President U Thein Sein arrived on July 20 in Myanmar's Sagaing Region to inspect areas hit by severe flooding. The region received a record 7.83 inches of rain from July 14 through 18, with more than 40,000 acres of farmland damaged. The president urged officials to be prepared for further heavy rains and to inspect dams and reservoirs countrywide.

Myanmar’s Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin addressed the 79th session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons – OPCW held in The Hague, the Netherlands on July 9, 2015. In his address, the Union Minister said that the government has been undertaking political and socio-economic reforms and that, as a manifestation of success in Myanmar’s reforms, progress has been achieved in the political and socio-economic life of the people as well as disarmament issues. Read the Embassy’s full press release here.

The commander in chief of army in Myanmar has said he will respect the result of November's historic general election, even if the opposition wins. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said he believes the election would be both free and fair.

Myanmar's Mandalay Region will host the Upper Myanmar Interfaith Conference on July 25, gathering representatives from Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Islamic communities throughout the country. The conference will focus on ways to work together to avoid hate speech, extend the mandate of the Mandalay Region Interfaith Committee and discuss peaceful coexistence and interfaith activities.

Myanmar has launched a campaign to recruit 40,000 temporary workers to help police provide security for elections scheduled for November 8. Police force Colonel Maung Maung Soe said locals would be given preference in providing security for each polling station throughout the country. Newly recruited workers will attend a two-week training course and will be under the direct supervision of the Myanmar Police Force.

Engineering and electronics firm Bosch closed its 2014 fiscal year in Myanmar with a nearly 70 percent increase in sales, backed by the country’s booming automotive and construction industries. Andre de Jong, Bosch representative in Myanmar, said, “Myanmar is an important emerging market for Bosch. The country offers large potential due to its rich natural resources and rapid development across almost all industry sectors over the last few years. We will continue expanding our business in Myanmar and extending our footprint throughout the country.”

Dutch beer maker Heineken has entered Myanmar's beer fight as it opened a $60 million brewery near Yangon on July 12. The new plant will start by brewing Heineken for the premium segment for the market and a new local brand, Regal Seven, developed especially for the Myanmar market, the company said. "Myanmar is an exciting new opportunity for Heineken," chief executive officer Jean-Francois Van Boxmeer said.

We're squeaking through the Irrawaddy's powder-soft banks when a sailor painting our riverboat's canopy pauses mid-stroke. "Welcome home!" he booms from the rooftop, prompting laughter all round. The luxury riverboat Cruiseco Explorer was launched in late 2014, catching a wave of interest in Myanmar that's grown since historic democratic elections were held in 2010. With each passing year, it grows easier to visit Myanmar and cruise along the country’s Irrawaddy River.

Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism will target 4.5 to 5 million tourist arrivals in 2015 and 7.5 million by 2020. Myanmar Tourism Marketing Committee chairman, U Phyo Wai Yar Zar, said that the country’s international airports in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw will reach maximum capacity within five years. “We need to prepare travel facilities to accommodate this expected rise in numbers and international airlines are expected to increase flights  to Myanmar that will put further pressure on airport capacity,” he added.

Myanmar's regal felines are back and breeding in 'purrfect' splendor. They are the country's returning royalty: the pure Burmese breed that died out when the country gained independence from the British in 1948, only to be reintroduced through a special breeding program at the Princess Resort on Myanmar’s Inle Lake.

Known as the Oscars of food awards, the annual Gourmand World Cookbook Awards recognize the best food and wine books produced every year. Competing against thousands of entries from 205 countries, The Burma Cookbook and authors Robert Carmack and Morrison Polkinghorne fought off competition to win the Best Asian Cookbook category. Over a decade in the making, and inspired by over 20 years of travels in Myanmar, the book – which is sold in Myanmar under the title The Strand Cookbook – traces the history of the country over the past century.