Nearly 3,000 Myanmar refugees return to their villages from Mizoram
'More than 4,500 refugees from the neighbouring country had entered Mizoram and taken shelter in the border villages of Zokhawthar, Saikhumphai, and Vaiphai in Champhai district, following an armed conflict between Chin rebel groups — the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) and Chinland Defence Force (CDF-Hualngoram) — backed by the Chin National Army (CNA),' officials said. The refugees belonged to nearby border villages in Myanmar's Chin state.
At least 23 dead after airstrike on Buddhist monastery in Myanmar
A senior police officer told PTI that a total of 2,923 Myanmar refugees who had taken shelter at Zokhawthar village and 39 others at Vaphai have returned to their country as of Wednesday (July 16, 2025.)
He noted that the return of the refugees began on July 7 and gained momentum on July 12, following a ceasefire agreement between the warring Chin factions. 'The situation along the Indo-Myanmar border is calm now,' the officer said, expressing hope that a few more refugees may return in the coming days. Mizoram shares a 510 km-long porous border with Myanmar.
More than 20 civilians killed in Myanmar air strike on monastery: witnesses
The CNDF and CDF, the two pro-democratic forces fighting against the Myanmar military junta, had engaged in fighting in early July for control of areas, forcing more than 3,000 refugees to flee to Zokhawthar.
Subsequently, retaliatory attacks by the CNA, the largest Chin rebel group, on a CNDF camp at Rihli village in Chin state, triggered an additional influx of more than 700 refugees to Saikhumphai and Vaiphai.
Mizoram has already given shelter to more than 32,000 Myanmar refugees, who had fled their country following a military coup in February 2021.
Four years on, Myanmar and its continuing nightmare
The State Government is planning to collect biometric and demographic details of Myanmar refugees in July-end for identification purposes. The Myanmar refugees are mostly from the Chin community, who share ethnic ties with the Mizos.
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Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's coalition loses Upper House majority
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition, on Monday (July 21), faced a big blow in the crucial parliamentary election, as it failed to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house, according to NHK public television. To retain a majority, Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats, in addition to the 75 seats that they already hold. With just one more seat to be decided, the coalition secured 47 seats. The loss is a major setback for Ishiba's coalition, as it has now become a minority in both houses after its defeat in the lower house election in October. The result worsens Japan's political instability and marks the first time the LDP has lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's foundation in 1955. Despite the crushing blow, Ishiba expressed determination to fight challenges, including US tariff threats, without creating a political vacuum. 'I will fulfil my responsibility as head of the No. 1 party and work for the country,' he said. However, there could be calls from within his party to either step down or find another coalition partner. Ishiba coalition faces setback Ishiba had aimed for a simple majority of 125 seats in the upper house, meaning his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats. Exit poll results released shortly after the ballots closed on Sunday night mostly showed a major setback for Ishiba's coalition. The LDP alone won 39 seats, better than most exit poll projections of 32, and remained the No. 1 party in the parliament, known as the Diet. Ishiba attributed the coalition's poor showing to the fact that his government's measures to combat price increases had not yet reached many people. 'It's a tough situation. I take it humbly and sincerely,' Ishiba told a live interview with NHK. The performance in the election will not bring about an immediate change of government, as the upper house does not have the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader, but it will raise questions about Ishiba's fate and raise uncertainty around Japan's political stability. (With inputs from AP)
NDTV
6 hours ago
- NDTV
Japan's Governing Alliance Loses Upper House Elections
Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition failed Monday to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, NHK public television said. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already have to retain their majority. With just one more seat to be decided, the coalition had 47 seats. The loss is another blow to Ishiba's coalition, making it a minority in both houses following its October defeat in the lower house election, and worsening Japan's political instability. It was the first time the LDP has lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's foundation in 1955. Despite the loss, Ishiba expressed determination to stay on and not create a political vacuum to tackle challenges such as UA tariff threats, but he could face calls from within his party to step down or find another coalition partner. "I will fulfill my responsibility as head of the No. 1 party and work for the country," he said. Ishiba had set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his LDP and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats. Exit poll results released seconds after the ballots closed Sunday night mostly showed a major setback for Ishiba's coalition. The LDP alone won 39 seats, better than most exit poll projections of 32, and still the No. 1 party in the parliament, known as the Diet. But Ishiba said the coalition's poor showing was because his government's measures to combat price increases had yet to reach many people. "It's a tough situation. I take it humbly and sincerely," Ishiba told a live interview with NHK. The poor performance in the election will not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader, but it will certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Ishiba could face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. U.S. President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations and the lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect of a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters were rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, were too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance, with its "Japanese First" platform that proposes a new agency to handle policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Conservative opposition groups, especially the DPP and