Hillary Clinton’s Mother Dorothy Rodham Dies at Age 92

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s mother, Dorothy Rodham, died shortly after midnight Tuesday morning. She was 92.

Clinton canceled trips to London and Turkey Monday in order to stay by her sick mother’s side in Washington, D.C. and was with her when she passed away.

“She was – a warm, generous and strong woman,” the Clinton family said in a statement, “an intellectual; a woman who told a great joke and always got the joke; an extraordinary friend and, most of all, a loving wife, mother and grandmother.”

Despite her daughter’s public life, Rodham stayed largely out of the spotlight, granting only one televised interview, which aired on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2004.

Rodham, who has been living with her daughter outside of Washington since 2006, fell ill Monday night. She died at Georgetown University Hospital surrounded by family, according to the Clinton family’s statement.
 

Click image to see more of Dorothy Rodham

Src   :  ABC News

Two top U.S. officials visit Burma for meetings

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Derek Mitchell, the U.S. Special representative and policy coordinator for Burma, and Michael Posner, an assistant secretary of state, will arrive in Burma on Tuesday.

US special representative to Burma
Derek Mitchell. Photo: U.S. State Department

It is Mitchell’s third visit to Burma within two months, and the first visit for Posner, the assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

“We have an appointment at 11 a.m. at the [U.S] embassy,” National Democratic Force [NDF] leader Khin Maung Swe told Mizzima on Monday.

On the four-day visit, the U.S. officials will meet with Burmese government officials, political parties including the NDF, National Unity Party [NUP], Democratic Party (Myanmar) and social organizations.

During the meeting, the NDF said it would ask about the U.S. officials’ opinions regarding ways to seek peace inside Burma.

“We will talk about affairs regarding peace because peace is important. Without peace, business cannot be conducted,” NDF leader Khin Maung Swe told Mizzima.

Party officials would also ask about economic sanctions against Burma, he said.

Presently, the U.S. government balances its economic sanctions policy with a policy of engagement and dialogue with the new Burmese government.

The U.S. has urged the new government to release all political prisoners, to hold a tri-partite political dialogue toward national reconciliation and to allow international aid to reach civil war refugees.

NUP spokesman Han Shwe said: “If the U.S. representatives come to Burma frequently for discussions, they will come to understand our country’s conditions and then sanctions are likely to be lifted gradually.”

He said the NUP accepted that democratic change was underway in Burma, and it [NUP] would talk about democracy, human rights and workers’ affairs in the meeting with U.S. officials.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party (Myanmar) noted that although there have been democratic changes in Burma, the process has been slow and there are still human rights violations throughout the country. Thu Wai, the chairman of the Democratic Party (Myanmar), will also attend the meeting with U.S. officials.

Than Than Nu, the secretary of Democratic Party (Myanmar), said: “They are trying to bring about change. Bur, some processes can be delayed. Some things have been implemented partially. In the past, all political parties could form their own workers’ unions and farmers’ unions. Now, we can’t. So, democratic changes have not been well made.”

U.S. officials also plan to meet with National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders, but the date has not been set.

Ohn Kyaing, the NLD spokesman, told Mizzima the NLD will talk about establishing democracy, human rights and political prisoners.

Derek Mitchell’s last trip to Burma was on October 24.


Src  : Mizzima

kum 23 nungak khat pitek suak vat

Leitung ah mihau te'n ahauhna sumlepai tawh cidamna aleitheihloh mahbangin, mizawng te'nzong sum neihlohluat manin zatui zaha kibawl zolo a, thuakding kilawmlopi in natna lianpipi kithuak khathei hi. Hih anuai photo sung a tegel na enkak le uhcin kum 20 gual tanumei melhoih mahmah khatleh pitek guaisa khatdingtawh kibang hi. Ataktak in hih photo sung a mi tegel pen akibang hi a, thakhatthu in amel kikhelvat in pitek tawh akibang cimawk hi. Hih photo khatlekhat akizaih pen nitam ki halhetlo in akizaih cimawk a, bangzah in pautauh, linglawng, khasiat huaihiam?

