Volume XVI, Number 194 1st Waxing of Tazaungmon 1370 ME Wednesday, 29 October, 2008

Transcription

1 Established 1914 Volume XVI, Number 194 1st Waxing of Tazaungmon 1370 ME Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Four political objectives * Stability of the State, community peace and tranquillity, prevalence of law and order * National reconsolidation * Emergence of a new enduring State Constitution * Building of a new modern developed nation in accord with the new State Constitution Four economic objectives * Development of agriculture as the base and all-round development of other sectors of the economy as well * Proper evolution of the market-oriented economic system * Development of the economy inviting participation in terms of technical know-how and investments from sources inside the country and abroad * The initiative to shape the national economy must be kept in the hands of the State and the national peoples Four social objectives * Uplift of the morale and morality of the entire nation * Uplift of national prestige and integrity and preservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage and national character * Uplift of dynamism of patriotic spirit * Uplift of health, fitness and education standards of the entire nation Senior General Than Shwe sends message of felicitations to President of the Republic of Turkey NAY PYI TAW, 29 Oct Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr. Abdullah Gul, President of the Republic of Turkey, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, which falls on 29 October True patriotism * It is very important for everyone of the nation regardless of the place he lives to have strong Union Spirit. * Only Union Spirit is the true patriotism all the nationalities will have to safeguard. General Thura Shwe Mann receives Chinese PLA Deputy Chief of General Staff General Zhang Li NAY PYI TAW, 28 Oct Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence received the visiting Chinese goodwill delegation led by Deputy Chief of General Staff General Zhang Li of Chinese People s Liberation Army at the Bayintnaung Yeiktha, here yesterday evening. General Thura Shwe Mann sees off Chinese goodwill delegation NAY PYI TAW, 28 Oct Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence saw off Chinese delegation led by Deputy Chief of General Staff General Zhang Li of the People s Liberation Army of the People s Republic of China at the Nay Pyi Taw Airport this morning. Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence together with Chinese Deputy Chief of General Staff General Zhang Li and party arrived at the Nay Pyi Taw Airport in a motorcade. At the lounge of the airport, General Thura Shwe Mann presented a documentary photo album on goodwill visit to the Chinese Deputy Chief of General Staff. Next, the visiting Chinese delegation led by Deputy Chief of General Staff General Zhang Li left here for PyinOoLwin by special flight. They were seen off by Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence, Military Affairs Security Chief Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command Maj-Gen Wai Lwin and senior military officers at the Nay Pyi Taw Airport General Thura Shwe Mann sees off Chinese military delegation at the Nay Pyi Taw Airport Present on the occasion together with General Thura Shwe Mann were Military Affairs Security Chief Lt-Gen Ye Myint, Commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command Maj-Gen Wai Lwin, Chief of Staff (Air) Maj-Gen Khin Aung Myint, Deputy Chief of Armed Forces Training Maj-Gen Zaw Win, Vice Adjutant-General Maj-Gen Hla Shwe, Vice Quartermaster-General Maj-Gen Khin Maung Tun and senior military officers and together with Deputy Chief of General Staff General Zhang Li were Ambassador of the People s Republic of China to Myanmar Mr Guan Mu and Military Attache Senior Colonel Fan Lianfeng NL 1

2 2 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 PERSPECTIVES Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Use natural waste effectively to produce bio-fuel The research on use of natural waste in the interests of human beings showed successful when biogas could be produced from animal manure. The Myanmar Pharmaceuticals Factory (Yangon) of the Myanmar Pharmaceutical Industries under the Ministry of Industry-1 managed to innovate to produce natural waste biogas digesters. Prime Minister General Thein Sein on 26 October visited the factory and inspected the digester and its parts. Local people of rural areas can do the cooking and light storm-lanterns with the use of bio-fuel derived from animal waste of five or six heads of cattle. Therefore, rural people should be organized and inculcated with the knowledge that about 20 pounds of waste of buffalo, cows, goats and pigs are enough to run a biofuel digester. The bio-fertilizer and waste liquid from the digester can be used for growing crops, and that helps the plants grow fast and boost agricultural production. Use of bio-fuel can save expenses on agricultural farming and energy and help prevent environmental pollution and deforestation. Thus, it is required to disseminate the valuable knowledge to and organize rural folks on a wide scale. YANGON, 28 Oct Myanmar women entrepreneurs led by Executive of Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Association Thiri Thudhamma Theingi Daw Tin Nwe Oo pose for photo on arrival at Yangon International Airport on 26 Oct, 2008 after attending the 5th China-ASEAN Expo. MWEA People s Desire * Oppose those relying on external elements, acting as stooges, holding negative views * Oppose those trying to jeopardize stability of the State and progress of the nation * Oppose foreign nations interfering in internal affairs of the State * Crush all internal and external destructive elements as the common enemy Minister inspects protection of electric power system and testing branch of MEPE YANGON, 28 Oct Minister for Electric Power No. 2 Maj-Gen Khin Maung Myint visited protection of electric power system and testing branch of Myanma Electric Power Enterprise in Ahlon Township yesterday. The minister and party inspected testing of kwh metres with the use of testing benches breakers, control panels and relays and putting cover seal on new metres. He met service personnel and fulfilled the requirements. YANGON, 28 Oct Chairman of Myanmar Olympic Committee Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint watched the fund-raising second friendly football match between Myanmar and Brazil held in Aung San Stadium at 3.30 p.m today. Prior to the football match, artistes presented songs to the spectators. Footballers from both teams led by referees took designated positions. Next, General Secretary of Myanmar Olympic Committee Director- General of Sports and Physical Education Department U Thaung Htaik and President of Myanmar Football NAY PYI TAW, 28 Oct Deputy Minister for Transport Col Nyan Tun Aung formally opened the school buildings in Natogyi Township on 25 October. First, the deputy minister went to Khatlan Village and Tapae FM felicitates Turkish counterpart NAY PYI TAW, 29 Oct On the occasion of the anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, which falls on 29 October 2008, His Excellency U Nyan Win, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr. Ali Babacan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey. Charity football ends in draw School buildings opened in Natogyi Township Village and formally opened the buildings for basic education middle schools. During the tour of Natogyi, the deputy minister also visited Minson Taung Wildlife Sanctuary. On his tour of Lone Taw-Tha Man Taw Village, Deputy Minister Col Nyan Tun Aung handed over a set of computer worth K 700,000 to the Basic Education Middle School (Branch) through Headmaster U Tin Maung Oo. On 26 October, the deputy minister met with departmental officials and businessmen at Natogyi Township Peace and Development Council Office and gave instructions to them. Federation U Zaw Zaw greeted footballers from both teams. Footballers from both teams posed for documentary photo and leaders from both sides exchanged flags. Brazil and Myanmar played 1-1 draw in the fund-raising second friendly football match. Myanmar s Khin Maung Lwin fights for the ball with Brazil s Dos Santos. NLM Myanmar s Zaw Htike fights for the ball with a Brazil defender. NLM NL 2

