Kyi Myint Taing township court in Rangoon yesterday sentenced three people to between five and 19 years after they reported a labour rights issue to the International Labour Organisation, according to their families. (more…)

The health of veteran journalist and senior National League for Democracy member Win Tin has improved since he was hospitalised on 4 December, his neighbour told DVB. (more…)

At least eight ministers in the cabinet of Burma’s military government along with the mayor of Rangoon will resign from their current positions in preparation to contest the upcoming 2010 election, a source in the military said. (more…)

Since gaining power in 1988, the Burmese military junta has never officially referred to the regions of Arakan State as either “Northern” Arakan or “Southern” Arakan, despite its use of such terms as part of its divide and rule tactics in Shan State. (more…)

Reported deaths in Myanmar from landmines more than doubled in a year, as both the military government and armed rebel groups continue to lay the lethal ordnance, a monitoring group said Tuesday. (more…)

Military exercises recently launched by the Wa accompanied by mortar shellings and gunfire have put the Thai border forces on the alert, according to a Thai security officer. (more…)

Myanmar is striving to cut the number of deaths caused by malaria by half in the year 2010 in the wake of that about 700,000 people in the country are infected with the disease yearly, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday. (more…)

More than 100 Burmese migrant workers have returned to Burma over the last week after losing their jobs in Malaysia due to the impact of the global economic slowdown, according to a labor rights group in Malaysia. (more…)

Myanmar’s military regime has taken initial steps towards opening an embassy in oil-rich Kuwait as a part of its policy of enhancing diplomatic relations with the Middle East, diplomatic sources said Tuesday. A high-ranking delegation from the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, led by Deputy Minister Maung Myint, recently visited Kuwait for preliminary discussions on the reciprocal opening of embassies in both countries, according to Yangon-based diplomatic sources. (more…)

Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations General Secretary has urged governments and corporate houses that have a relationship going with Burma to use their influence to impress the military rulers to implement its commitment to democratic reforms in the country. (more…)

A policy report compiled for the incoming Obama administration appeals for the prioritization in U.S. foreign policy of combating genocide around the globe, although it is uncertain what ramifications the incorporated recommendations may have regarding Burma. (more…)

A Christian group that supports the persecuted church presented First Lady Laura Bush with the 2008 Freedom Award for her efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Burma, the organization announced Friday. (more…)

Many of the best-known and influential leaders of the world joined last week to urge a shred of justice for the long suffering nation and people of Burma. One problem was that the 112 signatures on the petition to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon represent former leaders instead of current ones. The second major defect was that Mr Ban simply shrugged off the humanitarian appeal to press Burma to release political prisoners. (more…)

At the best of times Burmese migrant workers in Thailand and elsewhere are paid poor wages, made to stay long hours at the work site and meted out ill treatment in the hands of employers to name only a few of the indignities they face. Now the recent global financial meltdown has served a body blow to these people struggling to eke out a livelihood beyond the shores of their own country where jobs are scarce and human rights unheard of in the Burmese military junta’s lexicon. (more…)

The financial crisis that began in the United States and rapidly evolved into a once-in-a-generation global economic downturn has reached Burma, a country whose military leaders have long prided themselves on their ability to keep outside influences at bay. (more…)