The casual greeting among friends, "Are you doing okay?", has long been obsolete in Myanmar's social circles. It has reached a point where asking feels redundant because those who are actually "okay" have become a rare species. Everyone is submerged in their own sea of struggles, and since few have the capacity to help others, many have simply learned to look away. These hardships,...

Thailand has requested assistance from Japan to identify the source of toxic water runoff from Myanmar’s Shan State, which officials warn is threatening the health of communities on both sides of the border. Surin Worakitthamrong, Director of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), announced on 25 February that discussions are underway with the Japanese government regarding cooperation on water filtration technology and sediment analysis. The...

The Sagaing District Command has issued a formal directive ordering the total closure of all revolutionary checkpoints within its jurisdiction, aiming to alleviate the financial and administrative burden on the local population. The order applies to all facilities operated by People’s Defence Force (PDF) battalions, local People’s Defence Teams (PaKaFa), and independent local resistance groups. This includes tax collection points, donation gates, security checkpoints,...

Authorities in Bangladesh have detained three men suspected of being members of the Arakan Army (AA) after they crossed the border from Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The men, dressed in civilian clothing, were apprehended on the evening of 23 February by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel in the Amtoli border area of Naikhochori Township, within Bandarban District. According to local reports, the detainees identified themselves...

The death toll from a devastating military airstrike on a village in Myanmar’s Rakhine State has risen to 20, as more bodies were recovered from the rubble of a local market and residential area. The attack occurred shortly after 14:00 local time on 24 February, when a junta jet fighter dropped two 500lb bombs on Yo Ngū village in Ponnagyun Township. While initial reports...