Latest news with #Burmese-language
AFP
01-08-2025
- General
- AFP
Months-old videos depict Myanmar tremor, not Russian quake
"Tonight (July 30), a powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula, categorised as a 'very shallow earthquake'," reads part of the traditional Chinese caption of a Threads clip shared on July 30, 2025. The clip appears to show CCTV footage of the inside of a shop as a tremor hits, sending shelves crashing down. A similar TikTok video, also shared on July 30, shows staff scrambling for cover under desks as the quake strikes. "Sad news from Russia. An 8.7 earthquake followed by a tsunami happened this morning," reads its Indonesian-language caption. Image Screenshots of the false Threads and TikTok posts captured on July 31, 2025, with red Xs added by AFP They surfaced hours after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, prompting evacuations and tsunami alerts across parts of the Pacific coast (archived link). Fears of a catastrophe subsided, however, with country after country lifting or downgrading warnings and telling coastal residents they could return. The circulating clips were also shared in similar Douyin, Facebook, Instagram and X posts. But the clips in fact show the impact of a different earthquake. Myanmar temblor A closer analysis of the first falsely shared clip shows a timecode in its top-right corner that reads, "2025-03-28", which is when a 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar (archived link). were killed in the quake, which destroyed swathes of homes and businesses (archived link). Image Screenshot of the falsely shared clip, with the timecode magnified by AFP A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared clip led to a longer version that was shared on TikTok on March 30 by an account called "Top One Mobile" (archived link). "It's not easy to run within three seconds," reads its Burmese-language caption. Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (left) and the TikTok video posted in March (right) The account also shared a similar video from a different angle (archived link). Subsequent keyword searches led to the same footage posted on the YouTube channel "2025 Sagaing Earthquake Archive", which said it showed a shop in Tada-U, Myanmar (archived link). Google Maps images of the Top One store front match other videos posted by the TikTok account (archived here and here). An analysis of the second falsely shared clip shows a decal on the wall that reads, "Lady Bug". A combination of keyword searches and reverse image searches led to a TikTok video posted on May 7, on the account of a salon and cosmetics supplier called Lady Bug (archived link). The video's Burmese-language caption includes a hashtag for the March 28 earthquake, and says the staff shown in the video were safe. The date, "2025-03-28", can also be seen in the video's top-right corner. Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (left) and the video posted in May (right) The shop also shared the video on their Facebook page on May 11, alongside an announcement that the branch on 62nd Street in the central city of Mandalay had to be demolished because of damage caused by the quake (archived link). "We are looking for a new location for the shop and we will be back soon," it adds. Google Maps imagery of the location in Mandalay now shows a flattened plot (archived link). AFP has also debunked other misinformation, which often surfaces after natural disasters, related to the July 30 quake.
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Old clip of Yangon flash mob protest misrepresented as new anti-junta demonstration
On the 63rd anniversary of the brutal suppression of a student movement in Myanmar, an old video of a flash mob protest in Yangon resurfaced in posts falsely claiming it was filmed in July 2025. The clip previously circulated in local news coverage from July 2021 and corresponds to AFP video of the demonstration. "General Strike Committee, students' unions, and marchers from other townships demonstrated to overthrow the military dictatorship today on July 7 in Pansodan, Yangon," reads part of the Burmese-language caption of a Facebook video shared on July 7, 2025. The video -- which was viewed more than 1.7 million times -- shows people hurriedly gathering for a street protest, chanting slogans and flashing the Hunger Games-inspired three finger salute popular among pro-democracy protesters. A banner held up by those at the front of the protest reads, "July 7 keep the spirit and fight" and "Oust the military dictatorship by all means". The video was also shared in similar Facebook, Instagram and TikTok posts. It circulated on the anniversary of the bloody 1962 blitz on students protesting against military rule in Yangon University. According to an article published by The Irrawaddy news outlet, eyewitnesses said hundreds were killed (archived link). Myanmar has been ruled almost continually by the military since 1962, just over a decade since independence from Britain. A 2021 coup ended a decade of transition from outright military rule, with generals justifying the power grab by alleging fraud in the previous November's elections that democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won in a landslide (archived link). The coup sparked a civil war that has killed thousands, and left 3.5 million displaced and half the nation in poverty (archived link). While local media reported that several townships in Myanmar as well as Burmese communities in South Korea and Thailand commemorated