3 A view of devastation caused by a bomb blast in Quetta, Pakistan on 27 Oct, Pakistani police say a car bomb has exploded in the western city of Quetta and killed two people. INTERNET Gunfire brings down US helicopter in Afghanistan KABUL, 28 Oct Insurgents exchanged fire with US troops aboard a Black Hawk helicopter in central Afghanistan on Monday before the aircraft was hit and forced to land. The crew was rescued, but in the north a suicide bomber killed two US soldiers. Lt Cmdr Walter Matthews, a US military spokesman, said there were no US casualties as a result of the crash in a province neighboring Kabul. The helicopter crew Soldiers of Pakistan s army walk past damaged houses in Loisam town in the Bajaur tribal region, on 25 October. INTERNET exchanged fire with the enemy before the damage brought the helicopter down, Matthews said. At least four militants were killed in the exchange, said Fazel Karim Muslim, the chief of Sayed Abad district. Another helicopter hovered as the US troops secured the area around the downed chopper, which didn t appear to sustain major damage, Muslim said. The US and other foreign forces rely heavily on helicopters for transportation around Afghanistan, which is covered by rough mountains and long stretches of desert and has few decent roads. Insurgents rarely bring down military helicopters, though they have hit several in recent years. Wardak province has seen an increase in insurgent activity the last two years, and its main highway is now extremely risky to travel on, particularly at night. Syria condemns US terrorist aggression LONDON, 28 Oct Visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-muallem on Monday condemned the United States for its terrorist aggression on Syria after the US launched a raid on a village near the Syria-Iraq border killing eight civilians. The Americans do it in the daylight, this means it is not a mistake, it s by blunt determination. For that we consider this criminal and terrorist aggression. We put the responsibility on the American government, al-muallem said at a press conference in London after talks with British Foreign Secretary David Mili-band. Killing civilians in international law means a terrorist aggression, said he, adding that Syria would defend our territories if the US launched a similar operation again. On Sunday, US forces ferried by helicopter crossed five miles into Syria from Iraq and launched a commando raid that left at least eight people dead. THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, Syria orders US school, cultural centre closed DAMASCUS, 28 Oct The Syrian government has ordered that an American school and a US cultural centre in Damascus be closed in response to a deadly raid by US helicopters near the Syrian border with Iraq. The official SANA news agency says the decision came at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday chaired by Prime Minister Naji Otari. The report says the Syrian education minister was given instructed to implement the decision. Syria claims US troops in four helicopters attacked a building near the border with Iraq and killed eight people on Sunday. US officials said the raid killed a top operative of al-qaida in Iraq who intelligence suggested was about to conduct an attack in Iraq. Afghans increasingly pessimistic KABUL, 28 Oct Afghans are increasingly pessimistic about their country, with security, unemployment and high prices dominating concerns, according to an annual mood survey released Tuesday. The proportion of people who said they were more prosperous today than under the Taliban government had also decreased significantly, said The Asia Foundation poll. The drop was from 54 percent in 2006 five years after the ouster of the hardline Taleban government to 36 percent this year, the US-based foundation said. Thirty-eight percent of respondents this year said Afghanistan was moving in the right direction, compared with 42 percent in 2007 and 44 percent in The number saying it was moving in the wrong direction was up to 32 percent, from 24 percent in 2007 and 21 percent in Satisfaction with government at all levels has fallen since 2007 with the administration seen as doing best in the provision of education and health care and worst in the economic arena and in combating corruption, the Foundation said. An image taken from a video shows US soldiers on the ground after a suicide attack at a police station in Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of Baghlan province, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, on 27 Oct, INTERNET US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 551 WASHINGTON, 28 Oct As of Monday, 27 Oct, 2008, at least 551 members of the US military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defence Department. The department last updated its figures Monday at 10 am EDT. Of those, the military reports 399 were killed by hostile action. Outside the Afghan region, the Defence Department reports 66 more members of the US military died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, three were the result of hostile action. The military lists these other locations as Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba; Djibouti; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Jordan; Kenya; Kyrgyzstan; Philippines; Seychelles; Sudan; Tajikistan; Turkey; and Yemen. The mother, left, and two sisters of Syrian Faysal el- Abdallah who died a day before when US military helicopters launched an attack on Syrian territory, look at his picture as they mourn during a funeral procession in the Sukkariyeh Farm near the town of Abu Kamal in an area of farms and brick factories about five miles (eight kilometres) inside the Syrian border, on 27 Oct, INTERNET NL 3

4 4 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Latest polls show US Presidential race uphill battle for McCain WASHINGTON, 28 Oct Latest poll results Monday suggested that US Republican presidential nominee John McCain faces an uphill battle just week ahead of the 4 Nov presidential elections. His Democratic opponent Barack Obama is hanging onto leads in several battleground states as well as a handful of traditionally red states won by President George W Bush in 2004, CNN s average of several recent state polls shows. According to a string of new polls of polls from CNN, Obama holds narrow leads in Ohio, Missouri, Florida, Nevada, and Virginia. McCain meanwhile is hanging onto his lead in Indiana and West Virginia. In Ohio, the state no Republican has won the White House without, China to launch safety checkup of oil production enterprises BEIJING, 28 Oct China will launch a nationwide safety examination of domestic oil production enterprises, said the safe production commission under the State Council, or the country s Cabinet, on Monday. The checkup is scheduled to begin November and last for two months, according to the commission. The move aims to make clear the number, scale and production situation of domestic oil enterprises, based on which a data base of the country s oil enterprise will be set up, according to the commission. The move also aims to dig out hidden risks and problems and work out feasible resolutions. US astronauts to vote from space WASHINGTON, 28 Oct Americans from all over the world will vote for the next US president on 4 Nov, the election day, but few ballots will have traveled as far as those cast by two NASA astronauts. Commander Edward Michael Fincke and Flight Engineer Gregory Chamitoff are living and working onboard the International Space Station. Though they are 350 kilometres above earth and orbiting at 28,000 kms per hour, they will still be able to participate in the upcoming election, NASA said on Monday. A 1997 bill passed by Texas legislators sets up a technical procedure for astronauts nearly all of whom live in Houston to vote from space. Obama is holding a 4 point lead, 50 percent to 46 percent. In Missouri, the state that voted for Bush twice, Obama holds a1point lead over McCain. Obama is holding onto a 2-point lead in Florida meanwhile, 48 percent to 46 percent. In Nevada, Obama has a 4-point lead, 49 to 45 percent a lead that hasn t changed over the last week. Tourists visit a shop with marionettes for sale in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, on 26 Oct, INTERNET Tourists in Kuala Lumpur. The knighting of India s top Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan will help boost tourism in Malaysia, an official from the western Malacca state government said. INTERNET Several TGVs sitting at a Paris train stations. A Frenchman became trapped while trying to fish his mobile phone out of the toilet on a high-speed train(tgv), forcing firefighters to cut through the U-bend to free him, passengers said. INTERNET HONG KONG, 28 Oct September saw the value of total goods exports of Hong Kong rise to billion HK dollars (31.92billion US dollars), up 3.6 percent on the same month last year, official figures released here Monday. Within this total, the value of re-exports rose 4.6 percent to billion HK dollars, while the value of domestic exports dropped 20 percent to 7.9 billion HK dollars, said the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong. Rises were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular India, Germany, the US, Britain, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Falls were seen in the values of total exports to South Korea and the China makes tremendous progress in poverty reduction since reform, opening-up ROME, 28 Oct China has made tremendous progress in poverty alleviation since the country adopted its policy of reform and opening-up in 1978, according to a senior economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Fang Cheng, speaking in a recent interview with Xinhua at the headquarters of the FAO, said that in the past 30 years there has been a substantial reduction in the number of China s rural poor population. The number of people living on one US dollar a day decreased from 490 million in 1979 to about 90 million in 2002 in China s rural areas, Fang said. The country s poverty alleviation made giant strides especially in the period from 1978 to 1984, during which the population living in poverty decreased by about 300 million. Therefore, it is fair to say that China has made the biggest contribution to the world s poverty reduction drive, said the FAO expert. Value of total exports in HK up 3.6% Chinese Mainland. For the first nine months of 2008, the value of total goods exports rose 7.8 percent over the same period last year. Within this total, the value of re-exports grew 8.6 percent, while the value of domestic exports fell 11.5 percent. The value of goods imports increased 9.1 percent. A visible trade deficit of billion HK dollars, equivalent to 7.3 percent of the value of goods imports, was recorded. (One US dollar = HK dollars). China more than doubles ship exports in 1st seven months BEIJING, 28 Oct China sold abroad 1.4 million vessels in the first seven months of this year, a growth of 170 percent on the same period of last year, customs sources said on Tuesday. The exports were valued at billion US dollars, up 61.6 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs. The administration attributed the growth to the nation s comparative advantages in labor cost, ship building technology and infrastructure for the business. The total export value included 3.49 billion US dollars for container vessels, up 81.7 percent, 2.84 billion dollars for liquid cargo ships, up 53.3 percent, and 2.04 billion dollars for bulk cargo ships, up 54.6 percent NL 4

