National News

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• President pledges help for shopkeepers after market fire
• UK defence chief makes Myanmar visit
• Fire guts Yangon Sanchaung homes
• Hepatitis survey points to nearly 5 million infected
• Complaints against YMBA’s operations continue
• Mandalay tent dwellers hope to get public housing
• Activists send petition over Koh Tao case
• Government needs US$21 million for peace committee
• Daw Suu highlights ‘deeply rooted’ educational flaws
• Shwesettaw festival season beckons pilgrims

President pledges help for shopkeepers after market fire Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST President U Thein Sein visited Yangon's Mingalar Market yesterday and met with shopkeepers whose property was gutted after a fire swept through the building on January 9 – the second such blaze in six years.

UK defence chief makes Myanmar visit Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Military between the Tatmadaw and the UK took another step forward yesterday with a visit by General Nicholas Houghton, chief of defence staff, who also held talks in Nay Pyi Taw with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Fire guts Yangon Sanchaung homes Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Police are investigating a mystery blaze that broke out near Gwa Market in Yangon's Sanchaung township yesterday morning, destroying 14 homes and injuring five residents.

Hepatitis survey points to nearly 5 million infected Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Nearly 5 million people in Myanmar suffer from a form of hepatitis, health officials say. A nationwide survey conducted last year estimated that about 3.3 million people suffer from hepatitis B and a further 1.3 million live with hepatitis C.

Complaints against YMBA’s operations continue Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Controversy again surrounds the venerable Young Men's Buddhist Association, whose activities were disrupted for more than a year amid accusations of corruption and misconduct by some senior members.

Mandalay tent dwellers hope to get public housing Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Tent-dwellers on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River in Mandalay may soon be exchanging their canvas walls for bricks and mortar, as the regional government seeks tenants for newly completed low-cost housing.

Activists send petition over Koh Tao case Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Youth activists have delivered a 30,000-signature petition to the Thai embassy in Yangon protesting against the guilty verdict and death sentence handed down to two Myanmar migrant workers. A number of organisations have worked together to channel widespread anger against the findings of the Thai court in the Koh Tao murder and rape case that claimed the lives of two British holidaymakers on the island.

Government needs US$21 million for peace committee Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST International donors are being asked to contribute toward the US$21 million the government says it needs to set up the Joint Monitoring Committee-State Level, a key part of the peace process.

Daw Suu highlights ‘deeply rooted’ educational flaws Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST Myanmar's deeply rooted rote learning system is outdated and leads to poor educational standards, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said yesterday.

Shwesettaw festival season beckons pilgrims Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:30 PM PST High prices and threats of flooding will probably not deter pilgrims and holidaymakers from flocking to Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda when the season opens in February. The holiness of the site and the beauty of its surroundings will still be enough to attract them in the customary hordes – at least as long as the footprint of Buddha survives the threat of erosion.

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