Naypyidaw, Myanmar — Dressed in flowing purple silk, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi climbed the stone steps of Parliament here Wednesday, delicate and serene in the face of a mob of photographers as she prepared to create a milestone for her country. (more…)

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday committed the UN to a substantially expanded role in Myanmar, with promises ranging from assistance with peace building to conducting a census, but he warned there should be “no turning back” from reforms. (more…)

Burma’s President Thein Sein May Day published a May Day address in state newspapers claiming the government has launched a programme to eradicate forced labour by 2015. (more…)

The Asian Development Bank expects to resume its operations in Myanmar “sooner rather than later,” the bank’s Managing Director-General Rajat Nag said. (more…)

Bangkok — Thailand has warned the population of a border area with Myanmar after “threats” by the leader of a Burmese ethnic rebel group who was recently included in a list of most wanted drug dealers by Bangkok. (more…)

Press freedom has improved markedly in Burma over the course of the last year although the country still remains one of the world’s worst for media censorship, according to two new reports. (more…)

European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she was ‘extremely satisfied’ at the end of her recent visit to Burma and hopes the EU will be able to contribute to poverty alleviation in the country. (more…)

Washington — The United States wants members of Burma’s main opposition party to take their seats in the country’s Parliament and work constructively with the government, a US State Department official said on Tuesday. (more…)

Thus far, Ban Ki-moon’s trip to Burma has proven surprisingly productive, and the U.N. chief has been far more vocal than on previous visits, when he deferred too readily to the then-military regime, and at times even seemed unprepared for the complexities of dealing with Burmese politics, including the tricky ethnic issues. (more…)

Despite the current euphoria over Burma, the reality is a depressing picture. It is even more important now to study and write on it, and not just about the big picture but the details. (more…)

Suu Kyi’s compromise on the Parliament oath of office issue is a welcome relief to the political stalemate. Evidently, judging from events, the NLD will now have to go through a steep learning curve in order to avoid other political missteps. (more…)

After decades of self-imposed isolation and self-inflicted pariah status, Burma’s regime is pushing ahead with political reform and diplomatic openness. (more…)

With many sanctions against the military-backed government in Burma in the process of being suspended or lifted, there is intense interest from European companies in investing and trading with Burma. (more…)