Tomiko Itooka, a 116-year-old Japanese woman recognized as the world's oldest person, has died of old age in western Japan, according to local authorities.

Itooka died on December 29 in a nursing home for the elderly in the city of Ashiya where she resided, the city government in Hyogo Prefecture said Saturday.

Born on May 23, 1908, Itooka became the oldest living person in Japan in December 2023 following the death of FusaTat-sumi, a 116-year-old in Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture, a Hyogo neighbor.

Itooka was subsequently recognized as the world's oldest living person by Guinness World Records in September 2024, following the death of the previous holder, 117-year-old Maria Branyas in Spain. 

Xinhua

Source: Myawady Daily Newspaper

A dinner in honour of the 77th Anniversary of Independence Day hosted by State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla took place in conjunction with the honourary entertainment ceremony at the lawns of the SAC Chairman Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday evening.
SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Thiri Pyanchi Maha Thray Sithu Soe Win and his wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Union ministers and their wives welcomed the guests.
The Senior General and his wife arrived there and cordially greeted chairpersons and representatives from political parties, ambassadors and charges d’affaires of foreign missions, honourary consulars and guests on the lawns.
The Senior General, his wife and the dinner attendees enjoyed the displays of fireworks. The Senior General and his wife dined with the attendees. Before and during the dinner, artistes from MRTV and Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture performed songs and dances.
After the entertainment, the Senior General and his wife presented the flower baskets to the artistes. Also present on the occasion were the SAC Secretary and his wife, the Joint Secretary and his wife, council members and their wives, union-level dignitaries and their wives, advisers to the SAC Chairman, the SAC Central Advisory Body members, union ministers and their wives, union-level organization members, the Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, honorary title recipients, and specially invited guests. — MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Nationwide participation key to country’s success

The State Administration Council sets Five-Point Roadmap including the fact “Emphasis will be placed on ensuring peace and stability and the full rule of law across the whole Union, and on successfully conducting free and fair multiparty democratic general elections” and Nine Objectives including “To ensure a strong, disciplined and authentic multiparty democratic system and foster a Union founded upon democratic and federal systems” for the socioeconomic development of the national people, said Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to confer honourary titles to mark the 77th Anniversary of Independence Day to relevant recipients, held at the SAC Chairman Office yesterday morning.
In his speech, the Senior General highlighted the endeavors and efforts of entire national people in regaining Independence of the country on 4 January 1948.
He added that the country is still weak in tranquility and peace to date due to the internal and external destructive elements and negative succession of colonialism although the country marks 77th independency.
Therefore, all are responsible to maintain the independence and not only should make concerted efforts to build a peaceful and develop nation as per the visions of the ones who made sacrifices for independence but also protect the endurance of independence.

State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing confers the Sithu title on Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein at the conferring of honourary titles on recipients at SAC Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

He then stressed the power of the participation of all national people for the nation whereas the government confers honorary titles to those who put their hearts and souls into this matter on Independence Day and other significant days.
The Senior General revealed that at today’s ceremony, the Sithu title will be conferred on two, the Thura title on nine, the Thiri Pyanchi title on five, Zeya Kyaw Htin title on three, Wunna Kyaw Htin title on 96, Alinka Kyaw Swa title on five and Theikpa Kyaw Swa title on two, totalling 122.
He then urged the intellectuals, intelligentsia and national people to work with the government actively while the Five-point Roadmap, Nine Objectives and Two National Visions are being implemented practically.
The Senior General conferred the Sithu title on one recipient, the Thura title on eight, the Thiri Pyanchi title on one, the Zeya Kyaw Htin title on three, the Wunna Kyaw Htin title on 78, the Alinka Kyaw Swa title on three and Theikpa Kyaw Swa title on two individually.
Also present at the ceremony were Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Thiri Pyanchi Maha Thray Sithu Soe Win and wife, the council secretary and wife, the joint secretary, council members and their wives and State dignitaries. —MNA/KTZH

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

BEIJING recorded 290 days of good air quality last year, the highest since monitoring began, the municipal ecology and environment bureau said Thursday.
The number of days with good air quality in the national capital accounted for 79.2 per cent in 2024, marking an increase of 19 days compared to the previous year and a significant rise of 114 days compared to 2013.
The number of days with heavy air pollution dropped dramatically, from 58 in 2013 to just two in 2024, a decrease of 96.6 per cent.
Beijing’s average concentration of PM2.5 reached 30.5 microgrammes per cubic metre in 2024, meeting the national standards for four consecutive years. PM2.5 readings, a key indicator of air pollution, are a gauge monitoring airborne particles of 2.5 microns or below in diameter.
Compared to 2013, the annual average concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide in Beijing last year decreased by 65.9 percent, 50 per cent, 57.1 per cent and 88.7 per cent, respectively. — Xinhua

