th Waning of Tagu 1373 ME Friday, 13 April, 2012 Nay Pyi ... P YI T AW, 12 April— The opening...

Established 1914

Volume XIX, Number 358 7th Waning of Tagu 1373 ME Friday, 13 April, 2012

Our Three MainNational Causes

* Non-disintegration of theUnion

* Non-disintegration of NationalSolidarity

* Perpetuation of Sovereignty

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April—The opening ceremony of1373 ME Nay Pyi TawMayor’s Maha ThingyanPandal was held in front ofNay Pyi Taw City Hall thisevening.

It was attended by NayPyi Taw Council ChairmanMayor U Thein Nyunt,Union ministers, deputyministers, departmentalheads, officials, choraldancers from ministries, NayPyi Taw Command andhotels in Nay Pyi Taw HotelZone, artistes, and guests.

Nay Pyi Taw CouncilChairman Nay Pyi TawMayor U Thein Nyunt saidin his address: Today’sceremony was to open thirdMyanmar TraditionalCultural Maha ThingyanFestival in Nay Pyi Taw intransition from 1373 ME toa new year.

Handed down byancestors, it is the significantfestival of the entire nation.

Staff families of eachministry, families of hotelsand companies and residentswill participate in the

Nay Pyi Taw Mayor’s MahaThingyan Pandal opened

Moreover, Nay Pyi TawFountain Garden, NationalHerbal Garden, Nay Pyi TawZoological Garden, SafariGarden, NationalLandmarks Garden will alsobe kept open.

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April —Postmen of Myanmar Posts andTelecommunications of theMinistry of Communications, Postsand Telegraphs will be on duty todeliver letters and telegraphs on 15April (Sunday) and new year holidayon 20 April (Friday) without off on

festival of the administrativecity.

Water is poured inThingyan festival to cooldown summer’s scorchingheat and to wash off the dirtof the previous year. It is thefestival where mistakes,misdeeds and retaliationsare also wash off.

The traditionalcustoms should bepreserved in the festival,avoiding indecent dresses,dirty jokes, rudely pouringwater and drinking.

It is the festival theentire people seek meritsfrom paying respect to theolder persons, releasinganimals, and preservingSabbath.

On first day of the newyear, people of each wardand road auditionedParrittas and share merits.

The Central Pandal willbe opened in Nay Pyi TawCity Hall and four others inNay Pyi Taw Hotel Zones.Choral dancers andsongsters will entertain thecapital’s revelers atentertainment pandals.

Pianist Kun Zaw, ActorSoe Yan Aung and songstersShwe Yi Thein Tan, Seint

Nay Chi and Phone Khantand choral dancers to theaccompaniment of theorchestra of the Ministry ofCulture entertained thosepresent at the ceremony.

MNA

Revellers urged not to splashwater on postmen in uniform

those days.The express mail service of the

ministry will also be run on the newyear holidays.

MPT has urged water festivalgoers not to throw water to thepostmen in uniform during the waterfestival days.— MNA

Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman Nay Pyi Taw Mayor U Thein Nyunt formally opensWater Festival of Nay Pyi Taw.—MNA

Opening ceremony of Nay Pyi Taw Mayor’s Maha Thingyan Pandal inprogress in front of Nay Pyi Taw City Hall this evening.—MNA

What we call itThingyan: Beyond

the bottle

PAGE 7

Pakokku CentralPandal on

Myoma Road inPakokku packed

with merry-makers on MahaThingyan Akyo

Day.PAGE 6

A decorated float of MyanmarTraditional Maha Thingyan

Festival in Mandalay.

PAGE 6

Revellersthrowershappily at

NAING GroupPandal inKaba Aye

Pagoda Roadin Yangon.PAGE 6

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2 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Friday, 13 April, 2012

PERSPECTIVES

Private sector contributionFriday, 13 April, 2012

When compared with our neighbours,there is a big difference between our rice exportvolume and theirs despite the small differencein sown acreage. In fact, their cultivationmethods and strains are much more advancedthan us and that is the source of this bigdifference.

As we are still an agricultural country, weare trying for successful cultivation of paddy aswell as other crops boosting crop output fordomestic consumption and export. In theendeavour, the Ministry of Agriculture andIrrigation has been taking coordinativemeasures to acquire necessary techniques,methods, strains and cooperation whereverpossible including from internationalorganizations and international community. Theministry is also seeking cooperation fromcountries enjoying higher agro technology. Asthe technique to grow Palethwe hybrid paddystrains is the best for the time being, theministry is educating farmers all across thecountry to grow the hybrid strain.

As for the developed countries, they arefocusing on industrial development andengaging in agricultural tasks with the use ofmodern machinery. For Myanmar which relieson agriculture for fulfilling people’s basic needs,she too needs to introduce mechanized farmingfor agricultural sector development.

Farmers on their part must work hardaccepting advice of experts to be successful intheir agricultural business.

The State will be able to assist the agrosector only if it is economically strong. This iswhy the private sector contribution is alsonecessary. With the assistance of the State, theprivate sector should set up agricultural cartelsfor large-scale mechanized farming. Thesebusiness organizations should also help farmersapply modern methods, fertilizers and high-yield strains. They should also disburse low-interest loans to farmers. In this way we allmust find means that will help narrow the riceexport gap between our country and herneighbours.

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April—A ceremonyto donate cash to the fund for free eye surgicaloperation in Chin State by MyanmarWomen’s Affairs Federation was held atHaka General Hospital on 5 April morning.

President of Myanmar Women’sAffairs Federation Dr Daw Thet Thet Zinpresented K 3.15 million to MedicalSuperintendent Dr Ba Maung. The presidentgave gifts to three eye specialists and surgicalteam members. Later, she donated K 500,000to the fund of the General Hospital and cashassistance to the patients.

Patrons of the federation Daw Ni NiWin and Daw Mya Theingi visited thesummer women’s tailoring course anddonated books to Chin State WAO’s PyinnyaAlin library.

Chairperson of Chin State WAO DawAye Aye Myint and chairpersons of DistrictWAO reported on their works. The patrons ofthe federation presented K 500,000 to theorganizations.

At Vethala Home for the Aged in

NAY PYI TAW, 12April—A ceremony to handover two motor vehicles toLiaison Offices of KayinNational Union (KNU) tookplace at Zwekabin Hotel inHpa-an of Kayin State on 10April, attended by UnionMinisters U Aung Min andU Khin Yi from Union levelPeace-making group, KayinState Chief Minister U ZawMin, the State Ministers andofficials, Secretary-Generalof KNU Naw Sipora Sein,delegation led by Chief ofGeneral Staff General SawMutu Say Poe and membersand negotiators from bothsides.

On behalf of UnionMinister for Industry U SoeThein, Union Minister forImmigration and PopulationU Khin Yi handed overdocuments related to twoGrand Tiger motor vehicles

Union level peace-making group holds talks withNew Mon State Party

process at Mon StateGovernment Office inMawlamyine. It was attendedby Union Ministers U AungMin and U Khin Yi fromUnion level peace-makinggroup, State Chief MinisterU Ohn Myint, CommanderMaj-Gen Tin Maung Win,Lt-Col Zaw Naing Oo of theOffice of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services,Minister for Security andBorder Affairs Col HtayMyint Aung from Union-level peace-making group,the State Advocate-General,Lt-Col Kyaw Myint from theSouth-East Command, theSecretary of StateGovernment, U ShweThaung from RegionDevelopment SupervisoryOffice, member s led by JointGeneral Secretary (1) NaiAung Min of New Mon StateParty peace-making group

MWAF emphasizes social welfare tasks in Chin StateHaka, the president and patrons presentedK 1486000 and gifts to the aged.

On 6 April, they viewed traditionalcotton ware industries and swime farm oflocal people and donated K 800,000 to Kyon-kyon Parahita Development School K 6.1million to Parahita School, monasteries andnunneries.

On 7 April, they donated K 300,000 toLakhu Youth Development Parahita Schoolin Haka and K 250,000 to the fund of Tawyamonastery. They donated K 750,000 toNazayat Youth Development Parahita Homein Falam. While in Falam, they donated K350,000 to the nunnery.

On 9 April, they presented prizes tothe winners in the culture course at Aye YeikMon-4 Home for the Girls’ Orphanage inChanmye Aungsi Ward of Kalay.

In Indainggon Ward, they viewedsuccessful production of Phyo roasted lablabindustry with the use of micro-credit loans.They presented K 300,000 to WAOs of threetownships from Kalay District.—MNA

donated by Ministry ofIndustry to be used at liaisonoffices in Hpa-an and Daweithrough General Saw MutuSay Poe.

After that, the UnionMinisters, the State ChiefMinister, members of Statelevel peace-making group,and delegation led by NawSipora Sein and General SawMutu Say Poe from KNUpeace-making group holddiscussion on perpetuationof the ceasefire and openingof the liaison offices. StateMinister for Security andBorder Affairs Col AungLwin and member of KNUCentral Committee SawThaw Thi Bwe signed minuteand exchanged it.

The following day,Union level peace-makinggroup and New Mon StateParty peace-making groupheld on-going peace-making

and delegates from bothsides.

At the meeting, Unionlevel peace-making groupand New Mon State Partypeace-making groupdiscussed matters related tothe ceasefire across thecountry, perpetuation of theceasefire with New MonState Party, regionaldevelopment and social,education, health andeconomic affairs, the releaseof prisoners of New MonState Party and other armedgroups and continuedholding of Union level peacetalks. Union Minister UAung Min of Union levelpeace-making group andjoint General Secretary (1)Nai Aung Min of New MonState Party peace-makinggroup signed the meetingminute and exchanged it.

MNA

Patrons and president of Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation presentbooks at Chin State WAO's Pyinnya Alin Library.—MNA

Union level peace-making group member Union Minister U Aung Min and New Mon State Partypeace-making group exchange documents.—MNA

Perpetuation of peace discussed with KNU

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THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Friday, 13 April, 2012 3

Spanish national kidnapped in Nigeria

ENUGU, 12 April —Gunmen have kidnapped aSpanish national from hishome in the southeasternNigerian City of Enugu,where he was believed to havebeen working as a doctor,police said on Wednesday.“The man was abducted fromhis house last week by somegunmen who took him to an

Anti-riot police officers patrol the Enugu-Onitshahighway in 2005. Gunmen have kidnapped a Spanish

national from his home in the southeastern Nigerian cityof Enugu, where he was believed to have been working

as a doctor, police said.— INTERNET

unknown location,” policespokesman Ebere Amaraezetold AFP, adding that thekidnapping occurred on 4April.

“We don’t want to revealthe details of our operation soas not to jeopardise efforts tofree him from his captors.”Amaraeze declined to say if aransom demand had been

made. Earlier, Spain’s ForeignMinister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said in Madrid thatthe man was believed to havebeen abducted and that hisdisappearance “has all thecharacteristics of akidnapping for economicreasons.”

Spanish media reportedthat the 58-year-old doctorworks for a clinic belongingto a foundation financiallysupported by Catholicinstitution Opus Dei inNigeria. “The organization heworks for has asked for totaldiscretion,” the foreignminister added as he arrivedin parliament. “It is in thesouth of the country, not inthe north, so there are nopolitical implications of anytype.” Spain’s embassy inNigeria was working with thelocal authorities to resolvethe case and the foreignministry was in “permanentcontact” with the man’sfamily, a ministry spokesmansaid.— Internet

US-Afghan talks face tough hurdle overtroops

File photo shows USsoldiers setting up

concertina wire during amission in the TurkhamNangarhar Region of

Afghanistan.Washingtonand Kabul have hailedbreakthroughs towards

signing a treaty onrelations after 2014 —but it will not cover the

crucial issue of the statusof any US troops

remaining inAfghanistan.

INTERNET

Salford plane crash: ‘Aircraft had fuel supplyproblem’

LONDON, 12 April — Aplane which crashed into twohouses in GreaterManchester, killing the pilot,had probably suffered a fuelsupply problem, a report hasrevealed. Ian Daglish, 59, waskilled in the crash in Salfordwhile another man, aged 19,suffered serious 60% burns.Their light aircraft plungedinto two homes in NewlandsAvenue, Peel Green, on 29July 2011. The Air AccidentsInvestigation Branch (AAIB)said the Piper PA38Tomahawk’s engine stalledon take off.

Father-of-two MrDaglish, from Alderley Edge,Cheshire, was an experiencedpilot. The plane’s engine cutout shortly after leavingManchester/Barton CityAirport, at about 200ft (60m),said the AAIB report. It statedthat the plane rolled to theleft, with the extension roof ofthe first house most likely

being struck by the aircraft’sright wing. The burningplane’s underside hit the sidewall of a neighbouring house,coming to rest in a drivewaybetween the two homes.

