Burma’s Opposition claimed a historic victory Sunday for pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in her first bid for a seat in Parliament, sparking scenes of jubilation among supporters.

Burma was making final preparations Saturday for polls seen as a test of the military-dominated regi-me’s reforms, in which Op-position leader Aung San Suu Kyi is standing for the first time.

Burma’s journalists will take to Twitter and Facebook in their battle to beat press restrictions and deliver breaking news of Sunday’s byelections that for many will be the biggest story of their care

Burma was making final preparations on Saturday for polls seen as a test of the military-dominated regime’s reforms, in which Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is standing for the first time.

Burma has earned more than $2.8 billion from the sale of jade, gems and pearls at its annual gems auction, held this month in the capital, Naypyitaw.
The weekly Voice news magazine says 16,939 lots of jade, 206 lots of gems and 255 lots of pearls were sold through competitive bidding to fetch the record-high revenue for the sale.

Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, freed from seven years of house arrest, told thousands of wildly cheering supporters on Sunday that she would continue to fight for human rights and the rule of law in the military-controlled nation.

Burma’s pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was freed from house arrest on Saturday, setting her on the path to a possible new confrontation with the generals who had kept her out of the public eye for 15 of the past 21 years.

An ally of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said an order for her release has been signed by Burma’s ruling generals as hundreds of supporters gathered on Friday at her political party headquarters and near her residence in anticipation. Ms Suu Kyi’s house arrest officially ends on Saturday, but rumours swept Rangoon that

Rescue workers were scrambling to provide aid to tens of thousands left homeless in western Burma and neighbouring Bangladesh on Thursday after floods and landslides killed more than 100 people.

Burma’s military junta denied it is developing a nuclear weapons programme, decrying such allegations as groundless and politically motivated.