Myanmar coup, from Apr. 16 to May 14: Japan pledges food aid through WFP

Singapore-listed Yoma group reports $20m loss; militias seize trucks near India

On May 14, Japan pledged food aid over the next six months to some 600,000 impoverished Burmese at risk of starvation. The WFP estimates that up to 3.4 million more people in Myanmar will face hunger, most acutely in urban areas. © Reuters

Nikkei staff writersApril 17, 2021 17:14 JSTUpdated on May 15, 2021 02:09 JST | Myanmar

YANGON/BANGKOK -- Myanmar's military on Feb. 1 detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint in the country's first coup since 1988, bringing an end to a decade of civilian rule.

The Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy had won a landslide in a general election in November. But the military has claimed the election was marred by fraud.

For all our coverage, visit our Myanmar Coup page.

Read our in-depth coverage:

-- Suu Kyi's Myanmar legal team struggles to gain client's rights

-- Myanmar currency hits record low as economy fails to normalize

-- Thai PM and Myanmar junta chief stay engaged via back channels

-- In pictures: Myanmar photographer bears witness to chaotic 3 months

-- Myanmar journalists granted sanctuary in India

-- Norway's Telenor fully writes off Myanmar unit for $782m

-- Myanmar junta builds 'walled garden' of internet services

UPDATES CLOSED

To catch up on newer developments, see the next edition of latest updates.

Friday, May 14 (Yangon time)

11:00 p.m. Singapore-listed Myanmar conglomerate Yoma Strategic Holdings reports a $19.92 million net loss for the six months ended in March after the coronavirus pandemic and political turmoil in its home country hit its restaurant and auto sales.

Revenue fell 16% from a year earlier to $43.94 million, the group says.

The company operates Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Myanmar as well as local noodle shop chain YKKO, part of a dining business that contributes about a quarter of group revenue. These locations have been forced to close or cut business hours since the Feb. 1 coup, as have car and motorcycle dealerships.

Yoma's core restaurant business held up better, logging 28% revenue growth, but the company says economic uncertainty could result in some projects being halted in the short to medium term.

4:00 p.m. Japan's ministry of foreign affairs announces that it will provide emergency grant aid of $4 million through the World Food Programme for food assistance in Myanmar. It will help WFP to provide assistance to some 600,000 people around Yangon, the country's former capital and largest city, according to a WFP statement. WFP estimates that up to 3.4 million more people, particularly those in urban areas, will face hunger during the next six months.

3:30 p.m. Social media posts including video footage suggest that, despite the declaration of martial law in Chin State, fighting is ongoing and six military trucks were seized today by the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) in the region, which borders India in Myanmar's northwest. The CDF is "a newly formed ethnic militia" based in the state, according to local media outlet Mizzima.

1:30 p.m. According to a state-owned newspaper, the junta declared martial law in a town in Chin State that borders India after blaming local armed groups for the attacks on May 12 and 13 on a police station and a bank. However, local residents have posted on social media about their resistance to martial law, saying they have witnessed military trucks bringing more troops to the state. Other social posts note that a local media outlet has dropped an article from its website -- likely due to fear of criticism by the junta -- which reported an attack against the military's troops by local defense forces in Chin State.

9:10 a.m. Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi arrives at the international terminal of Yangon International Airport in a van, likely one arranged by Burmese authorities. He didn't get out at that spot but bowed slightly to media members gathered there. It was the first time he has been seen since his detention on April 18. The vehicle left after a one-minute stop.

He was expected to depart on a flight to Tokyo around 11:30 a.m. and will arrive home late at night. Myanmar state media earlier announced that "although [he] broke the law, the cases filed against him were closed" and that he would be released for the sake of "current friendly relations and future relations between Myanmar and Japan."

The announcement also emphasized "the request of the Japanese government's special envoy for national reconciliation."

3:30 a.m. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he and Australian counterpart Marise Payne affirmed their shared condemnation of violence against protesters in Myanmar.

12:40 a.m. Detained journalist Yuki Kitazumi has been moved to a police guesthouse and will be deported later Friday, State Administration Council spokesperson Zaw Min Tun tells Nikkei Asia.

Meanwhile, martial law has been imposed in Mindut in Chin State, in Myanmar's northwest, local media report. Mindut or Mindat has been the scene of heavy fighting between government forces and local fighters in recent weeks, with casualties reported by the military.

Thursday, May 13

10:15 p.m. Even as Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi is set to be released from detention, another local reporter faces imprisonment.

A Myanmar court has sentenced Min Nyo, a reporter for independent broadcaster Democratic Voice of Burma, to three years in prison, Kyodo reports, citing his employer. Min Nyo was arrested March 3 while covering an anti-coup demonstration in the central Bago region and was charged with inciting social unrest, Kyodo reports.

9:00 p.m. Myanmar authorities will drop the charges against detained Japanese reporter Yuki Kitazumi, who was arrested last month on suspicion of spreading false information, state television reports.

State TV says that while Kitazumi "violated laws," he will be released in light of the friendship between Myanmar and Japan and the interest of their future relations. Kitazumi's release follows a request made by a special envoy of Japan for national reconciliation in Myanmar, the broadcaster says.

Kitazumi was found to have supported the Civil Disobedience Movement and violated visa rules, according to the news report. The former Nikkei reporter has worked as a Myanmar-based freelance journalist and runs a video production company.

5:00 p.m. By Thursday night, the kyat reference rate had fallen by 6.7% against the dollar in a week, despite the central bank intervention.

3:30 p.m. The Central Bank of Myanmar announces that it has auctioned off another $6 million at an average exchange rate of 1,669.5 kyats on the dollar -- 30 kyats below a similar sell-off on Wednesday and one of the lowest rates in history.

11:30 a.m. The senior imam in Myanmar's Muslim community requests devotees not to celebrate Eid at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan in the normal way by wearing new clothes, socialising and going out. The imam pointed to similar self-imposed restraints applied by Buddhists during Thingyan, the normally exuberant water festival in April marking the lunar new year. The gestures are part of the civil disobedience movement against the State Administration Council, the ruling junta.

12:30 a.m. United Nations experts urge global businesses to press Myanmar's military to stop human rights abuses.

"Because the risk of gross human rights violations has greatly increased in Myanmar, action by States and human rights due diligence by business, and investors, should be rapidly and proportionately heightened," Surya Deva, vice chair of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, says in a statement.

Tom Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, echoes this call.

"The revenues that the military earns from domestic and foreign businesses substantially enhances its ability and capacity to carry out these grave violations," Andrews says.

Wednesday, May 12

9:30 p.m. Myanmar security forces fire shots and arrest about 30 people at an anti-coup rally in Mandalay, Reuters reports, citing witnesses. Videos posted on Twitter purport to show events in Mandalay.

Central bank intervenes again as currency weakens

8:00 p.m. The Central Bank of Myanmar sells $6 million at its foreign exchange auction, according to a statement by the bank.

The central bank's reference rate for the day reaches 1,639.9 kyat to the dollar, the highest in recent years. The reference rate is based on the weighted average exchange rate of trades by banks.

In the local exchange market, the kyat's depreciation is gaining speed. Money exchangers sold dollars at a rate of more than 1,700 kyat on Wednesday, a record low for the Myanmar currency. Some shops have stopped advertising the exchange rate owing to the growing instability of the market.

This is the fourth forex intervention by the central bank since the coup in February. The bank said it sold $6.8 million on Feb. 3, followed by $6 million each on April 22 and April 27.

4:00 p.m. Thailand's pro-military government has tapped its back-channel contacts with Myanmar's armed forces to shape Bangkok's diplomatic options following the turmoil and bloodshed in its neighbor since the February coup in Naypyitaw. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha tipped this element of Bangkok's approach by skipping the recent summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders in Jakarta. He sent Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai instead for the ASEAN gathering convened to chart a regional response to Myanmar,

Prayuth seemingly missed his chance to engage with Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military chief and junta leader, who flew to the Indonesian capital for the April 24 summit -- his first overseas trip since the power grab.

But criticism of Prayuth prompted this retort from a confidant: "The P.M. does not have to attend the ASEAN summit to engage with [Min Aung Hlaing]." Read more here.

2:00 p.m. Kirin Holdings says its subsidiary Myanmar Brewery saw revenue plunge 46.7% on the year in the first quarter of 2021, as the Japanese company looks to exit the joint venture with a military-linked conglomerate.

Revenue dropped to 5.7 billion yen ($52 million), from 10.7 billion yen in the same period a year earlier.

The subsidiary is a partnership with Myanmar Economic Holdings, known as MEHL. In the days after the Feb. 1 coup, Kirin announced that it had "no option but to terminate our current joint-venture partnership."

In its latest earnings announcement, Kirin mentions that it continues discussions toward dissolving the joint venture. "The company continues to place the highest priority on ensuring the safety and health of its employees," it adds.

Activist group Justice for Myanmar says in a statement that the results are "clear evidence that the mass boycott of military products by the people of Myanmar is working."

Kirin, though, notes that Myanmar Brewery's revenue declined by "almost the same amount as the market." Kirin estimates the Myanmar beer market shrank by 40% on the year due to weaker consumer demand, lower supply capacity and restrictions on sales activities.

