A TOTAL of 121 primary school students from Southwest China’s Yunnan province are recovering from suspected infections of norovirus, local health authorities said on Friday, 3 January, according to Xinhua news agency. The students, from the Yicheng Experimental School in Lincang City, started to seek medical treatment on Tuesday after showing symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

AS the global geopolitical order evolves towards a more multipolar framework, one of the most significant developments is the proliferation of smaller regional coalitions. These alliances, characterized by their focused and often localized nature, are increasingly regarded as essential mechanisms for countries to protect their sovereignty, pursue shared economic and security objectives, and navigate the complexities of a rapidly transforming global power structure. While traditional global institutions such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) continue to play important roles, the formation of these smaller, region-specific groupings is becoming a defining feature of modern international relations.

MYANMAR is one of the 30 countries with the highest rates of tuberculosis (TB), TB/HIV co-infection, and drug-resistant TB globally. According to the World Health Organization’s 2023 report on global TB trends, there are 475 TB cases per 100,000 people in Myanmar, with 80 per cent of those affected potentially losing their lives.

I RECENTLY watched the movie about ‘Zhu Enlai’ on a China Southern flight and I cannot help but admire the film documenting his visit to Boyan county in Hebei province. The main takeaway of the movie is how to be politically beloved by people while putting your leadership skills in view of the people. The key attribute of him, or rather, a good politician, has to be ‘Be one with the people’.

THE role of leaders is crucial in any organization as they are a pivot for relevant organizations. Therefore, it is important to strive continually to improve themselves and work towards becoming reliable and capable leaders whom the organization can depend on.

THE Kayin ethnic people joyfully celebrate their New Year Festival every year on the 1st waxing Pyatho. It is a time for the Kayin people to embrace the New Year with renewed energy, optimism, and a fresh spirit, symbolizing a new beginning.

At 10 am on 28 November 1885. After General Prendergast, the British military commander issued orders for the troops to march, British warships arrived at the Gawain Port in Mandalay. At that time, the entire royal city was silent and quiet.

In a sovereign country, the government consists of three estates: legislative, executive, and judiciary, each responsible for advancing the interests of the State and its citizens. These estates must function efficiently and responsibly, guided by the media, the fourth estate, which ensures checks and balances.

I doubt anyone with a basic understanding of economics would dispute negative economic growth for this calendar year. We cannot simply take the official accounts and take the balance of trade surplus as an accurate indicator of the economy. With severe restrictions on imports, this current account is always likely to be in surplus. Yet imports continued to flow in like a tidal wave across a large number of porous borders. Without considering these unofficial statistics, we will not be able to judge the economy correctly and we would be misinterpreting the economic signals on most fronts.

​​​​​​​Every country is responsible for prioritizing the best interests of children by investing in the development of qualified human resources. These interests include enhancing children’s well-being, fostering their development, and ensuring their protection. In other words, it is essential to create opportunities for children to enjoy their rights as outlined under the law fully.