Hihnu minpen Nguyen Thi Phuong hi a, Vietnam minam ahihi. Tuipi sungpanpiang nektheih pawlkhat ahi Seafood nekha ahih manin amel asa amoilai mahmah panin pitekmel aki khelvat ahihi. Hih vuntung natna lamdang apian kipatcil pen 2008 kumpan hi a, tualaitak in Nguyen Thi Phuong te nupa pen zawnglua mahmah ahih manin zatui zaha bangmah kilimbawl zolo uhhi.

A pasal minpen Thanh Tuyen hi a, Lettama (Carpenter) nasep asemkhat ahihi. Nidang in amel hoihmahmah azi pen pitekmel apuakvat hangin ka it ka ngaihna themzong kiamtuamkei cihi. Azi inzong apasal itna akiamloh tengmahzong tuciangdong ka nuntakna hi ci a, a nupa un ki-it mahmah uhhi.

Nguyen Thi Phuong te nupa pen 2006 kumin akiteng uh hi a, tualai in kum 21 khatbek phapan hi. Tuipi sungpiang ante tawh kilemlo, Seafood Allergy nei ahih manin 2008 kumin hih natna lamdang akipan ahihi. Aci asa thakgawp in, zan a ihmutkawm na ngawnin kikhuatkhuat maihi. Ahi zongin zawnglua mahmah uh a, Zato Hospital cihbangah kilak zolo uh ahih manin khuasung aom zatuisai te ah zatui nektheihding zongin tuapeuhtawh ki naamtak uhhi.

Khakhat sungkhawng tuabangin zatui anek khitciang in acithak nuamtuam zawdeuh a, ahi zongin avun tungah cibok pawlkhat om hi. Tuaciangin Traditional Medicine ihcih pupa ngeina zatui pawlkhat zangleuleu a, tuaciang in acithak leh acibok te damsiang hi. Ahi zongin lamdang takin aci guaigawp in, avun zong tongawp hi. Tuabang tengtawh Traditional Medicine zatui tuamtuam laihkawikawi uh a, ahi zongin bangmah ki lamdang vetlo hi.

Zatui zaha tuamtuam alaih kawikawi uhhangin bangmah ki theituamlo ahih manin 2009 kumciangin "ei kamsiatna himai inteh" ci'n bangmah kibawl nawnlo uhhi. Nguyen Thi Phuong pen khuasung avak ciangin maizum mahmah a, amai puamtawh tuamden hi.

A maitang bek hilo in, agilvum leh a awmvum tezong tongawp a, ta aneihngei nailohhang agilvum pen nau neinei khinsa pitekte cilesa tawh kibang mawk hi. Aci asa avum aki khelgawp hangin alungsim, asam, aha, amit leh numei ngeina khasim si nin te bangmah kikhelna omlo hi.

Kamphatna tawh October 02, 2011 ni-in Vietnam gam Ben Tre Province aom Nguyen Dinh Chieu Hospital panin hihnu natna pen amawkna in sittel sakding ci uhhi. Tuaban ah amau zato pan azawh keileh HCMC Dermatology Hospital ah puaksawn dinguh cihi.

Siavuan siamah te upmawhna ah Nguyen Thi Phuong in Traditional Medicine sawtvei zawnglua ahih manin, tuasung akihel "Corticoid" in aci asa susia hiding ummawh uhhi. Vietnam gamsung aom zatui zaha siavuan siamte hihvai tawh buaimahmah uh a, hihnu natna pen adamsiang zokei zongin 50-70% ciang adam zoding in lamen uhhi. Hih thuthang thulamdang pen UK DailyMail ah aki suaksak hi a, leitung muntuamtuam pan mitampi takin lamdangsa mahmahtek uhhi.     

ZomiDaily  (Openzosuan)

Thais hope flooded factories back up in 3 months

Residents use a boat as transport through a flooded street Bangkok's Bang Phlat district on October 30, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

By Robert Birsel

BANGKOK | Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:01pm IST

  BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand hopes industrial estates swamped in its worst floods in half a century can be up and running within three months, the prime minister said on Monday, as the danger of central Bangkok being inundated appeared finally to have passed.