12:30 p.m. The South East Asia Community (SEAC) announces at a Zoom press conference its socially distanced entrance on to the regional political stage "as an alternative multilateral organization to replace the inter-governmental ASEAN." In its mission statement, SEAC excoriated the 54-year-old Association of Southeast Asian Nations for its "failure to move with the times and adopt representative democracy as a common ideal model of government for the region."

The nascent regional grouping promised "an open participatory and inclusive community where universal values of democracy, freedom, human rights, social and economic justice are adhered to." It also pledged to "reject the doctrine of non-interference and establish legalistic SEAC institutions with a vision for closer integration and the progressive introduction of executive, legislative and judicial bodies. These would include a "SEAC Court of Justice to safeguard the rights of our peoples."

Co-signatories to the mission statement were Sam Rainsy, the exiled leader of Cambodia's opposition; Dr Fadli Zon, an Indonesian parliamentarian and former speaker; Wong Chen, a Malaysian parliamentarian; Dr Sasa, Myanmar's union minister of international cooperation and spokesperson for the parallel National Unity Government; Kiko Pangilinan, a Filipino senator; Kasit Piromya, a former Thai foreign minister; Mu Sochua, a former Cambodian minister of women and veterans' affairs; and Emil Kirjas, the former North Macedonian foreign minister. Kasit conceded that it might take some time to form this new "political architecture" in Southeast Asia.

9:00 a.m. Prices of rice and rice crops have "modestly" increased in the domestic market, state-owned paper Global New Light of Myanmar reports. Data in the report shows rice crops fetched between 506,000 to 524,000 kyat ($313 to $324) per 100 baskets. The paper says those prices are up 20,000 to 33,000 kyat, or around 4% to 7%, though it does not clarify the period of the change.

1:30 a.m. Myanmar's National Unity Government, which stands in opposition to the junta, accuses the military-run government of crimes against humanity in a new statement on the 100th day since the coup and vows to bring violators to account.

"Our invitation is extended to the Army, Navy, Air Force personnel including those from Myanmar Police Force, that it is still a good time to side with justice and the people ... if you do not want to be recorded in history as criminals," according to the statement, which is issued with the government's self-declared Ministry of Human Rights.

1:05 p.m. A three-year prison sentence is handed down to Min Nyo, a journalist working for the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), under section 505 (a) of the Burmese penal code, which forbids the dissemination of information that might undermine the armed forces. Min Nyo was arrested in Pyay, Bago region, on Mar. 3 and sustained injuries while in police custody, according to the DVB. Amnesty International said in a statement on Wednesday that the harsh sentence shows "the appalling situation faced by journalists in Myanmar, where they risk life and liberty to shed light on the military's abuses." Amnesty added that the "ruthless" military, which seized power on Feb.1, is "determined to crush dissent by silencing those who seek to expose their crimes."

1:00 a.m. Marking 100 days since the coup, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres "renews his call on the country's military to respect the will of the people and act in the greater interest of peace and stability in the country."

Guterres "also encourages ASEAN to swiftly follow through on its own commitments, and the international community to support regional efforts, to bring an end to the repression by the military," according to a statement by spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Tuesday, May 11

7:00 p.m. Construction of a huge stone Buddha statue is moving ahead in Naypyitaw, with the full support of junta leader Min Aung Hlaing.

At about 19 meters high, the completed statue would be taller than the roughly 15-meter bronze Buddha at Japan's Todaiji temple in Nara, media reports say. It would be the largest marble Buddha in the world, according to a state newspaper.

Min Aung Hlaing and other members of the State Administration Council, as the junta is formally known, attended a ceremony for the statue in late April, giving the construction the trappings of a national project.

5:00 p.m. Over 11,100 academic and other staff members have been suspended from Myanmar's colleges and universities after expressing their opposition to military rule, an official of the Myanmar Teachers' Federation tells Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The news agency is unable to confirm what proportion of higher education faculties that represents, but cites World Bank data from 2018 showing the country had more than 26,000 teachers in universities and other tertiary institutions.

3:30 p.m. Protesters gather for a "flash mob" in Yangon to mark a milestone: 100 days since the military ousted their elected government. The crowd rushes through the streets, waving banners, chanting slogans and flashing the three-finger salute of defiance.

3:15 a.m. An analysis of satellite imagery suggests Myanmar's military may be using Chinese-made drones to keep an eye in the sky on protesters, according to the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Caihong 3A (CH-3A) unmanned aerial vehicles have been spotted at a Myanmar Air Force base within range of Mandalay and Sagaing, two cities that have been hubs of protest against the Feb. 1 coup, according to a recent CSIS report.

12:20 a.m. Police have arrested three senior Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) journalists in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Sunday who fled after the junta ordered the Myanmar news agency to stop publishing, their editor says in an statement.

"DVB strongly urges the Thai authorities to not deport them back to Burma, as their life will be in serious danger if they were to return," Aye Chan Naing, chief editor, says in a statement posted online.

Monday, May 10

7:00 p.m. Despite continuous efforts by the junta, Myanmar's currency has lost 20% of its value since a military coup on Feb. 1.

Before Monday, the previous record low was 1,650 kyat on the dollar in September 2018 when the China-U.S. trade war led to a fall in the value of the yuan. That also brought down the kyat. Read more here.

1:00 p.m. Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer says the next phase of her trial will be conducted in person in the capital, Naypyitaw, on May 24 -- rather than virtual hearings via video chat -- according to the presiding judge.

The lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, also says police told the court that approval had not yet been issued for in-person meetings between clients and counsel. Suu Kyi, who faces charges ranging from breaking coronavirus protocols to violating an official secrets act, has been unable to meet privately with her legal team.

12:00 p.m. Long lines at ATMs continue to plague Myanmar residents attempting to go about their lives, as this video taken on Sunday shows.

11:00 a.m. Young anti-coup protesters staged a flash-mob demonstration in the streets and markets of Yangon's North Oakkalapa township, where martial law is in effect, according to local media. Protesters from San Chaung, Kyi Myint Daing and Hlaing townships converged for the collective action.

9:15 a.m. Myanmar's currency, the kyat, touched its weakest level against the U.S. dollar on record Sunday, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar reports, citing local foreign exchange market data. A dollar was fetching 1,660 kyat, up from 1,330 at the end of January, just before the military took power. The paper says the "current political changes in Myanmar affect the currency market," warning the trend will push up food prices.

It says the kyat's previous weakest point had been 1,650 to the dollar in September 2018.

9:00 a.m. Myanmar's exports of natural gas plunged about 40% on the year by value in the first seven months of the current fiscal year that started in October, the Global New Light of Myanmar reports.

The report cites data from the Ministry of Commerce showing the exports were worth $1.238 billion, versus $2.124 billion in the same period the previous year. The "sharp drop" is attributed to declining production at Yadana and Yetagun, two of the country's four offshore gas fields.

The Yadana project is led by French company Total and Chevron of the U.S., while Yetagun is run by Malaysia's Petronas. Much of Myanmar's gas is exported to Thailand and China, and is an important source of revenue for the state.

Petronas said last month that it was declaring force majeure at Yetagun due to gas depletion and said it was temporarily ceasing production, though it said it hopes to resume "as soon as possible."

Saturday, May 8

9:00 p.m. Myanmar's military designates the National Unity Government and the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), formed by ousted parliamentarians, as "terrorist groups" under the Anti-Terrorism Law, alongside the People's Defence Force -- resistance forces against the junta. It accuses them of inciting bombing, torturing and killing.

Friday, May 7

9:00 p.m. The Myanmar Investment Commission has approved a $2.5 billion LNG-to-power project, according to a military television broadcaster.

Blackout-prone Myanmar has several LNG-to-power projects in the pipeline, but the announcement does not say which one was approved. One pending project of a similar nature and scale is a Chinese-backed joint venture, with a planned capacity of 1,390 MW, in the Ayeyarwady Region at Meelingyaing.

Friday's decision marks the largest single investment approved since the Feb. 1 coup. In all, 15 investments were approved, totaling $2.7 billion in value.

The announcement says that "all the power generated will be provided for domestic use."

3:00 p.m. Myanmar's junta tells reporters it will "cooperate" with an Association of Southeast Asian Nations plan to dispatch a special envoy to the country -- but only after restoring a certain level of "stability."

The idea of sending an envoy is part of the ASEAN five-point consensus reached at a special bloc summit in Jakarta last month, which included the junta's leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.

But Maj. Kaung Htet San, a spokesperson for the military's State Administration Council, tells an online news conference: "Whether we will follow the suggestions of ASEAN or not will depend on the situation of the country."

He does add that the authorities intend to form "technical teams" to implement ASEAN's suggestions.

Regarding the fate of the ousted National League for Democracy, he says that "the existence of political parties in our country is defined by the political parties registration law and the constitution," citing an article that allows for banning parties on grounds of "unlawful association."

He says, "The future of the party will proceed in accordance with the laws."

11:30 a.m. Local media reports say plainclothes gunmen arrested three people at the headquarters of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy in Yangon on Thursday. Two of the detainees are party central committee members, while the third is a youth committee member; they have been working regularly at the party office since the Feb. 1 military coup. Their whereabouts are unknown.