The AAIB report said:“The account of thepassenger and the findingsfrom the investigation supporta fuel supply problem as beingthe most likely cause of theengine stoppage.”It added:“Although other potentialcauses for the engine

stoppage could not beeliminated from theinvestigation, the most likelycause, based on the availableevidence, was that stiffnessof the fuel selector valve andwear on the rod connecting itto the selector handle, mayhave resulted in the valvebeing in an intermediateposition during the take-off.“This would have reducedthe fuel flow to a level too lowto sustain continuous engineoperation.”—Internet

The plane came to rest in a driveway between the twohomes.— INTERNET

WASHINGTON, 12 April —Washington and Kabul havehailed breakthroughs towardssigning a treaty on relationsafter 2014 — but it will notcover the crucial issue of thestatus of any US troopsremaining in Afghanistan.“Anything having to do withthe continued presence of USforces and the roles that theywill play will be negotiated

separately after the strategicpartnership agreement,” USembassy spokesman GavinSundwall told AFP. In Iraq,Washington pulled out all itstroops, leaving no residualforce, after failing to getBaghdad to grant its soldiersimmunity from prosecution inlocal courts.

In Afghanistan, angerover the murderous rampagelast month by a US soldier whoallegedly killed 17 Afghanvillagers in their homes at nightbefore being flown out of thecountry, has complicated thenegotiations ahead. The130,000-strong US-led NATOforce helping the Afghangovernment fight a decade-long Taleban insurgency isdue to end combat operationsand pull out by the end of 2014,but a residual US force isexpected to remain. The issueof legal immunity for thosetroops “is definitely one of the

issues, among many others,that will be discussed with theAmericans”, a senior Afghangovernment official told AFPon condition of anonymity.

He pointed out that lastyear a loya jirga — a traditionalgrand assembly of tribal chiefs— demanded that Americantroops should be liable toprosecution in local courts.But the issue has not loomedlarge — at least publicly — inthe Afghan negotiations sofar, with Kabul concentratingon getting control over theUS-run Bagram prison andcontroversial special forcesnight raids against Talebanmilitants. President HamidKarzai achieved both thoseaims over the past month, andofficials on both sides haveexpressed hope that thestrategic partnershipagreement could be signedahead of the NATO summit inChicago in May.— Internet

People wait outside after being evacuated from theirbuildings following an earthquake in Mexico City on 11

April, 2012.— INTERNET

MEXICO CITY, 12 April —A strong earthquake hitwestern Mexico on Wednes-day, shaking buildings as faraway as the capital andsending people rushing out ofoffices onto the streets,though there were no reportsof major damage.

Mexico City MayorMarcelo Ebrard said on hisTwitter account there were noinitial signs of serious damageand that key services in thecapital, including its subwaysystem and the internationalairport, were operatingnormally. “There was a nastycrunching sound in mybathroom and everythingmoved,” said Adela Arceo,who was looking after twoyoung children in the centralRoma neighbourhood ofMexico City. There were noinitial reports of casualties.

The US GeologicalSurvey said the 6.5 magnitudequake struck in the westernstate of Michoacan at a depthof 12.4 miles (20 km). Theepicentre was 238 miles (384km) west-southwest of

US grabs lead over China in clean energy race

Strong quake shakes Mexico,no major damage

Mexico City. The USGS earlierestimated the strength of thequake at 7.0 magnitude andsaid it was deeper. Emergencyservices in Michoacan and inthe neighbouring state ofGuerrero, which has been hitby a series of recent quakes,reported no major problemson Wednesday. “You couldfeel it, but there’s no majordamage. There are no reports,no emergency calls,” saidAgustin Lule, a spokesmanfor fire services in Uruapan, atown in Michoacan near theepicentre of the quake.Reuters reporters in coastalareas of Guerrero andneighbouring Oaxaca statesaid there was no damage.

The Honolulu-basedPacific Tsunami WarningCentre said it had not issued atsunami warning, but staffoceanographer David Walshnoted the quake was close towater, big enough andpotentially deep enough tocause one. It was the third bigearthquake to hit Mexico inless than a month.

Reuters

WASHINGTON , 12 April—The United States has regainedthe lead in the clean energyrace, investing $48 billion lastyear to surpass China, whichheld the world’s top spendingspot since 2009, said a studyon Wednesday.

The US surge in privateinvestment was a 42 percentincrease over 2010 and sawWashington maintain its leadworldwide in both venturecapital and research anddevelopment cash, said thePew Charitable Trusts annualreport on clean energy.

However, the US boomwas largely driven by expiring

The United States hasregained the lead in the

clean energy race, investing$48 billion last year to

surpass China, which heldthe world’s top spendingspot since 2009, said astudy on Wednesday.

INTERNET

tax incentives, highlighting “apersistent phenomenon inwhich the country fails todeploy into the marketplacethe clean energy innovationsit creates in the laboratory,” itsaid. China, which fell tosecond, invested $45.5 billionlast year, a one percent increaseover 2010, but maintained itsglobal lead in wind energyinvestment and in solarmanufacturing, said the report.

Experts say a keydifference between the UnitedStates and China is in howthey attract investment —China by having solid greenenergy policies that reassure

investors and the United Statesby offering tax breaks forinvestment.

“China has been able tofuel its growth by having veryconsistent and long-termpolicies in place that really tellinvestors there is anopportunity for them to makea profit,” said Phyllis Cuttino,

director of Pew’s Clean EnergyProgramme. “The UnitedStates has no renewableenergy target but they havedecided to try and incentivizeclean energy investmentthrough a variety of taxincentives, tax credits, taxsubsidies, loan guarantees,”she told AFP.—Internet

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Study blames ocean CO2 for oyster declinesLOS ANGELES, 12 April —

Scientists are blamingslightly higher levels ofcarbon dioxide in PacificOcean waters linked to globalwarming for the failure ofoyster larvae to survive in anOregon hatchery. They sayhigher acidity of the waterthat comes with more carbondioxide makes it harder foryoung oysters to form theirshells, dooming them in amatter of days, even if theyare moved to morefavourable environments.

“A lot of studies talkabout the year 2050 whenocean acidification becomesa problem,” for sea life, saidlead author Alan Barton,production manager at theWhiskey Creek Shellfish

In this 6 Dec, 2011, file,photo, owner Kevin Lunnyholds a Pacific oyster at

the Drake’s Bay Oyster Coin Point Reyes National

Seashore, Calif. Scientistsblame higher levels of

carbon dioxide in PacificOcean waters caused by

man-made global warmingfor the failure of oysters to

produce young at anOregon hatchery.

INTERNET

Environment Agency warns of flash flood riskin drought

LONDON, 12 April —Drought conditions affec-ting much of England couldincrease the risk of flashflooding in heavy rain, theEnvironment Agency haswarned. Hosepipe bans wereintroduced in parts ofsouthern and easternEngland on 5 April after oneof the driest two-year periodson record. But the agencysaid “dry, compacted soils”absorbed water less easilyand future storms could

Dry, compacted soilsabsorb heavy rains less

easily.— INTERNET

cause flash floods.It is encouraging people

to use its new FacebookFloodAlerts application.Head of flood incidentmanagement CraigWoolhouse said droughtconditions meant thatflooding “may be far frompeople’s minds” but that therisk could not be ignored.“Being prepared is vital tohelp reduce the risk offlooding,” he said. “We areurging communities to use

Hatchery on Netarts Bay. “Itshowed up five years ago forus,” and almost put thehatchery out of business.The study appeared onTuesday in the online editionof the journal Limnology andOceanography. “Thepredicted rise of atmosphericCO2 in the next two to threedecades may push oysterlarval growth past the break-even point in terms ofproduction,” study co-author Burke Hales,professor of biogeochemicaloceanography at OregonState University, said in astatement.

The study representssome of the first researchtaking the issue out of thelaboratory and putting it into

the natural environment, saidAnnaliese Hettinger, adoctoral candidate at theUniversity of California atDavis Bodega Lab, who didnot take part in the study.

Internet

‘Odd duck’ Indonesia quake surprisesscientists

LOS ANGELES, 12 April — The massive earthquake off Indonesia surprised scientists:Usually this type of jolt isn’t this powerful. The biggest earthquakes tend to occur insubduction zones where one plate of the Earth’s crust dives under another. This grindproduced the 2004 magnitude-9.1 Indian Ocean disaster and the magnitude-9 Japan quakelast year. Wednesday’s magnitude-8.6 occurred along a strike-slip fault line similar toCalifornia’s San Andreas Fault. Scientists say it’s rare for strike-slip quakes, in which blocksof rocks slide horizontally past each other, to be this large.

“It’s clearly a bit of an odd duck,” said seismologist Susan Hough of the US GeologicalSurvey in Pasadena, Calif. As one of the world’s most seismically active places, Indonesiais located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the PacificBasin. Pressure builds up in the rocks over time and is eventually released in an earthquake.Wednesday’s quake was followed by a magnitude-8.2 aftershock. Both were strike-slipquakes. “A week ago, we wouldn’t have thought we could have a strike-slip earthquake ofthis size. This is very, very large,” said Kevin Furlong, a professor of geosciences at PennState University.

So large, in fact, that the main shock went into the history books. Record-keeping bythe USGS National Earthquake Information Centre ranks Wednesday’s shaker as the 11thlargest since 1900. It’s probably the largest strike-slip event though there’s debate aboutwhether a similar-sized Tibet quake in 1950 was the same kind.—Internet

the new application,alongside our existingFloodline Hotline and

website updates, to keep onestep ahead of future floods.”

Internet

Wal-Mart previews ‘Disc to Digital’movie service

ROSEMEAD, 12 April —Wal-Mart Stores Incpreviewed its “Disc to Digital”service for converting DVDsinto an online library onWednesday. Based on myexperience, I’d give it a six outof 10.

That’s the number ofdiscs I was able to convertfrom a completely unscientificsampling of my personal DVDlibrary. The new serviceallows movie fans to walk intoany Walmart, where they canpresent their old DVDs andget permanent access to anonline version of each movie

A “WalmartEntertainment” stamp in

indelible ink has beenplaced on a disc,

preventing any furtherconversion, but allowing itto still be played, at a Wal-Mart store in Rosemead,Calif, on 11 April, 2012.

INTERNET

that can be streamed from ahome computer or a mobiledevice. The DVDs arestamped with a special ink toprevent further conversion.The DVDs, however, can stillbe played. Each DVDconversion costs as little as$2.

Three of my four failedconversions were no surprise— two were obscuredocumentaries, and one wasa film from The Walt DisneyCo, which is not participatingin the service. One was a bitpuzzling: “Water forElephants,” a fairly successful

romance released last year by20th Century Fox, one of thestudios that is partnering withWal-Mart. Wal-Mart’scategory director for movies,Louis Greth, said the retailerhasn’t yet cleared the rightsfor all the titles fromparticipating studios. Thatwill result in some titles notbeing available. Some actorsand directors have not agreedto sign over digital rights tomovies they took part in. Inthe case of director GeorgeLucas, that includes all six“Star Wars” movies.

Internet

Bug hits new Nokia Lumia 900smartphone

LONDON, 12 April — A software bug in the latest Nokiasmartphone is causing some handsets in the US to occasionallylose their data connection, the company has said. The Finnishmanufacturer said a fix for the Lumia 900’s “memorymanagement issue” would be issued on 16 April. In themeantime, affected customers are being offered $100 (£63) incall credits. Analysts say the setback could hit Nokia’s hopesof regaining market share from rivals Apple and Google. Nokiais still the world’s largest mobile manufacturer, but is losingout significantly in the smartphone market. The Lumia 900,which was released in the US on Sunday, runs Microsoft’slatest Windows Phone software. The phone is expected tolaunch in the UK by the end of the month.

In a blog post, Nokia said the phone had enjoyed a“positive response” since its release, but that problems soonemerged. “After this flagship device began selling, weidentified a software issue,” the company wrote. “In short, amemory management issue was discovered that could, insome cases, lead to loss of data connectivity. “This issue ispurely in the phone software, and is not related to either phonehardware or the network itself. As a proactive and prudentmeasure, we decided to take immediate action.” The companysaid that users who wanted the update immediately couldtrade in their handsets for a model already running thesoftware fix.—Internet

Apple develops tool to ‘detect and remove’Flashback Trojan

than half a million Maccomputers. It said it is working

The Lumia 900 is seen as Nokia’s strongest attempt totake on Apple and Google to date.— INTERNET

Apple products havepreviously been regarded

as less susceptible toviruses than

Windows PCs.INTERNET

expose computers to controlby hackers. It is Apple’s firststatement on the threat. Itissued patches to prevent themalware’s installation lastweek.

The two securityupdates were released eightweeks after Java’s developerOracle issued a fix for othercomputer systems.In amessage posted on Apple’swebsite’s support section, thecompany said it had fixed a“Java security flaw forsystems running OS X v10.7and Mac OS X v10.6”. Itsuggested users of Macs

running earlier versions of itssystem software shoulddisable Java in their webbrowser preferences. Inaddition, Apple said it wasworking with ISPs to shutdown networks of servershosted by the malwareauthors, which the code -known as Flashback - relieson “to perform many of itscritical functions”.

Russian anti-virus firmDr Web, which has trackedthe scale of the botnet, said itbelieved around 650,000machines had now beeninfected.—Internet

WASHINGTON, 12 April —Apple has said it isdeveloping a tool to “detectand remove” a Trojan that issaid to have infected more

with internet service providers(ISPs) to disrupt the commandnetwork being used byhackers to exploit the malware.Trojans are infections that can

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Seaweed is collected in Dalian, in northeast China’sLiaoning Province, for export to Japan.—INTERNET

Seaweed linked to post-menopause cancer risk

TOKYO, 12 April — AJapanese study on Wednes-day said regular seaweedconsumption among post-menopausal women heighten-ed their risk of developingthyroid cancer, linking it toiodine in the macrobiotic food.A 14-year national survey ofnearly 53,000 Japanesewomen, aged between 40 and69, found that the groupreported 134 thyroid cancer

Doubts over insect-bitetreatment

Thebed-bug

feedson

blood. INTERNET

LONDON, 12 April — People should consider using a cold,wet cloth to treat insect bites instead of turning to over-the-counter remedies, experts say. An investigation has concludedthat there is little evidence that creams, painkillers and anti-inflammatories often used for bites actually work.

