January 18: Today, the Indo-Burma border is the world’s biggest heroin trafficking area and heroin is frequently described as Burma’s most valuable export. Since Burmas military regime, then called the State Law and Order Restoration (SLORC), seized power in Burma in 1988, opium production, from which heroin is refined, has risen to over 2,030 metric tons annually, amounting to 60 per cent of world supply. (more…)

Guwahati: The much hyped tri-nation gas project, which will enable energy-hungry India to import gas from Burma across Bangladeshi territory, has received primary jolt. The Bangladeshi Government has placed conditions before signing the gas pipeline deal.
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Khao Lak: Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand were the forgotten victims of the tsunamis and non-governmental organisations — who say thousands are dead and missing — believe their fate will continue to be ignored.
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Ban Namkhem: The Indian Ocean tsunami claimed the lives of hundreds of migrant Myanmar workers in Thailand, dissident groups say, although a far greater number have probably been deported or gone into hiding.
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Manila: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Wednesday France was contributing 1.5 million euros (about 2 million dollars) to set up a cooperation fund to prepare and design programmes for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
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Washington: Condoleezza Rice laid out yesterday the second Bush administration’s foreign policy priorities for waging what she called a “generational struggle” against militant Islam and supporting movements for freedom in six countries she listed as “outposts of tyranny”.
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