9:00 a.m. Hundreds of people have been lining up to take out cash at ATMs in Yangon. At one location, however, a bank officer comes out and makes an announcement: "Cash cannot be withdrawn from these ATMs." The lines have been getting longer for the last two weeks.

2:50 a.m. The five-point consensus reached at the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations' summit is "certainly a step in the right direction," writes veteran Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan in commentary for Nikkei Asia. "If junta leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing took the ASEAN leaders for a ride, he at least thought it necessary to be in the same car with them. That is something."

Read more here.

12:30 a.m. The U.S.-ASEAN Business Council urges President Joe Biden to appoint a special envoy for Myanmar, saying "bold, decisive U.S. leadership can make a real difference in the face of this crisis." Empty American ambassador posts for Singapore, Thailand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations also need to be filled, the council says.

"The U.S. government must fully equip and deploy its diplomatic arsenal in ASEAN to confront this crisis, which includes filling key ambassador posts in Southeast Asia and appointing a dedicated special envoy for Myanmar," the council's chairman and CEO, Alexander Feldman, says in a statement. "American leadership is necessary in this critical moment to realize a viable path forward for Myanmar and ensure stability in the region."

The council has offices in Washington, New York, Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore. Its more than 160 member companies take in over $6 trillion in revenue and employ 13 million people worldwide, according to the council's website.

Thursday, May 6

10:45 p.m. Mixed martial arts fighter Phoe Thaw, who was injured in a Yangon explosion Wednesday, has been arrested and accused of colluding to commit violent acts, Reuters reports, citing the military's Myawaddy TV.

The broadcaster says Phoe Thaw was hurt while testing a home-made bomb.

4:00 p.m. A court procedure for Suu Kyi took place by video conference at the Yangon Eastern District Court. However, the legal team for Suu Kyi could not attend the procedure as the "internet was not available at the court" where the lawyers were, according to San Marla Nyunt, a member of the team.

At the Yangon court, Suu Kyi has been charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act, while she is facing another five cases in a township court in Naypyitaw.

2:00 p.m. About 13% of companies have already closed their businesses in Myanmar, while 33% have reduced their businesses by 75% or more, according to a joint survey released by 10 foreign chambers of commerce.

Companies surveyed include those from Japan, the U.S. and Europe. A total of 372 companies, of which Japanese companies make up nearly half, responded to the survey by April 9.

12:20 a.m. During the Yangon bomb blast reported earlier, Myanmar mixed martial arts fighter Phoe Thaw was critically injured and transferred to a hospital, a source says.

Wednesday, May 5

10:45 p.m. Amnesty International's senior United Nations advocate, Lawrence Moss, gives a list of countries supplying arms to Myanmar.

"China has been supplying combat aircraft, naval weapons, armored vehicles, surveillance drones and aids Myanmar's indigenous naval industry," Moss tells a U.N. news conference.

The list goes on.

-- "Russia has been supplying combat aircraft and attack helicopters."

-- "Ukraine has supplied armored vehicles, and is involved in the joint production of armored vehicles in Myanmar."

-- "Turkey has provided shotguns and shotgun cartridges. India has provided armored vehicles troop carriers and naval equipment, and including a submarine with torpedoes."

-- Israel officially stopped providing frigates and armored vehicles in 2017. As for whether Israel continues to supply surveillance equipment, Moss says he does not have a definitive answer.

10:10 p.m. A huge blast is heard in Bahan Township, a residential area in Yangon. The exact location and scale of the explosion are still unclear.

A resident says there were two explosions. "It was loud, and even shook our apartment a bit," this person says. Similar reports have been seen on social media posts.

9:00 p.m. The junta says the powerful General Administration Department (GAD) has been moved from the Ministry of Union Government Office to the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs, reversing a transfer that took place under the ousted government.

Military-owned Myawaddy TV reported the move in a news broadcast. The GAD controls key local administrative bodies, from the state and regional levels to the village and ward levels. Under the National League for Democracy government, the GAD was transferred from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the newly established Ministry of Union Government Office.

Separately, three members of the security forces who were guarding a petroleum and gas plant reportedly have been stabbed to death in the Mandalay region in central Myanmar. Local media say that the factory is related to pipelines connecting Myanmar's Kyaukphyu to China's Yunnan Province.

8:50 p.m. The United Nations Security Council faces a call from more than 200 nongovernmental organizations to declare a ban on selling weapons to Myanmar's junta.

"Imposing a global arms embargo on Myanmar is the minimum necessary step the Security Council should take in response to the military's escalating violence," says a statement Wednesday by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners and other groups.

"Arms and materiel provided to Myanmar's security forces are likely to be used by the security forces to commit abuses in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law," the groups say. An arms embargo would "demonstrate to the junta that there will be no more business as usual."

The groups offered harsh criticism for the recent Southeast Asian summit on the Myanmar crisis.

"We note with disappointment the failure of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) April 24, 2021, summit to take more robust action to protect Myanmar's people," the statement says. "Less than a day after the summit's conclusions were published, the military's violence continued, which only highlights the need for U.N. member countries and the Security Council to take decisive action to pressure the junta to reverse course."

2:30 p.m. The junta-appointed Ministry of Information revokes the licenses of three more private media organizations.

The Kachin State-based Myitkyina News Journal, The 74 Media and the Shan State-based Tachileik News Agency receive letters from the ministry prohibiting them from publishing through any form of media or technology.

Tachileik and 74 Media tell their audiences they will not accept the revocation of their licenses and will continue to publish news. Myitkyina says it stopped publication on May 2.

The licenses of eight media groups have been revoked by the junta since the Feb. 1 coup.

12:30 p.m. Myanmar's National Unity Government -- opponents of the junta who include ousted members of parliament and leaders of anti-coup protests and ethnic minorities -- says in a statement that it has formed a defense force.

In the statement published on Facebook, the NUG says it will not allow the military to use violence against the people. The group says it has formed the People's Defense Force as a precursor to a Federal Union Army.

11:00 a.m. Myanmar authorities have push back the start of the nighttime curfew in Yangon from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The curfew will continue until 4 a.m. as before.

A ward administrator in Yangon told a resident it will announce the relaxation of the curfew in his area on Wednesday evening.

The military has issued an order prohibiting gatherings of more than five people in public places, and going out at night in various parts of the country.

Under the previous curfew hours, commercial facilities and restaurants had to close their doors by around 7:00 p.m. to allow employees and customers time to return home.

With the prolonged post-coup economic turmoil, it appears that the military government is hoping to boost the economy by extending the business hours of establishments.

2:40 a.m. The removal of Myanmar's ambassador to Britain, Kyaw Zwar Minn, could become an opening to test the legitimacy of the military takeover in English courts, The Guardian reports.

The Myanmar Accountability Project and the British law firm Peters & Peters, who are supporting Kyaw Zwar Minn, plan to challenge his eviction last month, when he was locked out of Myanmar's Embassy in London after calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. In the process, they hope to convince a U.K. court that the junta's claim to power is illegitimate, The Guardian reports.

12:30 a.m. "We need the United States to take the decisive leadership role in resolving the Myanmar crisis," Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's permanent representative to the United Nations, tells the U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee in an online meeting.

The ambassador calls for increased humanitarian assistance, shelter for refugees in neighboring countries, no-fly zones and an immediate global arms embargo. He also urges "targeted, coordinated and tougher sanctions" against the military and related business, including Myawaddy Bank, Innwa Bank and Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE).

12:10 a.m. Myanmar state television says satellite television receivers have been banned in the country because outside broadcasts pose a national security threat, Reuters reports.

Tuesday, May 4

11:30 p.m. The U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee is holding a hearing on the crisis in Myanmar, with testimony from Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's permanent representative to the United Nations.

The ambassador is known for his defiant Feb. 26 speech at the U.N. against the Myanmar military's takeover of power. The junta later said it had removed him as Myanmar's permanent representative, but he has remained in the post, saying he represents the country's legitimate elected government.

7:50 p.m. India's Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, which is developing a container terminal in Myanmar, says the company "plans to abandon the project and write down the investments" if it runs into U.S. sanctions.

The company says in a securities exchange filing that it is consulting with law firm Morrison Foerster to ensure the terminal project complies with U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control sanction regimes.

Adani Ports says it would cut ties with the project "in a scenario wherein Myanmar is classified as a sanctioned country under the OFAC, or if OFAC opines that the project [violates] the current sanctions."

According to a company statement issued March 31, Adani Ports won the Yangon International Terminal project "through a globally competitive bid" under the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

"The project fully owned and developed by APSEZ is an independent container terminal with no joint venture partners," the statement says.

Adani is listed on India's Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange.

1:15 p.m. Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor announces it has fully impaired its Telenor Myanmar unit at an amount of 6.5 billion krone ($782 million). "Due to the worsening of [the] economic and business environment outlook and a deteriorating security and human rights situation, we see limited prospects of improvement going forward," the company says in a news release.

Telenor won its license to operate a mobile network in Myanmar back in 2013, amid the country's transition to democracy.

8:30 a.m. Local media are reporting that five people died in a parcel bomb explosion in the city of Bago on Monday, including an ousted regional member of parliament from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

NLD legislator Thet Win Hlaing was apparently killed along with three police officers who were participating in the civil disobedience movement. They were said to be on the run in the Bago region's Pyay Township, attempting to evade arrest by the military.

