The North Korean arms cargo interdicted in Bangkok seems unlikely to be bound for Burma, despite ties between Pyongyang and the Naypyidaw military junta. Burmese junta strongman Snr-Gen Than Shwe visited Sri Lanka in November, reciprocating a visit made by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in June this year. (more…)

Bangkok — The French oil giant Total S.A. (Total) continues to be linked to killings and forced labor in Burma and continues to mislead policymakers, investors, and the general public about its impacts in the military-ruled country, according to the Washington DCbased nongovernmental organization EarthRights International (ERI). (more…)

Nobel laureate Stiglitz leads expert discussions on restoring country as ‘rice bowl of Asia’ (more…)

Rangoon, Burma — Burma’s military authorities have agreed to allow detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to visit old and ailing party leaders at an undisclosed location, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy party said Tuesday. (more…)

Yangon – Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed a rare meeting with her lawyers Tuesday to discuss her appeal, government sources said. (more…)

Restrictions have been placed on the permits of lawyers representing 16 political prisoners at a trial in central Burma, while family members have been barred from entering the courtroom. (more…)

On December 10th of this year, a small group of Moulmein youths held a secret celebration for Human Rights Day in their city, for the second year in a row. (more…)

Chiang Mai – Nobel Laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz arrived in Burma’s new capital Naypyitaw on Tuesday, where he will speak at a seminar on economic development. (more…)

Nay Pyi Taw – Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe, accompanied by SPDC Member General Thura Shwe Mann, SPDC Secretary-1 General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, SPDC Member Lt-Gen Tin Aye, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Vice-Admiral Nyan Tun, Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lt-Gen Myat Hein, senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence, commanders, ministers and officials, left PyinOoLwin by helicopter and arrived at Pakokku in Magway Division at 10 am yesterday. (more…)

In a bid to boost cross-border trade with Burma, the government will support the opening of four more border checkpoints next year. (more…)

Deaths among detainees afflicted by an unknown disease continue in the KLIA detention camp near the Kuala Lumpur International airport in Malaysia. (more…)

Will Burma’s detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi resolve the opposition’s “generation crisis” when she meets with the aging leaders of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), in the coming days? (more…)

There is a wide belief among democratic forces that the 2010 general election will be good for Burma—but are these optimists really aware of how the regime will organize it? (more…)

Chiang Mai, Thailand – He talks with his hands. They are in constant motion as he expresses a view, makes a joke, mumbles. (more…)

As Burma gears up for rare elections due next year, eyes are turning to the fate of the country’s ageing military strongman, Than Shwe, and a possible succession, exiled activists say. (more…)

Burmese military strongman Snr-Gen Than Shwe traveled to Pyin Oo Lwin on Friday to attend the graduation of the 52nd Intake of the Defense Services Academy (DSA). As with previous graduations, he took along an entourage of family members, including his favorite grandson, Nay Shwe Thway Aung. (more…)

Yangon, Myanmar — A jailed U.S. citizen, on a protest hunger strike for more than a week in military-ruled Myanmar, was not able to appear in court because of poor health, his lawyers said Saturday. (more…)

Kuala Lumpur — A moderate earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale occurred near the Burma-Bangladesh border region at 10.42 on Sunday night. (more…)

Yangon – Myanmar will auction 137 more nationalized buildings and land plots in 10 cities of the country, according to the Administration Committee for Nationalized Properties Monday. (more…)

Bangkok — The United Nations warned on Monday that drug-control measures were “unraveling” in Myanmar, with opium farming in the country expanding for the third consecutive year. (more…)