Myanmar or Burma

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has amended the Union Election Commission Law, which allows government staff to chair all Myanmar’s election bodies ahead of voting due in December or January.

Many government departments are led by ex-military officers who can dominate the election sub-commissions down to the village level.

Myanmar's beleaguered economy is expected to contract by 2.5 percent in the 2025/26 fiscal year largely due to the devastating impact of a powerful earthquake in late March, the World Bank said in a report on Thursday.

The National Unity Government (NUG) has begun constructing two bomb-proof underground hospitals in its controlled areas, with plans to build up to eight, according to U Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the NUG Prime Minister’s Office.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/45953843

A Chinese-backed militia is protecting new rare earth mines in eastern Myanmar, according to four people familiar with the matter, as Beijing moves to secure control of the minerals it is wielding as a bargaining chip in its trade war with Washington.

China has a near-monopoly over the processing of heavy rare earths into magnets that power critical goods like wind turbines, medical devices and electric vehicles.

But Beijing is heavily reliant on Myanmar for the rare earth metals and oxides needed to produce them: the war-torn country was the source of nearly half those imports in the first four months of this year, Chinese customs data show.

Myanmar’s anti-regime People’s Liberation Army (PLA) claimed responsibility for shooting down a junta fighter jet during the battle for Kan Dauk police station in Pale Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday.

[The People's Liberation Army (abbr. PLA; Burmese: ပြည်သူ့လွတ်မြောက်ရေးတပ်မတော်) is a communist rebel group in Myanmar. It is the armed wing of the underground Communist Party of Burma. CPB cadres reentered Myanmar through the country's border with China in March 2021. Five months later in August 2021, the CPB announced that it had rearmed itself and established a new armed wing to wage a people's war against the SAC. - Wikipedia]

Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, who has survived international sanctions and internal armed conflict due to China’s support, expressed his gratitude for Beijing’s help in comments to mark the 75th anniversary of Myanmar-China diplomatic relations on Sunday.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/45504297

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/45504296

The ban will fully restrict entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan; Myanmar, also known as Burma; Chad; Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; and Yemen.

Investigations have revealed that the United Wa State Army and the Mongla-based National Democratic Alliance Army agreed to help cover the costs of rebuilding civil service housing in Myanmar’s capital after the devastating earthquake that struck the country in March.

Bangladesh has recalled its ambassador in Yangon in response to the expulsion of its military attaché by Myanmar’s regime.

Citing diplomatic sources, the Dhaka Post reported that Bangladesh’s foreign affairs ministry instructed Monowar Hossain to return this week.

Bangladesh is communicating with the Arakan Army (AA) that controls 14 out of Rakhine State’s 17 townships, including the entire border with Bangladesh.

Note - this is the first reported involvement of Chinese "security" company in Myanmar's conflict since Junta under Chinese demands hastily passed a security law in February 2025 allowing foreign troops in Myanmar soil under the guise of "security companies".