Nearly 400 people have been killed in months of floods that have disrupted the lives of more than 2 million, economic growth has been set back and global supply chains for Thai-made computer and auto parts thrown into disarray.

But inner Bangkok, protected by a network of dikes and sandbag walls, appeared to have escaped the deluge with peak tides on the Chao Phraya river due to pass on Monday, water levels falling upstream and clear weather setting in.

While the centre of the capital remained dry with business mostly as usual, neighbourhoods on the wrong side of the protective ring, especially to the north and west, and provinces to the north, have been swamped by deep, fetid flows.

Anger is rising in hard-hit communities. Tension boiled over into skirmishes with police in some areas as villagers tried to pull down flood barriers keeping water high in their communities but protecting the capital.
The disaster has been the first big test for the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, a political novice who took over this year after an election that many Thais hoped would heal deep divisions.

Saving Bangkok from a ruinous flood would be an important victory. The city's 12 million people account for 41 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product.

Another economically vital region is just north of Bangkok, in particular Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya provinces, which have been largely inundated for weeks.

Seven industrial estates that have sprung up over the last two decades on what used to be the central plain's rice fields have been overcome by the vast volumes of water.

Yingluck said it should take three months to rehabilitate the estates, where some foreign investors have built production hubs.

"We expect after the water recedes the industrial estates will recover within three months if we can release the water and recover the machinery quickly," Yingluck told reporters.

A resident of Pathum Thani province said the water had fallen for the first time and was down about 5 cm (2 inches) on Monday, but was still nearly 1.5 metres (5 feet) deep.

LONG-TERM PROTECTION

Thailand is the second-largest exporter of computer hard drives and global prices are rising because of a flood-related shortage of major components used in personal computers.

Thailand is also Southeast Asia's main auto-parts maker and Japan's Honda Motor Co said car production could be difficult in the second half of its business year ending in March. Its Ayutthaya plant has suspended work indefinitely.
Yingluck said she had assured Japanese investors of steps to prevent a repeat of disaster from the annual rainy season.

"They are still confident to invest in Thailand but we have to invest in a long-term flood-protection plan," she said.

Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said the government expected a recovery plan would cost up to 900 billion baht ($30 billion), including 800 billion baht for an overhaul of the water-management system and 100 billion for the rehabilitation of industrial estates.
"Every crisis has an opportunity. We are studying how to rebuild the country's economy and competitiveness. We have studied models from several countries," Pichai told Reuters. "Solving the flood crisis is the main issue."

Yingluck said that huge sum had yet to be finalised.

The president of South Korea's Samsung Electronics said at the weekend he expected the floods to hit the computer memory chip market further by hurting PC production until the first quarter of next year.
Honda said the interruption at its Thai plant was expected to disrupt car production in Indonesia, Vietnam and Pakistan, where it uses Thai parts.

TOURISTS STAY AWAY

The Bank of Thailand has nearly halved its projection of economic growth this year to 2.6 percent from July's 4.1 percent estimate, and said the economy -- Southeast Asia's second largest -- would shrink by 1.9 percent in the December quarter from the previous three months due to the floods.

Foreign tourist arrivals in the fourth quarter were expected to drop as much as 20 percent, meaning losses of up to 30 billion baht, said Kongkrit Hirankij, president of the Federation of the Thai Tourism Industry.

The floods submerged four million acres (1.6 million ha), an area roughly the size of Kuwait, and destroyed 25 percent of the main rice crop in the world's largest rice exporter.

The deluge was caused in part by unusually heavy monsoon rain falling on a low-lying region, but the weather has been largely clear for a week as the cooler dry season begins.

But the danger is far from over with the run-off still moving and swamping neighbourhoods as fears of disease grow.

People living in Thonburi, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya, have been struggling in waist-deep water for days, as have those in suburbs and provinces to the north of Bangkok.

About 30 riot police were deployed in an area of Pathum Thani to maintain order after residents destroyed a barrier.

Yingluck assured victims in a Facebook message that they would be taken care of.

As well as a big risk of diarrhoea and mosquito-borne diseases, skin infections are a major problem and in some areas, crocodiles have escaped from flooded farms and snakes searching for dry land have slithered into homes.

