By Ko Myo / MPA The breakdown of law and order in Yangon has reached critical levels, with security sources now warning that Myanmar’s former capital is becoming more dangerous than the country's notorious lawless border regions. Residents and police insiders report that the city is currently plagued by a surge in violent crime, including brazen kidnappings, rampant extortion, and forced conscription, often perpetrated...

By Moe Nya / MPA Twelve former staff members of Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Government (NUG) have issued a direct challenge to their leadership, demanding an urgent personal hearing over a stalled investigation into alleged abuse of power and sexual harassment at the highest levels of the administration. In an open letter sent on Thursday to the NUG Acting President, the Prime Minister, and...

By MPA The interim administration of Myanmar’s Karenni State has issued a public apology following a deadly prison break that saw dozens of detainees, including prisoners of war (POWs), flee custody in a meticulously planned operation. The Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC) confirmed on Thursday that eight escaping prisoners were shot dead by security forces after they resisted recapture. The incident, which took place...

By Ra Wai | MPA Myanmar’s military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has raised the prospect of expanding the role of women in the armed forces, sparking fears that the junta may soon extend its forced conscription law to include women. Speaking to troops and their families at the Central Command in Mandalay on Sunday, the Senior General emphasised that the integration of...

By Sayar Ngaat | MPA A hardline nationalist monk has led a rally in Yangon supporting Myanmar’s defence team at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), claiming that the country’s adherence to Buddhist precepts makes the accusation of genocide impossible. Speaking to a crowd of roughly 1,000 supporters at Mahabandoola Park on Tuesday afternoon, Ashin Thuseitta argued that a nation following the "Five Precepts"...