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(1) Minister for Mines receives Chairman of Ivanhoe Myanmar Holdings
YANGON, 27 Jan - Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint received visiting Chairman Mr Robert M Friedland of Ivanhoe Myanmar Holdings Co Ltd at his office this evening.
Present also were Deputy Minister for Mines U Myint Thein and officials.
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(2) Armed Forces Day Banners and Mottoes Preparation Committee meets
YANGON, 27 Jan - The 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day Banners and Mottoes Preparation Committee met at No I Signals Regiment here at 9.30 am today attended by chairman of the Committee Director of Signals of the Ministry of Defence Col Aung Myint and Committee members.
Speaking at the meeting, Col Aung Myint said the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day will be observed on a grander scale this year. He said the committee will carry out the assigned duties in six stages to complete in time.
He said in addition to putting up banners and mottoes on the Tatmadaw along U Wisara Road, the route to be taken by the marching columns, the committee would also put up paintings, posters and signboards hailing the Armed Forces Day at public places. He said the departments concerned had already been told of the target.
He said as instructed by the State Peace and Development Council paintings and posters on the reserve forces will also be put up. The present meeting would have to choose scale models of the designs to be forwarded to the leading Committed, he added.
Next, the Joint Secretary of the Committee reported on the work programme and instructions of the Leading Committee. A general round of discussions then followed.
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(3) 51st Anniversary Union Day Exhibition and Festivities Subcommittee meets
YANGON, 27 Jan - The 51st Anniversary Union Day Exhibition and Festivities Subcommittee held its second meeting at the office of Hlinethaya Township Development Committee this afternoon.
Vice-Chairman of Exhibition and Festivities Subcommittee Director-General of Cooperatives Department U Maung Hti presided over the meeting and Secretary of the Subcommittee Deputy Director of Cooperatives Department U Kyaw Hlaing emceed.
Present were members of the Subcommittee and guests.
A general round of discussions followed. Those wishing to open shops may contact U Aung Than Htut, Township officer of Hlinethaya Township dialing 526098.
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(4) Farmers sell paddy freely in festive atmosphere
YANGON, 27 Jan - Farmers led by chairmen of Village Peace and Development Councils collectively sold paddy in Paungde Township, Pyay District, Bago Division, on 24 and 25 January morning.
Farmers from ten village-tracts of No 2 Region, from six village-tracts of No 6 Region and from three village-tracts of No 7 Region sold 4,272 baskets of paddy with 250 carts, 3,540 baskets of paddy with 202 carts and 1,857 baskets of paddy with 130 carts respectively on 24 January.
Farmers from ten village-tracts of No 1 Region, from six village-tracts of No 3 Region, from six village-tracts of No 4 Region and from two village of No 5 Region sold 4,797 baskets of paddy with 261 carts, 2,424 baskets of paddy with 134 carts, 3,395 baskets of paddy with 169 carts and 461 baskets of paddy with 45 carts respectively on 25 January.
Chairman of Township Peace and Development Council U Ba Win and members, Township Manager of Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading U Tin Hla Oo and members of the paddy purchase supervisory committee attended to the requirements.
Similarly, farmers from Thabyaygon Village-tract, Pyinmana Township, led by the chairman of Village Peace and Development Council sold over 2,600 baskets of paddy with 103 carts at Myoma Paddy Purchase Centre yesterday morning.
Chairman of Township Peace and Development Council U Tha Tun Oo, Staff Officer of District Transport Department U Than Tun, Township Manager of MAPT U Soe Maung and employees welcomed the farmers, and attended to their requirements.
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(5) 13th Buddha Pujaniya of Maha Wizaya Pagoda
YANGON, 27 Jan - The 13th Buddha Pujaniya of Maha Wizaya Pagoda will be held at the pagoda from 10 to 12 February in accord with the Ovada of Sayadaws of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee.
