( 1 )  President of the People's Republic of China to visit the Union of Myanmar

Yangon, 9 Dec- At the invitation of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe and wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing, President of the People's Republic of China Mr Jiang Zemin and Madame Wang Yeping will pay a state visit to the Union of Myanmar in the near future.

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( 2 ) Third 47-member Plenary Meeting of Fifth State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee successfully concludes

Yangon, 8 Dec-The second day session of the third 47-member Plenary Meeting of the Fifth State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee continued at Wizaya Mingala Dhamma Thabin on Thiri Mingalar Kaba Aye Hill this morning.

Present were Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Koehsaungtaik Sayadaw of Myingyan Bhaddanta Sobhita, member Sayadaws, Minister for Religious Affairs U Aung Khin, Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Thura Aung Ko, Adviser to the State Peace and Development Council U Arnt Maung, Director-General of the Department for the Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana U Sann Lwin, Director-General of the Religious Affairs Department Dr Myo Myint, Deputy Director-General U Chit Khin, officials of the Department for the Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana and the Religious Affairs Department and heads of Division/State and District Religious Affairs Department. Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sobhita chaired the meeting with Joint Secretary Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Bhaddanta Candima acting as master of ceremonies.

 Agga Maha Gandhavacaka Pandita Bhaddanta Manita Siribhivamsa reported on Vinicchaya affairs undertaken of the fifth State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee (First Branch) , Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Revata on religious affairs and Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Jotika-bhivamsa on education.

Matters related to two Vinicchaya cases were discussed and decisions were made. In the afternoon session, the Sayadaws made decisions on Vinichaya, religious and education affairs. Next, matters related to pending cases of the second 47-member Plenary Meeting of the Fifth State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee and procedures were coordinated. Joint Secretary of Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Bhaddanta Candima reported on the report of the Fifth State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee (First Branch) for approval. Members of the Sangha made decisions on selection of Vinayadhura Sayadaws for the fifth third four-monthly meeting. The third 47-member Plenary Meeting came to a close in the evening. On the second day of the meeting, Hill Region Buddhist Missionary led by Annawa U Than Aung offered "soon" to Sayadaws of the plenary meeting.

( 3 ) Secretary-1 attends opening ceremony of two-storey building of No 4 Monastic Education School of Maha Theikpan Pariyatti Sarthintaik in Thingangyun

Yangon, 8 Dec- A ceremony to open the two-storey Pyinnya Weiponlakari building of No 4 Monastic Education School of Maha Theikpan Pariyatti Sarthin-taik in Thingangyun Township was held at the Sarthintaik in conjunction with the merit-sharing ceremony at 9 am today, attended by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, who formally unveiled the stone inscriptions of the two-storey building.

Also present on the occasion were State Ovadaariya Joint-Sasanabaing of Shwe-kyin Nikaya Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Thirimantasankyaung Sayadaw Bhaddanta Rajindabhivamsa, Presiding Nayaka Sayadaw of Maha Theikpan Pariyatti Sarthintaik Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Siridhamma and members of the Sangha, ministers, deputy ministers, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, departmental heads, Japanese Ambassador Mr Shigeru Tsumori, wellwishers who are members of the Japan International Welfare Association (JIWA), members of District and Township Peace and Development Councils, members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, teachers, students, disciples and guests. First, Japanese Ambassador Mr Shigeru Tsumori and Secretary General Mr Shyusei Nagai of the Japan International Welfare Association (JIWA) explained the purpose of donating the building.

 Then, Japanese Ambassador Mr Shigeru Tsumori and Secretary General Mr Shyusei Nagai of JIWA under the patronage of the missionary Sayadaw in Japan Agga Maha Pandita Bhad-danta Vepolla formally opened the building. Next, the Secretary-1 formally unveiled the stone inscriptions to mark the opening ceremony of the building. Afterwards, the Secretary-1 and party and the congregation took the Five Precepts from Thirimanta-sankyaung Sayadaw Bhadadanta Rajindabhivamsa.

Then, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, the ministers, the Japanese Ambassador and the wellwishers donated provisions to the members of the Sangha. On behalf of the wellwishers of the Japan International Welfare Association (JIWA), Secretary General Mr Shyusei Nagai accepted a certificate of honour presented by the Secretary-1. Next, Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt presented 200 dozens of exercise books donated by the wellwishers under the arrangement made by the Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee to No 4 Monastic Education School of Maha Theikpan Pariyatti Sar-thintaik.

Afterwards, member of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Presiding Nayaka of All Tipitaka Maha Gandayon Kyaungtaiks Tipi-takadhara Dhamma Bhanda-garika Agga Maha Pandita Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sumangalalankara (PhD) delivered a sermon. The Secretary-1 and party and the wellwishers shared merits gained. Then, they recited Buddha Sasanam ‚iram Titthatu three times. After the ceremony, the Secretary-1 inspected the classrooms of the building. Under the Ovada of Missionary Sayadaw in Japan Agga Maha Pandita Bhad-danta Vepolla, the two-storey Pyinnya Weiponlakari building was constructed at a cost of K 12 million donated by JIWA.

( 4 ) Myanmar-Japan team conducts fossil exploration and study in Pondaung region

Yangon, 8 Dec - A Japanese palaeontologist team led by Professor of Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University of Japan Dr Nobu Oshige Hara arrived here on 1 November to conduct a fossil exploration and study in Pondaung region. The members of the team are Dr Masana Yutakai, Dr Noroko Eggi, Dr Hisashi Suzuki and Dr Takihisa Subamoto.

