Yangon - Fourteen Myanmar activists who participated in last year's Saffron Revolution were sentenced to 65 years in jail each on Tuesday, a non-governmental organization said.

The sentences were handed down to the 14 activists, all well-known members of the 88 Generation Students Group, at 1 pm in Insein Prison Special Court, said the Assistance Association for Political Prionsers.

Among those sentenced were the group's leader Mie Mie and her husband Jimmy, Min Zayya, Zaw Zaw Min, Than Tin, Zayya, Ant Bwe Kyaw, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, Marky, Pannate Tun, Thet Zaw, Mar Mar Oo, Sandar Min and Thet Thet Aung. The 88 Generation Students Group is an activist group established during 1988 anti-government demonstrations.

Yangon - A popular blogger who liked to post real-life stories of Myanmar people has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison, associates confirmed on Tuesday.

Nay Myo Kyaw, who was better known by his blogger alias Nay Phone Latt, was on Monday sentenced to 20 years and six months in jail by the Insein Prison Special Court in Yangon.

"He was sentenced to two years under section 505(b) of the Penal Code, three and half years under sections 32(b)/36 of the Video Act and 15 years under section

Dhaka  - Authorities in Bangladesh Sunday claimed that Myanmar has suspended oil and gas exploration in the disputed Bay of Bengal as a result of Dhaka's efforts to defuse tension between the two countries.

"Diplomatic endeavours and a strong presence by the Bangladesh navy resulted in the suspension of exploration by Myanmar in the disputed waters," a statement issued by the Inter-Service Public Relations office of the country's Defence Ministry said.

Dhaka - Reported troop movements near the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar, apparently resulting from a disagreement over offshore oil and gas rights, have ramped up tensions in the area.

Border forces along the Bangladeshi south-eastern border with Myanmar's Rakhain state were put on red alert Saturday after reports of Myanmar troop deployment on the other side of the border.

Yangon - Joining a world hopeful for change, Myanmar's military junta has sent congratulation notes to president-elect Barack Obama and vice president-elect Joseph Biden, news reports said Saturday.

State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Senior General Than Shwe sent a message of congratulations to Obama on Friday while the junta's number two, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye, sent a similar message to Biden, The New Light of Myanmar reported.

Yangon  - Two lawyers representing defendants from the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party have been arrested and sentenced to four months in jail on contempt of court charges, family sources said Saturday.

Lawyers Aung Thein and Khin Maung were arrested late Friday night and sent to Insein prison where they face four months in jail, Aung Thein's family members confirmed.