- Oct 29
UN reports fourfold rise in Afghan opium poppy cultivation despite Taliban ban
Cultivation rose to 43,000 hectares in 2026 from 10,000 a year earlier, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, which blames deepening poverty for farmers defying the Taliban ban.
- Oct 20
Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to son by phone for first time in over five years
Myanmar's authorities say the 20-minute consular call, held on 22 October, was the first contact between the detained former leader and her son Kim Aris in more than five years.
- Oct 8
Malaysia pledges to work toward Myanmar's ASEAN reintegration as Min Aung Hlaing visits
Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would work toward Myanmar's full ASEAN reintegration after talks with President Min Aung Hlaing. Malaysian officials stressed the visit did not amount to recognition of the military-backed government.
- Oct 1
US removes Syria from arms export ban to review sales case by case
The United States has removed Syria from its ITAR arms export blacklist, allowing future defense sales to Damascus on a case-by-case basis as bilateral diplomatic relations continue to normalize.
- Sep 30
Puntland forces rescue hijacked tanker MT Honour 25 after pirates kill five crew
Puntland security forces have retaken the oil tanker MT Honour 25 and captured 16 suspected pirates off Somalia, following the deaths of five crew members from Pakistan, Myanmar, and India.
- Sep 29
Malaysia repatriates 1,476 Myanmar nationals on navy ships despite UN warnings
Authorities in Perak state moved the first batch of 1,476 detainees onto three Myanmar navy vessels at Lumut, launching a 5,000-person return program that rights groups say forces asylum seekers into an active war zone.
- Sep 29
Myanmar military airstrike on Kyauktaw market kills at least 50 people
A military fighter jet dropped bombs on a crowded wholesale market and bridge in rebel-controlled Kyauktaw, leaving up to 50 dead and 58 injured as regional fighting intensifies across Rakhine State.