The Japanese team, together with the Pondaung region fossil exploration team formed by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education, explored and studied fossils, and conducted the measuring of Stratigraphic Section of the Pondaung Formation in the environs of Bahin village, Hsinswe village and Makyikan village in Myaing township and of Gwebin village in Seikphyu Township, Magway Division, from 3 November to 4 December. Fossil studies including the present one have been carried out five times by Myanmar and Japan palaeontologists since 1998. There are important finds, and they are encouraging. This year exploration work was centred in Bahin village, Myaing township, and carried out in the environs of Paukkhaung village.

On 9 November, Amphipithicus' left mandible with the premolars and molars was found near Paukkhaung. Its size is smaller than the one found by the Myanmar Pondaung region fossil exploration team in 1997. On 12 November, the Myanmar-Japan fossil exploration team found fragments of the right and left mandibles of Primate which can be assumed to be Eosimias near Paukkhaung. The fragment of the left mandible has only the roots of molars. The fragment of the right mandible has only Molar No 3. The fossilized fragments of the primate of the similar type were found in Jiangsu and Shansi provinces in China.

The Eosimias found in Pondaung is a little bigger than that from China. The Eosimias found in China has a straight gum on the lower jaw bone while the Eosimias from Pondaung has a slightly curved gum on the lower jaw bone. The rear part of the mandible of the Eosimias from Pondaung is larger than that from China. The Eosimias from Pondaung is assumed to be a new species or new genus.

 The joint fossil exploration team also found the jaw , teeth and bones of the rhinoceros, the left and right jaws and molars of the swine, the teeth of the chamois, the teeth of the carnivorous, the jaw and teeth of the fish, the jaw and teeth of the crocodile and the shells of the turtle. In addition, the team measured the Stratigraphic Section of the Pondaung Formation, and studied the Stratigraphic relation between the rock formations of Pondaung and Yaw, the Ayeyawady rock formation in Seikphyu township and Yenangyoung township and fossils which were found from the Ayeyawady rock formation.

 In Pondaung region of Myanmar, primates such as Bahinia, Myanmar Phipithecus, Amphipithecus and Pondaungia were found. International palaeontologists have acknowledged them as the earliest primates. The newly-found Eosimias is the smallest primate in the world, and it has only a few characteristics of highly-developed primates and many characteristics of the earliest primates. Now in Myanmar, primates ranging from the earliest and smallest ones to highly-developed ones have been found.

( 5 ) National races go on study tour

Yangon, 8 Dec-The 114-member study group comprising national races from Kengtaung and Kengkham Regions in Monai Township, Shan State (South), accompanied by Deputy Director of Border Areas and National Races Development Department Maj Nyan Linn Myint and officials, continued their study tour downtown Yangon this morning.

 First, the study group at 7.30 am visited Kyaik Hmawun Yayle Pagoda in Thanlyin Township and made cash donations to the pagoda. Then, they proceeded to Sandawshin Kyaikkhauk Pagoda and paid obeisance to the pagoda. At the pagoda, member of the Pagoda Board of Trustees U Kyaw Thein explained the salient points of the pagoda.

Afterwards, they went shopping at Super One Store and then visited the Drug Elimination Museum. On arrival at Myanma Radio and Television, the study group was welcomed by Director-General of MRTV U Khin Maung Htay. MRTV Deputy Director-General Lt-Col Thein Aung extended greetings to them and explained the salient points of the MRTV to them. After that, they viewed round the studios. The study group arrived at Tooth Relic Pagoda (Yangon) where member of the Pagoda Board of Trustees U Sein Han briefed them on the pagoda, and they paid homage to the pagoda. At Thirimingalar Kaba Aye Pagoda, member of the Pagoda Board of Trustees U Tin Oo explained facts about the pagoda. They paid obeisance to the pagoda.

Dinner hosted in honour of national race study group

Yangon, 8 Dec - CEC member of the Union Solidarity and Development Association Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone hosted a dinner in honour of the 114-member study group comprising members of USDA and national races from Kyaingtaung and Kyaingkham regions in Monai Township, Shan State (South), at the ministry on Strand Road at 6 pm today. The CEC member extended greetings, and presented souvenirs to the members. The leader of the study group presented gifts to the CEC member, and spoke words of thanks. Then, entertainment programme was presented and the dinner was hosted to the group members. After the dinner, the CEC member presented prizes to the members and those who took part in the entertainment programme.

( 6 )  Myanmar Maritime University to be opened in August 2002

Yangon, 8 Dec-Myanmar Maritime University under the Ministry of Transportation will be opened in August 2002. Degree courses on BE (Naval Architecture), BE (Marine Engineering), BE (Port & Harbour Engineering), BE (River & Ocean Engineering), BE (Marine Electrical Systems & Electronics) and BSc /BSc (Hons) (Nautical Science) will be conducted at the university. Each degree course takes five years. Altogether 50 students will be admitted to each degree course.

Male students who got 345 marks and above in the 2001 matriculation exam and meet the following qualifications are entitled to apply for the entrance examination. (a) The applicant must be a Myanmar citizen according to the existing law. (b) The applicant must pass a check-up. (c) The applicant must take an entrance examination which includes three two-hour papers  English, Mathematics and Science  and are set in accord with the matriculation curriculum.

(The date, time and place for the examination will be announced in due course.) (d) An interview will be called for. Applications are to be sent to the University Entrance Scrutiny Board (the Higher Education Department, Lower Myanmar) not later than 11 January 2002.

 The serial number of the application already sent to the University Entrance Scrutiny Board (Higher Education Department, Lower Myanmar), the roll number of the matriculation examination, the examination centre and total marks must be correctly stated in the applications. For more information, contact the Higher Education Department (Lower Myan-mar), Thaton Road, Kama-yut Township, Ph 503147, and the Institute of Marine Technology, Sinmalaik, Kamayut Township Ph 513448.