2:30 a.m. Sporting a dark gray suit instead of his military olive drab, Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing looked unruffled at last week's meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders as he delivered a 30-minute presentation -- complete with slides and handouts -- to justify the military's seizure of power.

Min Aung Hlaing went into the first ASEAN summit since the Feb. 1 coup against the backdrop of international pressure to release political prisoners including ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The absence of this point from the chairman's statement released afterward reflects how the unity-focused bloc proved unable to stand up against one of its own. Read more in Nikkei's inside look at the summit.

Monday, May 3

11:00 p.m. Detained Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi has been charged with spreading false news and violating the terms of his entry into the country, according to the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar, which says it made contact with authorities Monday.

The authorities said Kitazumi was having no health problems as of Monday, according to the embassy.

Kitazumi was arrested on April 18 and taken to Insein Prison in Yangon for questioning. On April 23, the embassy reported that he had not been mistreated.

10:00 p.m. This video posted by Myanmar Now news purports to show a Myanmar military helicopter gunship being shot down in Kachin state on Monday.

4:00 p.m. On World Press Freedom Day, Western embassies in Myanmar including those of the U.S. and U.K. collectively call for the immediate release of all detained journalists in the country, the establishment of freedom of information and communication, and an end to all internet restrictions. More than 80 journalists have been arrested since the Feb. 1 coup, with the majority still being detained, their statement says.

"We will continue to promote and support a free and independent media as an integral dimension of good governance and human development," the embassies say.

Military chopper shot down by Kachin army, group says

3:30 p.m. Armed ethnic group Kachin Independence Army tells local outlet Mizzima Media that the KIA shot down a Myanmar military helicopter in the northern state of Kachin on Monday. Myanmar's military launched airstrikes this morning, and intense fighting has led to casualties on both sides, a KIA spokesperson says.

2:00 p.m. Myanmar's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index for April, released by IHS Markit, rose to 33.0 in April from 27.5 in March. But it remains far below 50, indicating that managers' confidence continues to be negative. Production continues to decline, as many factories remain closed in key regions.

"It's difficult to anticipate when the sector will return to growth, with many key investors suspending operations until the political situation stabilizes," IHS economist Shreeya Patel says.

The nationwide protests led workers to return to their hometowns, while transportation difficulties cause delays in deliveries for manufacturers. The 12-month outlook deteriorated in April and was among the weakest in the index's history, the survey says.

Sunday, May 2

11:50 p.m. Security forces killed eight people, according to local media, as protests resurged after a period of relative calm.

The casualties reportedly include two in Mandalay, three in the central town of Wetlet, and two in the northeastern state of Shan. One death was reported in the northern jade-mining town of Hpakant.

5:00 p.m. Half a million COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by China arrives in Yangon on Sunday, according to a news release from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had promised to send the vaccines to Myanmar when he met with since-ousted government leader Aung San Suu Kyi while visiting in January. China has provided medical equipment and medical experts to help control the coronavirus spreading in the Southeast Asian nation.

3:00 p.m. Myanmar nationals living abroad, including in Japan and Taiwan, take to the streets on Sunday, responding to the flash mob in Yangon calling for a "global Myanmar spring revolution." Protesters in Tokyo demanded that the Japanese government recognize the National Unity Government, a parallel entity to the junta, as a legitimate government of Myanmar, while those in Taipei showed their disdain for the military regime and support of the NUG.

Flash mobs defy junta; multiple protesters killed

11:00 a.m. A group of people took to the streets of Yangon earlier on Sunday, around 8:15 a.m., with a banner reading, "We, people from Myay Ni Gone, will put all our efforts," referring to their residential area in the city's Sanchaung Township. Another group was seen with a similar banner directed at the military, saying, "You can't rule over Hlaing Township," also part of Yangon.

Open pro-democracy protests in Yangon had been rare in recent weeks, but they appear to be regaining momentum after the ASEAN leaders meeting held on April 24.

Security forces, however, are said to have responded with gunfire in multiple places on Sunday, reportedly killing at least five.

Saturday, May 1

10:30 p.m. Myanmar's junta is striving to pull the nation's economy out of its crisis three months on from the coup on Feb. 1.

The regime has partially eased restrictions on internet access and shown a plan to drop charges against prosecuted civil servants that will allow them to return to work.

At the same time, the junta continues to crack down on pro-democracy forces. With citizens still taking to the streets, it remains uncertain whether the economy can return to anything resembling normalcy. Read more here.

Security Council urges immediate action on ASEAN consensus

10:00 a.m. The United Nations Security Council urges immediate action on the consensus reached at last week's ASEAN summit on the crisis in Myanmar.

The Security Council members "underlined the importance of ASEAN's call for an immediate cessation of violence and called for implementation of the Five Point Consensus without delay as a first step toward a peaceful and sustainable solution through constructive dialogue," according to a press statement adopted after a private meeting on the situation in Myanmar.

Council members reiterate their support for Myanmar's democratic transition and calls for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political detainees.

3:00 a.m. Myanmar's state administration could come to a "standstill" as pro-democracy movement continues undeterred by military repression, the United Nations secretary-general's special envoy on the country has told the Security Council in a closed meeting, according to a senior council member diplomat.

Christine Schraner Burgener's remarks come after her trip to Southeast Asia, during which she met the junta leader, senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.

Friday, April 30

11:15 p.m. The United Nations Security Council has been briefed on the situation in Myanmar by Second Foreign Minister Erywan of Brunei and Christine Schraner Burgener, the UN secretary-general's special envoy.

Commenting on the briefing, Estonia's permanent representative to the U.N., Sven Jurgenson, calls ASEAN leaders' Five Point Consensus "an encouraging step forward to resolve the current crisis."

The Security Council "is the only entity in the world, which has the legitimate power to protect nations at risk and must explore every tool in its toolbox to end this horrible situation," the ambassador says in a statement.

10:15 p.m. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has begun negotiations to hold a foreign ministers' meeting with the U.S. as well as with China, as the bloc seeks support for its efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar triggered by its Feb. 1 coup.

Preparations for the meeting with China are moving ahead, and the two sides could meet soon, an ASEAN source told Nikkei. But ASEAN and the U.S. are still ironing out the details, including the format of the meeting should Myanmar send a member of its junta as its representative. Read more here.

7:00 p.m. The economic crisis triggered by COVID-19 and the Feb. 1 coup could plunge "up to 12 million people into poverty" in Myanmar, driving the poverty rate to 48.2% by early 2022 and pushing the country back to where it was in 2005, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says in a report released Friday.

The projection is based on a scenario in which the disruption of banking, logistics and trade cuts wages and business income in half.

In 2017, a survey conducted by UNDP, the World Bank and the Myanmar government showed that 24.8% of the population was living under the poverty line.

6:35 p.m. Thousands of ethnic Karen villagers are poised to cross from Myanmar into Thailand if fighting between rebels and government forces worsens, Reuters reports, citing a local group.

The Karen Peace Support Network says villagers are taking shelter on Myanmar's side of the Salween River. "In coming days, more than 8,000 Karen along the Salween River will have to flee to Thailand," the group says in a Facebook post. "We hope that the Thai army will help them escape the war."

3:00 p.m. The European Union issued a statement Friday referring to the ASEAN leaders' meeting on April 24 in Jakarta, saying: "The five-point consensus" from the leaders' meeting -- to which Myanmar's junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was invited -- is "a positive and important first step to begin a process of de-escalation and the return to the democratic transition in Myanmar/Burma."

The EU statement also "welcomes the efforts of the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) as well as the National Unity Government (NUG) and other pro-democracy forces" as they are "working toward a peaceful resolution of the current crisis" and "represent the democratic wishes of the people" of Myanmar. On the other hand, the European bloc demands the junta "to immediately end all acts of violence, to exercise utmost restraint and respect international law and human rights, including by ceasing arbitrary detentions and torture, to restore power to the elected civilian government."

11:30 a.m. A youth group of about 150 protesters takes to the rainy streets of downtown Yangon in a form of "flash mob," in which people quickly gather, demonstrate for a time, and then disperse to avoid arrest by security forces. The flash mob today is said to have been formed by acquaintances contacting each other by phone.

Military declares ceasefire as it strikes from the air

9:00 a.m. Myanmar's military announces another unilateral ceasefire. A notice in a state-owned newspaper says, "The Tatmadaw will further cease all military operations from 1 to 31 May 2021 across the nation." The statement goes on to say that during the period "concerted efforts should be made for restoring the enduring peace through negotiations." It follows a similar statement on March 31 that said it would be effective through April 30. The military continues heavy airstrikes against ethnic armed groups, especially in Karen State in the east and Kachin State in the north.

Thursday, April 29

10:30 p.m. Myanmar civil society organizations have condemned the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for allowing a figure in the junta government to attend a conference in Vienna this month.

Than Hlaing, a lieutenant general, was appointed chief of the Myanmar police force after than Feb. 1 coup.

He represented Myanmar via video at the 64th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, held on April 12-16. This was after Than Hlaing had been placed on a European Union sanctions list on March 22 for his role in the military takeover in Myanmar.