In any case, said Drug and Therapeutics Bulletinresearchers, the reactions got better by themselves in mostcases. Midges, mosquitoes, flies, fleas and bed-bugs accountfor most bites. A variety of remedies are sold over the counterin pharmacies to relieve the itching, pain and swelling.

Researchers from the journal reviewed a host of data andevidence published on insect-bite treatments. It concluded inmany cases treatments for insect bites had not actually beentested for such purposes. It said medical help should clearly

be sought if serious symptoms, such as infections oranaphylactic shock, developed.

But it said for simple bites a flannel or cloth soaked in coldwater often worked best - despite advice from official bodies,such as NHS Choices, suggesting treatments should be used.David Phizackerley, the deputy editor of the journal, said:“People are using these treatments so they should know thereis no evidence they work. [Most] bites will get better on theirown.”—Internet

Shift workers ‘risking’ diabetesand obesity

Night working has beenlinked to poorer health.

INTERNET

published in Science Translational Medicine, showedchanges to normal sleep meant the body struggled to controlsugar levels. Some participants even developed earlysymptoms of diabetes within weeks. Shift work has beenassociated with a host of health problems. Doctors at Brighamand Women’s Hospital, in the US, were trying to study itseffects in a controlled environment.

The 21 health-trial participants started with 10 hours’sleep at night. This was followed by three weeks of disruptionto their sleep and body clocks.The length of the day wasextended to 28 hours, creating an effect similar to a full-timeflyer constantly getting jet lag. Participants were allowed only6.5 hours’ sleep in the new 28-hour day, equivalent to 5.6hours in a normal day. They also lived in dim light to preventnormal light resetting the body the clock. During this part ofthe study, sugar levels in the blood were “significantlyincreased” immediately after a meal and during “fasting” partsof the day.

Internet

LONDON , 12 April — Shift workers getting too little sleepat the wrong time of day may be increasing their risk ofdiabetes and obesity, according to researchers. The team iscalling for more measures to reduce the impact of shift workingfollowing the results of its study. Researchers controlled thelives of 21 people, including meal and bedtimes. The results,

Stocks make a U-turn, rising after big decline

NEW YORK, 12 April —Investors on Wednesday allbut forgot the previous day’sburdens and sent stockssoaring. It was a starkturnaround from the daybefore, when they’d pushedthe market into a free-fall onworries about European debtand corporate earnings in theUS. Those fears aboutproblems festering on bothsides of the Atlantic werecalmed thanks to a surprisingprofit from Alcoa and newsthat borrowing costs in Spainhad edged down, a potentialsign that investors have morefaith — for now, anyway — inthat country’s financial health.

The result was a U-turnon Wall Street. The Dow

Jones industrial averageclimbed as much as 129 pointsin early trading before settlingat 12,805.39, up 89.46 points.The previous day, it had lost214 points, the cap to itsbiggest and longest losingstreak this year. Europeanmarkets rose, too. Stocksclimbed roughly 1 percent inmajor capitals, excludingGreece, after losing 2 to 3percent the day before.Treasury prices fell, signalingthat investors are more willingto put money in stocks. OtherUS indexes also erased muchof the previous day’s losses.The Standard & Poor’s 500rose 10.12 points to 1,368.71after losing 24 points the daybefore. The Nasdaq

composite climbed 25.24points to 3,016.46 following a56-point loss Tuesday.

Alcoa rose more than 6percent after reporting lateTuesday that it turned a profitin the first three months of theyear and handily beat theexpectations of Wall Streetanalysts, who were predictinga loss.

Internet

Specialist Robert Tuccillo, centre, works with traders onthe floor of the New York Stock Exchange on 9 April,2012. Stocks are opening sharply higher, on 11 April,

2012, a day after their worst loss of the year.— INTERNET

Dartmouth College president Jim Yong Kim, USPresident Barack Obama’s nominee to president of the

World Bank, reaches out to shake hands as he arrives formeetings at the bank’s headquarters on 11 April,

2012.— INTERNET

US pick for World Bank makes case to boarddirectors

BMW sees record salesthanks to China demand

BERLIN, 12 April — German luxury carmaker BMW hasposted record quarterly sales for the first three months of theyear, a period in which it sold more cars in China than in theUS for the first time. Overall sales hit 425,528 vehicles, a riseof 11.2% on a year earlier, with the BMW, Rolls-Royce andMini brands all reporting record sales.

The company sold 80,014 cars in China, 37% more thana year ago. BMW said it expected record sales to continuethroughout thi2s year.”The BMW Group achieved an all-time high in sales last month and the best quarter in itshistory,” said sales boss Ian Robertson.

The carmaker is due to publish its first quarter financialresults on 3 May. In 2011, BMW profits jumped by 51% to4.9b euros ($6.4b; £4b).On Tuesday, rival Audi, which isowned by Volkswagen, said it had sold 346,100 cars in the firstquarter, an increase of 10.8% on a year earlier.—Internet

BMWsaid it

expectedto

achieverecordsalesfor

2012as a

whole.INTERNET

WASHINGTON, 12 April —Jim Yong Kim, the US nomineeto head the World Bank, onWednesday told the bank’sboard of directors that hewould not hesitate toquestion the status quo anddo his best to help the world’spoorest. In a two and a halfpage address made public by

the Treasury Department, Kimoutlined the reasons why hebelieved his training as apublic health expert and formerpresident of DartmouthCollege equipped him withthe skills needed to take overthe World Bank in June whencurrent president RobertZoellick steps down.

“You would find in mesomeone who asks hardquestions about the statusquo and is not afraid tochallenge existing ortho-doxies,” Kim said. “I’d bringrigor, objectivity and a focuson data that help all of usdefine and achieve our sharedvision of securing strongeconomic growth and deliv-ering greater opportunity forthe world’s poor,” he said.

Kim was expected to undergoa round of questioning frombank directors as the two othercontenders for the job —Nigerian Finance MinisterNgozi Okonjo-Iweala andformer Colombian FinanceMinister Jose AntonioOcampo — already havedone.

A decision on Zoellick’ssuccessor is to be made publicby the time the bank and itssister institution, the Intern-ational Monetary Fund, holdsemi-annual meetings inWashington 20 to 22 April .Kim has been on a world tourthat has taken him to Asia andLatin America to meet financeleaders and to try to drum upsupport for his US-backedcandidacy.—Internet

cases, including 113 cases ofpapillary carcinoma, a com-mon type of the illness.

Those who ate seaweeddaily were 1.7 times more likelyto develop cancer than thosewho ate it no more than twicea week, the study said. Therisk more than doubled amongpost-menopausal women whowere about 3.8 times more likelyto develop the cancer thanthose who limited theirconsumption of seaweed, apopular food in Japan, thestudy said. “Seaweed consu-mption was clearly associatedwith an increased risk ofpapillary carcinoma,” said thestudy led by the NationalCancer Centre and NationalInstitute for EnvironmentalStudies.—Internet

P5(13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM5


Choraldancersperform

dances atNay Pyi Taw

Mayor’sMaha

ThingyanPandalopening

ceremony on12 April.

MNA

A decorated float of Myanmar TraditionalMaha Thingyan Festival in Mandalay.

MNA

Revellers and throwers at NAING GroupPandal in Kaba Aye Pagoda Road in Yangon

on Maha Thingyan Akyo Day.—TIN SOE

Kyeegon Station Pandal packed with revellersin Kalay on Maha Thingyan Akyo Day. (MIN

THAN WAI-KALAY SUB-PRINTING HOUSE)

Pakokku Central Pandal on Myoma Road inPakokku packed with merry-makers on Maha

Thingyan Akyo Day.—MYANMA ALIN

Photos capturingimages of MyanmarTraditional Maha

Thingyan Akyo Day

Decorated floats at Yangon Mayor’s MahaThingyan Pandal on Kandawgyi Ringroad.

MNA

Opening ceremony ofToungoo Thingyan

Festival in progress.MYANMA ALIN

Pandal of General Administration Departmentof Yangon West District packed with

merry-makers.—MYANMA ALIN

Pandals on ringroad of

Kandawgyi Lakein Yangon Region

teeming withrevellerson MahaThingyanAkyo Day.

TIN SOE

p6(13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM6


New Year Water Festival, better knownas Thingyan Festival, kicks off today. Itderives from Pali word, “Sankanta,” whichmeans the transit of the sun from Pisces toAires. It is the most significant event offestive Myanmars. The dates of celebrationare calculated by lunar calendar. OtherTheravada Buddhist countries in SoutheastAsia—Laos, Cambodia and Thailand—have their own versions of Thingyan despitecommon celebration style.

However it is called Thingyan orSongkran or something, throwing waterhas the only meaning. It conveys themessage that dirt of the preceding year iswash off by Thingyan water. Hit the roadunder scorching summer in blazing hot midsummer, clean and cold Thingyan waterfreshen the world.

There is also a myth about Thingyanthat Sakra, King of Celestial Abode,descends to the earth in festival period andclosely monitors how the people arebehaving. The later half of 5000 Sasanayears is said to be the Sakra’s Sasana,meaning the King of Devas defends thereligion founded by the Lord Buddha.

Since a couple of months before the

What we call it Thingyan: Beyond the bottleWhat we call it Thingyan: Beyond the bottleby Nathan

festival, Thingyan melodies have beenoccupying the air and the soul of Myanmarpeople. Padauk is the essential ingredient inThingyan songs. The yellow Padauk flower,Angsana, comes out around the festivalperiod only once a year, making it thecrowning icon of faith and loyalty.

Another significant feature of Thingyanis çatudisa, free snacks offered to anyonefrom all directions, the east, the west, thesouth and the north. Mont-lone-ye-paw,floating rice ball with the nucleus of jaggerysweet, is the most famous and loved snackçatudisa pandals offer. Chili is the alternativeto jaggery sweet in some rice balls, used tojolly the unlucky eater into unkind spiciness.

The whole nation thrills to the festivalwhich is also the gazetted holiday. Eachpeople will have their own ways to spend the10-night holiday. Some move into the shadeof Dhamma, observing Sabbath andregistering at meditation centres. Some optto take a vacation. The majority choose tomingle with the crowd, playing water.

As all other festivals, Thingyan hasadverse consequences. Traffic accidentsare on the increase during in festival.According to police source, 69 revellers

injured in 32 accidents during the last year’scelebration in Yangon alone. Wet andslippery roads and especially drink-drivingare to blame for road accidents. Another sadthing is that most victims killed in thoseaccidents are the young people on whomthe country’s future depends. Driversshould not hold the wheel with excess alcohol

especially in the festival when most merry-makers are drunk. Drunken brawls are alsocommon among young revellers during thefestival.

The joy for a moment should not lead tothe tragedy. And drinking never pays. Thereare still many other ways to enjoy Thingyanwithout booze.

Kawlin plans to organize Traditional MahaThingyan Festival on grander scale

KAWLIN, 12 April—Acoordination meeting onorganizing the KawlinTownship MyanmaTraditional Maha ThingyanFestival of Sagaing Regionwas held at Zartiman Hall ofTownship GeneralAdministration Departmenton 9 April.

At the meeting,Township Administrator UMyo Naung instructedofficials to hold the festivalon a grand scale like that of

previous year and managedancing and entertainmentprogrammes, security andwater supply tasks.

Daw Kyawt Yin Win ofTownship DevelopmentAffairs Committee reportedon supply of water, Head ofTownship Fire ServicesDepartment U Htay Myint,Deputy Commanding OfficerU Kyaw Tint of TownshipAuxiliary Fire Battalion andward administrators onsecurity measures and

holding of the festival.Station Superintendent

(Upper Class) U Tin Shein ofMyanma Railways reportedon arrangements forentertainments. Deputy Headof department U Kyaw Htoosubmitted reports on plan topay respects to the aged ofabove-85 years old on theNew Year Day.

Myanma TraditionalMaha Thingyan Festival willbe held in Kawlin on a grandscale.—Myanma Alin

DISTRICT NEWS

Taxation over salary clarifiedYANGON, 12 April—

Yangon Region InternalRevenue Departmentorganized a talk on taxationover salary at the hall of StateLottery Department of

Internal RevenueDepartment, here, on 9 April.

Yangon Region Ministerfor Finance and Revenue DawSan San Nwe delivered anaddress at the ceremony.

Assistant Director DawPhyu Pyar of Yangon RegionInternal Revenue Departmentexplained calculation forlevying income tax from salaryand work procedures andreplied to queries raised bythose present.—IRD

Thuta Yadana Library opened in ThongwaTownship

YANGON, 12 April—Theopening ceremony of ThutaYadana Library was held inPatokkyi Village ofBagantaung Village-tract inThongwa Township ofYangon South District on 7April morning.

