AIDS display at village festival spreads a life-saving message in sensitive way: Non-government organisation Care Myanmar says an educational exhibit on HIV-AIDS which it held during a festival in a small Mon State village last week was an outstanding success... Success ‘imminent? in talks: THE NATIONAL reconciliation dialogue between the government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is progressing steadily and success was "imminent", a government spokesman said last week... Celebrities to help spread anti-drug message: A GROUP of celebrities has unveiled plans to record a song aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse... 'Foreign? drugs made in Myanmar: MOST of the domestic market for pharmaceuticals is met by imported products with only a small amount of the so-called ‘foreign drugs? made in Mynmar. There are a few private drug manufacturers who run their own business but about a dozen companies operate in a partnership with Myanma Pharmaceuticals Factory... Property developer forecastsfall in city real estate: A YANGON property developer says a move to reduce the price of downtown residential units is likely to affect the real estate market throughout the etropolitan area... First thit sein oil processing: WORK has begun on Myanmar?s first factory to extract edible oil from the thit sein tree. Myanmar Foodstuffs Industries, under the Ministry of Industry (1), is investing about K40 million in the project... Olympic and NTT talk GSM: DIVERSIFIED business group Olympic and representatives of Japanese telecommunications giant, NTT DoCoMo, have held talks about launching another mobile phone network in Myanmar... Unaccompanied women barred from Bangkok bars: WOMEN arriving at Bangkok?s bars without a male companion face being turned away or arrested under antiquated legislation invoked by a city police chief, officials said last Thursday... German giant eyes manufacturing sector: A BIG German maker of energy-saving power transmission equipment is exploring investment opportunities in Myanmar... US$31 million spinning and weaving plant expected to create 3200 new jobs: A multi-million dollar textile factory being built in Magway Division is expected to provide jobs for about 3200 people when it goes into production next September... UN envoy Pinheiro ends third mission this week: UNITED Nations special human rights rapporteur on Myanmar, Mr Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, ends a 10-day mission this week which has included trips throughout the country and a busy round of meetings... Art, writing prizes awarded: MYANMAR students have won 21 awards in a children?s painting and writing competition organised by a private Indian organisation... New hotel for ‘treasure island?: A hotel being built on an island in Tanintharyi Division is due to open later this year... Construction industry backs trend towards direct sales: THE Myanmar construction sector has welcomed a trend towards direct negotiations between contractors and residential buyers... Mekong tourism event hailed as ‘great opportunity? for Myanmar: A MEKONG region tourism forum in Yangon in April is expected to result in a surge of interest in Myanmar as a tourist destination... Gold merchants seek price cut: AN organisation representing gold traders and entrepreneurs says it plans to seek a reduction in the retail price of the precious metal... Ministry names new South Korean envoy: THE MINISTRY of Foreign Affairs last week announced the appointment of Mr Lee Kyung-woo as South Korea?s new ambassador to Myanmar... Buckwheat contract signed with Japan: THE government has signed a contract with Japan to sell buckwheat from last year?s harvest at US$250 a tonne... WHO aid helps Myanmar?s fight against TB: A SECOND shipment of anti-TB drugs provided under a global program linked to the World Health Organisation is due to arrive in Yangon by early next month... US$1.3m bicycle factory to be constructed at Kyaukse: MORE than 20 containers of machinery and equipment have arrived from India for installation in a US$1.3 million bicycle factory being built at Kyaukse, about 400 miles north of Yangon... Myanmar shows potential to tap international eco-tourism market: MYANMAR has enormous potential as an international eco-tourism destination, says American naturalist and photographer, Ms Brenda Shaddox... South Koreans raise K7m for primary school: A VILLAGE near Yangon has been provided with a K7 million primary school thanks mainly to the fund-raising efforts of a group of South Korean women... Tour firms to band together: MEMBERS of the travel industry are planning to form a Myanmar Tour Operators? Association. The move follows a request to Secretary 1 of the State Peace and Development Council at a meeting of the Management Committee for the Development of Tourism Industry held in early January... Public warned of dangers of meningococcal disease: THE Ministry of Health has urged the public to take precautions against potentially fatal meningococcal disease, which occurs mainly among children during the winter and summer seasons...Myanmar discoveries set record straight on glazed ceramics: MYANMAR has a long and rich tradition of glazed ceramics that has tended to be overlooked by international scientists...Property developer forecastsfall in city real estate: A YANGON property developer says a move to reduce the price of downtown residential units is likely to affect the real estate market throughout the metropolitan area.