the 1962 student movement, the video circulating online does not show a protest that occurred in Yangon in July 2025 (archived here, here and here). Yangon protest 2021 A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to the same footage published four years earlier by local news outlet Mizzima (archived link). The July 7, 2021 post reads: "'Keep the spirit of July 7 and fight' - Yangon anti-military dictatorship protest march." "Today also marks the 59th anniversary of the Seventh July Movement, during which the Yangon University Students' Union building was demolished". AFP reporters said the protest involved around 100 demonstrators who moved quickly through Yangon before scattering down side streets or jumping into waiting cars about two minutes later (archived link). Informants had tipped off police to previous flash mob protests and demonstrators had been arrested, read an AFP article from the time. An AFP video journalist who covered the protest confirmed the circulating video showed the 2021 demonstration. "This is reuploaded misinformation to farm engagement," they said. An AFP photo journalist also said the video showed the 2021 Yangon protest: "This was when flash protests were being organised amidst violent crackdowns targeting anti-coup protestors." "There were no protests in Yangon on July 7, 2025," they added. The falsely circulating video also corresponds to a video AFP published of the 2021 demonstration (archived link). "Around a hundred protesters march in central Yangon to mark the anniversary of the 1962 Yangon university protests during which more than a hundred people died and thousands were arrested in a violent crackdown by the military regime," reads part of the video's description. AFP has debunked other false claims about Myanmar's military coup and the subsequent unrest.
AFP
25-07-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Old clip of Yangon flash mob protest misrepresented as new anti-junta demonstration
"General Strike Committee, students' unions, and marchers from other townships demonstrated to overthrow the military dictatorship today on July 7 in Pansodan, Yangon," reads part of the Burmese-language caption of a Facebook video shared on July 7, 2025. The video -- which was viewed more than 1.7 million times -- shows people hurriedly gathering for a street protest, chanting slogans and flashing the Hunger Games-inspired three finger salute popular among pro-democracy protesters. A banner held up by those at the front of the protest reads, "July 7 keep the spirit and fight" and "Oust the military dictatorship by all means". Image Screenshot of the false Facebook post captured on July 23, 2025, with a red X added by AFP The video was also shared in similar Facebook, Instagram and TikTok posts. It circulated on the anniversary of the bloody 1962 blitz on students protesting against military rule in Yangon University. According to an article published by The Irrawaddy news outlet, eyewitnesses said hundreds were killed (archived link). Myanmar has been ruled almost continually by the military since 1962, just over a decade since independence from Britain. A 2021 coup ended a decade of transition from outright military rule, with generals justifying the power grab by alleging fraud in the previous November's elections that democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won in a landslide (archived link). The coup sparked a civil war that has killed thousands, and left 3.5 million displaced and half the nation in poverty (archived link). While local media reported that several townships in Myanmar as well as Burmese communities in South Korea and Thailand commemorated the 1962 student movement, the video circulating online does not show a protest that occurred in Yangon in July 2025 (archived here, here and here). Yangon protest 2021 A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to the same footage published four years earlier by local news outlet Mizzima (archived link). The July 7, 2021 post reads: Image Screenshot comparison of falsely shared clip (left) and the Mizzima video posted on July 7, 2021 (right) AFP reporters said the protest involved around 100 demonstrators who moved quickly through Yangon before scattering down side streets or jumping into waiting cars about two minutes later (archived link). Informants had tipped off police to previous flash mob protests and demonstrators had been arrested, read an AFP article from the time. An who covered the protest confirmed the circulating video showed the 2021 demonstration. "This is reuploaded misinformation to farm engagement," they said. An AFP photo journalist also said the video showed the 2021 Yangon protest: "This was when flash protests were being organised amidst violent crackdowns targeting anti-coup protestors." "There were no protests in Yangon on July 7, 2025," they added. The falsely circulating video also corresponds to a video AFP published of the 2021 demonstration (archived link). "Around a hundred protesters march in central Yangon to mark the anniversary of the 1962 Yangon university protests during which more than a hundred people died and thousands were arrested in a violent crackdown by the military regime," reads part of the video's description. AFP has debunked other false claims about Myanmar's military coup and the subsequent unrest.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Myanmar junta thanks Trump after recognition in tariff letter
