National News

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• NLD reduces government ministries
• Myanmar Peace Center says NLD will decide its future
• Environmental factors cause 1 in 4 deaths
• Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to head parliamentary group
• Chief ministers to be named at the end of March, NLD official
• Myanmar ranks toward bottom of happiness index
• El Niño wanes but weather impacts look to break records
• Dry zone braces for El Niño
• Ethnic groups welcome new ministry
• Mandalay prepares for heat-related illnesses

NLD reduces government ministries Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT In his first move as president-elect, U Htin Kyaw has proposed a government shake-up that will slash the number of ministries while reducing the ministerial headcount by more than 75 percent. The plan is to be debated in parliament today.

Myanmar Peace Center says NLD will decide its future Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT For nearly four years the Myanmar Peace Center has been at the heart of President U Thein Sein's efforts to end decades of war with the country's ethnic armed groups. In two weeks the new NLD-led government will take over the peace process, with many asking what will happen to the MPC – and its assets donated by the international community.

Environmental factors cause 1 in 4 deaths Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Living or working in unhealthy conditions is leading thousands of people in Myanmar to an early grave, according to a new report by the World Health Organization.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to head parliamentary group Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been named chair of a parliamentary team, the National League for Democracy announced yesterday, fuelling expectations that the democracy icon does not intend to take a formal position in the new government.

Chief ministers to be named at the end of March, NLD official Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT The post-election suspense and secrecy over the incoming administration will continue for some time yet as the chief minister positions will not be announced until the last week of March, the National League for Democracy announced.

Myanmar ranks toward bottom of happiness index Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Myanmar is among the least happy countries in the world, according to a new survey-based report.

El Niño wanes but weather impacts look to break records Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT It's official – the El Niño weather effect in the Pacific Ocean could be one of the strongest on record, comparable in power to those of 1997-98, meteorologists say. Though ocean surface temperatures have fallen, and the El Niño will probably start weakening next month, its effects will linger for months to come, they warn.

Dry zone braces for El Niño Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Who"s afraid of El Niño? Not Magwe Region, officials insist. In arguably Myanmar's hottest region, where temperatures are known to soar above 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit), local authorities say they have taken measures down to the district, township and even village level to meet the threat posed by the powerful weather phenomenon, which meteorologists say could bring both drought and flooding. The question is whether anyone will follow them.

Ethnic groups welcome new ministry Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Politicans and activists of minority groups have broadly welcomed the president-elect's proposal to establish an ethnic affairs ministry which they said must play a key role in negotiating peace and the division of powers under a new federal system.

Mandalay prepares for heat-related illnesses Posted: 17 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT The heat is on at Mandalay General Hospital. Medical staff are making preparations for a sharp rise in heat-related ailments in the face of warnings about the powerful El Niño formation that is disrupting weather systems throughout the world.

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