Red Cross faces funding shortage in Myanmar earthquake relief
The IFRC has received only 10% of its $122 million emergency appeal for Myanmar’s earthquake recovery, raising alarm as thousands remain homeless and vulnerable ahead of monsoon season.
The death toll from Myanmar’s devastating earthquake has risen to 3,354, with 4,850 injured and 220 missing, according to state media. The grim figures emerge as the country struggles to cope with the aftermath of the quake amid a prolonged civil conflict.
Myanmar’s military ruler, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, returned to the capital after a rare trip to Bangkok, where he attended a summit with South and Southeast Asian leaders. In separate meetings, he also met with officials from Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and India. State media reported that during his visit, Min Aung Hlaing reaffirmed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the junta’s plans to hold “free and fair” elections in December. Modi, meanwhile, called for a permanent post-quake ceasefire and stressed that the elections must be “inclusive and credible,” though critics have dismissed the planned elections as a sham intended to perpetuate military control.
Since the 2021 coup that ousted the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has been mired in conflict. The ongoing civil war has displaced more than 3 million people, left basic services in tatters, and plunged a significant portion of the population into humanitarian distress—a situation further exacerbated by the March 28 quake.
United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher, who spent Friday night in Mandalay near the quake’s epicenter, praised local humanitarian and community groups for their efforts. “Many themselves lost everything, and yet kept heading out to support survivors,” he said on social media, highlighting the grassroots response amid challenges posed by restricted access to aid.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that the junta has been limiting aid supplies in quake-hit areas where communities oppose its rule, and it is investigating 53 reported attacks by the military—including 16 incidents that occurred after a ceasefire was declared on Wednesday.
As Myanmar confronts the dual challenges of natural disaster and political turmoil, international attention remains focused on the humanitarian crisis and the prospects for a genuine path toward stability and peace.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
An international academic conference titled "Islamophobia: Exposing Prejudice and Destroying Stigma" has officially opened in the capital of Azerbaijan, bringing together global scholars, experts, and policymakers to address the rise and consequences of anti-Muslim discrimination.
Türkiye’s first floating natural gas production platform, Osman Gazi, reached Filyos Port in Zonguldak on May 31.
Authorities in Whatcom County, Washington, issued a warning Friday after a truck carrying honey bee hives overturned near the Canadian border, initially prompting fears that millions of bees had been released.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to Washington next week to meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
Landslides and flash floods caused by days of heavy monsoon rain have killed at least 22 people in India’s northeast, officials said.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Saturday that the border conflict with Thailand “must be resolved with patience and through legal and diplomatic channels.”
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment