Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov has held bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang during his visit to Beijing. They discussed their close ties and plans to boost Eurasian security. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that Beijing would "strengthen strategic cooperation" with Moscow during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.  In comments reported by the RIA Novosti news agency, Wang said Beijing and Moscow would "provide each other with strong support." The meeting took place during a two-day visit by Lavrov to China. The two powers improved their diplomatic ties since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, declaring a "no limits" partnership. The West is "implementing unlawful sanctions towards a number of states, Russia is among them of course. This policy is starting to be actively applied toward [China] as well," Lavrov said, referencing efforts by the US to restrict China's access to key US-made technologies. Plan to launch Eurasian security 'dialogue' Russia and China agreed to strengthen security cooperation across Eurasia to counter US and Western influence. Lavrov said such a move had been put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that the two countries had agreed to "start a dialogue with the involvement of our other like-minded people on this issue." "For a long time, there was a Euro-Atlantic security structure in the form of NATO, of course, as well as the OSCE, but it is striking itself out from the list of relevant structures within which it is possible to conduct meaningful negotiations and agree on something based on a balance of interests," Lavrov said. Moscow and Beijing are planning on launching a "dialogue" on Eurasian security issues, but no further details were given. Wang said NATO should not extend its activities in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Russian news agencies. The two countries should "oppose hegemonism and power politics, oppose the monopoly of international affairs by a few countries," he added. What the West has said about China-Russia ties China has faced increased pressure from Western nations to leverage its influence on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The US has warned Beijing against providing indirect aid to Russia.  In Brussels last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that "China continues to provide materials to support Russia's defence industrial base." During a visit to China on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned of "significant consequences" for any Chinese companies supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. Washington would not rule out tariffs on clean energy imports from China to protect its industry, she said. What the foreign ministers said about Putin and Xi Lavrov and Wang both stressed their support for each other's leaders, with the Chinese foreign minister praising "the strong leadership of President Putin." "China will support Russia's stable development under the leadership of Putin," he added. Lavrov pointed out that "Xi Jinping... was among the first ones to send congratulations to the president-elect Putin" after his reelection win last month, "And we are overall grateful to our Chinese friends for this support." The Russian minister had his turn at lavishing Chinese leader Xi Jinping when the two met later on Tuesday. "We would like to express our highest appreciation and admiration for the successes you have achieved over the years and, above all, over the past decade under your leadership," Lavrov told Xi, according to Reuters.  

With literally one minute until the deadline, the opposition coalition in Venezuela managed to register a candidate for the presidential election on July 28. In January, the Supreme Court confirmed that Maria Corina Machado, the headlining candidate of the electoral alliance PUD (Plataforma Unitaria Democratica, or Democratic Unitary Platform), would be barred from running. Then on Monday, the alliance was unable to register Machado's designated replacement, Corina Yoris, "due to technical reasons." On Tuesday, after the deadline was extended, the PUD was finally able to register the former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as its candidate to campaign against incumbent President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela's highest electoral office, the CNE, also confirmed two other opposition candidates. Who are the opposition candidates in Venezuela? According to the PUD, Gonzalez's hasty registration should be recognized as a provisional candidacy, as the group still aims to get Machado on the ballot. This is legally possible until 10 days before the election, they say.  This was also the plan when the PUD sought to nominate Corina Yoris as a replacement. The 80-year-old retired philosophy professor is regarded as eloquent but totally inexperienced politically.  At least Gonzalez, the second replacement candidate, is a member of the leadership committee of MUD (Mesa de la Unidad Democratica, or Democratic Unity Roundtable), which is tied to the PUD. However, he is not well-known by the Venezuelan public. Following Gonzalez's registration, opposition leader Machado promised to keep fighting for her right to participate. Three opposition candidates: Spreading risk or driving division?  Just before the registration deadline passed, the former representative and ex-vice president of the electoral commission, Enrique Marquez, also registered as an independent opposition candidate. However, the registration of Manuel Rosales caused more uproar. Rosales is the current governor of Zulia, Venezuela's most densely populated state. In 2006, he was the opposition coalition's presidential candidate and ran (unsuccessfully) against then-incumbent Hugo Chavez. Though Chavez died in 2013, his Socialist Unity Part (PSUV) remains in power — with Maduro holding the presidential reins. Rosales' party Un Nuevo Tiempo (A New Time) is part of the anti-Maduro PUD coalition and initially supported first Machado's and then Yoris' candidacies. Rosales claims he registered for the same simple reason as Gonzalez: to ensure that PUD would be able to participate in the election. There was apparently no agreement backing this, however: Shortly after Rosales' registration was made public, opposition leader Machado accused him of treason.  Accusations of a 'loyal opposition' Machado's accusations reveal that she counts Rosales as a member of the so-called "loyal opposition," said Victor M. Mijares of the University of the Andes in Bogota, Colombia. The term is used to describe opposition forces whose non-confrontational positions lend the appearance of political diversity while not actually posing a threat to the regime.  These forces "receive political advantages that take the form of access to public offices such as mayor or governor," said Mijares. On Wednesday, Rosales strongly denied claims made on social media that his candidacy had been arranged in agreement with Nicolas Maduro. But whether by design or by chance, Rosales' candidacy is nevertheless in the interest of the government, said Günther Maihold from the Latin America Institute at Berlin's Free University. "As a governor, he's actually not supposed to be allowed to run, but the electoral commission, which is controlled by the ruling party, allowed it in order to split the opposition," he said. Strongest candidate has been sidelined For her part, Machado is considered radical, even in opposition circles. It's potentially why the liberal right-wing politician remained in the shadows of more moderate, left-leaning political leaders such as Enrique Capriles, Leopoldo Lopez and Juan Guaido. However, by October 2023, Machado had definitively secured her position as opposition leader. In the PUD's primary elections, she received more than 90% of the more than 2 million votes cast — even though she had already been sentenced by government authorities to a 15-year ban on holding office. One of the accusations leveled against her was that she had been involved in a "corruption scheme" along with Guaido, the former Parliament president. "This has significantly strengthened Machado's position," said Maihold. "Just last week I spoke with opposition members who really believe they have a chance to win the election with Machado — if the vote were to be free and democratic." What are the opposition's election chances?  Still, no one expects that to be the case. The rulers of the Socialist Unity Party and their allies really have no other choice than to prevent a democratic vote from taking place, said Mijares. "Maduro's administration and his governing coalition are facing a dilemma in which ceding power is not a viable option, as this is considered to be a political and even existential risk," he said. The opposition has accused the regime of massive corruption and human rights abuses that would hardly be left unpunished were the country to be re-democratized. Of all the stumbling blocks that the government is putting in the opposition's path, Maihold believes the exclusion of Machado is the crucial one. Maduro only has the backing of some 30% of Venezuelans, he explained, and these tend to be party members, members of the military and their relatives — in other words, voters who have directly benefited from his rule. "The opposition's success largely depends on how many voters they can mobilize," said Maihold, adding that only a leader like Machado could presumably manage to unite a democratic majority behind them.  

Chad's state prosecutor has said that Yaya Dillo, leader of an opposition left-wing party, was killed during a gunfight with security forces, after an attack at the country's internal security agency. Chad's state prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye on Thursday said that Yaya Dillo, the leader of the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF), had been killed on Wednesday during an exchange of fire with security forces.  Two days of fighting in N'Djamena Heavy gunfire was audible on Wednesday around the area of the PSF headquarters.  Dillo died "where he had retreated, at the headquarters of his party. He didn't want to surrender and fired on law enforcement," Communications Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said.  Prosecutor Kedelaye had earlier spoken of "dead including Yaya Dillo" during a security forces operation without detailing the circumstances. This followed an attack overnight on Tuesday on the country's internal security agency building in which several people were killed. Chadian authorities blamed Dillo and the PSF, although Dillo had told the AFP news agency on Wednesday that he was not present at the attack. He claimed the government was trying to intimidate him so that he would not run in elections scheduled for May 6 this year. The government also accused a PSF member of an "assassination attempt against the president of the supreme court," an allegation Dillo described as "staged."  The internet connectivity tracking service NetBlocks on Wednesday reported severe disruptions to internet connectivity in the country that it said persisted throughout much of the day. Reuters news agency cited a witness as reporting a return to relative calm in the capital N'Djamena on Thursday, with a smaller visible military presence but with internet access still not restored. Cousins and rivals, set to contest election Yaya Dillo Djerou, 49, was a cousin of transitional President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno. The interim leader took control in Chad in 2021 when his father Idriss Deby Itno was said to have been killed on the front lines fighting an insurgency in the north of the country.  Dillo and Mahamat Deby Itno would both have contested the election, and the May 6 date had only been made public on Tuesday. Elections in May would bring an end to roughly three years of effective military rule. Mahamat Deby Itno had originally promised elections and a return to civilian rule within 18 months but later extended the transition period by another two years. Chad last year asked Germany's ambassador to leave the country, prompting Berlin to send Chad's representative home, amid the sluggish transition period. Who was Yaya Dillo?  Dillo went from being an armed rebel leader to a Cabinet minister under former President Deby, his uncle, and then an opposition candidate against him. In 2021, he told France's RFI radio station that he had been attacked by members of the presidential guard, headed by now interim President Mahamat Deby Itno, who he said killed several of his family members including his wife.  Government forces at the time said they had opened fire after encountering armed resistance.  Deby's military government is one of several juntas currently ruling in West and Central Africa, where there have been eight coups since 2020. 

The German business-focused FDP said an EU supply chain law would burden companies with cumbersome bureaucracy. The legislation will force firms to crack down on damaging actions in their supply chains. A blockade by Germany's business-focused Free Democrats, part of the country's governing coalition, has halted the adoption of a proposed EU law that would require large companies to assess whether their supply chains use forced labor or cause environmental damage. The Belgian EU presidency postponed the vote, which had been scheduled for Friday, at the last minute. A "qualified majority" of 15 EU countries representing 65% of the EU population is needed for the corporate sustainability due diligence directive (CSDDD) to proceed to a final vote in the European Parliament, where lawmakers are expected to support it. On Friday, it was not clear whether a sufficient number of envoys from the 27 EU countries would support the legislation, with Germany set to abstain. The Belgian EU presidency said the item would be postponed to a date to be announced.   What is CSDDD? Under the CSDDD, which would come into force in 2027, large companies in the EU will have to identify and take remedial action if they find that their supply chains use forced or child labor or cause environmental damage, such as deforestation. The rules will apply to EU companies with more than 500 employees and a global net turnover of more than €150 million ($161.5 million), and to non-EU companies with an EU turnover above that amount, but with a three-year delay. Fines for violating the rules could be as much as 5% of a company's global turnover. The law has stirred controversy in other countries, such as the United States, because it covers some 4,000 companies that do business in the EU but are headquartered elsewhere. Why does Germany block the law? The proposed supply chain law is not popular in German business circles. The Association of the German Textile and Fashion Industry called on EU countries to withdraw it altogether. The directive is a "completely unrealistic bureaucratic monster," said the association's managing director, Uwe Mazura. The law would cost companies "unnecessary resources," Mazura added. Germany's pro-business Free Democrats opposed the supply chain law, arguing it would burden business with excessive bureaucracy. They also raised late objections to an EU law to end sales of CO2-emitting cars by 2035 and to EU plans to reduce truck emissions. However, their coalition partners, the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the environmentalist Greens, supported the legislation and warned that Germany would lose credibility in the EU with its last-minute opposition.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Monday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had agreed to forward Sweden's bid to join the military alliance to the Turkish parliament.   