Thongwa TownshipAdministrator U KyawThaung, Head of TownshipInformation and PublicRelations Department DawTin Tin Htwe, Administrator

U Kyaw Myint and LibraryCommittee Chairman U AungNyein formally opened thebuilding of library.

After that, theTownship Administratordonated 100 books,Township IPRD 100 books,the chairperson ofTownship Women’s AffairsOrganization Daw Ma Nyo100 books, wellwisher UNaing Oo-Daw San San Winand family land plot for thelibrary, U Zaw Win-Daw Ohn

Htay and family K 70,000and books, U Kyaw Myint-Daw Mar Mar Sein andfamily one clock, four feetfluorescence lamp andbooks. Officials acceptedthe cash and kind donation.

The building of thelibrary was constructed at acost of K 1 million by the Stateand K 500,000 by the localpeople. The facility is 24 feetlong, 14 feet wide and 12 feethigh one storey building.

Myanma Alinof Bagantaung Village-tract

Natural hutching of goldenHamilton’s Carps demonstrated

BHAMO, 12 April—The natural hutching of goldenHamilton’s carps was demonstrated to fish breedersin Bhamo Township so as to develop the rural areas.

On 28 March, in-charge of the Bhamo fish farmingcamp Daw Thin Thin Hlaing and staff demonstratednatural hutching of fish.

Head of District Fisheries Department Daw NyuntMay and Head of Township Cooperative DepartmentDaw Ohn Myint distributed 10500 fingerlings ofgolden Hamilton’s Carps to 15 small fish ponds ofShwepyitha Cooperative Society throughShwepyitha administrator, and fish ponds of Aung,Sanda, Aung Hsu Pan, Khaing Mye Aung and PanCherry cooperative societies.

Fisheries Department

Strong winds,heavy rains hit

SagaingSAGAING, 12 April—The strong

winds hit Sagaing of SagaingRegionin addition to heavy rains at 8.15 pm on7 April.

Due to blow of strong winds, alamp post broke and a Banyan tree felldown on the road.

Under the supervision of theTownship Administrator, theTownship Electrical Officer andworkers, ward administrator and party,members of fire brigade cleared debrisfrom the road as much as possible andcarried out supply of electricity as usualto the local people.—Kyemon

CSC ISSUED: Inimplementing Moe

Pwint-2 Plan, Head ofMawlamyine

Township Immigrationand NationalRegistration

Department U MyintAung and staff madecitizenship scrutinycards for the local

people. On 20 March,they issue cards to the

administrator ofKadoe, Kawhnat andKawhla Village-tract

of MawlamyineTownship.

TOWNSHIP IMMIGRATION

P7 (13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM7


E

Yangon Region Chief Minister attends Yangon Mayor’sMaha Thingyan Pandal opening ceremony

YANGON, 12 April—The opening ceremony ofYangon Mayor’s MahaThingyan Pandal was heldat the pandal this morning.

The ceremony was

region chief minister andwife, the region Hluttawspeaker and the Yangonmayor presented cashawards to choral dancetroupes. Then the chiefminister cordially greeteddiplomats and theirfamilies.

The staff of YangonCity DevelopmentCommittee sprinkled wateron the region chief ministerand guests with Thabyaybranches. The pandal willbe kept opened till 16 Aprilfrom 8 am to 5 pm.

The region chiefminister and wife, and partyalso attended the openingceremony of ninth Rakhinetraditional ThingyanFestival (Yangon)

Yangon Region Chief Minister U Myint Swe attends opening ceremony ofYangon Mayor’s Thingyan Pandal.—MNACentral Pandal of Yangon South District

seen with opening ceremony for MyanmarTraditional Maha Thingyan Festival1373 ME of Yangon South District.

MNA

Thingyan lovers play

with water at Sky Net

and Shwe FM

happily.—MNA

Yein Troupes perform

their dance at

Nay Pyi Taw Mayor’s

Maha Thingyan

Pandal’s opening

ceremony.

MNA

Golden

Triangle

Family

Thingyan

Pandal

joyfully

partici-

pates in

Water

Festival.

MNA

(from page 16)Social Affairs Minister DrMyint Thein launched thefountain. Choral dancetroupes performed dances andsongs. A total of 11 pandalswere opened in the district.

Region Planning andEconomy Minister U ThanMyint extended greetings atopening ceremony ofYangon North DistrictPandal which was formallyopened by Region MinistersDaw San San Nwe, U Soe Minand U Than Myint andDistrict Administrator U NayLin. A toal of 15 pandals were

Over 150 Maha Thingyan…opened in the district.

Region Planning andEconomy Minister U ThanMyint and Pyithu HluttawRepresentative U Nyan Win,District Aministrator U NayLin and TownshipAdministrator U Htein Soeformally opened the openingceremony of HlaingthayaTownship Central Pandaland Industrial Zone Ward (5)Pandal.

Pandals in Yangon werepacked with revellers andpagodas and monasterieswith those who didmeritorious deeds.—MNA

attended by Region ChiefMinister U Myint Swe andwife Daw Khin Thet Htay,Region Hluttaw Speaker USein Tin Win, Chief Justiceof Region High Court U WinSwe, the Region Hluttawdeputy speaker, regionministers, the regionadvocate-general, theregion auditor-general,their wives, diplomats inYangon and their families,departmental officials,choral dance troupes andguests.

Yangon MayorRegion DevelopmentAffairs Minister U HlaMyint formally opened theceremony.

After enjoyingperformances of dancers, the

organized by RakhineLiterature and CultureGroup (Yangon) under theleadership of RakhineNational Race AffairsMinistry in Yangon Region.Rakhine National RaceAffairs Minister U Zaw AyeMaung extended greetingsat the ceremony.

Region ChiefMinister U Myint Swe, wifeDaw Khin Thet Htay andguests and members oftownship associations inRakhine State pouredscented water on BuddhaImages. Rakhinetraditional cultural troupesentertained the guests andthe Region Chief Ministerand party played water withRakhine nationals.—MNA

MyanmarTraditional MahaThingyan Festival

1373 ME observed inNay Pyi Taw,

Yangon, Mandalayon Maha Thingyan

Akyo Day

P8(13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM8


Union A&I Minister inspects plantations atShwedaung agricultural research farm

Kachin State Chief Ministertees off golf tourney, inspects

water throwing pandals inMyitkyina

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April — A golf tournament was heldto mark Myanmar Traditional Cultural Maha ThingyanFestival for 1374 ME, at Northern Star Golf Club inMyitkyina in Kachin State yesterday.

Chief Minister of Kachin State U La John Ngan Hsaiteed off to open the tournament.

Afterwards, the Chief Minister visited water throwingpandals of ministries and companies.

At 7 pm, the Chief Minister attended a presentationceremony for the tournament and dinner hosted to mark thetournament at the City Hall in Myitkyina.—MNA

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April—Union Minister forAgriculture and IrrigationU Myint Hlaing yesterdayafternoon viewedpollination at 100-acrePalethwe hybrid paddy seedproduction farm ofShwedaung AgriculturalResearch Farm in WundwinTownship.

Indian agriculturist MrMohamad CD Siddqui andMyanmar agriculturist UNaing Kyi Win reported onsuccess in paddy seedproduction farm.

Officials also reportedon pollination at 100-acreSurya Kiran hybridsunflower strain plantation.

The Union Ministeralso viewed thriving of 100-acre Ngwechi long staplecotton farm and 100-acreMyanmar Palethwe hybridpaddy plantation.

In meeting withofficials, the Union Ministerstressed the need to produce

quality seeds that grants centper cent sprouting of plantsfor the farmers. Scholars areto strive for production ofquality seeds with costeffectiveness for the farmers.Only when quality seeds are

to be used, will crops ofMyanmar have stable marketin the world. Studyingmodern agriculturetechnology, experiencesfrom scholars are to be

compiled as research paper.The Union Minister

presented cash assistance asNew Year gift and footstuffto the scholars and workersof the farms.—MNA

Water throwing pandals inNay Pyi Taw Hotel Zone opened

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April —Water throwing pandals atNay Pyi Taw Hotel Zonewere opened today to markthe Maha Thingyan festival.

The water throwingpandals of the Golden GuestHotel and Shwe ThanlwinCompany outside theGolden Guest Hotel wasopened this morning byDeputy Minister for Hotelsand Tourism U Htay Aung,member of Nay Pyi TawCouncil U Kan Chun andpatron of Shwe ThanlwinCompany Agga Maha ThiriThudhamma Theingi DawNi. Artistes and dancetroupes entertained thevisitors with song andtraditional dances.

Shwe ThanlwinCompany is donatingcharity food and snacks tovisitors during the festival.

Similarly, the waterthrowing pandal of MaxMyanmar Group ofCompanies outside RoyalKumudra Hotel was openedby Deputy Minister U HtayAung, Member of Nay PyiTaw Council U Kan Chunand U Khin Maung Kywe ofMax Myanmar Group ofCompanies.

The water throwingpandal of Theim GroupCompany Ltd outside HotelShwe Pyi Daw was openedby Deputy Minister U Htay

Chun and CEO of Nay PyiTaw FC U Kyaw Oo.

Artistes and dancersperformed traditionaldances at the openingceremonies of the pandals.

Artistes and vocalistsincluding Yan Aung, NayAung, Ye Aung, Kyaw YeAung, Zin Waing, Min Maw

Kun, Pho Thauk Kyar, HatKat, Ringo, Bo Phyu, NawNaw, Thar Soe, Chan Chan,Jenny, Rebacca Win, NilarAung, May Thu and Twetarand traditional dancers willentertain the visitors withsongs and dances during thefestival.

MNA

Shwelinban Industrial Zonefire put out 50 minutes later

Authorities call on people to speedup fire preventive measures

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April—Fire which broke out at YCCork factory in Shwelinban Industrial Zone in HlinethayaTownship in Yangon Region at 2.50 pm today was put out50 minutes later.

Making holes at cork containers with electricity startedthe fire. Thirty fire engines and five administration vehiclesrushed to the scene and extinguished the fire in minutes. AMark II car, one RC factory building with corrugated-iron-sheet roof, machines in the factory and raw materials werelost in the fire.

A series of fire outbreaks around the country in everyyear not only led to losses for victims but undermined urbanand rural development and national development.

As now is hot season which is more likely to start a fire,TV, radio, dailies and journals are constantly warning thepeople to take fire preventive measures. Fire bridges intowns and villages are giving educative talks,demonstrating fire drills and conducting surprise checkswhether the fire is used systematically.

The authorities concerned are trying to raise publicawareness of the risks of negligence fire—ambers, hightemperature in electronic equipment and wires, and cigarettewhich is not completely extinguished.—MNA

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April —National Literary Awardscrutinizing committee hasannounced that it has set twocategories for the NationalLiterary Award for books inEnglish as fiction and non-fiction genres as from 2011.

The literary award forEnglish genre was added tothe literary awards for booksin Myanmar last year after itwas suggested at the first

Two categories for English set forNational Literary Awards

meeting of the Nationalliterary award scrutinizingcommittee which has beenorganized for 2010 and2011.

The committee selectedthe book whether it wasfiction or non-fiction writtenin English by a Myanmarcitizen last year.

The committee hasincreased the categories intotwo : fiction and non-fiction:

this year with the aim ofencouraging Englishlanguage learning inMyanmar, propagatingMynmar history, culture andarts and assisting theMyanmar literary world andwriters.

Similarly, one award forbook in English would beincluded in the SarpayBeikman manuscript awardsfor 2011.— MNA

Aung, Member of Nay PyiTaw Council U Kan Chunand Chairman of TheimGroup Co Ltd U TheinAung.

The water throwingpandal of Nay Pyi Taw FCoutside Oasis Hotel wasopened by Deputy MinisterU Htay Aung, Member ofNay Pyi Taw Council U Kan

Fire fighters put outfire at YC Cork

Factory inShwelinban Industrial

Zone in HlinethayaTownship in Yangon

Region.—MNA

Water throwing pandal of Max Myanmar Group of Companies opens withdancing.—MNA

Union Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing viewspollination at 100-acre Palethwe hybrid paddy seed production farm ofShwedaung Agricultural Research Farm in Wundwin Township.—MNA

P9(13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM9


DISTRICT NEWS

YANGON, 12 April—Thecall centre will be kept opento give 24-hour services ofreplying to the any questionsduring the period of MahaThingyan Festival.

“Twenty-four-hourservices will be provided tothe users during the period ofMaha Thigyan Festival. Callrate will be set K 30 per minuteas original price of MyanmaPosts and Tele-communications. Services willcover the existing fivesectors,” explained an officialof the call centre.

As information desk of

Call centre kept open in MahaThingyan Festival period

the call centre will be openedduring the Thingyanholidays, the people areinterested in its services.

Call centre can giveservices for businesses onincoming and outgoingtelephone calls ofcompanies, offers ofcommodities and otherbusiness services.

Anyone may dial 1876for communication and otherinformation, and generalmatters urgently during theperiod of Maha ThingyanFestival.

Thoon Watthan

CASH DONATED: Wellwisher U Aung Than Nyunt-Daw Khin Thiri Aung donate K 100,000 to the

medical fund of Yedashe Home for the Aged throughHead of the Home U Maung Maung on 1 April.

