CIVIL WAR: Civil war in Shan, Karen and Arakan States... POLITICS: "... mounting international criticism is, indeed, making it more difficult for ASEAN nations and China to blindly continue their defense of the military regime in Burma. Perhaps they realize that they are not supporting or defending the legal government or people of that country, but rather a military junta that has no legitimacy either within the country or internationally" ...ECONOMICS: The Population; Economic Forecasts; Actual Currency System; Energy; Agriculture; Livestock and Fishing...ENVIRONMENT: Deforestation...BURMA?S FIRST CASINO...INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE...HUMAN RIGHTS: Disaster in Kachin State...Safe Center to be Established [The Thai government is moving ahead with plans to set up a "safe center" for Burmese dissidents living in Thailand...]