Stoltenberg made the announcement after talks with Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on the eve of a NATO summit in Lithuania. "This is a historic day," Stoltenberg said. A joint statement released by the three leaders does not specify a timeline for the Turkish parliament to approve Sweden's application. "We take a very big step towards the formal ratification of Sweden's membership in NATO. It has been a good day for Sweden," Kristersson said.  Surprise announcement  Sweden, along with neighboring Finland, abandoned its longstanding military neutrality and applied for NATO membership after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. But Stockholm's entry into the military alliance had been blocked by two members, Turkey and Hungary. Earlier on Monday, Erdogan added to the list of demands he wanted fulfilled in exchange for finally backing Sweden's accession to NATO. Speaking just hours before meeting Kristersson, Erdogan suggested if the European Union wanted Sweden in NATO, it should let Turkey into the EU. Membership talks between the bloc and Ankara began in 2005 but were put on hold indefinitely in 2016 after years of democratic backsliding, human rights abuses, and provocations under Erdogan. Later, Erdogan held a separate meeting with European Council President Charles Michel. Michel wrote on Twitter that he and Erdogan had "explored opportunities ahead to bring cooperation back to the forefront and re-energise our relations." "From the Swedish side we continue to advocate closer cooperation between the Union and Turkey," Kristersson said. Hungary has strongly signaled it will follow Erdogan's lead and approve Sweden's membership should Turkey give its green light. Biden welcomes Erdogan's green light for Sweden US President Joe Biden welcomed to Turkey's leaders agreement to back Sweden's application. "I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area," Biden said in a statement released by the White House. "I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO ally." German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcomed the news writing on Twitter, "the way is finally clear for Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership." "Our joint efforts have paid off," she wrote, adding that with Sweden in NATO "we're all safer together." It was a sentiment shared by the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who hailed it as "good news for the Swedish people and for our common security & defense policy." Meanwhile British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Sweden joining NATO would "make us all safer," and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, said she hoped Turkey's ratification of Sweden's adhesion protocol, "happens quickly."

Government critic Ousmane Sonko was acquitted of rape charges but found guilty of "corrupting youth." His trial has triggered street protests that left nine people dead. Nine people were killed in the protests that erupted following the sentencing of Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, authorities said early on Friday.  Interior Minister Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome made this announcement on state television, adding that the deaths happened in Dakar and Ziguinchor. A Senegalese court sentenced on Thursday sentenced former presidential candidate Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison over "corrupting youth," but acquitted him of rape charges. Sonko, who is particularly popular among younger voters, had repeatedly said the rape charges were a ploy to stop him from running for the presidency next year. He boycotted the trial proceedings, but was forcibly returned to Dakar by the police on Sunday, ahead of the verdict. What happened in the Senegal protests? Following the verdict, supporters of Sonko took to the streets and threw rocks at riot police and set buses on fire.  Sonko's political party, PASTEF, claimed that the verdict was part of a political conspiracy and issued a statement urging citizens to "stop all activity and take to the streets." In Dakar, thick black smoke was seen in the central university campus as protesters set multiple buses ablaze and clashed with riot police, who responded by using tear gas. Despite signs of ongoing sporadic unrest throughout the evening, government spokesperson Abdou Karim Fofana assured the public that security forces had the situation under control in the capital. Sonko and supporters decry 'politically motivated' trial Like Sonko, his supporters argue the charges are politically motivated, which the authorities deny. Sonko, who is president of the PASTEF-Patriots party, came third in the 2019 presidential election behind incumbent Macky Sall and former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck. Senegal's electoral laws bar individuals convicted of criminal offenses from running for political office. A lawyer present at the hearing told the French AFP news agency that "corrupting youth" is a lesser offense than rape. The charge refers to the act of debauching or encouraging the debauchery of a person under the age of 21. It is not yet clear whether Thursday's hearing is sufficient to disqualify Sonko from Senegal's next election. Sonko has also recently received a 6-month suspended sentence in a defamation case, which he vowed to appeal. What do we know about the rape case? The prosecution claims the 48-year-old politician sexually assaulted and made death threats against a woman who worked in a massage parlor in 2021. Prosecutors were seeking a 10-year jail term for the politician. Sonko claims he visited the "Sweet Beaute" salon in the capital, Dakar, for a massage for chronic back pain. He denies any assault. In court, his accuser provided details of the alleged abuse, saying she was raped five times and had received death threats. A doctor who consulted her on the evening of the alleged event said he had found evidence of sexual intercourse. The salon's owner, who was accused of complicity in rape, was sentenced to two years. Ndeye Khady Ndiaye had denied that any of the services provided by her former staff involved sexual acts.

