LFM News Service 2-8-19

Myanmar parliament approves panel to discuss constitution despite military protest
Myanmar's parliament on Wednesday voted to set up a committee to discuss amending the country's constitution, despite objections by military-aligned lawmakers against a move that is likely to challenge the army's power.  Read More

Hundreds of Arakanese, Chin Flee to Bangladesh as Army, AA Clash in Paletwa
About 250 newly displaced Arakanese and ethnic Chin from Chin State’s Paletwa Township were driven from their homes into neighboring Bangladesh last week by fierce fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA). Some of the children in the group are reportedly gravely ill as the refugees lack food, clothing and shelter in the area’s cold conditions, a rights worker said.  Read More

Scores of Orphaned Migrant Children Granted Thai ID Cards
Some 46 children born to Myanmar migrants in Thailand and now living in an orphanage and studying at a school in the country have been granted Thai ID cards, according to the Social Action for Children and Women (SAW) organization.  Read More

Quake-prone Myanmar leads the way in seismic monitoring
Just a few years ago, Myanmar's geoscientists still relied on old-fashioned inked tracings to monitor earthquakes. Now they are using a real-time data feed from a high-tech network of seismic-monitoring stations dotted around the geologically-active country. The transformation propels Myanmar to the forefront of seismic monitoring in southeast Asia — and is revealing its quake hazard and speeding up its disaster response.  Read More