A state of emergency has been declared in a central Burmese town where at least 20 people have been killed in violence between Buddhists and Muslims.

In a historic trip to a long-shunned land, President Barack Obama showered praise and promises of more American help for Burma today if it keeps building its new democracy.

Burma’s authorities revised downward the death toll from this week’s ethnic violence in the country’s west after warning that the strife risks harming the country’s reputation as it seeks to shift to democratic rule.

Politicians united by their respect for Burma democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi presented her with Congress' highest civilian honour in a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, ahead of a meeting with President Barack Obama.

Burma democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be honoured in Washington and given the US Congress’ highest award, in the latest milestone in her remarkable journey from political prisoner to globetrotting stateswoman.

Burma’s government has formed a commission to investigate sectarian violence in which at least 83 people were killed.

Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has met the president for their first talks since the Nobel Peace Prize laureate became a member of parliament.

Government forces stood by and watched as sectarian violence erupted last month in western Burma and then opened fire on Muslim Rohingyas as they tried to save their burning homes, Human Rights Watch said today.

Burma’s reformist government has freed more than a dozen political prisoners, but opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi called for the release of hundreds more still behind bars.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was warned today to stop calling her country “Burma”.

THE news from Burma these days is relentlessly positive.

Gunshots rang out and residents fled burning homes today as security forces in western Burma struggled to contain deadly ethnic and religious violence that has displaced thousands of people.

Burma’s president has declared a state of emergency in a western state where sectarian tensions between Buddhists and Muslims unleashed deadly violence.

Ethnic Shan rebels have agreed in a second round of talks that there will be no more fighting between the guerrillas and Burmese government troops, a government negotiator said.

Recent battles between Burmese government troops and Kachin ethnic rebels have killed 31 people, a state-run newspaper said, as the ongoing fighting threatens the country’s reform and reconciliation process.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has praised Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for supporting democratisation by making a political compromise.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the international community to lift more sanctions on Burma and increase development assistance.

Democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi and the rest of her party’s newly elected politicians will not attend today’s opening session of Burma’s parliament because they object to wording in their oath of office which says they must “safeguard” the constitution, party officials said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Burma today in what is believed to be the first visit to the former colony by a British prime minister.

South-east Asian leaders have called on Western countries, including the European Union, to lift punitive sanctions imposed on Burma.

Supporters of Burma’s opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi erupted in euphoric cheers yesterday after her party said she won a parliamentary seat in a landmark election, setting the stage for her to take public office for the first time.

Burma was today holding a landmark election that was expected to send opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for her first public office since launching her decades-long struggle against the military-dominated government.

Burma's president vowed not to turn back on his country's democratic reforms as he urged the West to lift sanctions, and even dangled the possibility of giving opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi a Cabinet post.

BURMA freed some of its most famous political inmates, sparking jubilation outside prison gates and signalling its readiness to meet Western demands for lifting economic sanctions.

The US is to exchange ambassadors with Burma in response to its freeing political prisoners and other reforms.

A government-appointed human rights body has appealed to the president to release prisoners who are not a threat to stability, Burmese state media reported.

Burma’s president has approved a new law allowing citizens to request permission to stage peaceful protests for the first time.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton challenged Burma's leaders today to continue and expand reforms.

A government-appointed human rights body has urged Burma’s new president to release political prisoners or transfer them to prisons close to their families.

Burma's president has signed a revised law on political parties in an apparent attempt to encourage Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy to accept the political system and reregister as a party.

Burma began releasing more then 6,300 prisoners today, but has held back on freeing some prominent political figures.

Burma’s president has granted amnesty to more than 6,300 prisoners, state radio and television announced today, in what appears to be the biggest step so far in a series of reform actions undertaken by the new elected government.

Burma’s repressive government was allowing access to banned news websites today for the first time in years, including several operated by exiled dissidents.

Burma’s democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi has said she is pleased about her first meeting with the military-dominated country’s new president.

BURMA’S junta was officially “dissolved” after a swearing-in ceremony to appoint the country’s so-called civilian government.

Burma’s junta was officially dissolved today after a swearing-in ceremony to appoint the country’s so-called civilian government.

Burma’s parliament named the premier of the outgoing military government as the country’s new president today, handing a key junta member the top job in the post-election administration.

WHEN Aung San Suu Kyi was finally released from years of house arrest last week, memories flooded back of Nelson Mandela’s own release from Victor Verster prison and his triumphant walk to freedom. Dare we hope that Burma too might soon join the civilised nations of the world? The chances, unfortunately, are slim.

Hundreds of supporters of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi gathered at the headquarters of her political party today as one of its leaders said an order for her release had been signed by the ruling junta.

Burma’s pro-junta political party secured a majority of seats in both houses of parliament as speculation mounted today that democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be freed from house arrest.

Burma's top leader General Than Shwe will bow out of national elections next month, but his role in the country's political future remains unclear, a south-east Asian diplomat said today.

Burma's junta carried out a major military reshuffle today that retired more than a dozen senior leaders, officials said, in an apparent move to prepare for November national elections.

A top US official will make a second visit to Burma on Sunday to pursue Washington's new policy of engagement, a diplomat said, ahead of controversial elections being prepared by the country's military regime.

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama yesterday told Burma’s junta to free pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi during an unusual face-to-face interaction with a top leader of the ruling military.