In military-ruled Burma’s Karen state, tradition and a male-dominated social order have long guaranteed men the role of village chiefs. But this order is crumbling in the country’s eastern region, giving rise to the new phenomenon of women village chiefs.

Burma’s opposition National League for Democracy party is planning to expand its central women’s working group following recent changes to other core sections of the party.
Last week the National League for Democracy (NLD) reorganised its information committee and appointed new public relations staff. The move followed the recent expansion of its central youth wing.

Myanmar's Nobel Prize-winning pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi faced new charges Thursday less than two weeks before her house arrest was due to end after an American man swam across a lake and entered her home, her lawyer said.

Supporters accused the military government of using the incident to keep her in detention ahead of general elections scheduled next year.