"Allowing the military to represent Myanmar at the UN conference held in Vienna, betrays the will of the people of Myanmar who continue to oppose the illegitimate and brutal military junta and further damages the confidence the people have in the UN to carry out its mandate enshrined in the UN Charter," a statement by Progressive Voice Myanmar says.

Video of Than Hlaing's statement can be found here.

8:00 p.m. Myanmar's mixed martial arts champion Aung La Nsang is trying to remain fully focused on his upcoming fight but thoughts of the turmoil afflicting his homeland have his attention turned to the other side of the world.

The 35-year-old fighter says he feels "helpless" and "depressed" by the situation in Myanmar.

"But what I can do is put on a great show for the fans," says the Florida-based Aung La. "I can be the best version of myself and hopefully it inspires and it helps in a small way to get people through these dark times." Read more here.

Junta claims two air bases attacked by rockets

5:00 p.m. Two military air bases in the center of Myanmar were attacked with rockets early morning, the State Administration Council confirms at a press conference Thursday. There are no casualties and one building was slightly damaged in the attacks. Local media report that the military has increased the level of security checks near the air bases after the attacks. "Security forces are investigating to arrest the attackers," a spokesperson said in the conference.

The council also denies earlier reports that at least 15 troops were killed in the Wednesday clash between the military and the newly formed Chinland Defense Force by anti-coup protesters in Chin State near the border with India. The spokesperson said only two soldiers were killed in the clash, adding "all the situation is stable and normal after negotiating with security forces and locals, community leaders and administration bodies."

4:30 p.m. Sanctions and other measures to curb the Myanmar junta's access to foreign currency are the main financial pressure points that could force the regime to shift its spending priorities and reduce expenditures on military hardware and other requirements, a group of Myanmar-focused economists argue in a briefing paper on the military's finances. Read more here.

Wednesday, April 28

10:30 p.m. Detained protest leader Wai Moe Naing faces charges including murder and treason, Reuters reports, citing state media.

5:00 p.m. Local media report that a bomb blast occurred in front of the police station in South Okkalapa township, Yangon, on Wednesday. At least several police are said to have been injured, and security forces have closed off roads as they investigate the area.

Death toll rises in clashes near India border

3:30 p.m. At least 15 Myanmar troops are killed on Wednesday in a battle between government forces and the Chinland Defense Force, reportedly formed earlier this month by anti-coup armed protesters, in Chin state that borders India.

The battle erupted two days after a local unit of the Myanmar military reportedly reached a ceasefire agreement with the Chinland Defense Force. The agreement was seen as a ploy to buy time for bringing in reinforcements from other parts of the country.

Wednesday's deaths are the latest in fighting in Chin state this week. Myanmar Now reports that government forces used rocket launchers and artillery in an attack on Tuesday.

Casualties on the Chinland Defense Force side were not known.

1:19 p.m. Myanmar's junta has relaxed internet restrictions on some business apps, signaling the return of an old censorship board that this time will control who can access what on their digital devices.

Some telecoms have enabled internet access to banking and business mobile applications. Consumers using service providers such as state-run MPT can now access Office 365 email and messaging applications run by Microsoft as well as local banking applications. The junta has also recently lifted the nightly internet blackout for fiber-to-the-home providers. Read more here.

11:00 a.m. The Central Bank of Myanmar says in a news release that from May 3 people will be allowed to open new bank accounts, which will allow for unlimited cash withdrawals. Limits on existing bank accounts will remain in place, but "arrangements are underway to ease the restriction," according to the statement. Bank customers have recently had to deal with long lines. The new moves by the central bank is hoped to make it easier for merchants to deposit money.

10:00 a.m. The information team of the State Administration Council -- the official name of the junta -- announces via a state-owned newspaper that civil servants who take part in demonstrations or other acts of protest will be allowed to return to their offices. The announcement says "taking action against them will be lifted under the criminal process" with several conditions, among them clearance by authorities that ensures that such people will refrain from expressing anti-civil sentiment through words or actions in the future.

6:30 a.m. The Asia Development Bank forecasts the Myanmar economy to contract by 9.8% this year after a 3.3% expansion in 2020. "The disruptions in supply chains and transportation bottlenecks due to political unrest will accelerate inflation," the new report warns, predicting the inflation rate of the junta controlled economy is expected to reach 6.2%, up from the previous year's 5.7%.

US senators call for sanctions on energy group MOGE

3:15 a.m. The Biden administration should impose more sanctions on the Myanmar junta's sources of revenue, including state energy group Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), U.S. senators say in a letter.

The six senators calling for the additional sanctions urge Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken "to target or freeze all foreign currency revenues and foreign exchange reserves held in state accounts outside of Burma," according to a letter posted on the website of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

"As a first step, sanctions should be placed on the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), an agency within the Myanmar government's Ministry of Electricity and Energy which remains the largest source of foreign exchange for the Tatmadaw," the letter continues. Tatmadaw is another name for Myanmar's armed forces.

MOGE is a partner of France's Total and U.S. oil major Chevron in Myanmar's huge Yadana offshore gas field. Both foreign companies remained invested in the project.

"History shows that when the junta was previously in place in the 1990s, gas revenues from Total and Chevron/Unocal helped them to withstand international sanctions as their reserves dwindled," the senators argue in the letter. "This time, we believe that the Tatmadaw must be entirely prevented from accessing a steady stream of international resources."

Besides Rubio, the senators signing the letter are Democrats Jeff Merkley, Dick Durbin, Cory Booker and Ed Markey, as well as Republican Susan Collins.

2:00 a.m. As Human Rights Watch calls on Japan to review its non-humanitarian aid to Myanmar, the latter has a slight advantage over the Asian donor nation in one respect: coronavirus vaccinations.

Myanmar had vaccinated 1.84% of its population as of March 31, the latest day when comparable data was available, compared with 0.69% for Japan, according to Our World in Data, a U.K.-based nonprofit project. Japan's share had risen to 1.64% as of Monday.

Myanmar kicked off coronavirus vaccinations in January with Indian-made jabs.

Both Myanmar and Japan are well behind Cambodia, which had vaccinated 7.75% of its population as of Monday with the help of Chinese-made shots.

1:00 a.m. Nightly shutdowns of fixed-line broadband internet services are lifted after weeks of severed connections.

Nikkei confirms the restoration of service with internet service providers. The junta had imposed a ban on internet connections in February, with most service cut off from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Mobile data service and wireless broadband remain blocked, except for some selected business and banking apps. Most of the population doesn't have access to fixed-line broadband. Social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, are still banned in the country.

Tuesday, April 27

10:15 p.m. The Irrawaddy reports that Myanmar junta has vowed to take action against the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which authorities say has inflated the number of deaths at the hands of security forces since Feb. 1.

The AAPP's figures are often cited by the United Nations and international media following the events since the coup.

As of the association's latest update dated Monday, 753 people have been killed and and 3,441 are currently detained or have been sentenced.

10:00 p.m. Human Rights Watch has urged Japan to immediately review its aid to Myanmar and halt any assistance for projects that benefit the military without providing support for the public.

"As Myanmar's security forces gun down protesters on the streets, Japan should not take a 'wait and see' approach but should promptly and responsibly review its aid portfolio to Myanmar," Teppei Kasai, Asia program officer, says in a statement.

No immediate reaction was available from the Japanese government on the statement.

Human Rights Watch is not alone in pressing Tokyo to use its sway over a country where it has been a significant investor over the past decade. Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations and an outspoken critic of the junta, has urged Tokyo to immediately suspend investment in the country until an elected government is restored. Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan's foreign minister, replied that he will "carefully consider what kind of responses would be effective."

Tokyo-based Mekong Watch and other NGOs have grown frustrated with Japan's noncommittal attitude. Mekong Watch is urging Tokyo to stop all development aid immediately.

8:27 a.m. Heavy fighting erupts in eastern Myanmar close to the border with northwestern Thailand, Reuters reports, citing various sources. Karen National Union forces are said to have captured a Myanmar army outpost close to the border. The border area is believed to be providing shelter to the anti-junta protesters.

7:30 a.m. Another 20 medical doctors have been charged with allegedly violating section 505-A of the Penal Code, reports state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar, listing the doctors. The section bans "inciting State service personnel and health staff to participate in [civil disobedience movement] activities, themselves participating in it, supporting CDM activities and unlawful association [with the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw] with the aim of deteriorating the State administrative machinery."

Monday, April 26

10:09 p.m. One man was shot dead by Myanmar security forces in the country's second-biggest city of Mandalay, reports Reuters, citing local news reports. This marked the first such reported killing since Southeast Asian countries reached a consensus over the weekend with Myanmar's ruling junta to end violence.

9:00 p.m. Military-owned Myawaddy television quotes junta leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing as saying at a meeting of State Administration Council: "Currently we are prioritizing the stability of the country. The visit of the delegation team proposed by the ASEAN leaders will be considered to be allowed, depending on the stability of the country."

In a separate news release read out during the news program, the military explains its position for the first time regarding the agreement of ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on Saturday: "In response to the some of the suggestions made by ASEAN leaders, Myanmar informed the meeting that it will give careful consideration to constructive suggestions made by ASEAN leaders when the situation returns to stability in the country."

