Compiled by Solidarity

Burma bans weekly Myanmar Times for defying censor

The military government's Press Scrutiny Board ordered the Burmese-language edition of the weekly Myanmar Times not to publish this week for having run an article that was not approved, said Ross Dunkley, the editor in chief. The article, from Agence France-Presse, was about the junta's plans to raise license fees for satellite televisions to almost $800, three times the average yearly income. The current fee is $5. The move would prevent most Burmese from seeing news that is not rigidly controlled.

The U.N. Security Council expressed concern Thursday at Myanmar's slow progress in opening a dialogue with the opposition and called for the early return of U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari to help promote national reconciliation. The council "underscored the importance of making further progress" on the objectives it set out in an Oct. 11 statement, which include protecting human rights and releasing all political prisoners and detainees.