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(1) General Maung Aye and Daw Mya Mya San attend consecration of Saw Hla Wun Pagoda in Bagan
YANGON, 14 Mar - Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye and wife Daw Mya Mya San attended consecration of No 676 Saw Hla Wun Pagoda near Minnanthu Village in Bagan, Nyaung-U Township, NyaungU District, Mandalay Division, this morning.
Saw Hla Wun Pagoda was renovated by officers, other ranks and families of the Adjutant-General's Office and regiments and units with the patron age of Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development Council Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Win Myint and wife Daw Khin Cho Oo.
Present on the occasion were member of State Central Working Committee of the Sangha Sayadaw of Nyaung-U and members of the Sangha, Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo and wife Daw Khin Than Nwe, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint and wife Daw Khin Cho Oo, members of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Vice-Admiral Nyunt Thein, Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lt-Gen Kyaw Than and Chairman of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Ye Myint and wife Dr Daw Tin Lin Myint, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin, Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun, Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint, Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung, Minister for Electric Power Maj-Gen Tin Htut, Minister for Religious Affairs Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Vice-Quartermaster-General Brig-Gen Kyaw Win, senior military officers, heads of departments, officers, other ranks and families of the Adjutant-General's Office and regiments and units under the Adjutant-General's Office, local entrepreneurs, teachers, members of Union Solidarity and Development Association and guests.
At 7 am, Assistant Director U Khin Maung Win of Mandalay Division Religious Affairs Department read the agenda of the ceremony. Director U Aung Kyaing of Archaeology Department supplicated on brief history of the pagoda and renovation.
The Sayadaws consecrated No 676 Saw Hla Wun Pagoda.
General Maung Aye and wife Daw Mya Mya San and party received the Five Precepts from border region missionary Kammathanacariya Maha Ganthavacaka Saddhamma Jotika Agga Maha Pandita Alodawpyay Sayadaw Bhaddanta Aiyavamsa of Aungmye Bodhi Dhamma Yeikthakyaung of Nyaung-U. Then, members of the Sangha recited parittas.
Afterwards, General Maung Aye and Daw Mya Mya San presented offertories to Alodawpyay Sayadaw.
Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo and Daw Khin Than Nwe and Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint and Daw Khin Cho Oo and members also presented offertories to the Sayadaws.
Gukyaung Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Jagara delivered a sermon, followed by sharing of merits.
General Maung Aye and Daw Mya Mya San performed the ritual of golden and silver showers to mark successful completion of the consecration ceremony.
The General and wife and party then went round the pagoda.
After the ceremony, they paid obeisance to Alodawpyay Pagoda. General Maung Aye donated cash towards the pagoda's funds.
Next, General Maung Aye and wife Daw Mya Mya San and party paid homage to Sambuddhe Pagoda and No 392 pagoda.
They proceeded to Bagan Archaeological Museum and inspected the central booth, booths of handicraft in Bagan Period and Buddhist art in Bagan Period there.
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(2) Secretary-l attends enshrinement of Shwebontha Muni Pagoda in Padaung Township
YANGON, 14 Mar - Secretary-l of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, accompanied by Minister for Cooperatives U Aung San, Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, Minister for Education U Than Aung, Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein, Minister for Labour Maj-Gen Tin Ngwe, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung, Deputy Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs U Kyaw Tin, Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs U Aung Khin, Deputy Minister for Science and Technology U Hlaing Win, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Chief of Staff (Air) Col Myint Swe, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, heads of department and officials, left here by Tatmadaw aircraft for Pyay, Bago Division yesterday afternoon.
They were welcomed at Khitaya Airport at 3.45 pm by member of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Bago Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Southern Command Maj-Gen Tin Aye, Minister for Rail Transportation U Pan Aung, military and civilian officers, members of social organizations and family members.
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(3) Myanmar journalists back from Japan
YANGON, 14 Mar - Deputy Chief Editor U Ye Myint Pe of the Kyemon Daily and Editor U Nyunt Ohn of the New Light of Myanmar of News and Periodicals Enterprise of the Ministry of Information arrived back here by air this evening after attending the Asian Economic Reporting Seminar in Tokyo, Japan, from 8 to 14 March 1999.
They were welcomed back at Yangon International Airport by Director (News) U Hla Tun of News and Periodicals Enterprise, officials and families.
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(4) Opium, chemicals seized in Muse
YANGON, 14 Mar - A combined team comprising members of local intelligence unit and Tatmadawmen, acting on information, combed the motor road between Ponpaw-Naunghin in Muse Township, Shan State (North), on 24 February and seized ownerless opium weighing 12 kilos.
Similarly, the team discharged duty at map reference P-2 19947 in Muse Township, Shan State (North), the same day. They seized ownerless 14 containers of acid used in making narcotic drugs. It contained 56 gallons.
Action is taken against the seizure under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law.
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(5) U Phone Myint appointed Ambassador to Italy
YANGON, 15 Mar - The Chairman o f the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar has appointed U Phone Myint, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union o f Myanmar to the Republic of Korea, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Republic of Italy.
