UN envoy heads to Burma

United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari is heading to Burma in a bid to to end mass protests against 45 years of military rule.

The move comes after the junta appeared to have ignored the international clamour for a peaceful end to what came from small protests against shock fuel price rises in August into a mass uprising led by monks.

Burmese soldiers charged at chanting protesters as tensions rose in Rangoon following the deaths of at least ten people.

Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo said: "He's the best hope we have. He is trusted on both sides. If he fails, then the situation can become quite dreadful."

Gordon Brown has also demanded that Mr Gambari be allowed to meet democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for several years.

Meanwhile, small groups of protesters started to gather in Burma's main city, hurling abuse at riot police and soldiers before scattering down side alleys when they started to charge.

The junta restored international Internet links after cutting them the previous day to stop a flood of pictures and video footage of soldiers chasing protesters reaching the outside world.

Elsewhere, Japan is deciding whether to suspend humanitarian aid to the country after investigating the killing of Kenji Nagai, 50, who worked for a Tokyo news agency.

The crisis began on August 19 with protests over a fuel price hike, but has been swelled by pent-up opposition to years of harsh military rule.

Led by thousands of Buddhist monks in maroon robes, the Burmese protesters have been demanding the release of political activists and economic reforms in the impoverished nation.

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