Privately run daily newspapers are available in Burma today for the first time in 50 years.
Thailand’s prime minister says rumours of a coup in neighboring Burma are not true, and a visit to Rangoon next week by his foreign minister will go ahead as planned.
The United States has announced it will further ease sanctions against Burma.
Thailand has confirmed reports that thousands of ethnic Karen villagers have fled into the country to escape fighting in neighbouring Burma.
Burma’s new military‐backed civilian government has pledged to resolve conflicts in border areas with ethnic minority groups.