5 The jacaranda trees are seen in Pretoria, South Africa, on 26 Oct, Pretoria is known as the Jacaranda City for all the purple blossom-bedecked trees which line its thoroughfares. XINHUA Two US men charged in plot to kill Obama WASHINGTON, 28 Oct Two US men were charged Monday for plotting a killing spree against African-Americans that would have been capped with an attempt to kill Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. The US attorney s office in Jackson, Tennessee, said Daniel Cowart, 20, and Paul Schlesselman, 18, were self-described white supremacists who met online through a mutual friend. The pair planned to kill more than 100 African- Americans, including 14 who would be beheaded. According to an affidavit from the federal agent who questioned them, Cowart and Schlesselman planned to charge at Obama with a car, firing All items from Xinhua News Agency Porsche plans to raise Volkswagen holding to 75% BEIJING, 28 Oct Porsche SE, maker of the 911 sports car, plans to raise its holding in Volkswagen AG to 75 percent next year and outlined steps for reaching that goal in a way meant to reduce the stock s volatility in the past two months. Porsche now owns 42.6 percent of Volkswagen s common stock, has cash-settled options for another 31.5 percent and is sticking to plans to obtain a stake exceeding 50 percent by December, the Stuttgart, Germany-based carmaker said Mongday in a statement. The disclosure is aimed at giving short-sellers the opportunity to close their positions unhurriedly and without bigger risk. Xinhua International Airport at HCM City catches fire HANOI, 28 Oct A fire suddenly took place at the domestic terminal of the Tan Son Nhat International Airport at Vietnamese southern economic hub Ho Chi Minh City at 2:50 am on Monday, said source with the Vietnam s Southern Airport Corporation. No casualty was reported in the fire as there was no flight taking off or landing when the fire occurred, said the corporation. The domestic terminal was temporarily closed on Monday and passengers of domestic flights were served in the international terminal, said the corporation. A series of domestic flights have been delayed. Xinhua from the windows as they went. They would be dressed in white tuxedos and top hats during the attempt, the affidavit states. However, officials have not found any evidence that Cowart, from Tennessee, and Schlesselman, from Arkansas, had any details of Obama s schedule. Xinhua THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, Poland wants good relations with Russia WARSAW, 28 Oct Poland wants good relations with Russia but is concerned about some elements of Russian policy including the decision to increase the military budget, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Monday. Russian military budget grows very fast, Polish news agency PAP quoted Sikorski as telling a CNN programme. China opens National Women s Congress BEIJING, 28 Oct The Tenth National Women s Congress which is expected to draw a blueprint for the development of Chinese women in the coming five years, began here Tuesday morning. President Hu Jintao and other top state leaders Wu Bangguo, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang attended the opening ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Premier Wen Jiabao is in Russia for a visit. The five-day congress will hear and discuss a work report by the Nineth Executive Committee of the All- China Women s Federation (ACWF), deliberate and adopt amendments to the federation s constitution, and elect the 10th ACWF Executive Committee. Xinhua The Polish foreign minister underlined that Poland s sensitivity to the problem was understandable because Poland was a NATO border country, weaker than some other big states in Europe. Poland has also important economic ties with Russia including trade exchange worth 14 billion euros. Poland doesn t want to endanger it, the minister said. Poland wants good relations with Russia more than anyone else because it has much more to lose if relations deteriorate. However, hoping for the best one must brace for the fact that one s hopes may not come true, Sikorski declared. The minister noted Russia s nationalist policy of fueling the feeling of external danger. Xinhua Models display costumes of ancient China s Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD) during a tourism festival featuring the culture of Han Dynasty held in Xuzhou, east China s Jiangsu Province, on 27 Oct, XINHUA Ecuadorian police seize more than 1,480 kg of cocaine QUITO, 28 Oct Ecuadorian Anti-narcotics Police seized more than 1,480 kg of cocaine and detained four Ecuadorians near the Galapagos Islands, about 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador s mainland, Anti-narcotics Chief Freddy Martinez said on Monday. The operation called Maremoto (seaquake) took place in the waters about 230 nautical miles (about 426 km) off the San Cristobal Island, when two small boats named Dorado and Albacora respectively were transporting 1, kg of cocaine. The detainees were identified as Jose Javier Intriago Velez, Washington Eugenio Delgado Cusme, Luis Angel Estupinan Preciado and Eduardo Giovanny Lopez Macias. Xinhua A robot which could change facial expressions rapidly is seen at the 9th Western China International Economy and Trade Fair in Chengdu, capital city of southwest China s Sichuan Province, on 27 Oct, XINHUA NL 5

6 6 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Actresses perform a song and dance show entitled Butterfly Dream in Dali, southwest China s Yunnan Province on 27 Oct, INTERNET Chinese scientists win Gates grants BEIJING, 28 Oct Two Chinese scientists have received 100,000 US dollars each from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their novel ideas on fighting tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS. The grants for Gao Qian from Fudan University and Chen Zhiwei from University of Hong Kong are among 106 offered to explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve global health, the foundation s China office said Monday. Chefs began exhibiting their culinary skills, including creations like this nettle soup, at the Cooks Olympics in the German city of Erfurt. The chefs and pastry chefs competition runs for three more days. Man drives drunk to protest drink-drive charge An Austrian man, charged with drink driving, drove to a police station to complain about the charge whilst drunk, officials said Monday. The 65-year-old had his driving licence and car keys first taken away from him Sunday after driving while over the alcohol limit in the northern city of Linz. He then went home, picked up his spare car keys, went back to the abandoned car and drove to police headquarters to explain why he was unhappy with the charge. US scientists create programme to calculate body shape WASHINGTON, 28 Oct Computer scientists at Brown University in the United States have created a computer program that for the first time can accurately estimate the human body s shape from digital images or video. This technology may be used in the fashion, film, video gaming and sports medicine industries, as well as forensics, the university announced in a press release on Monday. Based on information from a person in multiple poses, the computer program was able to infer the gender of the person and the 3-D body shape. This is an advance from current body scanning technology, which requires people to stand still without clothing in order to produce a 3-D model of the body. Heart device maker recalls implant A medical device company has ordered the recall of certain batches of a small mechanical heart pump, saying five people have died while using the device. Thoratec Corp urged patients to have their implants checked after confirming 27 reports of cases in which wear and fatigue to an electrical wire required the devices to be replaced, the company said in a statement Friday. The reports occurred over five years of clinical experience with 1,972 implants, the company said. In five cases, the device could not be replaced and the patients died. Clean team supervisor charged with littering Authorities said a supervisor for Tampa s initiative to keep its downtown area clean has been charged with felony littering. The Hillsborough County Sheriff s Office reported that a 37-yearold man who works for the Tampa Downtown Partnership s Clean Team, has been dumping lawn debris and miscellaneous household items on various streets in a Gibsonton subdivision since September. Besides supervising Tampa s Clean Team, the man owns a lawn care business. Masks, hand washing prevent spread of flu-like symptoms by up to 50% WASHINGTON, 28 Oct Wearing masks and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may prevent the spread of flu symptoms by as much as 50 percent, a new study released Monday by University of Michigan suggests. In a first-of-its-kind look at the efficacy of nonpharmaceutical interventions in controlling the spread of the flu virus in a community setting, researchers studied more than 1,000 student subjects from seven U-M residence halls during last year s flu season. The first-year results indicate that mask use and KHARTOUM, 28 Oct Five Chinese workers abducted in southwest Sudan by local militants this month have been killed by the kidnappers, officials of the Chinese embassy in Sudan said on Monday. The Chinese embassy Ohio woman gives birth to triplet granddaughters Not only has a 56-year-old Ohio woman given birth to triplets, but they re her own granddaughters. Jaci Dalenberg, of Wooster, carried the babies as a surrogate for her daughter, Kim Coseno. The two identical twins and their sister were born by Caesarean section at the Cleveland Clinic s Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights and are still in the hospital's care. They were more than two months premature and each weighed less than three pounds. A Cleveland Clinic news release says infants and grandmother are all doing well. According to a Clinic spokesman, Dalenberg offered herself as a surrogate when Kim Coseno and her husband, Joe, were waiting to adopt. The couple used in vitro fertilization, and embryos were implanted in Dalenberg s uterus. Wearing masks and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may prevent the spread of flu symptoms by as much as 50 percent. INTERNET alcohol-based hand sanitizer help reduce influenza-like illness rates, ranging from 10 percent to 50 percent over the study period, said lead researcher Allison Aiello. These initial results are encouraging since masks and hand hygiene may be effective for preventing a range of respiratory illnesses, She said. Five Chinese workers killed by kidnappers in Sudan has learnt from the Sudanese authorities on Monday that among the nine Chinese workers abducted on 19 Oct, five had been killed, two had gone missing and the two others had escaped the danger. The Chinese embassy strongly condemned the killing, and was keeping contacts with the Sudanese authorities for more information about the incident, according to the Chinese officials. NEWSALBUM Berlin s TV tower is colourfully illuminated during the Festival of Lights. During the festival about 50 buildings in the German capital are illuminated by light artists during the night. Krystian Wierachowski polishes a sculpture in an exhibition hall of the Millionaire Fair in Munich, southern Germany NL 6

