Myanmar–Thailand ties: Myanmar’s military leadership is pushing deeper defence cooperation with Thailand in Bangkok, with talks also covering border peace, illegal trade, narcotics and cybercrime. Culture exchange: Han Changsha Culture Space opened its first overseas station in Yangon near the Shwedagon Pagoda, adding replicas of ancient Changsha “visiting card” bamboo slips and culinary-history exhibits. Rights & activism: Pro-democracy activist Thinzar Shunlei Yi spoke on DVB about harsh sentences for youth activists and the ethics of revolutionary struggle. Security & displacement: Reuters reports Myanmar troops forcibly clearing areas tied to the Russia-backed Dawei Special Economic Zone in Tanintharyi, with villages burned and resistance groups pushed back. Diaspora policy: Myanmar tightened passport category-change approvals in Thailand, requiring Naypyidaw clearance for status conversions, with applicants facing long waits. Detention diplomacy: The US designated Myanmar scholar Min Zin—held in China on espionage accusations—as “wrongfully detained,” calling for his release ahead of high-level US–China talks. Everyday life abroad: Thailand raids in Ayutthaya arrested Myanmar workers without documents after some fled through fields and water; in Hokkaido, Myanmar workers allege abuse and harassment at a farm under Japan’s SSW program.