(Additional reporting by Khettiya Jittapong, Bazuki Muhammad in BANGKOK and Chang-Ran Kim in TOKYO; Editing by Ron Popeski)


Src  :  reuters 

KNU, DKBA in separate peace talks: no progress

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Officials of both the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Association (DKBA) are in preliminary peace talks with Burmese government officials in Bangkok and in Mawlamyine in Mon State, respectively. However, little progress has been made.

Troops of the military wing of the Karen National Union.
                    Photo: Mizzima

According to KNU and DKBA officials, no agreements have been reached, but both sides agreed that they will not undertake activities outside their respective control areas.

A KNU officer told Mizzima that its team met with government representatives including Rail Transportation Minister Aung Min and retired Major General Chit Than in Bangkok.

The government delegation told the KNU to contact the Karen State government, following earlier instructions issued by President Thein Sein, calling for preliminary negotiations to be held with state officials. The KNU – adhering to its previously stated policy – replied that it wanted to discuss the peace issue with Union government officials through the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of ethnic groups.

“Yes, we met. We have said we prefer to discuss the issue through the UNFC. But the government wants to meet with us just one by one,” said the KNU officer.

Minister Aung Min is often described as a flexible government official. Retired General Chin Than is a Karen affairs expert.

Observers said Aung Min attended a performance on Saturday of some members of the Thee Lay Thee traditional dance troupe, who recently returned from exile. They also said that during his visit to Bangkok, he was with various businessmen, and it may have been related to the Dawei (Tavoy) Development Project in Dawei, Tanintharyi Region, which is carried out by the Italian-Thai Company. In mid-September, the KNU objected to the construction of the Dawei-Kanchanaburi Express Road in the Dawei Development Project, saying it harmed the environment.

In late September, a delegation led by Colonel Aung Lwin, the Karen State minister for security and border affairs, met with KNU officials on the Thai-Burmese border to offer to hold peace talks, but the KNU again replied that it wanted peace discussions with the central government.

Although Union-level government officials have not meet with the KNU, Union officials have met with DKBA officials. The Union delegation was led by the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) Secretary No. 1 Aung Thaung and the chairman of the National Race Affairs and Internal Peace-making Committee, Thein Zaw.

Both sides agreed not to undertake activities outside their respective areas, said DKBA Brigadier General Mo Shay.

He said: “For instance, government troops are active around Thay Baw Boe. Unless they go beyond their territory, there will be no problem. We take the other side. Similarly, if we do not go beyond our areas, there won’t be any problems.”

During the meeting, DKBA officials requested permits to open DKBA offices in Hpaan, the capital of Karen State, Kyainseikkyi, Three Pagoda Pass, Kyaikdon, Kawkareik and Myawaddy townships in Karen State. The request would be forwarded to President Thein Sein.

The Karen State government minister for security and border affairs Colonel Aung Lwin, the government Commander of the Southeast Command, Major General Win Aung Hlaing, and Karen State Chief Minister Zaw Min were involved in the meeting held in Mawlamyine. On the DKBA side were Mo Shay, Major Sein Win of the Adjutant General’s Office, and Intelligence officer Captain Pida.

The DKBA separated from the KNU in 1994. DKBA battalions led by Colonel Saw Chit Thu were transformed into Union Border Guard Force [BGF] Battalions 1012, 1013 and 1014 under the Ministry of Home Affairs on August 18, 2010.

Breakaway DKBA battalions led by Brigadier General Saw La Bwe have fought against government troops since November 8, 2010, the day after general-elections, and are now involved in talks with the government for the first time.

The government did not ask the DKBA to transform into a Border Guard Force.

“If the government forces us to transform into the BGF, the situation will be worse than it is now,” Mo Shay said.

In September 2010, the remaining breakaway DKBA battalions reorganized and Mo Shay was promoted to chief of staff.

The DKBA said it would continue to meet with government representatives.

On October 23, between Thay Baw Boe and Taungni villages, an area controlled by KNU Brigade No. 6 near the Thai-Burmese border, DKBA troops planted mines to guard against government troops, according to Brigadier General Mo Shay.

Src  :  Mizzima