7 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, Sweetcorn farmers enjoying higher income Article: Maung Maung Myint Swe, Photos: Tin Soe Sweetcorn plants are thriving and are seen in bud. From north of Nweyit Village in Nay Pyi Taw Tatkon Township are plantations of various species of crops that are touching the horizon. Farmers and agricultural workers were bustling round the fields of corns and cauliflower. The place was found very lively and it was like an artistic painting. A villager guided me, Over there is the corn plantation of farmer U Tun Aye. Then, I, walking along the dyke, approached the farm hut where workers were loading corns onto a bullock-cart. I noticed that on both sides of the dyke were plantations of groundnut and carrot. Seeing thriving plantations, I thought local farmers would make substantial profits from their businesses that season. Just as we got into the building, we received a warm welcome of farmer U Tun Aye who said, Hello, Sirs, come and have boiled sweetcorns. It was very hospitable of him to serve us what he had, without asking who we were. In the building, corns were in a pile. Skilled workers were at work, harvesting corns and carrying corns onto a bullock-cart. U Tun Aye said, "This ground is in Nay Pyi Taw Tatkon. Here, we farmers grow various species of crops. As you see, all the plantations are thriving. The corn I grow is sweetcorn. Try a boiled sweetcorn, it is very delicious. We can boil or fry it to eat." We tried it and found it sweet and soft. It had big kernels with no unsuccessful ones. He said, "This field has an area of 1.8 acres. I scattered seven bags of corn grains. A bag holds one small basket and six tins (condensed milk tin) of corn grains. I grow corn in the beginning of the rainy season. And I grow sweetcorn in the middle of the rainy season. It is a 75-day crop. After ploughing the field, we put fertilizer on the soil before growing corn. Twenty days after growing the crop, we again put Pale fertilizer. And 20 days after that, we put fertilizer. Here, the plants are not infected with insects, and we have to beware of rats. We found the plants infected with no insects, but there were many rat burrows at the foot of some plants. This sweetcorn grows well in many types of soil. We can grow it if the soil is just fairly fertile, or is a second-class type. One thing we have to take care of is that young plants are not resistant enough to rains. But, when they have grown up, they like rains. If it rains when they have grown up or are in bud, corn is very sweet he said. If a sweetcorn plantation does not get rainwater when the plants are in bud, the field is to be irrigated. He used five yokes of buffalo or cow to plough his field. And during the season, he hired about 30 workers. My field yields about 30,000 corns. The expense on the farm is not more than one million kyats, and I get about there million kyats when I harvest the Workers harvesting sweetcorns in a plantation. crop. So, I make a good profit from the farm. What is the most important is to know agricultural methods. Representatives of purchase centres purchased corns in person at the corn fields. Now, local farmers have grown the profitable crop on a wider scale. Drop in my farm for the next time while you are passing, said U Tun Aye. Waving goodbye to him, we returned home. I am sure farmers will earn higher incomes, growing sweetcorn. Translation: MS Myanma Alin: Workers transporting corn NL 7

8 8 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Prime Minister General Thein Sein meets with villagers at Ngwesinyaw Model Village in Mawlamyinegyun Township. Encourage farmers to produce bio-gas out (from page 16) and Chairman of Myanmar Engineering Association U Than Myint on steps to be taken for the already-built houses to withstand the storm. Responding to the report, the Prime Minister dealt with measures to be taken for the houses to withstand the storm with the use of charts. Next, the Prime Minister met with families who moved into the houses and asked their socio-economic status and urged them to grow vegetables and crops in the compound of the house. After that, the Prime Minister viewed thriving paddy plantations of Pyinsalu Township General Administration Department and the sites chosen for construction of cyclone shelters. The Prime Minister and party left Pyinsalu and arrived in Ngwesinyaw model village in Mawlamyinegyun Township. Along the route, they looked into rehabilitation and reconstruction of Pyinsalu from the helicopter. Next, the Prime Min NL 8 ister and party greeted local people and members of social organizations. At the briefing hall, Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt reported to the Prime Minister and party on progress in construction of houses and construction of schools and dispensaries. After hearing the report, the Prime Minister stressed the need to build durable school buildings and houses that can with- stand the impact of disaster and fulfilled the requirements. Later, the Prime Minister and party observed the 4-inch tube-well sunk by the Development Affairs Department and UNICEF and they were briefed by Deputy Chief Engineer U Myint Oo. After inspecting 12.5 kilowatt generator, the Prime Minister gave necessary instructions. Next, the Prime Minister viewed wind breakers, fruit trees and flowering trees and greeted local people and fulfilled the requirements. Afterwards, the Prime Minister left the village by helicopter and arrived in Pyapon at a.m and he was welcomed there by Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Soe Naing, Minister for Forestry Brig-Gen Thein Aung and officials. At the Pyapon District Peace and Development Council Office, the Prime Minister met with departmental personnel and members of social organizations and made a speech. First, Minister MajGen Soe Naing reported to the Prime Minister on reconstruction tasks carried out in Pyapon, Kyaiklatt and Dedaye townships, provision of necessities to local people according to their livelihoods and construction of cyclone shelters and others. The Prime Minister stressed the need for officials to supervise the road repairing works, to encourage farmers to produce bio-gas out of cow dung and use it, to extensively engage in agriculture, make field trips and provide local people with quality paddy seeds, cultivation techniques and knowledge of using fertilizer for development of agriculture sector. Next, the Prime Minister presented K 6 million for the 200-bed Pyapon District Hospital through medical superintendent Dr Nyi Nyi Win. Later, the Prime Minister cordially greeted those present at the meeting. The Prime Minister and party left Pyapon by helicopter and arrived back here at 1.30 pm. Photo shows Ngwesinyaw Model Village in Mawlamyinegyun Township.