MYANMA ALIN

CASH DONATED: Cash donation was held forJivitadana Clinic at Home for the Aged in Yedashe

Township on 7 April. In commemoration of thewedding reception, Ko Aung Kyaw Oo-Ma Win Win

Soe of Ward 3 in Yedashe donate K 100,000 toChairman of the Home Administrative Board U Myint

Moe.—MYANMA ALIN

Rural Library opened inMachanbaw Township

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April—A ceremony to open newbuilding of Sheinhti Librarywas held in Deinchet Villagein Ingadeinchet Village-tractin Machanbaw Township ofPutao District in Kachin Stateon 29 March morning.

At the ceremony, Headof Township Informationand Public RelationsDepartment U Nan Zae PhonHsan and Villageadministrator U Nan ShoHtin cut the ribbon to openthe building.

At first, the village

administrator made a speech.The head of TownshipInformation and PublicRelations Departmentexplained durability of thelibrary.

After that, the chairmanof the Library Committeeaccepted the documentaryvideo on AyaykyonyinKyemon Shide donate byMyanmar LibrariesFoundation and 200 booksand publications byTownship Information andPublic Relations Depart-ment.—Township IPRD

MES Vice-Chairman leavesfor Japan

YANGON, 12 April—Ateam comprising CECmembers U Hla Khaing, UTin Maung Win, U Po Ayeand Work Committeemember U Aung Naing Thuled by Vice-Chairman ofMyanmar Engineering

Society U Linn left here byair for Japan on 9 Aprilevening to attend the AsianWelding Federation Meetingand the InternationalWelding TechnologicalShow to be held in Osaka ofJapan from 11 to 13 April.

They were seen off atYangon International Airportby Joint General Secretary UOhn Myint of MyanmarEngineering Society.

On completion of themeeting, they will visit theJFE workshops to meetMyanmar trainees who arelearning welding courses ofJFE Engineering Co Ltd ofJapan.—MES

Fire breaks out at Haymawun Market in SouthOkkalapa Township

YANGON, 12 April—A firebroke out at HaymawunMarket on Myitta Road ofWard 10 in South OkkalapaTownship of Yangon Regionon 10 April.

The outbreak of firestarted at 1.20 am. It was diedout at 2.38 am and put out at

2.55 am.In the incident, the fire

destroyed over 1200 shopsof three complexes ofHaymawun Market.

Fire brigade membersput out the fire with the use of43 fire engines, sixsupporting vehicles, five

water tankers and ninemanagement vehicles,totalling 63.

The fire started frommosquito coin of the nightguard between No. 2 andNo. 3 complexes of themarket.—Myanma Alin

TATKON, 12 April—ThePlanning and ImplementingCommittee of TatkonTownship held thecoordination meetingNo. 1/2012 at the hall ofTownship GeneralAdministration Departmentat 2 pm on 6 April.

Tatkon Township holds coord meeting onplanning and implementing committee

Head of Nay Pyi TawCouncil Area GeneralAdmnistration DepartmentU Maung Maung andTownship Administrator UAye Lu delivered addresses.

Head of TownshipPlanning Department U WinNaing reported on process

of drawing the plans.Member of the

committee township leveldepartmental officials,townselders, social andeconomic organizationmembers and officialsparticipated in thediscussions.—Kyemon

The besttime to planta tree was 20

years ago.The secondbest time is

now.

Nurturing of Palethwe hybrid paddydemonstrated in Mawlamyinegyun

MAWLAMYINEGYUN, 12April—Farmers ofMawlamyinegyun Town-ship observed cultivationpattern of thriving Palethwehybrid paddy plantation offarmer U Aye Naing inGyongyonkya Village inTechaung Village-tract of thetownship on 7 April morning.

The observation washeld at the farmer educativeplot of Township AgricultureDepartment inGyongyonkya Village.

The observation wassupervised by Head of

Township AgricultureDepartment U Kyaw Htay andstaff.

Farmers of 27 villagesfrom the township viewedthriving of best quality ofears of paddy at Palethwepaddy plantation.

The head of TownshipAgriculture Department,Deputy Heads of DepartmentDaw Thein Win and DawMoh Moh Than, AssistantHead of Department U MyintSein explained nurturing ofPalethwe hybrid paddyplants, method of cultivation

and 14-point goodagriculture patterns indetail.—Myanma Alin

Title recipient Sayadawshonoured in Hsipaw

HSIPAW, 12 April—Aceremony to honourmembers of the Sanghaoffered religious titles by theState was held at NamlanMyole Monastery in HsipawTownship on 5 April.

At the ceremony,departmental personnel,members of social

organizations and localpeople paid homage toDhammakahtika BahujanaHitadhara title recipientBawkyo Phayagyi Mo-nastery Sayadaw andSaddhamma Jotikadhaja titlerecipient Namlan MyoleMonastery BhaddantaÑanobhasa.—Myanma Alin

Myanmar LibrariesFoundation is givingencouragement tobroadening the horizon of thepeople and developing self-reliant libraries across thenation.

Those wishing to donatecash and books to the librariesmay contact MyanmarLibraries Foundation at No.228 on Theinbyu Street inBotahtaung Township,Yangon, Tel: 01-371342, 01-201936 and 01-398756.

MLF invitesbooks, cashdonations

P-10(13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM11


document. Rising fuel pricesin Germany have led to recentcalls for the tax on petrol to becut, although commuters arealready able to offset theirjourneys to work againstincome tax.

Internet

German drivers offered free public transportBERLIN, 12 April —

Motorists in the German Cityof Leipzig are to be offeredfree public transport this weekin a bid to cut congestion.The authorities’ decisioncomes amid concerns overcommuting times and

lengthening traffic jams. Thehope is that motorists will bepersuaded to leave their carsat home permanently.

They will have to producevehicle or driving licences.Families and groups can alsotravel together on a single

UK can extradite five terror suspects to USPARIS, 12 April — Euro-

pe’s human rights court ruledTuesday that Britain can senda radical Muslim cleric andfour other suspects to theUnited States to face terrorismcharges in a case that hasbeen closely watched as anindicator of whether toughUS prisons could influenceextradition policy. The courtsaid Britain would not violateEU human rights rules byextraditing the suspects, whocould face life sentences in amaximum-security prison.

The long-running legal

battle centered on MustafaKamal Mustafa, also knownas Abu Hamza al-Masri,considered Britain’s mostrecognizable extremist,thanks in part to his fieryrhetoric and hook for a hand.He has long been a figure oftabloid newspaper scorn. Al-Masri and the other men hadargued that in the US theycould face prison conditionsand jail terms that wouldexpose them to “torture orinhuman or degradingtreatment or punishment” inbreach of the European

human rights code.The European Court of

Human Rights in Strasbourg,France, rejected those claims,saying in its ruling Tuesdaythat “detention conditionsand length of sentences offive alleged terrorists wouldnot amount to ill-treatment ifthey were extradited to theUSA.” However, the courtsaid the five “should not beextradited” until its judgmentbecomes final — a move thatcould take months — or untila possible appeals processends.—Internet

People watch police investigate the scene where threepeople were shot and killed at an in-home day care in

Brooklyn Park, Minn, on 9 April, 2012. No arrests wereimmediately made.

INTERNET

Heart test could predict future attacks in elderly

BRIDGEPORT, 12 April—Police say a five-year-oldConnecticut boy brought 50packets of heroin to schoolfor show and tell, and hisstepfather has been arrested.Bridgeport police tell theConnecticut Post that 35-year-old Santos Roman wentto the Barnum School on

NEW YORK , 12 April —Atest to measure the heart’selectrical activity could helppredict future heart attacks inotherwise healthy adults over70, said a US study onTuesday. Researchersfollowed 2,192 healthy adultsaged 70-79 for a period ofeight years, according to thestudy published in theJournal of the AmericanMedical Association. Thesubjects started the study bygetting an electrocardiogram,often called an EKG or ECG,which measures the heart’soverall health.

People who showedabnormalities in their EKGssaw a higher risk of heartdisease over the course of the

study than people whoseEKGs were normal, even afterresearchers adjusted for riskfactors like diabetes and highcholesterol. Those who hadminor abnormalities show upon their first test had a 35percent higher risk of heartattack, while those with majorabnormalities had a 51 percentincreased risk, said thefindings. “This research istaking the information froman EKG and adding it to othertraditional risk factors tobetter predict who is going tohave a heart attack,” said co-author Douglas Bauer,director of the University ofCalifornia San FranciscoDivision of General InternalMedicine Research Pro-

gramme.However, organizations

such as the AmericanAcademy of FamilyPhysicians do not back routineuse of EKGs for cardiacscreening in low-risk patients,citing high costs and a lack ofevidence that the test wouldimprove health outcomes.“For the time being, in theabsence of clear evidence ofbenefit and no clearimplications for costs, thebest advice is not to performECGs in asymptomaticpatients, regardless of age,”said an accompanyingeditorial by Philip Greenlandof the NorthwesternUniversity Feinberg Schoolof Medicine.— Internet

In this file photo of an artistrendering released by Lucas

Films, a drawing of the proposedIndustry Light & Magic campus,is shown. Lucasfilm Ltd, the force

behind the Star Wars movies,said it has abandoned plans tobuild a big digital productionstudio on historic farmland in

northern California, citingopposition from neighboursworried the environmental

impact.—INTERNET

Boy, 5, brings 50 packets of heroin to schoolfor show and tell

Monday to retrieve the drugsand found police waiting forhim.

He was detained on$100,000 bail on risk ofinjury to a minor and drugcharges.

Police say the boy woreRoman’s jacket to school onMonday. When it came time

for his show-and-tell presen-tation, the kindergartnerdisplayed bags of heroin. Theteacher confiscated the drugsand told the principal, whocalled police. The boy wasput in state custody untilother relatives could belocated.

Internet

LONDON, 12 April — Acruise ship retracing the routeof the Titanic had to interruptits journey on Tuesdaybecause of a medicalemergency on board,organizers said. The TitanicMemorial Cruise — on its wayto the North Atlantic sitewhere the Titanic hit aniceberg and sank 100 yearsago — had to turn back brieflyto the Irish coast so that a sickpassenger could be airliftedto a hospital.

Organizers did notidentify the passenger ordescribe the ailment, but theBBC reported that one of itscameramen, Tim Rex, was

Medical emergency delays Titanic memorialcruise

airlifted by rescue helicopter“as a medical precaution.”The 12-night memorial cruiseaboard the MS Balmoral leftthe Irish town of Cobh lateMonday to cross the Atlantic,tracing the route of thedoomed liner’s maidenvoyage in April 1912. Like theTitanic, it began its journeySunday at southernEngland’s Southampton.After Tuesday’s brief delay,the ship resumed its itineraryand is expected to call inHalifax, Canada on 16 Apriland in New York on 19 April.

The ship, which iscarrying 1,309 passengers —including relatives of some of

the more than 1,500 Titanicpassengers who died — seeksto recreate the Titanicexperience, minus the disaster.Many passengers, crewmembers and stewards aredressing in period costumes.Passengers are eating mealsfrom the Titanic’s menu, whilea live band plays music of theera. Two special memorialservices are to take place overthe weekend: The first closeto midnight on 14 April, whenthe Titanic hit the iceberg,and the second on early 15April, when the ship sank.The Balmoral is operated byFred Olsen Cruise Lines.

Internet

Four charged over bin fire murderLONDON, 12 April — Three

men and a woman have beencharged with the murder of aman found burned in anindustrial bin inSouthampton. The body ofJamie Dack, 22, was found onSunday after fire crews werecalled to the Empress RoadIndustrial Estate. Ryan IanWoodmansey, 31, AndrewWilliam Christopher Dwyer-Skeats, 25, Lee MatthewNicholls, 28, and DonnaLouise Chalk, 20, face murdercharges.

The body of Jamie Dackwas found in anindustrial bin on

Sunday.—INTERNET

They remain in custodyand are due to appear atSouthampton Magistrates’Court on Thursday. All fouralso face charges of falseimprisonment and con-spiracy to rob Mr Dack. MrWoodmansey, of no fixedabode, Mr Dwyer-Skeats, ofEarls Road, Southampton,and Mr Nicholls, ofSouthampton Street,Southampton, were alsocharged with causinggrievous bodily harm toJamie Dack. Ms Chalk’s

address was given as EarlsRoad, Southampton.

The body of Mr Dack,from Millbrook Road West,was found by fire crews whowere called to Dukes Roadon the industrial estate atabout 03:10 BST on Sunday.Hampshire Police said theywere still asking for witnessesto contact them. Mr Dack hadbeen living at Patrick House,a hostel for homeless youngpeople in Millbrook,Southampton in the weeksbefore his death.—Internet

Climbers aim to replicate tough1963 Everest climb

KATHMANDU, 12 April —A flood of US climbers istaking aim at Mount Everestthis year as the 50thanniversary of the first USconquest of the famous peaknears, with one team set to tryand replicate the historicascent along a difficult andrarely used route. Five USmountaineers climbed the8,850 metre (29,035 feet)Everest, the world’s highestpeak, in May 1963. Two went

along the untested WestRidge route and three alongthe traditional South EastRidge route, also known asthe South Col route.

