Restrictions on telephone and internet services and increased surveillance are leaving large parts of Myanmar cut off from outside information, reports the non-profit organisation Athan Myanmar

The military regime has acknowledged forcibly recruiting young men for conscription, amid growing pressure to fill army ranks; The practice has sparked fear among civilians, with reports of abductions as the junta expands mandatory military service

President Min Aung Hlaing announced plans to amend 43 provisions of the 2008 Constitution; Critics argue the amendments leave intact the military's constitutional powers and are unlikely to alter the armed forces' dominant role in politics

Peace talks with several smaller ethnic armed organizations have been promoted by Myanmar’s military government as evidence of ongoing national reconciliation; Critics argue the discussions exclude many of the country’s most powerful resistance groups

Government has regained full control of the strategic Mandalay–Myitkyina highway, a key route linking central Myanmar with Kachin State; The road is vital for military logistics, trade and access to northern border areas