9 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, Prime Minister holds discussions with divisional level officials in Pathein Needs to improve transport for convenience of trucks in a bid to facilitate regeneration of storm-hit areas and reconstruction tasks stressed YANGON, 28 Oct Chairman of the National Disaster Preparedness Central Committee Prime Minister General Thein Sein had a meeting with divisional level departmental officials at South-West Command in Pathein yesterday afternoon. It was also attended by Maj-Gen Ko Ko of the Ministry of Defence, Chairman of Ayeyawady Division Peace and Development Council Commander of South- West Command Brig-Gen Kyaw Swe, ministers, deputy ministers, the director-general of the Government Office, and heads of department. The Prime Minister in his address said that Yangon-Pathein Road and Pyapon-Bogale Road have gone to rack and ruin due to the facts that it have to cope with excessive traffic for rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction tasks being Prime Minister General Thein Sein meets with departmental officials at South-West Command in Pathein. carried out in some stormhit areas in the division in the post-storm period, along with heavy rains and lack of timely repair. Accordingly, it is needed to improve the transport for convenience of the trucks in a bid to facilitate regeneration of the storm-hit areas and reconstruction tasks. Permission has been granted to Asia World Co to upgrade Yangon- Pathein Road. In that regard, the Ministry of Construction is sharing the tasks with the company for stepping up the tasks of repairing the road. As the first phase, potholes along the roads were filled with laterite and sand for the convenience of the trucks, but the facilities are now deteriorating following heavy rains. It is required to provide constant repair to the roads section-wise Five roads leading to seaside regions in Ayeyawady Division are under construction to be able to evacuate people and farm animals in the face of a natural disaster and to speed up regional development tasks. under daily supervision for smooth transport. The Ministry for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs is undertaking tasks for upgrading Pyapon-Bogale Road section. This rainy season, the task most available in the process is the filling of the potholes on the surfaces of the roads. So, potholes are to be filled in the first stage. He called for resurfacing of the roads at the same time. Divisional level officials have to provide supervisions in the regions concerned and hold coordination between departments. Simultaneously, five roads leading to seaside regions in Ayeyawady Division are under construction to be able to evacuate people and farm animals in the face of a natural disaster and to speed up regional development tasks. In the first phase, the roads have to be shaped into earth ones with bridges, medium and small, in this dry season. The road sections in the villages along the coast are to be raised to as high as 25 to 30 feet along with cyclone shelters. As to the second phase, the majority of the people are rural folks, so the nation will be developed only if the people in rural areas enjoy social and economic development. As a result of the five rural development work programmes, rural people have been able to enjoy the taste of development in the education, health, water supply, transport and economic sectors. Now, it can be demonstrated for raising the living standard of rural people that a household with four or five heads of cattle can do the cooking, generate electric power with the use of the biofuel derived from the natural waste of the farm animals, and they can also use the bio-fertilizer and waste liquid from the digester for growing crops, and that helps the plants grow fast and boost agricultural production. (See page 10) Photo shows aerial view of housing in Pyinsalu, Labutta District NL 9

10 10 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Prime Minister looks into repair of Yangon-Pathein road Prime Minister General Thein Sein inspects road works along Yangon-Pathein Road. YANGON, 28 Oct Prime Minister General Thein Sein, accompanied by Maj-Gen Ko Ko of the Ministry of Defence, ministers, deputy ministers, the Director- General of the Government Office and departmental officials, yesterday morning inspected traffic along Yangon-Pathein Road, reconstruction of road sections with the use of heavy machinery and stockpiling of gravel for repair of the road by car. Next, the Prime Minister and party went to mile post No. 22/6 on Yangon-Pathein Road where they looked into upgrading of the road by Asia World Co Ltd and heard a report presented by General Manager U Sai Myint Thein on work being carried and future tasks. On arrival at mile post No. 46, the Prime Minister and party inspected reconstruction of the road with the use of heavy machinery and spoke of the need for officials to construct drains for proper flow of water, repair of road sections to ensure smooth traffic and carry out repair works roads section-wise. Afterwards, the Prime Minister and party left there and arrived in Pathein in the afternoon and they were welcome there by Chairman of Ayeyawady Division Peace and Development Council Commander of South-West Command Brig-Gen Kyaw Swe and officials. Prime Minister holds discussions with divisional level (from page 9) In conclusion he called on officials in the administrative bodies to encourage local people to use bio-gas fuel on a wider scale. The commander reported on progress in growing monsoon paddy in the division, conditions of thriving paddy fields, provision of agricultural equipment, arrangements for control of pests, rehabilitation and reconstruction tasks, production of fish and prawn, and preparations for operation of salt farms. Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt reported on progress in implementing rehabilitation and reconstruction tasks, construction of houses, the site chosen for construction of cyclone shelters in Labutta Township, plans for supply of clean water, progress in constructing roads and bridges in the urban areas, rehabilitation and reconstruction tasks in Mawlamyinegyun Township; Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint, on progress in building houses in the storm-hit areas in Hainggyikyun Township; Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-Gen Maung Maung Swe, on the number of houses to be built and work progress, donations and distribution of relief supplies; Minister for Transport Maj-Gen Thein Swe, on transport of construction materials and farm implements, and freights of floating hospitals; Minister for Health Dr Kyaw Myint, on health care being provided in the storm-ravaged areas; Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig- Gen Thein Zaw, on arrangements for improving the communication network in Ayeyawady Division; and Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein, on distribution of fishing boats and fishing nets, donations and distribution of cattle. In response, the Prime Minister attended to the requirements, calling for inculcating all the households in the villages and townships in Ayeyawady Division to grow fruit and vegetables on a small scale. He also called for establishment of model agricultural farms with the use of the bio-fertilizers and waste liquid by raising pigs on a commercial scale in the towns. He said that all are to work hard for generating electric power with the use of bio-gas as part of the drive for rural development. Solar-power tube-well and generator at Ngwesinyaw Model Village in Mawlamyinegyun Township. Myanmar secures gold and silver YANGON, 28 Oct Ma Aung Nghein of Myanmar secured one gold medal and one silver medal in the compound event of third world ranking Asian Circuit Archery held in Manila, the Philippines from 25 to 30 October. A total of 116 athletes from Korea, China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Vietnam are participating in the competition NL 10

11 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, Maj-Gen Khin Zaw inspects roads, bridges in Rakhine State Maj-Gen Khin Zaw of Ministry of Defence inspects road works on An-Padegyaw-Maei Road. NAY PYI TAW, 28 Oct Maj-Gen Khin Zaw of the Ministry of Defence, accompanied by Chairman of Rakhine State Peace and Development Council Commander of Western Command Maj-Gen Thaung Aye, inspected dredging of drains on both sides of An-Padegyaw- Maei road, extension of the road with the use of heavy machinery and conditions of road sections and repair of bridges along Maei- Kyaukpyu road on 23 October. Afterwards, Maj-Gen Khin Zaw and party inspected repaving of road near the mile post No. 70/0, maintenance of Wan-fight bridges and conservation of mangroves, paddy fields around Thanthamagyi bridge and conditions of roads and bridges. They then Labour Minister attends ASEAN Human Resources Summit in Singapore proceeded to Pyinwon camp. After inspecting Lamu Bridge on Taungup-Maei road, they visited farmer U Tin Nu s five acres model paddy field in Kinghtauk village-tract, Taungup Township. Maj-Gen Khin Zaw cordially greeted families of servicemen in Taungup Station and presented supplies to them. They then arrived at Thandwe. Yangon Division Supervisory Committee for Ensuring Secure and Smooth Transport meets YANGON, 27 Oct A Work coordination meeting of Yangon Division Supervisory Committee for Ensuring Secure and Smooth Transport was held at the meeting hall of All Bus Lines Control Committee (Head Office) on Laydaunkkan Road in Tamway Township, on 24 October. Chairman of Yangon Division Supervisory Committee for Ensuring Secure and Smooth Transport Commander of Yangon Command Brig- Gen Win Myint delivered an address. Departmental personnel reported on matters related to university ferries, traffic rules enforcement and measures being taken for road safety. Afterwards, the commander fulfilled the requirements and made a concluding speech. Commander Brig-Gen Win Myint delivers an address at work coordination meeting of Yangon Division Supervisory Committee for Ensuring Secure and Smooth Transport. NAY PYI TAW, 28 Oct Minister for Labour U Aung Kyi attended the ASEAN Human Resources Summit and Singapore Human Capital Summit held in the Republic of Singapore from 22 to 24 October at the invitation of Singaporean Minister for Manpower Mr. Gan Kim Yong. Minister U Aung Kyi together with Labour Ministers of ASEAN countries met Singaporean Senior Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong at the Istana building on 22 October. Minister U Aung Kyi also met the Singaporean Minister for Manpower and party on the same day and they discussed matters related to implementations of Human Resources Development Strategy in Myanmar, promotion of skills for workforce and cooperation in creation of better opportunities for Myanmar skilled workers. On 23 October, the minister met President of Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) Mr A J Aliyar Razzy and they held discussions on future job prospects and mutual cooperation between agencies of the two countries. The minister met with 240 Myanmar skilled workers at the worksite of Golden Tai Yang Pte Ltd in Marina Bay Project on 24 October. He also visited Employment and Employability Institute Pte Ltd and Institute of Technical Education and held discussions with officials, the principals and members of the board of administration. Minister for Labour U Aung Kyi arrived back here by air on 26 October. Minister U Aung Kyi meets with Myanmar skilled workers at the worksite of Golden Tai Yang Pte Ltd in Marina Bay Project, Singapore. LABOUR Myanmar Wushu team leaves for PRC YANGON, 28 Oct Myanmar Wushu team left here by air this morning to participate in World Traditional Wushu Championship to be held in Shiyan, the People s Republic of China from 28 October to 2 November NL 11