8:30 p.m. While most mobile internet services in Myanmar remain completely blocked by the junta, some telco operators appear to have relaxed restrictions on selected business apps. Consumers using state operator MPT and Telenor of Norway currently can access Microsoft's Office 365 email and Teams, and domestic banking apps.

The relaxation of internet access for specific purposes could signal a move by the regime to reduce disruption to banks and business operations while retaining a firm grip on communications and the flow of information.

3:00 p.m. Around 200 pro-democracy protesters take to the streets around 1 p.m. for a demonstration criticizing the unlawful killing and detention of people by the security forces in the Tarmwe township of Yangon, Myanmar's former capital and largest city. There was another protest in Thaketa township. Observers in Myanmar say the number and size of anti-coup street protests has increased since Friday. This follows a relative lull in recent weeks after a violent crackdowns mounted by heavily armed soldiers and police. On April 9 in Bago, a former royal capital, 83 people were reported killed in the second-worst day of official violence since the Feb. 1 coup. The worst day of violence was March 27, which the military celebrates as Armed Forces Day, when 114 people died.

One contributing factor to protest uptick is believed to be the timing. The coming weekend will mark the end of the third month since the coup. That is twice as long as the 1988 pro-democracy uprising when over 3,000 civilians were killed by the authorities. It may also be symptomatic of public frustration and disappointment with the summit of ASEAN leaders held on April 24 in Jakarta. "ASEAN leaders and the junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing shook hands, and that made people feel the need for continuous efforts to attract international attention," a Yangon resident told Nikkei Asia.

2:40 p.m. The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a group of ousted parliamentarians standing up against the junta, announces that it has included three more members who were democratically elected in November's general election. One is from the Kachin State People's Party, an ethnic minority party from northern Myanmar, and the others are from the National League for Democracy led by civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was arrested after the coup on Feb. 1.

11:30 a.m. Senior regional diplomats told Nikkei Asia that Christine Schraner Burgener, the United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, met junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday on the sidelines of the ASEAN leaders summit in Jakarta. During the meeting, the junta chief defended his Feb. 1 takeover of the country, claiming massive fraud in elections in November. The U.N. envoy requested permission to visit Myanmar, but there was no immediate response on whether the junta will grant her access.

Sunday, April 25

7:00 a.m. There will be "no compromise" between the newly formed National Unity Government of Myanmar and the military regime unless the group's demands are met, Dr. Sasa, NUG's envoy, told Nikkei Asia on Saturday evening. "There is no compromise -- we have laid out our four conditions," Sasa, who only uses one name, said. "It's not me, it's the people of Myanmar. We can't legitimize killing. If you legitimize the junta you legitimize the military."

Saturday, April 24

6:40 p.m. Myanmar's military TV covers junta chief Min Aung Hlaing's participation in the ASEAN leaders meeting in Jakarta, but does not go into any detail about the talks concerning Myanmar. The report says the general voiced support for sustainable regional development and promised to work closely with neighbors to achieve the goals of the ASEAN charter. It also says he explained "current political developments" in the country and future plans.

5:30 p.m. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin calls on Myanmar to end the violence and free detainees promptly and unconditionally, in a strongly worded statement at the ASEAN leaders meeting.

2:30 p.m. Local news outlet DVB Burmese reports a loud bomb blast was heard on Friday night from the house of Thet Thet Khine, the junta-appointed minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, in Sanchaung Township, a residential area of Yangon. Police officers and soldiers arrived to examine the house few minutes after the blast. No injuries were reported.

12:30 p.m. Wai Moe Naing, a prominent leader of the anti-coup movement in the city of Monywa, and 41 others are being held in custody in connection with the killing of two police officers and defamation of the state, according to local media reports.

12:00 p.m. Indonesia's presidential office has confirmed junta leader Min Aung Hlaing's arrival in Jakarta, releasing footage of him disembarking from his plane.

Protesters stage mock funerals for junta leader

11:20 a.m. Pro-democracy protesters stage "funeral strikes" in some of Myanmar's biggest cities, including Yangon and Mandalay, holding mock funeral ceremonies for Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who is attending the ASEAN summit in Jakarta on Saturday.

10:40 a.m. A Myanmar Airways International flight believed to be carrying Myanmar's junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has landed in Jakarta.

9:30 a.m. A firefight broke out last night between police and soldiers at a government housing complex in Hakha, the state capital of Chin, near Myanmar's border with India. Two soldiers were killed and several police officers were injured, local media reports said, citing local residents, who heard about 10 gunshots at around 8 p.m.

Malaysia's Muhyiddin arrives for ASEAN summit

9:15 a.m. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin arrives in Jakarta for the ASEAN leaders meeting on Myanmar in the afternoon. This follows Friday's arrivals of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

An official from the Philippines' foreign ministry, meanwhile, lays out an agenda for the meeting that lists Myanmar as one of several points for discussion. Other items include regional recovery efforts, community building and ASEAN's external relations. Manila is to be represented by Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin, not President Rodrigo Duterte.

2:00 a.m. After weeks of laying the groundwork, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will hold a special summit on today to discuss the crisis in Myanmar. Who will attend? What is at stake? Read up on the event here.

Friday, April 23

8:00 p.m. Japan's Embassy in Myanmar has had its first contact with detained journalist Yuki Kitazumi since his arrest on Sunday.

Kitazumi has "not been mistreated" and is in good health, he told Ambassador Ichiro Maruyama, according to the Embassy.

The 45-year-old Kitazumi, a freelance journalist formerly employed by Nikkei, was arrested at home and taken to Yangon's Insein Prison for questioning. Authorities have accused him of spreading fake news.

6:00 p.m. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi says Laos' Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh will skip the ASEAN leaders meeting in Jakarta on Saturday, joining the top leaders of Thailand and the Philippines in staying away. She stops short of explaining why.

On the other hand, Singapore has formally announced that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend, as widely expected.

Marsudi says the fact that leaders are holding their first in-person summit since the COVID-19 pandemic began underscores "concerns over the situation in Myanmar and ASEAN's determination to help Myanmar out of the crisis.

"Earlier on Friday afternoon, Indonesian President Joko Widodo held bilateral talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the outskirts of Jakarta. Marsudi says they expressed their worries over the violence and deaths in Myanmar, and shared the hope that the summit will result in the "best agreement" for the country's people.

Marsudi will host a working dinner Friday evening for other ASEAN foreign ministers who have arrived in Jakarta for the summit.

Min Aung Hlaing set to head for ASEAN summit

5:00 p.m. Local media outlet Khit Thit Media reports that a Myanmar Airways International flight left Yangon airport for Naypyitaw on Friday evening. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing is expected to fly on this plane tomorrow to attend the ASEAN summit in Jakarta, the report added, citing an airline officer. This will be the general's first foreign trip since the Feb. 1 coup.

2:10 p.m. Burmese fuel prices have gone up 30% since the Feb 1 coup, and a liter of gasoline now costs over 1,000 kyat ($0.7). "Many taxi drivers in Yangon have returned their vehicles to their owners as they don't have enough customers and fuel costs have risen," one driver told Nikkei Asia. "Many taxi drivers will get into trouble if prices continue increasing."

1:40 p.m. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam arrives in Jakarta ahead of tomorrow's ASEAN summit on Myanmar. Pham was sworn in earlier this month, and this afternoon will have a bilateral meeting with President Joko Widodo at the presidential palace in Bogor, West Java.

Yangon sees unusually open protest

1:30 p.m. Ahead of Saturday's ASEAN summit in Jakarta, which will be attended by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military, over 150 protesters marched openly in central Yangon, Myanmar's former capital and largest city. It was a relatively large and open statement of defiance after the junta stepped up surveillance and security in recent weeks.

12:00 p.m. A Burmese youth group announces a virtual ASEAN youth summit to run alongside to the ASEAN leaders' summit in Jakarta this Saturday. "We would like to reflect the real voices of youth and to promote the real interests of the citizens of Southeast Asia," the group said. "We want to show that the communities of Southeast Asia think differently from their leaders, and we would like to urge ASEAN to reform its principles."

11:45 p.m. There is a report that police officers in plain clothes opened fire in San Chaung Town, a residential area of Yangon, on Thursday night in an attempt to disperse civilians who were banging pots and pans to express their opposition to the military coup.

11:30 a.m. While pro-democracy protesters remain active all across Myanmar, ordinary people are returning to some semblance of normal daily activity following Thingyan, the Lunar New Year and water festival, which ended on Friday. There were more shoppers to be seen in Yangon's shopping malls than before the week-long festival. Residents said one of the reasons was the availability of free internet in the shopping centers.

2:00 a.m. Up to 3.4 million more people in Myanmar will suffer from hunger, especially in cities, over the next six months, the United Nations World Food Program warns.

The WFP's statement cites the "triple impact of pre-existing poverty, COVID-19 and the current political crisis."

12:50 a.m. U.S. oil major Chevron lobbied American lawmakers and government officials for protection for its energy interests in Myanmar during the first quarter of 2021, Reuters reports, citing federal disclosures.

Chevron is a production investor in the Yadana offshore natural gas field along with France's Total and Thailand's PTT group.

United Nations human rights envoy Thomas Andrews has urged governments to impose sanctions on their local partner Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE).

