The Myanmar Academy of Arts and Science: The Third Research Conference: THE opening ceremony of the Third Research Conference of the Myanmar Academy of Arts and Science was held at the Diamond Jubilee Hall on the morning of 23 October 2003.Minister for Education U Than Aung gave the opening address to the gathering that consisted of Deputy Minister for Education Brig-Gen, Soe Win Maung, the chairmen of the Myanmar Academy of Medical Science, the Myanmar Academy of Science and Technology and the Myanmar Academy of Agricultural Sciences, keynote address speakers U Thaung Htut, former Rector of the Institute of Education and U Hla Maung, former ambassador, rectors, professors, scholars and participants of the conference... Driver centre to cut road accident rate: A NEW driver training centre in Yangon is expected to make an important contribution to efforts to reduce the road accident rate, said the chairperson of the Yangon Peace and Development Council, Major-General Myint Swe.[FullStory] Sanctions are misguided and counter-productive, says Govt... THE government has called on the United States to reconsider its ?misguided and counter-productive” sanctions policy, saying that Washington has no evidence that they work... You?re impeding fight on narcotics, US told: SANCTIONS imposed by the United States have impeded Myanmar?s campaign to eradicate narcotics, the government said in a statement last week.The statement, issued on October 30, said the sanctions had undermined the economy and taken away resources that could be used to combat drug production... Bagan summit to discuss Thai plan for regional economic development: THE government has welcomed a proposal for a joint economic development scheme that will be discussed by the leaders of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia at a summit in Bagan next week... SPECIAL REPORT: Spinning the big picture into silk realities What in your opinion is the major obstacle to just and sustainable development in today?s world? Editor-in-Chief Ross Dunkley recently attended a conference on bridging global gaps, held in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. In this article he outlines the importance of such events as we struggle in our search for solutions to pressing issues facing our planet... INSIDE THIS WEEK: F O C U S ..O N ..E D U C A T I O N: » 30-year plan with a vision of the ‘Knowledge Age?; » Child development a key focus of private, public schools; » Variety in classes boosts capacity for learning; » Sharing ideas through exchange... Kandawgyi Lake undergoes a transformation: A MASSIVE project to transform the park around Kandawgyi Lake into a world class recreation and education centre is expected to be completed by the end of next year, a director of the Forestry Department, U Khin Maung Zaw, said last Monday... Myanmar wins awards at engineering meet: MYANMAR was honoured with two awards for outstanding achievements in engineering at a conference in Indonesia last month.The awards, to the Public Works department of the Ministry of Construction and to women engineers from the department, were presented during a conference of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations in Jogjakarta from October 20 to 23... Furniture industry drives demand for rubber wood: DEMAND for wood from the rubber tree has increased sharply because of its growing popularity in the furniture industry, an official with Myanma Perennial Crops Enterprise said last week... Indian vice president begins goodwill visit: THE Vice President of India, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, was due to arrive in Yangon on November 2 for a four-day goodwill visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, the Indian ambassador, Mr Rajiv Bhatia, said last week... Myanmar takes lead role in Mekong sub-region chambers: MYANMAR has taken over as rotating Chair of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Business Forum (GMS-BF) from Laos, beginning its two years at the helm of the organisation, on October 27... Gem Emporium sales fall to $17.6m: SALES revenue reached US$17.6 million at the bi-annual Yangon gem emporium last week, down on the previous event last October.Industry analysts cited a weakening of the international gems market following the SARS epidemic earlier this year, which badly affected China, the main market for jade, as the cause of the downturn... Draft legislation for condominiums under review: THE Ministry of Construction has proposed a draft of a new law focused on the planning and construction of condominiums, a senior government official said last week.The law, drawn up in consultation with major developers in the construction sector, will help to improve the administration of condominiums in which several households are living, said U Aunt Kyaw, director general of Human Settlement and Housing Development Committee under Ministry of Construction.