12 12 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Iraq condemns US air strike on Syria BAGHDAD, 28 Oct The Iraqi government condemned on Tuesday the US raid on a Syrian area close to the border with Iraq that left eight civilians killed, Iraq s government spokesman said. Iraq s denunciation to the US raid came because Iraq government s policy and its permanent constitution do not allow that Iraqi territories be locations to launch attacks against neighbouring countries, Ali al-dabbagh said in a statement obtained by Xinhua. The Iraqi government asserts its deep keenness over conducting better relationships with Syria, the statement quoted Dabbagh as saying. Media miss out on Afghanistan s progress, top NATO general says KABUL, 28 Oct NATO s top commander in Afghanistan is tired of negative headlines, and he is on an offensive to counter what he sees as a wave of unwarranted pessimism in news reports coming out of the country. US Gen David McKiernan s public relations push comes at a time when more US and NATO troops have died than in any other year since the 2001 US invasion, in part because Taliban militants are launching increasingly complex and deadly attacks. There s a lot of negative reporting. Somebody likes to report an attack somewhere and that becomes the trend in Afghanistan, or they don t report the positive events or the absolute brutality or the illegitimacy of the Taliban, McKiernan told the Associated Press in an interview Sunday. Chinese steel companies to forge united front on ore prices for 2009 BEIJING, 28 Oct China Iron and Steel Association has called a conference of the largest domestic steel makers to work out a common stand in bargaining with major iron ore producers in the 2009 round of price negotiations starting next month, the English newspaper China Daily reported on Tuesday. This round of negotiations is expected to be different from previous ones that were largely dominated by the ore suppliers. This time, the market situation has changed as fallout from the global credit crisis has greatly depressed demand, the daily said. The enhanced bargaining power of Chinese steel makers in this buyers market was clearly demonstrated by their boycott of Brazil s mining company, Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, which unilaterally raised ore prices on 3 Sept. Major Chinese steel makers and iron ore suppliers decided to suspend imports from Vale because of the company s price hike on iron ore. Shrinking steel demand, plus a sagging property market and dropping car sales, has pushed the prices of Chinese steel products down by an aggregate of 40 to 50 percent since early October. Arab League slams US raid inside Syria CAIRO, 28 Oct The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) on Monday denounced a US air strike on Sunday inside the Syrian territories that killed eight Syrian civilians. Such a violation undermines the efforts to establish regional security and may lead to more tensions in the region, the pan-arab body said in a statement. The US move spoils the credibility for peace efforts in the war-torn Iraq and its neighbors, said the statement. Confirming its solidarity with Syria, the Arab organization voiced its support to Syria to protect its people and sovereignty. Custom officers display ivory seized in Osaka. The first legal ivory sales in nearly a decade open Tuesday in southern Africa, with a special auction for Chinese and Japanese buyers bidding for 108 tonnes of elephant tusks. INTERNET More than 1,000 soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2001 KABUL, 27 Oct The number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001 has passed 1,000, according to the icasualties org website Monday. International soldiers arrived in Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban and have remained to track down Taliban and other insurgents and help to rebuild the war-ravaged country. The independent site, which tracks casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq in the absence of an official collation, said Monday 1,002 soldiers involved in the campaign in Afghanistan have lost their lives. This includes two coalition troops killed in a suicide bombing in the northern province of Baghlan Monday. A third international soldier died after a bombing in the west the same day. The rare Saimaa ringed seal, seen here, which lives only in Finland and whose population is estimated at just 260, is increasingly threatened by fishermen s nets and the melting of its icy habitat due to climate change, experts say. INTERNET NL 12

13 Epilepsy drug may help Alzheimer s patients WASHINGTON, 28 Oct A popular epilepsy drug may also be beneficial in patients with Alzheimer s disease (AD), according to a new study published in the 27 Oct issue of US Journal of Experimental Medicine. The anti-seizure drug valproic acid improved memory and reduced brain lesions in mice with an AD-like disease, said researchers from University of British Columbia in Canada. Their study showed that treating mice with valproic acid soon after the onset of disease shrank the brain plaques typical of AD and even prompted damaged nerves to start repairing themselves. Most importantly, the drug improved the animals performance in a variety of memoryrelated tests. The acid worked by blocking a cascade of enzymatic reactions that culminates in the accumulation of a protein called beta-amyloid, which builds up to toxic levels in AD. Valproic acid helped mice less as their disease progressed, suggesting that future clinical trials should focus on people with early signs of AD, said the researchers. Microsoft to unveil Windows 7 at Los Angeles conference LOS ANGELES, 28 Oct US software giant Microsoft is expected to unveil its latest operating system, Windows 7, at the company Professional Developers Conference, which started here Monday. Microsoft plans to provide for the first time details about Windows 7, the successor to its Windows Vista, Tuesday at the Los Angeles conference, industry sources said. The new operating system is scheduled to premiere in early Boasting that Windows 7 will be an improved version of Vista, Microsoft expects that the new product would eliminate some of the problems that hampered Vista s premiere two years ago and continue to define the operating system s reputation. Users have complained that the Vista system requires much more memory than its predecessor Windows XP and fails to run some applications. Many corporate users even reportedly asked to have their computers downgraded to XP. Microsoft promised that there will be much greater compatibility between Vista and Windows 7, but so far has been declined to disclose what features the new operating system will exactly have. Confucius Institute unveiled at Moscow University MOSCOW, 28 Oct Visiting Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong on Monday attended the unveiling ceremony of the Confucius Institute at Moscow University, pledging to further enhance cultural exchanges between China and Russia. China and Russia are good neighbourly countries with a long history of friendship between the two peoples, Liu said at the ceremony. The enhancement of China-Russia friendly cooperation will not only be beneficial for the people of the two countries, but also exert significant influence on world peace and the advancement of humankind as a whole, Liu said.humanitarian cooperation is of special importance among the various fields in which China and Russia carry out cooperation, she noted. The fruitful cooperation in education, culture, health care, sports, tourism and media will deepen the understanding between the two peoples and the youth, and thus the concept of friendship for generations would take firm root in the hearts of both peoples, Liu said. THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, Actors from China s Xinjiang Mukam Art Troupe show Chinese ethnic culture during their performance in Doha, Qatar, on 26 Oct, WASHINGTON, 28 Oct Stress may activate immune cells in your skin, resulting in inflammatory skin disease, according to a new research appearing in the November issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Skin provides the first level of defence to infection, serving not only as a physical barrier, but also as a site for white blood cells to attack invading bacteria and viruses. The immune cells in skin can over-react, however, resulting in INTERNET Stress may make you itch inflammatory skin diseases such as a topic dermatitis and psoriasis. Stress can trigger an outbreak in patients suffering from inflammatory skin conditions. This cross talk between stress perception, which involves the brain, and the skin is mediated through the brain-skin connection. Yet, little is known about the means by which stress aggravates skin diseases. Researchers from Germany and Canada hypothesized that stress The exhibition Body Worlds and the Mirror of Time opens for its world premiere in London. It features a presentation on the human life cycle and more than 300 plastinates specimens preserved through a process invented by Dr Gunther von Hagens. INTERNET could exacerbate skin disease by increasing the number of immune cells in the skin. To test this hypothesis, they exposed mice to sound stress. They found that this stress challenge resulted in higher numbers of mature white blood cells in the skin. Furthermore, blocking the function of two proteins that attract immune cells to the skin prevented the stress-induced increase in white blood cells in the skin. Taken together, these data suggest that stress activates immune cells, which in turn are central in initiating and perpe-tuating skin diseases, said the researchers. Bangladesh storm kills 15, injures 200 DHAKA, ( Bangladesh), 28 Oct A tropical storm lashed Bangladesh s coast, killing at least 15 people and injuring 200 more, rescue officials said Tuesday. The storm, spawned Afghan Dawalat (R) receives treatment at the medical centre at Forward Operating Base Morales-Frazier at Nijrab in Afghanistan s Kapisa Province on 25 Oct. INTERNET by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, struck late Monday, inundating hundreds of villages, leveling several thousand huts and knocking down electricity poles, officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. At least 10 bodies were pulled from the rubble of collapsed houses in Biracial district, a hardhit area 75 miles south of the capital, Dhaka, they said. Another five people drowned in neighbouring Patuakhali district. At least 200 villagers were injured and many were taken to hospitals, they said. Dhaka s Ittefaq daily reported that the storm flooded parts of Bhola island, trapping about 10,000 people in their homes. It provided no further details NL 13