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Historic Dala Dockyard hosts sesquicentenary celebration

SENIOR General Min Aung Hlaing stressed the need to conduct research to use battery power for running vessels. A ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of the historic Dala Dockyard took place in Dala Township, Yangon Region, with an address by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday morning.
On his arrival, the Senior General and party were welcomed by children from families of the staff at Dala Dockyard.
Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo, Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than and Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein formally opened the No 1 upgraded dock lane, new dock trailer and 1,500-tonne tugboat as a gesture of honouring the sesquicentenary celebration of the dockyard.
The Senior General unveiled the plaque of the heavy renovation of the historic diesel workshop built in 1875 at the shipyard and the historic signboard and sprinkled scented water on the plaque.
Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General said that the 150th anniversary of the shipyard took place at the ancient diesel workshop where they all watched a video clip on records of Inland Water Transport and Dala Dockyard. He continued that inland water transport must be upgraded to coastal shipping, river freight transport to coastal freight transport, container transport and maritime freight systems to achieve greater connectivity and growth.
The Senior General highlighted that State-owned dockyards need to consider long-term interests with high capability by building vessels similar to Dala Dockyard.
The Senior General stressed the need to conduct research to use battery power for running vessels. He added that shipyards must be equipped with necessary facilities such as dock lanes, machinery, construction workshops, forklifts and heavy machinery, and essential equipment for vessel design creation to conform to global standards. He underlined that relevant maritime departments have to exchange experiences and technologies of the ship-building process under the maritime rules and regulations for the existence of historic dockyards to develop the maritime sector development of the State.
The Senior General emphasized that to ensure the safe and secure operation of inland water transport, efforts must be made not only in riverine transport but also in coastal shipping, coastal cargo transport, and the integration of coastal and riverine passenger and cargo transport services.
He underscored that by assessing the state’s funding support, market availability, and the potential for economic profitability, efforts should be made to enhance the transport of goods along the coastal waterways by leveraging the capabilities of the Dala Dockyard.
SAC Member Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo reported on the background of the shipyard, work process, and implementation of shipyard functions in accord with the guidance of the Head of State and plans.
The Senior General presented cash awards to employees of the shipyard and visited the exhibition of the shipyard on documentary photos, scale models of vessels and others displayed at the ancient diesel workshop.
The Senior General inspected the heavy renovation of vessels, testing the scale models of vessels to build the coastal cargo vessels at the worksite of the shipyard and left necessary guidance.
Also present at the ceremony were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council members, union ministers, union-level dignitaries, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of Yangon Command, officials from the Ministry of Transport and Communications and employees from the shipyard.
Dala Dockyard is the oldest shipyard under the Inland Water Transport. It renovated IWT vessels, created vessel designs and built ships in successive eras while manufacturing machinery and vessel parts, repairing vessels of other departments and enterprises successfully. As workshops, dock lanes and machinery are old at Dala Dockyard with lease capacity, docklanes were renovated, new machinery installed and buildings improved at the shipyard under the guidance of the Head of State. Hence, Dala Dockyard has plans to implement its new future duties assigned by the IWT, based on developed human resources, by constantly monitoring the changing trading system. — MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

ACCORDING to the Ministry of Energy, domestically produced petrol will be available at State owned petrol stations nationwide commencing January 2025. 

From 4 January 2025, local product of petrol will initially be sold at one State-owned fuel station in the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area and two stations in Mandalay Region. Additionally, plans are underway to begin distributing and selling locally produced petrol at one State-owned filling station in Bago Region and an other in Shan State beginning in January.

 Currently, domestic fuel production is supplied by the Thanlyin Oil Refinery in Yangon Region, the Chauk Oil Refinery in Magway Region, and the Mann Thanpayakan Oil Refinery also in Magway Region. — ASH/TMT

Source: Global News Light of Myanmar

A total of 633 container vessels docked at the Yangon Port in 2024, the Myanma Port Authority announced. 

The arrival of the contain er vessels rose in 2024 compared to 629 vessels in 2023. 

Myanma Port Authority stated that 49 vessels in January, 53 in February, 55 in March, 50 in April, 52 in May, 50 each in June, July and August, 55 in September, 52 in October, 57 in November and 60 in December 2024 arrived at Yangon Port. 

Following the draft extension, international ocean liners can now access the inner port, according to the Myanma Port Authority’s statement on 22 June 2022. 