Thursday, April 22

9:30 p.m. Myanmar's National Unity Government, which stands in opposition to the military-led regime since Feb. 1, urges Interpol to work with Indonesian police to arrest junta leader Min Aung Hlaing when he travels to Jakarta for an ASEAN summit.

The unity government reveals the request on its Facebook page.

8:30 p.m. Guangzhou Automobile Group presses ahead with plans to start manufacturing vehicles in Myanmar this year as part of the Chinese state-owned group's ambitious internationalization plan.

"Our Yangon plant is at the initial stage of construction and it has not been affected by the unrest," Ben Chan, Asia general manager of the group's GAC Motor unit, tells Nikkei Asia in an interview.

8:00 p.m. Myanmar's state-owned television announces that all cabinet members of the National Unity Government recently formed by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CPRH) -- including vice president and ministers and deputy ministers -- have been charged with high treason and unlawful association.

Formed last week, the unity government is made up of democratically elected parliamentarians representing the committee.

7:15 p.m. "Pushing international oil and gas companies to quit Myanmar in an attempt to starve the military junta of vital revenues and force an end to the coup is not only futile but loaded with potentially harmful long-term consequences," writes Vandana Hari, founder of Singapore-based energy markets tracker Vanda Insights, in commentary for Nikkei Asia.

"Though one could accuse the oil companies that are staying put of being self-serving by not heeding to the calls of pro-democracy protesters and human rights groups, it would be a flawed, one-dimensional view of a complex and multilayered problem," she writes. Read more here.

2:40 p.m. BBC Burmese reports that a hearing in the state secrets trial of Aung San Suu Kyi has been postponed because the junta's internet blocking is preventing videoconferencing from taking place. The hearing has been pushed back to May 6.

1:30 p.m. Sasa, the new National Unity Government's union minister for international cooperation, says Myanmar people's representatives are fully prepared to participate in the ASEAN summit on Saturday. In an open letter, the NUG also asked ASEAN to help it hold the junta responsible for the mayhem it unleashed. "We also need ASEAN's help in bringing the pressure to bear that will end the military junta's assaults and end its attempted illegal coup," the letter reads. Sasa is demanding that ASEAN and its member governments not engage Myanmar's generals unless the junta ceases all military action against civilians and releases all political prisoners.

1:00 p.m. Another high-profile leader will be absent from Saturday's ASEAN summit in Jakarta: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is staying home to focus on the COVID-19 situation, the country's Department of Foreign Affairs says. "The Philippines strongly supported the convening of the meeting even without the full attendance of all ASEAN leaders," the statement says.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin will attend in Duterte's place. "The president, through Secretary Locsin, will convey the Philippines' commitment to ASEAN's collective efforts in addressing threats and challenges to peace and stability in the region."

The announcement comes shortly after Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha reiterated his decision not to go.

11:45 a.m. In a phone call with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Thursday morning, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha confirmed that he will not be attending Saturday's ASEAN summit in Jakarta, according to a Thai government account of the call.

Prayuth expressed "concern and worries" about the situation in Myanmar and acknowledged the challenge for "regional peace and stability." But the government says he told Widodo that he is concerned about COVID-19 cases in Thailand, and thus he will rely on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to represent him.

Prayuth, who has had his own standoff with protesters in recent months, had already declared he would not be going to the meeting. But there was speculation that Widodo would try to persuade him.

Thailand is indeed experiencing its worst coronavirus surge yet, averaging about 1,500 daily cases in the past seven days.

Meanwhile, in a weekly news conference, Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tanee Sangrat said the summit will provide an opportunity for ASEAN leaders to discuss important regional and international issues, including Myanmar, as well as how to make the bloc more resilient after the pandemic. Tanee said ASEAN is aware of the expectations for tangible outcomes with regard to Myanmar.

9:45 a.m. Up to 3.4 million additional people in Myanmar will face hunger in the coming three to six months amid the country's deepening turmoil, the World Food Programme warns. In its latest assessment since the coup, the United Nations agency gave a far bleaker view than a month earlier, in which it warned that an additional 1.8 million people could face hunger. The agency said that further increases in food prices, joblessness and COVID-19 concerns are accelerating economic deterioration and fueling a humanitarian crisis. Myanmar's economy was already severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the WFP said.

12:30 a.m. The United Nations secretary-general's spokesperson clarifies what special envoy Christine Schraner Burgener will do in Jakarta, where she will attend meetings on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit on Myanmar.

"She is not addressing the meeting as a whole," Stephane Dujarric tells a news conference. "She will be visiting Jakarta while the meeting is going on, and using that time to have discussions with various parties who are also in Jakarta. It's a good way for her to be able in one place to meet many of the key players."

Dujarric says that Schraner Burgener has had contact with Myanmar military representatives by email and phone in the past and will try to speak with them again on her trip.

Wednesday, April 21

10:00 p.m. The U.S. State Department describes the new American sanctions on Myanmar as "further action to restrict the regime's access to key economic resources by designating two state-owned enterprises that benefit the regime as it engages in violence against the people of Burma."

Teak and other tropical wood is a major resource in Myanmar, whose state-owned timber company has been added to a U.S. Treasury Department blacklist.

Myanmar ranked 22nd among International Tropical Timber Organization producers in roundwood exports in 2018, according to ITTO data.

Illegal logging is rampant. Myanmar's military seized nearly 10,000 tons of illegal timber worth about 11 billion kyat ($7.8 million at current rates) in 2020, mostly from the conflict-prone Rahkine, Kachin and Shan states, the Myanmar Times reports.

Forest area roughly the size of Finland and Slovakia combined was lost during from 2001 to 2019, according to the U.K.-based Environmental Investigation Agency, which cites data from Global Forest Watch.

9:00 p.m. The U.S. has added two more Myanmar state-owned companies to its sanctions list.

The Treasury Department's latest action in response to the Feb. 1 coup targets Myanma Timber Enterprise (also known as Myanmar Timber Enterprise) and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise, according to a statement.

8:45 p.m. Confirming the Vietnamese prime minister's attendance at the ASEAN summit, the government's online English-language newspaper says: "Consolidating and enhancing solidarity and mutual assistance among ASEAN member States is one of the priorities in Vietnam's foreign policy."

6:30 p.m. The Philippines will send its foreign minister to the ASEAN summit scheduled on Saturday in Jakarta, although the Department of Foreign Affairs has not yet officially announced if Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. will take part in the high-level meeting, according to sources at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the summit, Reuters reports, citing a government announcement.

6:00 p.m. Nikkei Asia learns from United Nations sources that the U.N.'s special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, will visit Jakarta on April 24 to hold meetings on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.

3:30 p.m. Zaw Wai Soe, union minister of the recently announced National Unity Government, calls on military personnel to cooperate with civilians and save Myanmar people. In a social media post, he called for the military dictators to be overthrown, saying they have left Myanmar in a civil war and made it "the world's poorest country with the least health care and education."

1:00 p.m. Protesters join the "Blue Shirt Campaign" on Wednesday by uploading photos of themselves wearing blue shirts to social media websites. Many had written messages on their hands that say "free our students" or "Aung San Suu Kyi."

The Blue Shirt Campaign had started years ago by protesters demanding the release of political prisoners, and had been occasionally revived since by activists and politicians. This time, the campaign was dominated by civilians.

12:30 p.m. A small truck parked inside the compound of the National League for Democracy in Tarmwe Township in Yangon was set on fire at around 4:00 a.m. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.

Junta says Min Aung Hlaing will attend ASEAN summit

11:45 a.m. Myanmar's military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun tells Nikkei Asia that Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing will attend the ASEAN summit in Jakarta on April 24. When asked whether the commander-in-chief is going to Jakarta, the spokesperson said "he will definitely go."

Zaw Min Tun also denies social media reports that 11 high-ranking military officers are under house arrest, calling the reports a rumor. "[The officers] are busy with their duties in Naypyidaw," he said.

7:30 a.m. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations chair Brunei has formally announced Saturday's meeting, saying it is "set to take place" at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.

2:00 a.m. Myanmar junta leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing will attend Saturday's meeting of Southeast Asian leaders in Jakarta, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is quoted as saying by Reuters.

Tuesday, April 20

9:45 p.m. The Irrawaddy reports the military government has disputed the post-coup death toll published by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a human rights group.

State television and newspapers say 258 people were killed between Feb. 1 and April. 15, according to The Irrawaddy, compared with the AAPP's count of more than 700. Of these 258, 247 were killed in response to attacks on security forces, state media say.

9:00 p.m. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will attend Saturday's meeting of Southeast Asian leaders in Jakarta, Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says, adding that he will accompany Muhyiddin.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has invited regional leaders to discuss the crisis in Myanmar.

5:40 p.m. Myanma Radio and Television, the state broadcaster better known as MRTV, reports that the National Unity Government announced last week by pro-democracy politicians has been deemed an unlawful association. The NUG includes ousted members of parliament.

4:45 p.m. A coalition of Jakarta-based nongovernmental organizations have criticized ASEAN's decision to invite the junta leader to the bloc's upcoming summit, arguing Myanmar's seat should be given instead to the National Unity Government -- formed by pro-democracy politicians including ousted members of parliament.