Sanseito, gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense, while the centrist top opposition CDPJ was sluggish. The DPP quadrupled to 17 seats from four, according to interim results reported by Japanese media. Sanseito surged to 14 from just one. DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki said his party made saw a big gain because voters chose it "as a new alternative." None of the opposition parties said that they were open to cooperating with the governing coalition. CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda told NHK that his priority is to form an alliance among the opposition. "Public opinion clearly said 'no' to the Ishiba government," Noda said. The spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents. The LDP has almost continuously dominated Japan's postwar politics, contributing to its political stability and social conformity. But voters are divided between stability and change, with some voicing concern about escalating xenophobia. Yuko Tsuji, a 43-year-old consultant who came to a polling station inside a downtown Tokyo gymnasium with her husband, said they both support LDP for stability and unity. They voted "for candidates who won't fuel division." "If the ruling party doesn't govern properly, the conservative base will drift toward extremes. So I voted with the hope that the ruling party would tighten things up," she said. Self-employed Daiichi Nasu, 57, who came to vote with his dog, said he hopes for a change toward a more inclusive and diverse society, with more open immigration and gender policies such as allowing married couples to keep separate surnames. "That's why I voted for the CDPJ," he said. "I want to see progress on those fronts."
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Japanese PM Ishiba's coalition loses majority in upper house election
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba 's ruling coalition failed Monday to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, NHK public television said. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already have to retain their majority. With just one more seat to be decided, the coalition had 47 seats. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category healthcare Healthcare MBA Public Policy Degree Leadership CXO Product Management Operations Management Finance Data Science Management Cybersecurity Project Management others Data Science Digital Marketing MCA Artificial Intelligence Others Technology Data Analytics Design Thinking PGDM Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow CERT-IIML Healthcare Management India Starts on undefined Get Details The loss is another blow to Ishiba's coalition, making it a minority in both houses following its October defeat in the lower house election, and worsening Japan's political instability. It was the first time the LDP has lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's foundation in 1955. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like When the Camera Clicked at the Worst Possible Time Read More Undo Despite the loss, Ishiba expressed determination to stay on and not create a political vacuum to tackle challenges such as U.S. tariff threats, but he could face calls from within his party to step down or find another coalition partner. "I will fulfill my responsibility as head of the No. 1 party and work for the country," he said. Live Events Ishiba hoped for a simple majority but came up short Ishiba had set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his LDP and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats. Exit poll results released seconds after the ballots closed Sunday night mostly showed a major setback for Ishiba's coalition. The LDP alone won 39 seats, better than most exit poll projections of 32, and still the No. 1 party in the parliament, known as the Diet. But Ishiba said the coalition's poor showing was because his government's measures to combat price increases had yet to reach many people. "It's a tough situation. I take it humbly and sincerely," Ishiba told a live interview with NHK. The poor performance in the election will not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader, but it will certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Ishiba could face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Economic worries frustrate voters Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. Trade talks with Washington U.S. President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations and the lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect of a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Populism gains traction Frustrated voters were rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, were too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance, with its "Japanese First" platform that proposes a new agency to handle policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favors traditional gender roles. Conservative opposition groups, especially the DPP and Sanseito, gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense, while the centrist top opposition CDPJ was sluggish. The DPP quadrupled to 17 seats from four, according to interim results reported by Japanese media. Sanseito surged to 14 from just one. DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki said his party made saw a big gain because voters chose it "as a new alternative." None of the opposition parties said that they were open to cooperating with the governing coalition. CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda told NHK that his priority is to form an alliance among the opposition. "Public opinion clearly said 'no' to the Ishiba government," Noda said. The spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents. A choice between stability or change The LDP has almost continuously dominated Japan's postwar politics, contributing to its political stability and social conformity. But voters are divided between stability and change, with some voicing concern about escalating xenophobia. Yuko Tsuji, a 43-year-old consultant who came to a polling station inside a downtown Tokyo gymnasium with her husband, said they both support LDP for stability and unity. They voted "for candidates who won't fuel division." "If the ruling party doesn't govern properly, the conservative base will drift toward extremes. So I voted with the hope that the ruling party would tighten things up," she said. Self-employed Daiichi Nasu, 57, who came to vote with his dog, said he hopes for a change toward a more inclusive and diverse society, with more open immigration and gender policies such as allowing married couples to keep separate surnames. "That's why I voted for the CDPJ," he said. "I want to see progress on those fronts."