Myanmar's military leader lauded Donald Trump and asked him to lift sanctions, the junta said Friday (July 11, 2025) after a tariff letter from the U.S. president believed to be Washington's first public recognition of its rule. Min Aung Hlaing endorsed Mr. Trump's false claim that the 2020 U.S. election was stolen and thanked him for shutting down funding to U.S.-backed media providing independent coverage of conflict-wracked Myanmar. The military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected civilian government in 2021, plunging the country into civil war. The U.S. State Department sanctioned the junta chief and others for using 'violence and terror to oppress' Burmese people and 'denying them the ability to freely choose their own leaders'. U.S. diplomats do not formally engage with the junta, but Mr. Trump sent a letter to Min Aung Hlaing by name on Monday (July 7, 2025) telling him the U.S. would impose a 40% tariff from August 1, down from a threatened 44%. 'It's certainly the first public indication I've seen of U.S. acknowledgement of MAH and the junta,' said Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group. Any earlier private communications 'would almost certainly not have been from Mr. Trump, of course', he told AFP. Min Aung Hlaing seized the opportunity to respond with a multi-page letter released in both Burmese and English by the junta information team Friday (July 11, 2025). In it, he expressed his 'sincere appreciation' for Mr. Trump's letter and praised the U.S. President's 'strong leadership in guiding your country toward national prosperity'. He sought to justify the military's seizure of power, saying: 'Similar to the challenges you encountered during the 2020 election of the United States, Myanmar also experienced major electoral fraud and significant irregularities.' Both Voice of America and Radio Free Asia – created by the United States with a mission to deliver news in countries without free media – have shut down their Burmese-language operations since the Mr. Trump administration cut their funding. Min Aung Hlaing said he 'sincerely appreciated' Mr. Trump's move. The junta is increasingly dependent on its allies, China and Russia, for economic and military support. Min Aung Hlaing asked Mr. Trump to 'reconsider easing and lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Myanmar' and sought a tariff of 10-20%. He thanked Mr. Trump for the 'encouraging invitation to continue participating in the extraordinary Economy of the United States, the Number One Market in the World'. Mr. Trump's punitive tariff letters have left many nations scrambling to secure last-minute deals with Washington before they come into force next month.
Hindustan Times
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Myanmar military leader thanks Donald Trump after recognition in tariff letter
Myanmar's military leader lauded Donald Trump and asked him to lift sanctions, the junta said Friday after a tariff letter from the US president believed to be Washington's first public recognition of its rule. US diplomats do not formally engage with the junta, but Trump sent a letter to Min Aung Hlaing saying that US would impose a 40 percent tariff from August 1(Reuters) Min Aung Hlaing endorsed Trump's false claim that the 2020 US election was stolen, and thanked him for shutting down funding to US-backed media providing independent coverage of conflict-wracked Myanmar. The military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected civilian government in 2021, plunging the country into civil war. The US State Department sanctioned the junta chief and others for using "violence and terror to oppress" Burmese people and "denying them the ability to freely choose their own leaders". US diplomats do not formally engage with the junta, but Trump sent a letter to Min Aung Hlaing by name on Monday telling him the US would impose a 40 percent tariff from August 1, down from a threatened 44 percent. "It's certainly the first public indication I've seen of US acknowledgement of MAH and the junta," said Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group. Any earlier private communications "would almost certainly not have been from Trump of course", he told AFP. Min Aung Hlaing seized the opportunity to respond with a multi-page letter released in both Burmese and English by the junta information team Friday. In it, he expressed his "sincere appreciation" for Trump's letter and praised the US president's "strong leadership in guiding your country toward national prosperity". He sought to justify the military's seizure of power, saying: 'Similar to the challenges you encountered during the 2020 election of the United States, Myanmar also experienced major electoral fraud and significant irregularities.' Both Voice of America and Radio Free Asia -- created by the United States with a mission to deliver news in countries without free media -- have shut down their Burmese-language operations since the Trump administration cut their funding. Min Aung Hlaing said he "sincerely appreciated" Trump's move. The junta is increasingly dependent on its allies China and Russia for economic and military support. Min Aung Hlaing asked Trump to "reconsider easing and lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Myanmar", and sought a tariff of 10-20 percent. He thanked Trump for the "encouraging invitation to continue participating in the extraordinary Economy of the United States, the Number One Market in the World". Trump's punitive tariff letters have left many nations scrambling to secure last-minute deals with Washington before they come into force next month.
