5.01.2009

Burma's News World's News

A woman crosses a pedestrian bridge at San Ysidro crossing port in Tijuana, Mexico, 30 Apr 2009
Fri. 01 May 2009 1005 UTC

Mexico Shuts Down in Effort to Prevent Spread of Swine Flu

Schools, businesses and non-essential offices closed for five days, as President Felipe Calderon urges citizens to stay home during Cinco de Mayo holiday

Full Story »

Electron micrograph of swine flu virus

Scientists Say Swine Flu Vaccine Could Take Months to Produce Video clip available

Researchers say vaccine could take as much as three months or more; several laboratories around the world working on solution

Local people are seen at the rubble of a police station allegedly destroyed by Taliban in Kadokhel in Buner district of Pakistan, 30 Apr 2009

Pakistan Army Pounds Taliban Militants in Northwest

Offensive, now in its fourth day, started after Taliban forces advanced into Buner, violating peace deal that required Taliban to disarm

Sri Lanka Army Brigadier Udaya Nanyakkara talks to reporters in Colombo

Sri Lanka Army to Rebel Leader: Surrender or Die Audio Clip Available

Army official tells VOA, guerilla movement founder is cornered in five kilometer narrow strip of territory LTTE still controls between sea and a lagoon

US Supreme Court Justice David Souter (July 2008 file photo)

US Supreme Court Justice to Retire

David Souter, 69, tells White House he intends to step down in June, when court's current term comes to end



A young Mexican couple wears surgical masks to avoid swine flu contamination
Mexico starts a five-day shutdown of parts of its economy in a bid to curb swine flu, as the virus reaches China.

UN satellite pictures appear to show shelling damage inside a government safe zone for civilians in Sri Lanka.

A US federal appeals court denies a stay of deportation to alleged Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk, wanted in Germany.




NARGIS ANNIVERSARY

Learning the Hard Way

By AUNG THET WINE
One year after Cyclone Nargis destroyed more than 4,000 schools in the Irrawaddy delta, many children are still struggling to get a decent education.

US Will Not Lift Sanctions on Burma

By THE IRRAWADDY
A US State Department official says reports that sanctions on Burma will be eliminated are “incorrect.”


No Land, No Home, No Hope

By WAI SANN
Hundreds of families in the delta were made homeless by Nargis and many cannot rebuild their houses even if they had the materials—because they have no land.

Weekly Business Roundup (May 01, 2009)

By WILLIAM BOOT
The new airport being built in Naypyidaw will eventually have a capacity to handle more than 10 million passengers per year.

NLD Sets Conditions for Election Participation

By WAI MOE
Burma’s opposition party has set three conditions for participation in the 2010 general election—including the unconditional release of all political prisoners.
NARGIS ANNIVERSARY

US Praises Asean, UN for Facilitating Cyclone Nargis Aid

By LALIT K JHA
The US State Department has paid tribute to the work of the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in helping bring relief to the victims of the 2008 Cyclone Nargis.

Junta’s role makes life more difficult for Nargis survivors

Come May 2, the Burmese people will recall the worst disaster ever to hit the country, in modern times. Cyclone Nargis, left at least 140,000 dead or missing, and devastated...

Drinking water scarcity needs long term solution

The acute scarcity of drinking water is one of the main challenges which need immediate attention in some of the Cyclone Nargis devastated areas in Irrawaddy delta in Burma, said...

US lauds UN, ASEAN for facilitating aid in Burma

The US State Department on Wednesday lauded the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for facilitating humanitarian assistance to victims of Cyclone...

Fishing license affects lives of Nargis victims

Villagers in Bogale Township in Irrawaddy delta are in dire straits, even a year after Cyclone Nargis devastated their villages, because authorities and local fishing license holders have prohibited...

Exiled lawyers group declared illegal

May 1, 2009 (DVB)–A Burmese lawyers group who recently called for an end to the Unlawful Association Act, under which many dissidents have been sentenced, were today declared an illegal organization by the Burmese government. - more


Cyclone's sinister aftermath: a window into a wider catastrophe

Htet Aung Kyaw

May 1, 2009 (DVB)–A year ago today, families living in Burma’s Irrawaddy delta knew nothing of the cyclone that was about to wreak total havoc on their lives. - more


Upcoming delta farming season ‘is critical’

May 1, 2009 (DVB)–Post-cyclone aid should focus on assisting villagers and farmers to rehabilitate land, said an international aid organization yesterday after voicing concern about the fragile health of this year’s farming season. - more


Burma ‘worst country to be a blogger’

May 1, 2009 (DVB)–Burma has been ranked by a media watchdog as the worst country in the world in which to be an internet blogger, following the wave of sentencing last year of bloggers and journalists critical of the government. - more

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