14 14 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 S P O R T S Gilardino suspended for two matches over handball goal ROME, 28 Oct Fiorentina's Italian international striker Alberto Gilardino was suspended for two matches on Monday by a sports judge for the goal he scored with his forearm in his side's 3-1 victory over Serie A rivals Palermo on Sunday. Gilardino, the leading scorer in Serie A this season with seven goals, scored the goal in the 20th minute of their match, however, the referee did not see the infringement but televi- Alberto Gilardino, seen Fiorentina's forward sion images did show here in September 2008, him using his forearm. was suspended for two According to the matches on Monday by judge Gilardino intentionally touched the ball goal he scored with his a sports judge for the with his hand in what forearm in his side's 3-1 was a 'seriously unsporting gesture'. rivals Palermo on victory over Serie A Sunday. INTERNET FA rule out Rooney badge punishment Manchester United's England striker Wayne Rooney (right) listens to referee Alan Wiley during the Premier League match against Everton at Goodison Park in Liverpool, northwest England, on 25 October. Rooney's gesture of kissing the badge on his Manchester United shirt during Saturday's match will go unpunished by the Football Association, the governing body has said. INTERNET LONDON, 28 Oct Wayne Rooney's gesture of kissing the badge on his Manchester United shirt during Saturday's match against former club Everton will go unpunished by the Football Association, the governing body has said. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said after the 1-1 draw with Everton that he'd substituted Rooney for the England striker's own good as the player's temper clearly started to fray at Goodison Park. Rooney's response to being booked for a foul on Mikel Arteta was to kiss the badge on his United shirt, a move widely viewed as provocative given that it took place at Everton's home ground. I won't interfere with Mourinho, says Moratti ROME, 28 Oct Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti said on Monday that he would not be drawn into interfering in relationships between coach Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan s Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho waits for the start of his team s Italian Serie A match against Genoa at San Siro Stadium in Milan, on 26 October. INTERNET Second seed Bammer bounced in Quebec WTA event American Melanie Oudin, pictured in March 2008, upset Austrian second seed Sybille Bammer 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 here Monday in a first-round match at the 175,000-dollar WTA Quebec Challenge. INTERNET Kramnik beats Anand in chess game to stay alive BONN, 28 Oct With his back to the wall, Russian challenger Vladimir Kramnik won game 10 against world chess champion Viswanathan Anand of India in Germany on Monday to keep their title match going. Kramnik now trails 6-4 in the 12-game match and must win the next two games to force a playoff. Anand needs only one draw from the last two games to retain his title. Asked about his chances, Kramnik told reporters, "It's better for me not to think about them they're still less than 50 percent." Russia's Vladimir Kramnik, left, and World champion Viswanathan Anand from India contemplate their next moves during the 10th game of the Chess World Championship in the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn, western Germany, on 27 Oct, INTERNET the club's players. Moratti was speaking a day after Mourinho heavily criticised some unnamed players for failing to follow his instructions during Sunday's 0-0 home draw against 10-man Genoa. Mourinho proceeded to claim in his post match press conference that certain players would be left out of the match-day squad for the trip to Fiorentina on Wednesday, essentially as punishment for failing to follow his orders. QUEBEC, 28 Oct American Melanie Oudin upset Austrian second seed Sybille Bammer 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 here Monday in a firstround match at the 175,000-dollar WTA Quebec Challenge. Oudin cut short Bammer's bid for her second career WTA title and advanced to face the winner of a later match between Canadian wild card Marie-Eve Pelletier and Russian Olga Puchkova in the second round. Bammer reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal last month at the US Open and also reached the final eight at the Beijing Olympics in August. But Bammer, 28, has struggled since her New York run. She was ousted in the second round last month at Stuttgart and the first round earlier this month in Zurich before her rally against Oudin fell short. Kinnear promises Barton fair chance NEWCASTLE, 28 Oct Joey Barton has been told by manager Joe Kinnear he will be treated like any other Newcastle United player when it comes to selection for Tuesday's match against West Bromwich Albion. Barton made his return to action last weekend in the north-east derby against Sunderland after a six-game ban imposed by the Football Association (FA) after the 74 days he served in prison following assaults on a 16-year-old boy and former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo. The midfielder was only on the pitch for the final few minutes of a match which saw Newcastle lose away to their arch-rivals for the first time in 28 years but was involved in an unsavoury incident before taking the field. Joey Barton, seen here in May 2008, has been told by manager Joe Kinnear he will be treated like any other Newcastle United player when it comes to selection for Tuesday s match against West Bromwich Albion. INTERNET Ronaldinho and Flamini to miss Siena match ROME, 28 Oct AC Milan pair Ronaldinho and Mathieu Flamini are out of the club's Wednesday night match against Siena at the San Siro, the team's doctor said Monday. Both players came off injured against Atalanta on Sunday and need a few days rest, according to Massimo Manara. "(Ronaldinho) has twisted his knee. He underwent some tests today (Monday) and in the afternoon he will have an AC Milan s Brazilian X-ray," he said. "I think forward Ronaldinho, seen here on 19 Oct, he needs a couple of 2008, and French days of rest. midfielder Mathieu "(Flamini) arrived today with a problem with Flamini are out of the club s Wednesday night his thigh muscle. We match against Siena at need to keep him under the San Siro, the team s observation for two or doctor said Monday. three days of rest." INTERNET Simon tastes tennis top ten but keeps feet on ground PARIS, 28 Oct To be recognised as your country's best tennis player in a land with form and history in the sport is one thing - and Gilles Simon will be delighted to take a bow before a home crowd in Paris this week as the season draws to a close. But the French number one singles player is surely due a little recognition from beyond the borders of 'La Grande Nation' after vaulting into the world top ten. Memories can be short in sport - though where the women are concerned Amelie Mauresmo's Australian Open and Wimbledon double is hardly sepia-tinged having been achieved in NL 14