This year, two climbersin a nine-member team led byCorry Richards will climb thedifficult West Ridge route,while the others will go alongthe Southeast Ridge route,pioneered by New ZealanderSir Edmund Hillary andTenzing Norgay in 1953.Conrad Anker, 49, a memberof the team and a two-timeEverest climber, said that ifweather and physical abilitiesallowed, both groups wouldtry and meet at the summit.“That will be the plan,” Ankertold Reuters before leaving forthe mountain in March.

Another American teamconsisting of four climbersled by James Ryrie Nortonwill also be on the West Ridgeroute, Nepal’s TourismMinistry said.”These twoexpeditions are trying toreplicate what the US team in1963 did on Everest,” saidElizabeth Hawley,Kathmandu-based historianand an unofficial authority onEverest. Hawley, 88,unofficial arbiter of climbingrelated disputes andchronicler of Everest climbs,considers the 1963 Americanascent to be the biggestEverest milestone after thepioneering feat of Hillary andNorgay because the route islong and so difficult it is rarelyused today. —Reuters

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CLAIMS DAY NOTICEMV DAN JIANG VOY NO ( )

Consignees of cargo carried on MV DAN JIANGVOY NO ( ) are hereby notified that the vessel will bearriving on 13.4.2012 and cargo will be discharged intothe premises of A.W.P.T where it will lie at the consign-ee’s risk and expenses and subject to the byelaws andconditions of the Port of Yangon.

Damaged cargo will be surveyed daily from 8 amto 11:20 am and 12 noon to 4 pm to Claims Day nowdeclared as the third day after final discharge of cargofrom the Vessel.

No claims against this vessel will be admitted afterthe Claims Day.

SHIPPING AGENCY DEPARTMENTMYANMA PORT AUTHORITY

AGENT FOR: M/S INTERASIA LINESPhone No: 256908/378316/376797

US SEC sues AutoChina for alleged stockmanipulation

WASHINGTON, 12 April —The US Securities andExchange Commission (SEC)has sued AutoChinaInternational and 11 investorsover alleged stockmanipulation. They havebeen accused of unlawfullybuying and selling shares in abid to artificially inflatetrading figures so the companycould gain “favourable loanterms”. AutoChina says it isthe country’s biggestcommercial vehicle sales andleasing firm.

The company hasdenied the charges. It said

Several Chinese firmshave been investigated bythe SEC in recent months.

INTERNET

that the SEC’s allegationswere “without merit”. “Thecompany intends to defendagainst the claims vigorouslyand believes that all of theevidence it is aware ofcontradicts the SEC’sallegations,” the firm said ina statement.

In its complaint, the SEChas alleged that thedefendants and othersdeposited $60m (£38m) intoUS-based brokerageaccounts starting fromOctober 2010. It said theaverage daily trading volumeof the company’s shares

jumped to more than 139,000shares between 1 November2010 and 31 January 2011,compared with just 18,000 inthe three months prior to thebrokerage accounts beingopened.

The SEC has alleged thatseveral of those accused wererelated to the company’schairman and that theseaccounts were only used totrade AutoChina shares.

Internet

Stardust recycling mysterysolved

WASHINGTON, 12 April —A long-standing mysteryabout how dying stars spewout the material of futureplanets is now solved,scientists say. While stars likeour Sun are known to ejectmuch of their mass in theirfinal years, it has remainedunclear just how the dust isblown away. Scientistsreporting in Nature describean astronomical study ofextraordinary resolution totackle the mystery.

They found dust grainsof nearly a millionth of a metreacross, big enough to bepushed out by dying stars’light. The team of astronomersfrom Australian andEuropean universities took alook at three so-called red

Polarised images of the red giant W Hydrae show thecentral star and a sphere of dust surrounding it.

INTERNET

India Maoists release Italian hostage PaoloBosusco

NEW DELHI, 12 April — Italian hostagePaolo Bosusco has been freed by India’sMaoist rebels after nearly a month in captivity.Mr Bosusco, 54, was abducted on 14 March,along with fellow Italian Claudio Colangelo,61, while trekking in a tribal area of Orissastate. Mr Colangelo was released on 25March.

The exact terms of the release are notknown but on Tuesday a court freed the wifeof Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda. She wasone of several jailed rebels whose release theMaoists had demanded. State legislator JhinaHikaka, who was seized on 23 March byanother group of Maoists, remains in custody.

After his release, Mr Bosusco told a localtelevision channel in the state capital,Bhubaneswar, that he had been treated wellby the rebels. “I’m in good health.

There’s nothing to worry about. I loveOrissa and its people,” he said. Mr Bosusco,who has lived in the state for over a dozenyears, said he had visited the area where hewas held many times in the past. “But goingto there as a tourist is different from goingthere as a hostage,” he said. Earlier, the rebelshanded over Mr Bosusco to DandapaniMohanty, one of the mediators, who broughthim to Bhubaneswar.

He has now been taken to the state guesthouse where he is meeting Italian and Indianofficials.

“The first thing he wants to do is fly toItaly and meet his family,” Mr Mohanty toldjournalists. The Maoists have a strongpresence in several eastern states, includingOrissa, and have been described by PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh as India’s biggestinternal security threat.

The rebels say they are fighting for acommunist state and for the rights of tribalpeople and the rural poor.

Internet

Mr Bosusco runs an adventure tourismagency in Orissa.—INTERNET

Thailand’sPhuket Airportreopens after

Tsunami threatBANGKOK, 12 April —

Services at Phuket Airportresumed Thursday afterbeing shut down during aTsunami warning in sixcoastal provinces sparked bya 8.6-magnitude earthquakeoff Indonesia, an official said.

The airport wasreopened Wednesday nightsoon after Tsunami watch waslifted by the National DisasterWarning Centre, said Bang-orurat Shinaprayon, directorof the Tourism Authority ofThailand.

The centre onWednesday afternoon issueda Tsunami warning to the sixprovinces along theAndaman Sea — Krabi,Phuket, Phang Nga, Ranong,Satun and Trang; however, itlater revoked the warning atabout 8 pm local time when itwas clear the earthquake offIndonesia did not generatedisastrous Tsunami.

Phuket InternationalAirport was closed for severalhours during the disasterscare, with more than 15flights delayed. —Xinhua

Car mounts pavement in Kyoto, injuring 12OSAKA, 12 April — A car mounted a pavement in central Kyoto in wesern Japan Thursday,

injuring 12 people, including 6 in critical condition, local press reported. The accidenthappened at around 1 pm local time when a driver drove the car on the sidewalk and hitpedestrians nearby in Gion, one of the historical district of Kyoto City. The cause of theaccident is still unknown.—Xinhua

giant stars - stars that wereonce like our Sun is now, butthat have exhausted theirsupply of hydrogen andgrown to gargantuanproportions.

In a process that is anextreme case of the kind ofsolar wind that our own Sunexperiences, such stars blowmuch of their mass away inthe form of gas and grains ofmineral material on their wayto becoming white dwarfs.Lead author of the studyBarnaby Norris, of theUniversity of Sydney, toldBBC News that the stars were“the galaxy’s great recyclers”— the material that they spitout “goes on to make the nextgeneration of stars andplanets”.—Internet

A pedestrian walks in snow in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, on 12 April,2012. A snowfall hit the city on Thursday.—XINHUA

HANOI, 12 April—The International Digital Photo & Sign Show 2012,the first of this kind held in Vietnam, opened in southern Ho Chi MinhCity on Thursday, attracting many domestic and world leading companiesin the field from the United States, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia.

Organized by the Exporum Company and Eifec Com Ltd, theexhibition had more than 100 booths displaying the newest products ofvarious brands, including Tamron, Benro, MeFoto, Pentax, Recoh,Nokon, Olympus, Panasonic, Fuji and Samsung, according to the VietnamNews Agency. Products of new technologies were also on display, suchas LED screen, LED electronic boards, Lumi Letter made by Daikan(Japan), IEC, Star Media Group and Vinacom.

The show was also seen as a playing ground for those interested indigital camera and sign board advertisement, with various sideline eventsheld during the three-day show, including a market for camera andequipment, seminar on camera and sign board advertisement, a photoexhibition of the city women photographers’ club, and a photo contesttitled “Digital photos accompany you” and “Brightening Vietnamesebeauty”.

The show will be open through 14 April.—Xinhua

First int’l digital photo and sign showopens in Vietnam

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A colossal porcelain jarproduced in the eastern cityof Jingdezhen, China’sporcelain hub, was certifiedas the world’s largestporcelain jar and unveiled topublic Wednesday afterreceiving certification fromthe Guinness WorldRecords. “On behalf of theGuinness World Records,now I announce that the jar inJiangxi was filled with 368liters of liquor, it’s a newGuinness World Record,”Cheng Dong, GuinnessCertification Officer of Chinaannounced.

The Guinness WorldRecords are publishedannually as a book,containing a collection ofworld records, both humanachievements and theextremes of the natural world.

The on-site certificationwas issued at the foot of theSanqing Mountains ineastern Jiangxi Province.Known for its unique

News Album

Chinese giant porcelain jarbreaks world record

Italian researchers successfullytest first robotic fish

The first robotic fishsuccessful debuted amongother real fish, paving the wayfor better understanding ofanimal collective behaviour,Italian researchers said onWednesday. The robotcapable of imitating real fish,developed by a jointcollaboration between Italy’sNational Research Council(CNR) and the New YorkUniversity (NYU), completelyintegrated into a group of fishand even became the schoolleader, Stefano Marras, theCNR researcher who carriedout the test, told Xinhua.

The robot, developed atNYU by a research team

landscapes, the mountainswere added to the WorldHeritage List in 2008 and thejar will stay there permanently.The jar stands at 2.1 metershigh, measures 1.56 metres indiametre at its greatest, with atotal weight of about 2,000 kg.

It went on display afterbeing fired for 16 days in achartered kiln in Jingdezhen,a city in the province of Jiangxiwhich boasts a 1,700-yearhistory of producing finepottery.

“Technique used in thefiring and adorning processwill open a new chapter in thehistory of China’s con-temporary porcelain,” Chengsaid. “The art combines theessence of traditionalporcelain while exploring itfrom a contemporaryperspective.” “The kiln canreach a temperature of 1,320degrees,” said WangZhigang, who was in chargeof the application for theGuinness World Record.

‘Jesus Tomb’ controversyrages as archaeologists exploreanother 2,000-year-old tomb

Archaeologists workingin Jerusalem claim that adiscovery they made inside aburial tomb, dating back tothe time of Jesus Christ, couldshed new light on the originsof Christianity. Biblicalhistorian James Tabor,professor and chair ofreligious studies at theUniversity of North Carolinain Charlotte, is working withthe team, led by controversialfilmmaker Simcha Jacobovici.Using a camera mounted on arobotic arm, the team found a2,000-year-old engraving,which they claim depictsJesus’ resurrection, on anossuary — a limestone burialbox that contains human

coordinated by ItalianMaurizio Porfiri, “was testedwhile swimming together withreal fish in a water tunnel atdifferent flow velocities,”Marras said. Studying the flowstructure, the group ofresearchers found outbiomimetic locomotion was adeterminant of fish preference,being fish more attractedtowards the robot when its tailwas beating rather than whenit was statically immersed inthe water. “The robotic fishleft a vortex that helped theothers save energy,”similar tocyclists when they takeadvantage of wind streamsbehind vehicles, Marras said.

bones — in a first-centurytomb. Their exploration ofancient life in the holy land istold in a new documentary forthe Discovery Channel called“The Resurrection TombMystery,” which premiereson 12 April at 10 pm ET/PT.“It’s almost like a moonscapefeeling of something eerie,something kind of silent- areverent feeling really,” Taborsaid.

“Because these peopledied 2,000 years ago and nowwe are investigating their lastmemories, how they burytheir dead, what they leftbehind, so that was there andthen the excitement of, ‘Wellwill there be something we’llfind or will we find just anotherJewish tomb’?”

But the team thinks theyfound something much morethan that. Tabor believes theengraving found on theossuary depicts the Biblicalstory of Jonah, who wasswallowed by a whale in theBook of Jonah.

‘Jesus Tomb’ ControversyRages as ArchaeologistsExplore Another 2,000-

Year-Old Tomb.

LONDON, 12 April —Booker-nominated authorWilliam Boyd is taking on themission to write a new JamesBond novel. The as-yet-untitled book will appear in2013, the 60th anniversary ofthe super-spy’s first literaryouting, in Ian Fleming’sCasino Royale. Boyd hasrevealed that his story willmark a return to “classicBond” and will be set in thelate 1960s. He is the thirdauthor in recent years to beinvited by the Ian Flemingestate to write an official Bondnovel. Before him cameAmerican thriller writer JefferyDeaver, who penned CarteBlanche in 2011; andSebastian Faulks, whoseDevil May Care waspublished to mark IanFleming’s centenary in 2008.

Deaver’s book, released

Lady Gaga confirms Born ThisWay Ball UK tour dates

Lady Gaga

LONDON , 12 April— LadyGaga has confirmed detailsof the European leg of herBorn This Way Ball worldtour, including shows inLondon and Manchester. Thesinger will play TwickenhamStadium on Saturday 8September and ManchesterArena on Tuesday 11September. Gaga confirmed atotal of 21 concerts in Europe,beginning in Sofia, Bulgariaon 14 August. Tickets for theUK gigs go on sale on Friday13 April. The Born This WayBall begins in Seoul, SouthKorea on 27 April, beforecoming to Europe later in thesummer.