The archway of Maha Wizaya Pagoda will be opened on 10 February. Altogether 27 townships and an association will send soon to the pagoda.
Htamane-making contest will also be held in the afternoon. On the full-moon Day of Tabodwe, Htamane, fruits and food will be offered at the pagoda.
State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Sayadaws will deliver sermons during the Pujaniya.
First prize winner of the Htamane-making contest will get K 10,000, second K 7,500 and third K 5,000.
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(6) Power interruption while repairing power plants
YANGON, 27 Jan - Minister for Electric Power Maj-Gen Tin Htut inspected major repair of the Combined Cycle Power Plant in Thakayta Township this afternoon.
The minister was accompanied by-Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Maung Maung and officials of Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise.
He told officials to complete the repair work as quickly as possible, making efforts day and night.
As there will be power cut in turn in States and Divisions including Yangon Division while repairing combined cycle power plants and natural gas power plants, the minister gave instructions to officials to remind the public of where and when the power will be cut through State Division and Township electrical engineers concerned.
He fulfilled the requirements for work to be continued.
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(7) Systematic gasoline distribution stressed
YANGON, 27 Jan - Deputy Minister for Electric Power Brig-Gen Thein Aung attended to the needs in ensuring systematic and effective distribution of gasoline and engine oil in Yangon Division on 25 and 26 January.
He visited fuel oil shops in Hmawby, Shwedaung, Paungde, Nattalin, Gyobingauk, Letpadan, Thayawady, Thonze and Okkan townships and on Pyay Road urging service personnel to work hard and to be honest.
The minister also gave suggestions on ways to minimize wastage.
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(8) Extempore Talk Contest in Tamu
YANGON, 27 Jan - The 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day commemorative Extempore Talk Contest (high and middle level) was held in Tamu in Sagaing Division on 10 January.
Present were Chairman of Township Peace and Development Council Captain Kaung San Oo and members, departmental personnel, guests, teachers and students.
Chairman Captain Kaung San Oo and the Township Education Officer spoke.
Officials presented prizes to winners of the contest.
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(9) K 1.3m donated for Tatmadaw sports fund
YANGON, 27 Jan - A cash donation ceremony of the companies for Tatmadaw sports fund of the Ministry of Defence was held at Mingaladon Air Force Base at 9 am today.
It was attended by Commander of Mingaladon Air Force Base Col Tin Oo, Deputy Commander Lt-Col Bo Kyi, officials and well-wishers.
The well-wishers donated K 1.3 million to Col Tin Oo who presented certificates of honour to them.
Today's donations were K 100,000 by U Maung Maung of Asia Express Company, K 1,000,000 by U Htay Myint of Yuzana Construction Company, K 100,000.by U Aik Tun of Olympic Construction Company and K 100,000 by Zaygabar Construction Company.
U Maung Maung, on behalf of the well-wishers, explained about donations.
Col Tin Oo thanked the donors.
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(10) K120,000 for MMCWA
YANGON, 27 Jan - Women's Federation for World Peace, a social organization of Japan, donated K 120,000 to Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association at the office of MMCWA today.
Ms Miyuki of WFWP handed the cash to Chairperson of MMCWA Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe.
MMCWA will use the cash for nutrition development of under-fives, a task of the association.
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(11) Law enforcement programme against narcotic drugs abuse discussed
YANGON, 27 Jan - A meeting to discuss law enforcement in combating narcotic drugs abuse was held at the Myanmar Police Force Headquarters of the Ministry of Home Affairs at 9 am today and it was attended by Secretary of Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control Director-General of MPF Police Maj-Gen Soe Win, Chairman of Law Enforcement Sector Deputy Director-General of MPF Police Brig-Gen Hla Tun, Secretary of the Sector Police Col Ngwe Soe Tun and members, State/Division MPF Commanders and personnel of the Anti-Drug Squads.
Following an address by Police Maj-Gen Soe Win, Chairman of the Sector Police Brig-Gen Hla Tun explained programmes of work.