"Giving the seat of representation in the ASEAN to the legitimate government means ceasing all actions that legitimize the power of the military junta," the NGOs say in a joint statement. "We urge ASEAN to take firm and effective actions in dealing with the coup ... [including taking steps to] ensure investigations against members and leaders of the junta involved in violence and killings of the Myanmar people."

4:30 p.m. Tayzar San, a protest leader in Mandalay, reportedly has a bounty on his head. According to social media information, posters with his portrait have been displayed in the country's second-largest city, saying that anyone who catches him and hands him over to the security forces will be awarded 10 million Myanmar kyat ($7,100).

1:20 p.m. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha says he will not attend the ASEAN summit in Jakarta on April 24, where leaders are expected to discuss the Myanmar crisis. Thailand will instead be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai, who is also foreign minister. "I also learned that many countries are sending their foreign ministers to join the meeting," Prayuth added.

11:00 a.m. Japan's top government spokesman demands that security forces in Myanmar release a Japanese journalist detained for allegedly spreading "fake news" after covering protests against the junta. "Japan considers the way in which the situation has been handled, including the fact he was sent to prison before sentencing, unacceptable," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters.

2:00 a.m. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' cherished principle of non-interference in member states' internal affairs "should not be used to justify inaction in the face of serious human rights abuses," former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon tells the U.N. Security Council.

"To deal with the Myanmar situation, an effective and regional-led approach requires both unity and action," Ban says. But, ASEAN has so far been divided in its response to the situation in Myanmar."

"ASEAN must make it clear to the Myanmar military that the current situation is so grave that it cannot be regarded only as an internal matter," Ban also says.

Ban recently made a request to visit Myanmar but was turned down, he tells an open debate organized by Vietnam, which holds the Security Council's rotating presidency this month.

He urges the council "take immediate action to halt the violence and bloodshed, and initiate a process to restore peace and democracy in Myanmar." He calls on his successor Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to "use his good offices to engage directly with the Myanmar military, to prevent an escalation of violence."

1:00 a.m. Multinational energy companies face a tough choice over their investments in Myanmar.

Malaysia's Petronas has said it will indefinitely suspend production at the Yetagun natural gas field. Meanwhile, France's Total, which runs Myanmar's largest undersea gas field in terms of output, plans to continue production there. Read more here.

Monday, April 19

8:30 p.m. More quotes from the European Union statement on Myanmar:

"Pre-existing EU restrictive measures also remain in place. These include an embargo on arms and equipment that can be used for internal repression, an export ban on dual-use goods for use by the military and border guard police, export restrictions on equipment for monitoring communications that could be used for internal repression, and a prohibition on military training for and military cooperation with the Tatmadaw."

8:00 p.m. The European Union adopts a new round of Myanmar sanctions in response to the Feb. 1 coup, targeting 10 people and two military-controlled companies.

"Today's decision is a sign of the EU's unity and determination in condemning the brutal actions of the military junta, and aims at effecting change in the junta's leadership," the European Council says in a statement.

The 10 individuals include members of the State Administrative Council -- the junta's name for the post-coup government. The two companies, Myanma Economic Holdings Public Co. Ltd. (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corp. (MEC), "are owned and controlled by the Myanmar armed forces [Tatmadaw], and provide revenue for it," according to the statement.

The U.S. and the U.K. also have imposed sanctions on MEHL and MEC, whose far-reaching business interests include mining, food, beverages and tourism.

The statement stresses that European sanctions "specifically target the economic interests of Myanmar's military regime" and "are crafted in such a way to avoid undue harm to the people of Myanmar."

"It's once again clear that humanitarian aid to the people of Myanmar needs to be increased," Josep Borrell, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, tells reporters. "We increased it by 9 million euros ($10.8 million). But the important thing is to stop the repression."

6:00 p.m. Myanmar's security forces have stepped up house arrests in Yangon on Monday. There has been no confirmation of the number of such arrests, but protesters residing in Kyauk Myaung and Tarmwe townships, among other areas, have reportedly been arrested at their homes for allegedly taking part in the civil disobedience movement against the junta.

Security forces have increased raids and detentions over the past week, especially after more cases of explosions and arson attacks. Observers say that some of those attacks were conducted by armed protesters who have been trained to handle explosives. In response, security forces now stop and search more pedestrians for explosives, rather than checking their mobile phones for links to lawmakers from the National League for Democracy.

Separately, Japanese freelance journalist Yuki Kitazumi is being investigated for allegedly spreading fake news, according to the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar.

2:45 p.m. Myanmar's security authority confirms that Japanese freelance journalist Yuki Kitazumi has been charged with allegedly violating section 505-A of the Penal Code, which prohibits a wide range of expressions that might cause fear, spread false news, or agitate directly or indirectly someone toward a criminal offense against a Government employee, according to the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar.

7:30 a.m. The Japanese Embassy in Myanmar confirms with local police that journalist Yuki Kitazumi was detained around 7:50 p.m. on Sunday at his home and transferred to Insein Prison, on the outskirts of Yangon. The prison is known for holding political prisoners.

Sunday, April 18

10:00 p.m. Japanese freelance journalist Yuki Kitazumi was detained in the night by security forces in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, local media report. By Sunday, 737 people had been killed since the military coup on Feb. 1, and 3,229 detained, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

11:00 a.m. Myanmar citizens launch #ASEANrejectSAC, a "trending party" on Twitter, to push ASEAN to disinvite Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the junta's commander in chief, to the bloc's summit now scheduled for Saturday in Jakarta.

Saturday, April 17

1:33 p.m. A spokesperson for Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs local media that a long-awaited ASEAN emergency summit is nearly set for April 24 in Jakarta, with the Myanmar junta's commander in chief ready to attend.

"I can confirm that Brunei Chair has proposed the date April 24," the spokesperson says in a message, referring to this year's ASEAN chair country. The official goes on to say that the venue will be the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, and that "several leaders have confirmed their attendance including Myanmar's MAH" -- understood to be shorthand for Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.

"Some leaders have yet to [be] confirmed."

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also said on Friday that he would attend the summit on April 24 without providing details.

1:00 p.m. U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, whose bilateral summit has mostly drawn attention for their remarks on Taiwan and China's reaction, also touched on the crisis in Myanmar.

"We firmly condemn violence committed by the Myanmar military and police against civilians, and commit to continue taking action to press for the immediate cessation of violence, the release of those who are detained, and a swift return to democracy," reads the joint statement issued by the White House after the leaders' meeting in Washington on Friday.

7:00 a.m. Several countries are said to be preparing to officially recognize Myanmar's National Unity Government as the legitimate leaders of the country, local media outlet Myanmar Now reports, citing a minister from the newly formed shadow cabinet.

"They include some Western countries as well as a member country of the Arab world that experienced the Arab Spring, which we respected and envy very much," the minister said in an online news conference on Friday.

6:00 a.m. An explosion is heard from the direction of the Hledan district of Yangon at around 7:30 p.m. The exact location of the blast is unknown, but it is said to be at a police station near Grand Hantha International Hospital. According to information observed on Twitter accounts, loud explosions were heard at seven locations in Yangon.

3:30 a.m. Twan Mrat Naing, the chief of Arakan Army, an ethnic rebel group that operates in the western Rakhine State, tweets from an account believed to be the one he is using: "They offered us with respect. We didn't join as we have our own stands. They're not to be blamed." It apparently refers to the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) which announced a list of members of their National Unity Government on Friday.

2:45 a.m. Southeast Asian countries are considering a proposal for a humanitarian aid mission to Myanmar, Reuters reports, citing diplomats familiar with the matter.

Diplomats also said Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing may attend a proposed ASEAN summit this month, Reuters reports.

Friday, April 16

7:30 p.m. Loud clapping can be heard in Yangon as residents welcome the formation of the National Unity Government, which aims to oust the junta.

6:40 p.m. Dr. Sasa, the new National Unity Government's spokesman and minister of international cooperation, has released a rousing statement laying out the entity's aims -- the ultimate one being to end suffering "at the hands of a criminal, ruthless military junta."

The message emphasizes ethnic diversity and says the unity government led by Aung San Suu Kyi represents "the hopes and dreams, and the courage and commitment, of all the people of Myanmar."

Sasa, who goes by one name, says the anti-junta group will "continue to work on bringing all ethnic nationalities into our National Unity Government" and vows to "deliver justice for our Rohingya brothers, sisters and for all."

He also says the unity government will be seeking global recognition "as the truly legitimate government of the people of Myanmar."

1:40 p.m. The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a group made up of elected lawmakers mainly from the ousted National League for Democracy government, announces members of their "National Unity Government." The list includes deposed lawmakers, members of ethnic groups and leaders of anti-coup protesters.

Atop the list shared by the CRPH -- the parallel parliament recognized by the Myanmar public -- on its Facebook account are detained democratic leaders Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint. They are named state counselor and president, respectively, retaining the titles they held before the military coup on Feb. 1.

In addition, Dr. Sasa, the special envoy of the CRPH, is also included in the list as a union minister in charge of the Ministry of International Cooperation.

---

To catch up on earlier developments, see the last edition of latest updates.

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Myanmar coup, from Apr. 16 to May 14: Japan pledges food aid through WFP

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