In a statement the singerdescribed the production as“spectacular”. She added:“The Born This Way Ball isan Electro-Metal Pop-Opera;the tale of the Beginning, thegenesis of the Kingdom ofFame. How we were birthedand how we will diecelebrating.” Lady Gagareleased her most recentalbum Born This Way in 2011.She has now sold more than

15 million albums around theworld. It’s been announcedthat reformed rockers TheDarkness will support Gagafor the European gigs.

Lead singer JustinHawkins told Newsbeat: “Idon’t expect it to be plainsailing, but it never is. It’s notsupposed to be. “I’msurprised that we’reconsidered heavy enough forit. “I think she likes a lot ofstuff that’s more extreme thanwhat we do. Obviously, I’mdelighted.—Internet

William Boyd

William Boyd takes James Bondback to 1960s in new 007 novel

Dame Monica Mason to receive specialOlivier Award

Monica Mason on her 54-year career with The

Royal Ballet.— INTERNET

in May last year, is set in thepresent day and portrayedBond as a Royal NavalReserve veteran whoseservice included a tour ofAfghanistan. It has sold over160,000 copies to date and isout in paperback next month.

Sales of Carte Blanche inits opening week were abouta third of those achieved byFaulks’ book in the sameperiod. —Internet

Shah Rukh Khan to play Dhyan Chand?

LONDON, 12 April —Director of the Royal BalletDame Monica Mason is toreceive a special prize at theOlivier Awards for heroutstanding contribution totheatre.

Mason, who waspreviously a dancer with theballet, is due to retire in Julyafter 54 years with thecompany. Actors JamesMcAvoy, Zach Braff, LennyHenry, Elaine Paige, PatrickStewart, David Suchet andBarbara Windsor have allbeen lined up to presentawards. The ceremony willtake place on Sunday, 15 Aprilat London’s Royal OperaHouse.

Lyricist Sir Tim Rice, bestknown for co-writing showssuch as Jesus Christ Superstarand Evita, will also receive anoutstanding contributionprize. He and Dame Monicajoin Harold Pinter, Dame JudiDench and StephenSondheim as previousrecipients of the award. Bornin Johannesburg, DameMonica moved to the UK in

the 1950s after her father diedsuddenly. She joined theRoyal Ballet when she wasjust 16 years old. By the ageof 20, she had been given thelead role in KennethMacMillan’s new version ofStravinsky’s The Rite ofSpring; and in 1968 she waspromoted to principal dancer.

In the 1970s, she took onsome of ballet’s most famousroles — including Odette /Odile in Swan Lake.MacMillan also created fourroles for her: Lescaut’sMistress in Manon, CalliopeRag in Elite Syncopations,Summer in The Four Seasonsand the Midwife in Rituals.

Internet

Veronique Peck (R),widow of actor Gregory

Peck, and her sonAnthony Peck pose at a

screening celebrating the50th anniversary of the

Academy Award winningfilm “To Kill A

Mockingbird” at theAcademy of Motion

Picture Arts & Sciences inBeverly Hills, California

on 11 April, 2012.INTERNET

MUMBAI, 12 April — Forsome time now, hockeylegend Dhyan Chand hasbeen in the news over someBharat Ratna speculation.But even before the Indiangovernment takes a final callon conferring him with thehighest civilian honour,Bollywood has woken up tothe wizard’s magic.Apparently, multiple biopicson Chand are in the pipelinewith superstar Shah RukhKhan being one of the choicesto play the sporting hero onbig screen.

SRK confirms: “Yes, Ihave been approached for amovie based on thelegendary Dhyan Chandji’slife. Hockey, as a sport, isn’tnew to me since I have been

Superstar Shah RukhKhan

an athlete throughout myschool and college life, andI’ve especially played a lot ofhockey.” Not many may knowthat SRK, during his schooldays at St Columba’s, Delhi,captained the football andhockey teams besides playingcricket at the zonal andnational levels.

Of course, the actor hasalready had a brush withhockey in his film Chak De!India (2007), in which heplayed the coach of thewomen’s national hockeyteam. Although details ofSRK’s project are currentlyunknown, a couple of otherbiopics on Chand areunderway. Sources close toChand’s family reveal thatManmohan Shetty (of

Walkwater Media) and actor-director Satyajeet Puri havecontacted Chand’s son,Ashok Kumar, regarding afilm on his life.

“Yes, I am going to makea biopic. And it’s not like Ihave planned it after thesuccess of Paan Singh Tomaror The Dirty Picture. I havebeen working on it for thepast two years.

Internet

Animals’ funny hairstyles

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LONDON , 12 April — Thisseason is the 20th campaignof the Premier League and tocelebrate the landmark,accolades will be awarded tothe incredible people and thememorable moments thathave helped make thecompetition the mostwatched in the world. Theshortlists will be announcednext week, and you can getinvolved. There are 11categories, five of which willbe determined by a publicvote and six by a panel ofleading football figures,journalists and com-

Premier League to launch 20 Seasons AwardsGreatest players, managers and moments in last 20 years will be

honouredmentators.

The panel will decideon:

Best PlayerBest ManagerBest TeamBest SeasonMost Memorable QuoteThe public vote will

recognize:Best GoalBest MatchBest SaveBest Goal CelebrationAs well as those nine

awards, both the public andthe panel are to chooseFantasy Teams of the 20Seasons from a shortlist of 80players.

There are also three fact-based awards:

Most player appearancesMost goalsMost clean sheetsFans will be able to

submit their selections in thepublic vote categoriesthrough a specially-designedmicrosite on premier-league.com, which goes liveon Tuesday 17th Aprilthrough to Monday 30th

April. As well as revealingthe category shortlists, thePremier League 20 Seasonswebsite will have video clipsof all the nominations so thatfans can re-live the shortlistedgoals, matches, saves andcelebrations to help maketheir selections. And thepublic can also select anultimate Premier LeagueFantasy Team from a shortlistof the greatest players fromthe last 20 years. Fans canpick a goalkeeper, two centre-backs, one left-back, oneright-back, two centralmidfielders, one rightmidfielder, one left midfielderand two forwards for an all-time XI. There are 10shortlisted players in eachposition. The shortlists for allthe categories have beencreated by nominationssubmitted by all UK nationalnewspapers as well as thePremier League’s five liveBroadcast Partners in the UK.A number of the winners willbe honoured at a specialpresentation ceremony onTuesday 15th May.

Internet

The greatest players,managers and moments in

Premier League historywill be honoured in the 20

Seasons Awards whichlaunches on 17th April.

INTERNET

Wigan stun United to give City hopeLONDON, 12 April —

Struggling Wigan breathedlife into the Premier Leaguetitle race with a stunning 1-0upset of Manchester Unitedon Wednesday asManchester City romped toa 4-0 win over WestBromwich Albion.

Just days after Unitedlooked to have assuredthemselves of a 20th leaguecrown by opening up aneight-point lead over City,Shaun Maloney’s 50th-minute winner for Wigansuggested the title race mayyet have more twists in store.City’s emphatic win overWest Brom at Eastlandsreduced United’s lead at thetop to five points with fivegames remaining, meaningSir Alex Ferguson’s side havelittle margin for error in theirremaining fixtures.

United — who musttravel to City on 30 April —looked sluggish throughoutas Wigan claimed a preciousthree points that lifted themout of the relegation zone atthe expense of Bolton.

United were fortunatenot to fall behind after Wiganappeared to have taken the

Manchester United’s English striker Wayne Rooney (R),English midfielder Michael Carrick (2nd L) and Mexican

striker Javier Hernandez (L) wait to kick off after theWigan goal during the English Premier League footballmatch at The DW Stadium in Wigan, on 11 April, 2012.

Wigan defeated Manchester United 1-0.—INTERNET

lead through Victor Mosesmidway through the first half,only for the goal to be ruledout for a foul on Unitedgoalkeeper David de Gea. ButUnited were not so fortunateon 50 minutes when Wigantook the lead with a magicalstrike from Maloney, curlinga superb shot beyond De Geaafter a clever short cornerroutine. “It was adisappointing night for us,we were second to every ballin the first half and we were

completely dominated byWigan,” Ferguson said. “Itwas one of those off nightsthat you sometimes get infootball.” The Unitedmanager was also critical ofreferee Phil Dowd but added:“That doesn’t take away fromthe fact that Wigan were thebetter team and deserved towin.” Ferguson added: “It’simportant to win our homegames now. We’ll improvefrom this performance, I’msure of that.” —Internet

World number one LukeDonald will try to put

another fruitless majorcampaign behind him thisweek as he heads the field

for the US PGA Tour’sHeritage tournament.

INTERNET

Big debts lie behind Spanishfootball glory

MADRID, 12 April —Spanish football may beenjoying one of its mostsuccessful eras, powered byBarcelona and Real Madrid’scharge through theChampions League, but theglittering success on the pitchhides a darker story. As Realand Barca are through to theelite Champions Leaguesemi-finals, and threeSpanish clubs are into theEuropa League last four, asurvey of the accounts of thecountry’s top clubs reveals atale of crippling debts andtax arrears.

Real Madrid leadBarcelona by four points atthe top of La Liga, but thetwo global superstars alsorival each other in the depthof their debts — Real haveaccumulated 589 millioneuros ($772 million) to

Bayern Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer reactsafter Dortmund scored during the German first divisionBundesliga football match Borussia Dortmund vs FC

Bayern Munich in the western German city ofDortmund. — INTERNET

DORTMUND, 12 April —Borussia Dortmund coachJurgen Klopp has insistedhis team have won nothingyet, even though their 1-0win over Bayern Munich hasleft them six points clear atthe top of the German league.

Dortmund cool title talk,despite beating Bayern

Dortmund are on course towin a second consecutiveBundesliga title after Polandstriker Robert Lewan-dowski’s second-half strikeon Wednesday left second-placed Bayern six pointsbehind with four games left.

“We remain in the lead,but we won be celebrating inany case,” insisted Klopp,whose team face Schalke,Moenchengladbach, bottomside Kaiserslautern andFreiburg on their league runin. Bayern face Mainz,Bremen, Stuttgart andCologne in their last fourleague games and di-sappointed Munich chairmanKarl-Heinz Rummeniggevirtually waved the white flag.

“I am 99 percent surethat Dortmund will beGerman champions,” headmitted.

Internet

Barcelona’s midfielder Sergio Busquets (L) kicks a ballduring the Spanish league match against Getafe CF

on 10 April, 2012 in Barcelona.— INTERNET

Barcelona’s 578 millioneuros. The archrivals’ debtseclipse their revenues, whichfor 2010-2011 amounted to479 million euros for RealMadrid and 450 million eurosfor Barcelona.

Europa League semi-finals Valencia and AtleticoMadrid are also both awashwith red ink, to the tune of382 and 514 million eurosrespectively.But the latestfigure to hit the headlines inSpain is the 752 million eurosthat Spain’s elite clubs oweto the tax man at a time whenmore than five million areunemployed and thegovernment is asking citizensfor more sacrifices. The sportsministry announced a plan toensure that football pays forits own debts. But for themoment it is unclear how theywill do so.— Internet

MLS All-Stars to takeon Chelsea in July

LONDON, 12 April —English Premier League clubChelsea will take on MajorLeague Soccer’s All-Stars inthe US league’s annualexhibition on 25 July, MLSannounced on Wednesday.The match comes six years

after a select side of MLSstars shocked Chelsea 1-0 inthe 2006 All-Star game atChicago. This time around,the match will be held at PPLPark, home of thePhiladelphia Union. It willbe the second stop onChelsea’s US visit, followingthe announcement lastmonth that they will play theSounders in Seattle on 18July. The MLS All-Stars willbe coached by Peter Nowak,current coach of the Union.Nowak was at the helm whenDwayne De Rosario’s goalgave MLS the victory overChelsea in 2006. Chelseachief executive Ron Gourlaysaid the English club wereexcited to have a chance at are-match. Chelsea haveplayed in Philadelphiabefore, taking on AC Milanthere in 2004.— Internet

Coach Peter Nowak of thePhiladelphia Union.

English Premier Leagueclub Chelsea will take onMajor League Soccer’s

All-Stars in the USleague’s annual exhibition

on 25 July, MLSannounced on

Wednesday.— INTERNET

Donald seeks to bounce back at the HeritageAUGUSTA, 12 April —

World number one LukeDonald will try to put anotherfruitless major campaignbehind him this week as heheads the field for the USPGA Tour’s Heritagetournament. The 36-year-oldEnglishman, who madehistory by becoming the firstplayer to top the money listson both sides of the Atlanticlast year, was never incontention at the Masters lastweek and remains in searchof his first major title. By thetime he posted his final-round

68, Donald had already shothimself out of the Masterswith rounds of 75, 73 and 75,finishing tied for 32nd.

“I didn’t hit the ballparticularly well with myirons the first couple ofrounds,” Donald said. “Ididn’t hole as many putts asI would have liked, three orfour three-putts during theweek. “Some positives,though,” he added. “I hit a lotof fairways last week, 80percent of fairways, which isa good stat for me.”