Secretary of the Sector Police Col Ngwe Soe Tun discussed law enforcement.
State/Division officials then reported on the work done.
Police Col Ngwe Soe Tun discussed the future tasks for the first four months in 1998. Police Brig-Gen Hla Tun gave concluding remarks.
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(12) 1,000 baskets of paddy sold in Madaya
YANGON, 27 Jan - Monsoon paddy owned by Madaya Township Yaynatha Agricultural Producers Cooperative Society Ltd was sold at Yaynatha Paddy Purchase Centre of Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading in Madaya on 19 January morning.
Deputy Director U Tin Hlaing of Cooperatives Department and officials observed the paddy sale.
The cooperative society sold 1,000 baskets of paddy at the centre that day.
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(13) OPV given to over 14,000 children under five in Lashio
YANGON, 27 Jan - Third Year of the National Immunization Days (second time) was launched at the Town Hall in Lashio in Shan State (north) at 9 am on 18 January
Present on the occasion were the wife of the Chairman of Shan State (North) Peace and Development Council Commander of North-East Command, wives of Staff Officers of the Command, Secretary of Shan State (North) Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Aung Soe, depart mental officials, Chairman of District Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Aung Thein and officials, the Chairman and members of-the Township Peace and Development Council, members of Union Solidarity and Development Association, those of Maternal and Child Welfare Association, officials of the Department of Health, Resident Representative of UNICEF Dr Juan Anguilar and embassy officials.
First, Lt-Col Aung Soe read the message sent from the Commander of North East Command.
Next, Dr Anguilar said he was satisfied with the arrangements for the National Immunization Days.
After the ceremony, commemorative pennants were presented to them.
Oral Polio Vaccines were given to 14,171 children under five.
Yesagyo
OPV was also given to 36,009 children under five in Yesagyo Township, Magway Division on 18 January against the target of 36,420.
Altogether 176 teams gave OPV to children at 206 centres in the township.
Chairman of the Township Peace and Development Council U Chit Ko Ko and Township Health Department Head Dr Myo Lwin and party supervised the movement.
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(14) 35th Inter-State/Division Men's and Women's Tennis Championships 1998 open
YANGON, 27 Jan - The opening ceremony of 35th Inter-States/Divisions Men's and Women's Tennis Championships 1998 was held at Theinbyu Tennis Plaza at 8 am today.
It was attended by Director-General Col Hla Myint Kyaw of Sports and Physical Education Department, Officer on Special Duty Col Thaung Htaik, Adviser Col Ngo Ciin Pau and officials, President of Myanma Tennis Federation U Ba Tun and executives, guests, managers of the teams, athletes and fans.
Col Hla Myint Kyaw opened the tournament.
Under the leadership of Assistant Director U Mya Lwin of SPED the athletes recited four Sports Oaths.
Four men's events and three women's events were held on the first day. It will continue at the same venue at 7 am tomorrow.
Twelve men's and seven women's teams are taking part in the championships.
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(15) Accident at Mazin Airport
YANGON, 27 Jan-XYAB6 Fokker F-27, of Myanma Airways of the Ministry of Transport with four crew members and 41 passengers aboard veered at speed to the right of the runway on take-off at Mazin Airport in Thandwe and crashed after running into an earthen wall at 11.45 am today. The plane was on its scheduled flight from Thandwe to Kyaukphyu when the right engine suddenly broke down half-way up the runway.
Altogether 14 passengers including three foreigners - one Italian man, one French man and one French woman and eleven domestic passengers died. One French woman and 19 domestic passengers were injured.
Member of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief (Air) Maj-Gen Kyaw Than, Minister for Transport Lt-Gen Tin Ngwe, Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint and a medical team of the Defence Services General Hospital comprising specialists flew to Mazin Airport as soon as information was received. They arrived at Mazin Airport after 2 pm and attended to the injured and providing necessary assistance.
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