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(6) Minister for Foreign Affairs leaves for three ASEAN nations
YANGON, 14 Mar - At the invitation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of respective countries, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung left here by air this morning to pay visits to the Republic of the Philippines, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Lao People's Democratic Republic. While in Laos, Minister U Win Aung will also attend the Fourth Meeting of the Myanmar-Lao Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs was seen off at Yangon International Airport by Minister at the State Peace and Development Council Chairman's Office Brig-Gen Abel, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein, Deputy .Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads and staff members of the embassies of the Philippines, SRV and LPDR.
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(7) 57 members resign from Pale Township NLD
YANGON, 14 Mar - Fifty-seven members resigned from the National League for Democracy of Pale Township, Sagaing Division.
Fifty-seven members of Pale Township NLD, Sagaing Division, on their own volition, resigned by sending letters of resignation to Pale Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission and the party concerned on 12 January 1999 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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(8) MOB opens bank branch in Ahlon
YANGON, 14 Mar - Ahlon Township Bank branch of Myanmar, Oriental Bank was opened in Ahlon Township this morning.
Present on the occasion were Minister for Finance and Revenue U Khin Maung Thein, Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Than Tun, the Governor of Central Bank of Myanmar U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, the managing directors and the directors-general of enterprises and departments under the ministry, members of Yangon West District and Township Peace and Development Councils, members of the board of directors of MOB, service personnel, EC members of Township Union Solidarity and Development Association and guests.
Minister U Khin Maung Thein said MOB has opened 11 bank branches and it is a successful private bank offering modern banking services and fulfilling the requirements of the people, adding private entrepreneurs are engaged in economic undertakings including banking services.
He said the government is granting permits to national entrepreneurs for reclamation of fallow and virgin lands and urged the banks to provide financial assistance to the entrepreneurs.
Chairman of MOB U Tin Oo gave a speech.
Next, Minister U Khin Maung Thein and Chairman U Tin Oo formally opened the branch. The minister and guests then inspected it.
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(9) 67 members resign from Kungyangon Township NLD
YANGON, 14 Mar - Sixty-seven members resigned from the National League for Democracy of Kungyangon Township, Yangon Division.
Sixty-seven members of Kungyangon Township NLD, Yangon Division, on their own volition, resigned by sending letters of resignation to Kungyangon Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission and the party concerned on 29 January 1999 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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(10) Vietnam delegation leaves for home
YANGON, 14 Mar - The Vietnam delegation led by Deputy Director-General Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Cuc of Vietnam Radio (VOV) left here by air this morning.
The Vietnam delegation was seen off at Yangon International Airport by Director-General U Khin Maung Htay of Myanma Radio and Television, Director (Admin) U Phone Myint, Deputy Director (Broadcasting) U Aung Soe Min and officials.
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(11) Dioxin pollution spreading in Japan?
YANGON, 14 Mar - NHK reported that researchers had found high level of dioxin in a type of water bird living in the Tokyo area. It said researchers at Yokohama National University measured dioxin levels in the livers of 14 wild cormorants caught in Tokyo's Ueno Park nearby Ichikawa City. They found out the livers contained an average 9,300 pica grams of dioxin in per gram of fat. One young cormorant in Ueno Park was found to be contaminated with extremely high level of dioxin. In Japan, cormorants inhabit in ponds, rivers and shallow waters. Researchers believe that the high level of dioxin in those birds was due to their eating fish from polluted waters. The NHK report said the data clearly showed that the dioxin pollution was spreading in Japan.
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(12) Solar storms to be predicted
YANGON, 14 Mar - A CNN report said that a solar storm can spew as much as 10 billion tons of electrically charged gas out into the solar system with the speed of up to one to two million miles per hour. It said such storms can damage orbiting satellites and overload the electrical power grid on earth.
It added that in March 1998, a solar storm occurred a black-out in eastern Canada.
Previously, scientists could not predict the solar storm but new images from a Japanese satellite called Yokoh showed that an "s" shaped structure often appeared on the sun just before solar storms erupted. The scientists are trying to make use of the latest discovery so that they will be able to accurately predict the eruption of Solar storms in future and then warn power companies and satellite operators in advance.
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(13) Western Command Commander meets officials of Thandwe District
YANGON, 14 Mar - Chairman of Rakhine State Peace and Development Council Commander of Western Command Maj-Gen Aung Htwe met Rakhine State level departmental officials, officials of Thandwe District and Township at the Meeting Hall of Thandwe District Peace and Development Council Office on 10 March morning.
The Commander explained points on the guidance given during the recent inspection of Rakhine State by Senior General Than Shwe and regional development works.
Commander Maj-Gen Aung Htwe gave instructions to officials on agriculture, livestock breeding, production of fish and prawn breeding and future tasks.
Chairman Of Thandwe District Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Khin Maung Than and departmental officials reported to the commander on their activities.
The Commander fulfilled the requirements.
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YANGON, 14 Mar - The Computer Quiz Competition in commemoration of the 54th Anniversary Armed Forces Day continued at the booth of Twelve Objectives in Defence Services Museum this morning.
Joint-Secretary of Twelve Objectives Booth Display Work Committee Major Tun Zaw Myint explained the points about quiz and Assistant Lecturer U Khin Maung Win of Applied Technology Department of Institute of Computer .Science and Technology rules and disciplines.
Members of Than Lyin, Insein and Hlinethaya Township USDAs today participated in the quiz.
The quiz will continue till 23 March.