Myanmar steps up technology thrust with new $10m facility: THE computer industry has welcomed the opening of Myanmar?s first information technology park, saying it will bring enormous benefits to the growth of the nation?s IT and software sectors... Agreement in principle to join rice consortium: RICE dealers have welcomed reports that Myanmar has decided in principle to join an organisation of Asia?s biggest exporters of the cereal... Ministry cancels licences of 68 tour industry firms: THE Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has cancelled the licences of 68 local travel and tour companies for breaching regulations... Bat deposits keep gardens lush: THE trustees of the Shwedagon pagoda are raising revenue from an unexpected source... Government approves fisheries joint venture: THE government has granted fishing rights to a Myanmar-Thai joint venture, the first time such a company has been granted access to the nation?s territorial waters... Five win in art contest: MYANMAR will be represented in the Asean art competition for the first time this year... Luxury cloth from lotus stems: A VILLAGE cooperative in Shan State is hoping to boost the nation?s export earnings from an unusual product ? cloth woven from lotus stems... Thousands celebrate Kayin New Year: ABOUT three thousand people gathered at a monastery on the outskirts of Yangon last Monday to celebrate Kayin New Year Day, a national public holiday... Colder weather on way: YANGONITES will continue to experience chilly mornings in coming weeks... New venture for YCDC: THE Yangon City Development Committee has provided recreation facilities at its Ma So agricultural project site, 16 miles northeast of the capital... Campaign against drugs results in record seizures in 2001: THE success of the government?s crack-downs on the illicit drug trade last year has led to higher street prices for amphetamines and other stimulants, heroin, opium and marijuana, a senior narcotics enforcement official told the Myanmar Times last week... Where should you keep your money? Myanma Dana (‘Myanmar Fortune?) magazine interviewed Dr Sein Maung, chairman of First Private Bank Ltd., about the illegal financial activities of some private companies... Increase in rice exports helps inspection services: COMMODITY inspection and testing companies say they are doing good business because of a rise in rice exports last year. About 10 inspection and testing companies operate in Myanmar... High prices affect cooking oil sales: THE market for groundnut oil has eased in recent weeks as consumers respond to high prices linked to a shortage of groundnuts... Negotiations begin for buckwheat crop: A GROUP of Japanese noodle entrepreneurs arrived in Yangon last week to negotiate prices for buckwheat from the latest harvest... Raindrops, but no downpour: GALLERY manager U Aung Tun promoted this exhibition as "multi-coloured raindrops". But, apart from half a dozen paintings this show at Lokanat in central Pansodan Street failed to impress... Chilli imports decline: DOMESTICALLY produced chilli is regaining its dominant position in the market after facing strong competition from imports from China for a few weeks... Export deals for pulses: COOPERATIVE Export Import Enterprise signed contracts to export US$1.364 million worth of pulses during the cooperative products exhibition and sales fair which ended in Yangon last week... Community home care system to ease burden on hospitals of AIDS patients: COMMUNITY Home Based Care is being trialled in four areas following the launch of the scheme last year by the Myanmar Nursing Association in collaboration with the National AIDS program... Dept issues appeal on hepatitis B injections: THE Department of Medical Research has urged that all newly-born children be vaccinated against hepatitis B, which can cause serious liver problems... Building work starts on vaccine factory: WORK has begun on a hepatitis B vaccine factory which will be the first occupant of a 200-acre industrial zone being developed for the pharmaceuticals sector at Ywathagyi, about five miles east of Yangon... Myanmar-made jeeps move in on market: TWO cooperative associations are cashing in on the craze for jeeps, which have long been favoured by some car enthusiasts because of their durability and rugged appearance...Plan aims to reduce cost of city property: DEVELOPERS have welcomed a move by the Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development aimed at stabilising the property market in Yangon...Myanmar steps up technology thrust with new $10m facility: THE computer industry has welcomed the opening of Myanmar?s first information technology park, saying it will bring enormous benefits to the growth of the nation?s IT and software sectors...Koizumi has ‘strong hopes? for talks: JAPAN?S Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has expressed "strong hope" for the dialogue between the government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Japanese ambassador, Mr Shigeru Tsumori, said last week...A war-time engineering miracle: TERRIBLE jungles, gorges, rivers, swamps and oceans of mud. That is what the builders of the Ledo Road faced (article on the construction and use of the Ledo road)