InternetInternational Sports

P14(13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM14


(13-4-12 09:30 am ~14-4-12 09:30 am) MST

MYANMARINTERNATIONAL

MYANMAR TV

(13-4-2012) (Friday)

Focus Myanmar TV Programme

7:00 am 1. Paritta By Hilly

Region MissionarySayadaw

7:25 am 2. To Be Healthy

Exercise8:10 am 3. The Mirror Images of

The Musical Oldies8:45 am 4. Dance of Thingyan

Festival4:20 pm5 . Song of National

Races4:35 pm6 . University of

Distance Education(TV Lectures)- Third Year (English)

5:20 pm7. Singing In Different

Versions5:45 pm8. Sports Highlight6:55 pm9. Teleplay7:35 pm10. Yan Aung’s Passion

For Thin Gyan8:00 pm11. News12. Myanmar Video

Feature

Weather forecast for 13th April, 2012Weather Map of Myanmar and Neighbouring Areas

OpeningNewsThings should becarried out in ThingyanPeriod & AuspiciousMyanmar New YearNewsMeditation Centresthroughout MyanmarThingyan Songs andDancesNewsThe Meaning ofFlowersNewsThingyan Songs &DancesNewsRoyal Beauty & It'sCreative ArtsNewsVisitation toMawlamyine ( Part - I )NewsMemorial ArtExhibition For Artist UThu KhaNewsHerbal medicines byThurein "Shar SaungLet Pat (Aloe VeraLinn)"Myanmar Movie "TheWater Festival Rain"

Danish navy frees 12 hostages,holds16 Somali pirates

COPENHAGEN, 12 April—The Danish navy said Thursdayit had stopped a pirate ship off the Somali coast, rescuing 12Iranian and Pakistani hostages and arresting their 16 captors.

“The Danish warship Absalon yesterday (Wednesday)stopped a pirate mother-ship. Sixteen suspected pirates havebeen arrested. Twelve hostages from Pakistan and Iran havebeen rescued,” the navy said in a statement.

“No one was injured during the operation,” navyspokesman Mikael Bill told AFP, adding that nine of thehostages were Pakistani and three were Iranian and that theyhad been held by the suspected pirates for about a month.

“They were being held on their own boat,” a fishingvessel, which the pirates had hijacked and used to attack otherships, Bill explained.

The operation took place Wednesday morning and wasquickly over, he said, pointing out that the Absalon, a

Danish vessel Absalon leaves the FrederikshavnHarbour in northern Jutland, on 12 Sept, 2011.

INTERNET

command and support ship which is part of a NATO-ledcounter-piracy mission called Ocean Shield, had not neededto use armed force.—Internet

KUALA LUMPUR, 12April—The UnitedKingdom and Malaysiaagreed on Thursday todouble the bilateral trade toeight billion pounds (12.74billion US dollars) by 2016.

The two countries alsodecided to expand educationand defence links at the endof a meeting betweenMalaysian Prime MinisterNajib Razak and visiting

SHANGHAI, 12 April—French striker Nicolas Anelka hasbeen handed a new role at Shanghai Shenhua as the ChineseSuper League side sacked three assistant coaches followinga dismal run of results.

The 33-year-old Anelka will become a “player-coach”at Shenhua, participating in the management of daily training,the club said on Thursday.

French head coach Jean Tigana remained on board, butthe club hired four new assistant coaches—two Britons andtwo Frenchmen, according to a club statement.

Shenhua are now 11th in the Chinese Super League,having won only two of their five league matches so far.

Anelka, the most high-profile foreign player ever to signfor the Chinese league, said the change in coaching staffmarked a “new beginning” for the team.

“Being a coach and being a player are different, but I amsure will have a better communication with my teammates onthe field,” he told a press conference, where Tigana was notpresent.

Xinhua

Anelka named as Shenhua‘player-coach’ Boca Juniors beats

Fluminense 2-0 inCopa Libertadores

Nicolas Anelka (right) is to help coach the ShanghaiShenhua club along with his playing dutie.—INTERNET

Malaysia to double trade with UK to nearly13 bln USD by 2016

British Prime Minister DavidCameron.

“We both agreed that theopportunity for us to enhancebilateral trade is simplyenormous and both oureconomic ministers haveagreed we should try todouble our bilateral trade by2016,” said Najib.

“It’s an ambitious goalbut we will try to worktowards that,” Najib told a

RIO DE JANEIRO, 12 April—Argentina’sBoca Juniors beat Brazil’s Fluminense 2-0in the Copa Libertadores group stage onWednesday.

Fluminense still have a two-point leadover Boca in group 4 with one matchremaining, but the team lost its top-rankedstatus in the competition to Argentina’sVelez-Sarsfield, which defeated Chivas 2-0in Mexico, also on Wednesday night.

In front of a near-capacity 36,000 crowdat Rio’s Engenhao stadium, Juan SanchezMino and Dario Cvitanich both capitalizedon defensive errors to score either side of thebreak for the Argentinians.

Fluminense had the chance to reduce

joint Press conference aftermeeting with Cameron at hisresidence in the federaladministrative centre ofPutrajaya.

“In trade andinvestment, our ambition issimple, it is to do a step changein business and investmentthat is why I came with astrong delegation,” Cameronsaid.

Xinhua

Brazil’s Fluminense Fred,right, andArgentina’s Boca Juniors Facundo

Rocaglia, left, jump for a high ball duringa Copa Libertadores soccer mach in Rio de

Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, 11 April,2012.—INTERNET

the deficit to a goal with five minutes remainingwhen referee Dario Ubriaco pointed to thepenalty spot after Wellington Nem was broughtdown by Rolando Schiavi when clear on goal.

Xinhua

Two childrenkilled inroadside

bombing inS Afghanistan

LASHKAR GAH, 12 April—Two children were killed andsix other civilians injuredThursday when a roadsidebomb went off in thecountry’s southern provinceof Helmand, a spokesman forthe provincial governmentsaid. “Two innocent childrenwere killed and six othercivilians injured when avehicle touched off a roadsidebomb on a road at about 9 amlocal time in Safar area ofGarmasir District,”spokesman Daud Ahmaditold Xinhua.

He blamed Taleban forthe attack. Taleban militantshave used ImprovisedExplosive Device (IED) orroadside bombs and suicidebombers in their attackswhich also inflictedcasualties on civilians.

A total of 3,021 Afghancivilians were killed in 2011,up by 8 percent comparedwith 2010, according to aUnited Nations annual reportreleased in Kabul in February.

Xnihua

Temperature (°C/°F) For Tomorrow Sr. No. Regions/States

Maximum Minimum Forecast Percent

1 Kachin 75/77 18/66 Likelihood of isolated rain or thundershowers (60%)

2 Kayah 32/90 16/61 Partly cloudy

3 Kayin 38/100 21/70 Partly cloudy

4 Chin 22/72 13/55 Likelihood of isolated rain or thundershowers (60%)

5 Upper Sagaing 31/88 19/66 Likelihood of isolated rain or thundershowers (60%)

6 Lower Sagaing 34/93 20/68 Partly cloudy

7 Taninthayi 37/99 23/73 Likelihood of isolated rain or thundershowers (60%)

8 Bago 39/102 24/75 Partly cloudy

9 Magway 41/106 23/73 Partly cloudy

10 Mandalay 36/97 23/73 Partly cloudy

11 Mon 37/99 24/75 Partly cloudy

12 Yangon 39/102 24/75 Partly cloudy

13 Rakhine 32/90 24/75 Likelihood of isolated rain or thundershowers (60%)

14 Southern Shan 27/81 15/59 Partly cloudy

15 Northern Shan 33/91 15/59 Likelihood of isolated rain or thundershowers (60%)

16 Eastern Shan 34/93 16/61 Partly cloudy

17 Ayeyawady 39/102 24/75 Partly cloudy

18 Neighbouring Nay Pyi Taw 39/102 24/70 Partly cloudy

19 Neighbouring Yangon 39/102 24/75 Partly cloudy

20 Neighbouring Mandalay 36/97 23/73 Partly cloudy

Summary of

observations at 09:30

hr MST on today

During the past (24) hours, rain or thundershowers have been widespread in Kachin State, isolated in Upper Sagaing Region,widesptead in Upper Sagain, Yangon, Taninthayi Regions and Mon State and weather has been partly cloudy in the remaining Region and stage. Day temperature were (4°C) below April average temperatures in Sagaing and Mandalay Regions, Kachin States and about April average temperatures in the remaining Regions and States. The significant day temperatures were Chauk, Minbu and Magway(40°C) each. The noteworthy amounts of rainfall were Kawthong (1.30) inches, Co Co island (0.32) inch and Yay (0.20) inch.

Bay Inference Weather is partly cloudy to cloudy in the Southwest Bay and partly cloudy in the Andaman Sea and

elsewhere in the Bay of Bengal.

State of the Sea Seas will be slight to moderate in Myanmar waters.

Outlook for sub-

sequent two days Likelihood of slight increaseof day temperatures in the Lower Myanmar areas.

p15(13).pmd 4/13/2012, 3:17 AM15

Friday, 13 April, 20127th Waning of Tagu 1373 ME

YANGON, 12 April—Today is 1373 ME Maha ThingyanAkyo Day. The opening ceremonies of over 150 pandals, bigand small, in Yangon were held this morning.

Yangon Mayor’s Maha Thingyan Pandal was opened at7.30 am and choral dance troupes performed dances at thepandal till the evening.

Region Forestry and Energy Minister U Kyaw Soe,Deputy Commissioner U Hlaing Soe Thant and TownshipAdministrator U San Min attended opening of MahaThingyan Pandal of Yangon East District in ThakaytaTownship. A total of 59 pandals were opened in Yangon EastDistrict.

Region Transportation and Communications MinisterU Aung Khin, Region Electricity and Industry Minister UNyan Tun Oo and Deputy Commissioner U Kyaw Thu Zawformally opened the pandal of Yangon West District inAhlon Township. A total of 79 pandals were opened intownships of Yangon West District.

Deputy Commissioner U Sai Thaw Win extendedgreetings at opening ceremony Yangon South District MahaThingyan Pandal in Thanlyin Township this morning. Thetownship administrator, the chief of Township Police Force,the executive officers of township development affairscommittee, a townselder formally opened the pandal. Region

(See page 8)

Over 150 MahaThingyan Pandalsopened in Yangon

Choral dancer troupesperforming dancing

entertainment atMandalay Mayor’s

Maha ThingyanPandal.—MNA

NAY PYI TAW, 12 April—The opening ceremony of1373 ME Mandalay RegionMandalay Myanmar Tra-ditional Maha ThingyanFestival and MandalayMayor’s Maha ThingyanPandal was held this morningin front of Mandalay CityDevelopment CommitteeOffice.

Mandalay Region ChiefMinister U Ye Myint and wifeDaw Myat Ngwe,Commander of CentralCommand Maj-Gen Ye Aungand wife Daw Khaing MayKyu, Mandalay MayorRegion Development AffairsMinister U Aung Maung andwife, Indian and Chineseconsuls-general in Mandalayand party, members of Regionlevel organizations, the

Mandalay Maha Thingyan Festivaland Mayor’s Pandal opened

secretary and members ofMCDC, heads of division,staff, choral dancers, studentsand Mandalarians werepresent.

Mandalay MayorRegion Development AffairsMinister U Aung Maungextended greetings, sayingthe Myanma TraditionalMaha Thingyan Festival ofthe cultural city is 150 yearsold.

Region Chief MinisterU Ye Myint, MandalayMayor Region DevelopmentAffairs Minister U AungMaung and Region SocialAffairs Minister Dr WinHlaing formally opened thepandal.

The Region chiefminister and wife, thecommander and party pouredwater on those present at theceremony. Choral dancersthen performed dances.

Decorated floats headedby Myoma Silver Swan floatpassed thorough the pandal,performing dances and songs.

Film stars, songsters andartistes performed songs anddances at the pandal.

A total of 37 pandalswere opened and 10decorated floats willparticipate in decorated floatcontest.

Mandalay celebratedMaha Thingyan over-whelmingly.—MNA

MANDALAY, 12 April—Sky Net TVand Mandalay FM will broadcast liveentertainment of Mandalay Mayor’sMaha Thingyan Pandal 1373 ME.

At the Mayor’s Pandal, MyanmarpyiThein Tan, Zaw Paing, Marizza, Ye Lay,Khin Maung Htoo, Than Myat Soe, KyiTha (Pwe Kyaik Khin), L Seng Xi, ChitThu Wai, Yadana Mai, Nan Hsu Yati Soe,comedians and the mom group of filmartistes will perform entertainment to theaccompaniment of Metal Zone Band ofYangon.

Thiha Ko Ko (Mandalay)

Sky Net, MandalayFM to broadcast

live entertainment

Photo shows opening ceremony of Yangon Mayor's Maha Thingyan Pandal.—MNA

Noteworthy amounts ofrainfall (12-4-2012)

Kawthoung (1.30) inches

Cocogyun (0.32) inch

Ye (0.20) inch

USaerobatic

pilots showtheir

fantasticskills in

thiscollectionof photos.

Dortmund cool

title talk, despite

beating Bayern

Shah RukhKhan to play

DhyanChand?

In this file photo of anartist rendering

released by LucasFilms, a drawing of

the proposed IndustryLight & Magic

campus, is shown.

PAGE 10

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