Historic journey begins May 17: MYANMAR begins an historic journey towards implementing its road map for a transition to democracy next month when the National Convention begins meeting to draft a new constitution. In an announcement broadcast on national television and radio last Tuesday evening, the government said the convention would reconvene in Yangon on Monday, May 17.The announcement was made by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council, Lieutenant-General Thein Sein, who also chairs the National Convention Convening Commission... Thinking Aloud talks to U Tin Htut Oo, the director general of the Agricultural Planning Department under Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation... Senior General Than Shwe stresses need to build stronger defence capability: THE Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services, Senior General Than Shwe, highlighted the importance of strengthening the country?s defence capability in a speech at a ceremony marking Armed Forces Day on March 27... Vietnam?s FM visits for talks on ASEM membership issue: THE Vietnamese Foreign Minister, Mr Nguyen Dy Nien, visited Yangon last Wednesday as a part of regional tour to discuss the admission of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos to the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum... Britain?s development agency to appoint representative in Yangon: The position is to be filled by a DFID adviser on poverty, Mr Rurik Marsden, the program manager of the department?s Bangkok-based Southeast Asia office, Mr Phil Marker, told Myanmar Times in an email message last Wednesday... NICA sends artists to Bangkok, Phnom Penh; Thingyan classic endures; Local galleries work to give arts industry a boost; Women in the workplace IV; Myanmar to play in Davis Cup: MYANMAR?s Davis Cup tennis team will be hoping to get one step closer to playing the competition?s elite this week, as they do battle in Asia-Oceania Zone Group IV in Jordan... EU donates €2m for WFP activities in Rakhine State: THE European Union donated €2 million (about US$ 2.5 million) to the United Nations World Food Program last month to support its activities helping people in northern Rakhine State... Collaboration on ICT essential,says e-national taskforce leader: COLLABORATION between government authorities and the private sector is required to further develop Myan-mar?s information and communication technology sector, Brigadier-General Thein Zaw, the chair of the e-National Taskforce, said last week... PM hails formation of women?s group: THE establishment of the Myanmar Women?s Affairs Federation is a milestone in the development of women?s affairs, the Prime Minister, General Khin Nyunt, told the first plenary meeting of delegates from the organisation in Yangon late last month... Workshop discusses food security, forests: MORE than 10 non-government organisations met in Bagan earlier this month to discuss environmental issues linked to the food security of people living in rural areas... Thuwanna Housing project to be completed by August next year: Five of Yangon?s leading construction companies have collaborated to develop the site between Thanthumar Road and Nga Moe Yeik Creek ? Tet Lann Construction Group, Tosta Group Ltd, Asia Express (Yangon) Company Ltd, Dagon International Ltd and Yuzana Construction Group Company Ltd... Property software targets big builders: MALAYSIAN software designed for use by the construction industry has been introduced to Myanmar for the first time, the programs? distributor said last week. The two software packages ? Property Plus and Contract Plus ? are the first of their kind, according to Mastech Company Ltd, the distributing company that launched the software at Yangon?s MICT Park at the end of March.