 1,407,200 doses were provided by the Global Vaccine Alliance, World Health Organization, and UNICEF.

The vaccines will be distributed to three states — River Nile, Kassala, and Gedaref — to immunize 1,058,545 people aged one year and older, Ibrahim said, adding that efforts to supply vaccines to other affected areas would continue.

The ministry reported 20,398 cholera cases and 597 deaths since the outbreak was officially declared on Aug. 17. Officials blamed the surge on deteriorating environmental conditions caused by ongoing conflict and the use of contaminated water.

The cholera outbreak is part of a broader health crisis in Sudan, where fighting between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has raged since April 2023. Othe
r epidemic diseases, including malaria, measles, and dengue fever, have also spread.

The United Nations estimates the conflict has killed about 20,000 people and displaced millions.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Mongolians nationwide on Saturday kicked off the National Autumn Tree Planting Days, the country’s largest event dedicated to tree planting and environmental conservation.

As part of the National Autumn Tree Planting Days, Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh planted trees in the Green Wall park located in the Songinokhairkhan district of Ulan Bator, capital of the country, according to the presidential office.

In 2021, Mongolia launched a nationwide tree-planting campaign called “Billion Trees.” Khurelsukh told the United Nations General Assembly that the campaign aims to plant at least 1 billion trees by 2030 to combat desertification.

The president noted on Saturday that since the inception of the national movement, the country’s forestry sector has experienced a revival, leading to a significant increase in tree-planting activities across Mongolia.

The autumn tree planting days are expected to last until Oct.26.

Mongolia has a total land area of over 1.5 million square km and only around 8 percent h
as been covered by forests so far. Almost 77 percent of the country’s territory has been struck by desertification and land degradation, according to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

Since 2010, the Asian country has marked National Tree Planting Days twice a year, in May and October, to raise public awareness about the importance of trees, improve air quality, and combat climate change.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The second Dutch evacuation flight from Lebanon landed at an airport in the southeastern city of Eindhoven just before 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) on Saturday.

Onboard the aircraft were 170 passengers, including more than 100 Dutch nationals. The remaining passengers were citizens from Belgium, France, Austria and Spain, who were evacuated at the request of their respective governments.

The first Dutch evacuation flight had landed in the city with more than 100 Dutch nationals the previous evening.

At this time, no further Dutch repatriation flights from Lebanon are scheduled, according to Dutch media reports.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry said earlier this week that several hundred Dutch citizens would be evacuated, warning that the security situation in Lebanon had become increasingly uncertain.

The Dutch government has committed to continuing its efforts to assist those wishing to return to the Netherlands from Lebanon, through military and commercial flights, as well as by cooperating with repatriation
flights organized by other countries.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Chen Kaige’s war epic “The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death” continued its reign at the top of China’s box office during the National Day holiday, maintaining its lead for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday.

Starring Zhu Yilong, Xin Baiqing and Zhang Zifeng, the second installment of Chen’s “The Volunteers” trilogy has raked in more than 600 million yuan (85.6 million U.S. dollars), accounting for around 36.7 percent of the holiday’s total box office revenue.

According to movie data platform Maoyan, the film is on track to finish its run with over 1.4 billion yuan, potentially placing it among the top six highest-grossing films in China this year.

The film’s predecessor also found success at the box office, earning 868 million yuan following its release during last year’s National Day holiday.

The lucrative week-long National Day holiday kicked off on Oct. 1, and has been seen as a potential catalyst for a box office rebound following a weaker-than-expected summer season.

The holiday lineup c
urrently features eight new domestic releases, after two films recently withdrew from the competition.

The second and third highest-grossing films to date are Lu Chuan’s sci-fi offering “Bureau 749” and the crime drama “Tiger Wolf Rabbit,” which have earned over 330 million yuan and 282 million yuan, respectively, as of Saturday afternoon.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Sudan’s health ministry said on Saturday it has received 1.4 million doses of cholera vaccine from international organizations, as the country grapples with an outbreak that has infected over 20,000 people.

Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said in a statement that 1,407,200 doses were provided by the Global Vaccine Alliance, World Health Organization, and UNICEF. (Sudan-Cholera-Vaccine Doses)

TEHRAN — A senior Iranian military official warned that any “unconsidered action” by Israel would provoke a “harsh and destructive” response from Iran, semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Saturday.

Chief Commander of the Iranian Army Abdolrahim Mousavi said Iran has shown patience in the face of Israel’s “hostile” actions but is prepared to deliver a “precise and destructive” blow at the appropriate time, according to Mehr. (Iran-Israeli Retaliation-Harsh Response)

DAMASCUS — A series of attacks across various locations in Syria on Saturday resulted in at least one death and three injuries.

Syrian st
ate television reported that the country’s air defenses were activated to intercept “hostile targets” over western Homs, a region often targeted by Israeli strikes and drone attacks from rebels positioned in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib. (Syria-Attacks-Casualties)

BEIRUT — The Israeli army on Saturday killed a Hamas leader and an official of the Islamic Group in its airstrikes in Lebanon.

An airstrike on a house in the Beddawi camp north of Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli killed Hamas leader Said Atallah Ali and three of his family members, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. (Lebanon-Hamas-Airstrikes)

Source: The Namibia Press Agency