The first group of refugees from Myanmar living in Thailand and eligible for a new resettlement programme left Bangkok for the US last week; some 90.000 refugees now live in nine closed camps inside Thailand

MNDAA forces have seized the strategic town of Kutkai in northern Shan State from the Ta’ang National Liberation Army; The takeover highlights rivalry among ethnic armed organizations competing for influence within the anti-junta alliance groups

Russia will train Myanmar’s first cosmonaut under a new cooperation agreement that strengthens space ties between the two countries; The initiative forms part of their broader collaboration on satellite technology and space research

Revenue streams linked to Myanmar’s junta have been cut as China dismantled the scam-linked Fully Light Group by arresting its chairman Ming Xuechang, shutting down its operations and extraditing hundreds of suspects

Mid-March has been set by the junta as the target date for convening a new parliament; critics say the process lacks credibility and is designed to entrench military control following the 2021 takeover