15 \\ \\ THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Wednesday, 29 October, Tonga to withdraw soldiers from Iraq this year-defence chief NKU ALOFA, 28 Oct Tonga will withdraw its contingent of soldiers from Iraq before the end of the year, the Pacific island nation s defense chief said. Tonga has 55 soldiers serving in Iraq, and they are due to return home before Christmas, the Tonga Defence Services commander, Brig Tau aika Uta atu, said Monday. Tonga first sent a contingent of 44 soldiers to Iraq in 2004, in response to a request from the US government. Rival Lebanese factions meet to defuse tensions BEIRUT, 28 Oct Lebanon s top rival Sunni and Shiite Muslim leaders held a long-awaited meeting, the two sides reported Monday, as part of efforts to defuse sectarian tensions in the country. The landmark meeting Sunday night between pro- Western parliament majority leader Saad Hariri and the Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah was the first face-to-face Wednesday, 29 October View on today 7:00 am 1. mc\;k n\;sraeta\ Bura;Âk^;fprit\tra;eta\ 7:25 am 2. To be healthy exercise 7:30 am 3. Morning news 7:40 am 4. pn\ ka;er;wn\ k^;@an Nuic\cMeta\qMsuMt^;wiuc\;eP a\e P tc\sk\moas^as \ Turkish warplanes bomb Kurdish bases in N Iraq ANKARA, 28 Oct Turkey s military says its warplanes and artillery have struck Kurdish rebel targets inside northern Iraq. The military says that the jets on Tuesday bombed the Hakurk, Avasin-Basyan and Zap areas in northern Iraq and encounter between them since the 2006 Hezbollah- Israel war, when all Lebanese rallied behind the Iranian-backed militant Shiite group. Long-simmering tensions between Hariri s Sunni supporters and Nasrallah s Shiite militants broke out into street fighting in Beirut in May that killed 81 people and nearly plunged Lebanon into another civil war. 7:50 am 5. Dance of national races 8:00 am 6. Musical programme 8:15 am 7. At^; pic\p 8:30 am 8. International news 8:45 am 9. mø; mø; k k y \ek ;moak 2:50 pm KuNṡ\ (24) kim\e mak\ tp\meta\kak y\er; ^;s^;k op\pla;' Aqk\(21) N s\n c\.eaak\tp\meta\ ( kv\;'er'el)ebalm u; pic\p the targets were later shelled by artillery units. The military describes the operation as a success. It is the latest of a series of Turkish strikes against rebel hideouts in northern Iraq, where the guerrillas have staged hit-and-run attacks on Turkish targets for decades.the Kurdistan Russia says US fuelling tension with Syria attack MOSCOW, 28 Oct Russia accused the United States of fuelling dangerous tension in the Middle East on Monday after Syria said that US helicopters had attacked a farm near the border with Iraq. Moscow has responded with great concern to what happened, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. We believe attacks that are worthy of condemnation should not be launched on the territory of sovereign states under the slogan of the fight against terrorism. It is obvious that such unilateral military actions have a sharply negative effect on the situation in the region, and widen the seat of dangerous armed A staff of Christie s displays a pair of rare gold pocket watches during a press preview for the autum sale of important watches in Hong (A kibiul\lup ) {rn\kun\tiuc\;ss\@ank op\ Aqc\;N c\.aer >piuc\;tiuc\; ss\@ank op\aqc\;} 4:45 pm 2. Classical songs 4:55 pm 3. Aew;qc\tk qiul\pvaer; Rup\ mc\qm ka;qc\kn\;sa ttiynṡ\ ( mn\masaat ; p) ( mn\masa) 5:10 pm 4. Song to uphold national spirits 5:20 pm 5. ROP y\smulc\aas^ymas^as \ 5:30 pm 6. rqepål c\qrup\esac\l c\ pc\ Kong. INTERNET Workers Party, or PKK, has been fighting for selfrule in Turkey s southeast since Turkey has launched several aerial attacks and one major ground operation against rebel bases across the border with Iraq this year. tension. The United States, which accuses Syria of failing to stem the flow of al- Qaeda fighters and other insurgents into Iraq to attack US forces, has neither confirmed nor denied the incident. Syria said eight people were killed and accused the United States of committing a terrible crime. /Reuters 6:00 pm 7. Evening news 6:30 pm 8. Weather report 6:35 pm 9. mn\ma.del.riu;ralk\ew > 6:50 pm 10. Tk\ mk\ep a\rwc\aim\etac\rċ\ 7:20 pm 11. Siuliuk\ ksiu> 8:00 pm 12. News 13. International news 14. Weather report 15. {y \sv\;km\;tin\;qim\;er; k^; kp\moeka\mt^' ˆa%\sm\; pehli pic\p }(Ae KKMpva Aly\tn\;ASc\.) WEATHER Tuesday, 28 October, 2008 Summary of observations recorded at 09:30 hr MST: During the past 24 hours, rain or thundershowers have been isolated in Chin and Kayah States, scattered in Rakhine and Kayin States, fairly widespread in Mon State, Mandalay, Magway, Bago and Ayeyawady Divisions and widespread in the remaining States and Divisions with locally heavyfall in Mandalay Division. The noteworthy amounts of rainfall recorded were Nay Pyi Taw (Yezin) (0.86) inch, Nay Pyi Taw (Aylar) (0.28) inch, Nay Pyi Taw (Tatkon) (0.20) inch, Mogok (3.39) inches, Maungtaw (2.60) inches, Myitkyina (2.25) inches, Hkamti (2.13) inches, Sittway (2.01) inches, Bhamo (1.81) inches, Katha and Meiktila (1.57) inches each and Yamethin (1.50) inches. Maximum temperature on was 80 F. Minimum temperature on was 68ºF. Relative humidity at (09 :30) hours MST on was 84%. Total sunshine hours on was (0.2) hr approx. Rainfall on was (0.48) inch at Mingaladon, (0.43) inch at Kaba-Aye and (0.83) inch at Central Yangon. Total rainfall since was (107.72) inches at Mingaladon, (119.25) inches at Kaba- Aye and (138.11) inches at Central Yangon. Maximum wind speed at Yangon (Kaba-Aye) was (4) mph from West at (09:30) hours MST on Bay inference: According to the observations at (09:30) hrs MST today, the land depression over Bangladesh has moved to Northeast wards and become unimportant. Weather is partly cloudy to cloudy in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Bay and partly cloudy elsewhere in the Bay of Bengal. Forecast valid until evening of 29 th October 2008: Rain or thundershowers will be isolated in Kayah State, scattered in lower Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway Divisions, fairly widespread in Chin and Shan States and widespread in the remaining areas. Degree of certainty is (80%). State of the sea: Sea will be moderate in Myanmar waters. Outlook for subsequent two days: Continuation of rain or thundershowers in the Lower Myanmar areas. Forecast for Nay Pyi Taw and neighbouring area for : Isolated rain or thundershowers. Degree of certainty is (80%). Forecast for Yangon and neighbouring area for : One or two rain or thundershowers. Degree of certainty is (80%). Forecast for Mandalay and neighbouring area for : Isolated rain or thundershowers. Degree of certainty is (80%). R 489 Published by the News and Periodicals Enterprise, Ministry of Information, Union of Myanmar. Edited and printed at The New Light of Myanmar Press, No 22/30 Strand Road at 43rd Street, Yangon. Cable Newlight, PO Box No. 43, Telephones: Editors , Manager , Circulation , Advertisement , Accounts , Administration , Production/Press NL 15

16 1st Waxing of Tazaungmon 1370 ME Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 Encourage farmers to produce bio-gas out of cow manure Prime Minister inspects rehabilitation, reconstruction tasks in Ngwesinyaw model village and Pyinsalu YANGON, 28 Oct Chairman of National Disaster Preparedness Central Committee Prime Minister General Thein Sein, accompanied by Maj-Gen Ko Ko of the Ministry of Defence, Chairman of Ayeyawady Division Peace and Development Council Commander of South-West Command Brig-Gen Kyaw Swe, ministers, deputy ministers, the Director-General of the Government Office and departmental officials, this morning left Pathein by helicopter and arrived Pyinsalu, Labutta District at 8.45 p.m. Along the route, the Prime Minister and party inspected thriving paddy fields from the helicopter. On arrival at Pyinsalu, the Prime Minister cordially greeted local people. At the briefing hall, Head of the Township General Administration Department U Zaw Min Tun reported on the sites chosen for construction of cyclone shelters, progress in construction of houses, road works and cultivation of monsoon paddy. Next, Deputy Superintending Engineer U Win Tint of Road Construction Project Group- 15 reported on progress in construction of Labutta- Thingangyi-Pyinsalu road (See page 8) Prime Minister General Thein Sein inspects houses in Pyinsalu Measures have been taken to build durable school buildings and houses that can withstand the impact of natural disaster. Prime Minister General Thein Sein sends message of felicitations to Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey NAY PYI TAW, 29 Oct General Thein Sein, Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, which falls on 29 October Ngwesinyaw Model Village in Mawlamyinegyun Township NL 16