After the new navigation channel (Kings Bank Channel) accessing the inner Yangon River had been found, the draft extension work was accelerated. After that, the port Zhaoming (185.99 metres LOA, 35.25 metres Beam, 29,232 GRT and 2,698 TEU) of Hong Kong-based SITC Shipping Line docked at Asia World Port Terminal for the first time on 22 June, which is the largest ship that AWPT Port handled. 

From May 2021, the arriv can now handle larger ships. The container vessel MV SITC al of the ships at terminals in Yangon has increased again. Three new container vessels by Maersk Line Myanmar (Sea Land Maersk) started to run to fulfil the seaborne trade requirements in 2021. Earlier, the larger ships had draft problems preventing sailing on the Yangon River. With the draft being extended up to 10 meters, the larger ocean liners can enter the Thilawa Port. — NN/KK

Source: Global New Light Of Myanmar 

THE world ushered in 2025 on Tuesday, with huge crowds waving goodbye to the old year that brought Olympic glory, a dramatic Donald Trump return and turmoil in the Middle East and Ukraine. 

It is all but certain that 2024 will go down as the hottest year on record, with climate-fuelled disasters wreaking havoc from the plains of Europe to the Kathmandu Valley. 

Sydney — the self-proclaimed “New Year’s capital of the world” — sprayed nine tonnes of fireworks from its famed Opera House and Harbour Bridge at midnight local time (1300 GMT). 

“Just to see all the beautiful colours and enjoy being in this situation with so many people in wonderful Australia,” said 71-year-old retired nurse Ruth Rowse ahead of the dis play. 

As champagne corks popped and New Year’s Eve parties kicked into gear along picturesque Sydney Harbour, many revellers were 

relieved to see the past 12 months in the rearview mirror. 

“It would be nice for the world if it all sort of fixed itself, sorted itself out,” insurance worker Stuart Edwards, 32, told AFP before the fireworks. 

Taylor Swift brought the curtain down on her Eras tour this year, pygmy hippo Moo Deng went viral and teenage football prodigy Lamine Yamal helped Spain conquer the Euros. 

The Paris Olympics united the world for a brief few weeks in July and August. — AFP

Source: Global New Light of Myanmar

INDIA launched a rocket Monday carrying two small spacecraft to test docking in space, a critical step for the country’s dreams of a space station and a manned Moon mission. 

The mission is “vital for India’s future space ambitions”, Jitendra Singh, the country’s science and technology minister, said in a statement ahead of the launch, which was broadcast live by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced plans last year to send a man to the Moon by 2040. 

The PSLV-C60 rocket, which blasted off Monday evening at the Sriharikota launch site with shooting flames as it soared into the night sky, included two 220-kilogramme (485-pound) satellites. 

ISRO has dubbed the mission Spa DeX, or Space Docking Experiment. 

“PSLV-C60 successfully launches Spa DeX and 24 payloads,” it said in a statement. — AFP

Source: Global New Light of Myanmar

The Chinese PLA Navy today, December 27, celebrated the float out of the first of its next-generation amphibious assault ships. The vessel named Sichuan is reported to be the largest of its kind and incorporates advanced technology.

The new ship was built at Hudong-Zhonghau Shipbuilding, a division of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). Remarkably, China claims the vessel is just four years from design to float out. It will now undergo outfitting before starting dock and later sea trials.

According to the statement from the PLA, the vessel exceeds 40,000 tons displacement, making it significantly larger than China’s first generation of amphib commissioned in 2021. Among the surprises in the design, the PLA reports the vessel incorporates an electromagnetic catapult and arresting system. This means that the vessel which was originally thought to be capable of helicopters and landing craft will also be able to launch a manned fixed-wing aircraft. It is also thought to be a large base for Chinese drones.

In appearance, the vessel features a full-length flight deck. The Chinese also highlighted a configuration with a two-island superstructure, the first time this feature has been used on a Chinese vessel. They said it is designed to better facilitate aviation operations.

China’s previous amphibs, Type 75, are deployed with helicopters and landing crafts. China built three of the first class. The new vessel is the first of Type 76.

China already reports to have the world’s largest navy and continues to rapidly expand its fleet with new capabilities. Chinese officials hailed the new amphib saying it was a critical part of the efforts to expand the reach and capabilities of China’s Navy. In addition to the new amphib, China continues the outfitting of its new aircraft carrier.

The vessel is seen as a rival to the U.S. which traditionally has had the largest vessels of the type. The Wasp and America class vessels operated by the U.S. are approximately 844 feet (257 meters) in length with reports the new Chinese class is 853 feet (260 meters) although the Chinese only said its displacement would exceed 40,000 tons. That would make it similar in size to the Wasp-class and smaller than the America class which is 45,000 tons displacement. Observers had previously predicted the Chinese vessel would reach 50,000 tons displacement.

Source: The Maritime Executive