January 21: The military regime in Burma is intent on wiping out Christianity in the country, according to claims in a secret document believed to have been leaked from a government ministry. Entitled “Programme to destroy the Christian religion in Burma”, the incendiary memo contains point by point instructions on how to drive Christians out of the state.
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The Burmese military government has cracked down on illegal logging in Taunggok Township of Arakan State and has arrested suspects who were involved in illegal logging, according to residents in Taunggok.
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Clashes between the Shan State Army-South and the Burmese military have all but stopped since the start of 2007, according to the rebel group’s newly appointed spokesperson major Lao Hseng.
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January 20: In a surprise raid on the office of a Burmese opposition group on the Indo-Burma border today, the Indian Army detained 22 Burmese pro-democracy activists.
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January 21: The Burmese military government will make a decision regarding the export of gas to India by May, after the reserves in its offshore areas are certified, according to a quote from U Soe Myint, Director of the General Energy Planning Division in Burma’s Ministry of Energy, as reported by the India PTI news agency.
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China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation (CNODC), a subsidiary of CNPC, has signed a contract with Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise in exploiting oil and gas in three deep-sea sections of Burma.
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A Myanmar private airline, Air Bagan, will launch its first international flights beginning April to cover three regional destinations, an official of the airline told a press conference here Monday.
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India has promised further military aid to Burma’s ruling junta and asked for increased cooperation in fighting Indian insurgent groups operating along its border with Burma, according to Indian press reports.
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Burmese workers in Singapore have started a campaign to protest the double taxation of income paid to both the Burmese and Singapore governments.
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January 21: Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu has expressed his deep disappointment at South Africa’s vote to block a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an end to human rights abuses in Myanmar, saying it was a betrayal of his country’s “noble past.”
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How did we, as a nation, respond to a draft resolution at the UN Security Council last week, urging Myanmar to democratize and respect human rights? (more…)

January 29: Appearing cool and comfortable in a pearly-white barong tagalog shirt, the traditional Filipino attire made of fruit fibre, Manmohan Singh looked impeccable at the 12th ASEAN Summit in the island resort of Cebu. (more…)