Government critic Ousmane Sonko was acquitted of rape charges but found guilty of "corrupting youth." His trial has triggered street protests in Senegal. A Senegalese court sentenced on Thursday sentenced former presidential candidate Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison over "corrupting youth," but acquitted him of rape charges. Sonko, who is particularly popular among younger voters, had repeatedly said the rape charges were a ploy to stop him from running for the presidency next year. He boycotted the trial proceedings, but was forcibly returned to Dakar by the police on Sunday, ahead of the verdict. 'Politically motivated' trial? His trial, and particularly forcible return to the capital, sparked protests by his supporters, who took to the streets to denounce the charges against him. Like Sonko, his supporters argue the charges are politically motivated, which the authorities deny. Sonko, who is president of the PASTEF-Patriots party, came third in the 2019 presidential election behind incumbent Macky Sall and former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck. Senegal's electoral laws bar individuals convicted of criminal offenses from running for political office. A lawyer present at the hearing told the French AFP news agency that "corrupting youth" is a lesser offense than rape. The charge refers to the act of debauching or encouraging the debauchery of a person under the age of 21. It is not yet clear whether Thursday's hearing is sufficient to disqualify Sonko from Senegal's next election. Sonko has also recently received a 6-month suspended sentence in a defamation case, which he vowed to appeal. What do we know about the rape case? The prosecution claims the 48-year-old politician sexually assaulted and made death threats against a woman who worked in a massage parlor in 2021. Prosecutors were seeking a 10-year jail term for the politician. Sonko claims he visited the "Sweet Beaute" salon in the capital, Dakar, for a massage for chronic back pain. He denies any assault. In court, his accuser provided details of the alleged abuse, saying she was raped five times and had received death threats. A doctor who consulted her on the evening of the alleged event said he had found evidence of sexual intercourse. The salon's owner, who was accused of complicity in rape, was sentenced to two years. Ndeye Khady Ndiaye had denied that any of the services provided by her former staff involved sexual acts.

Progressive opposition parties look set to secure a stunning victory in Thailand's general election. It's the first vote since youth-led pro-democracy protests in 2020. Preliminary results in Thailand's general election on Sunday, have the country's opposition parties — the Move Forward Party (MFP) and the Pheu Thai party — as clear victors. "It is now clear that Move Forward Party has received overwhelming support from the people around the country," party Pita Limjaroenrat said on Twitter.  Pita later told reporters he was ready to be prime minister and that he would seek to build a coalition with five other parties including Pheu Thai.  The pro-democracy leader also announced that he will ensure a "comprehensive, transparent discussion" on the Lese-Majeste Law — a controversial law which imposes lengthy prison sentences on those who criticize the monarchy. What are the latest results in the Thai election? With 99% of votes counted, data from the Election Commission showed that MFP had 113 constituency seats of the 400 seats where MPs are elected across the country. The Pheu Thai Party led by Paetongtarn Shinawatra — the daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra — has 112 seats. Both opposition parties are anti-military parties and the Senate comprises members who favor the military. The national election is set to unseat the ruling conservative military-backed government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha after almost a decade. Prayuth's United Thai Nation Party has 23 constituency seats. But who heads the next government won't be decided by Sunday's vote alone. The prime minister will be selected in July in a joint session of the House and the 250-seat Senate, which was appointed by the junta. What you need to know about the candiates After casting her ballot in Bangkok, Shinawatra showed no signs of nerves. "Today is going to be a good day. I have very positive energy about it," the 36-year-old told reporters. The progressive Move Forward Party, led by 42-year-old Pita, made strong gains especially among younger voters. Incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was running for re-election with his newly formed conservative United Thai Nation Party. As one of those involved in Thailand's 2014 military coup, Prayuth became premier after a controversial 2019 election. Prawit Wongsuwan, who leads the Palang Pracharath Party, was also one of the chief architects of the 2014 coup. He was a close ally of Prayuth, serving as his deputy prime minister, until they fell out. About 52 million people were eligible to vote in the elections to choose between progressive opposition parties and the incumbent government led by Prayuth who first came to power in a 2014 coup. About 95,000 polling stations set up across the country opened at 8:00 am (0100 GMT) on Sunday. It was the first election being held since youth-led pro-democracy protests broke out in 2020. In the 2019 elections, Pheu Thai won most seats but its military-backed nemesis, the Palang Pracharath Party, entered into a coalition with Prayuth as prime minister. The Senate will jointly decide the fate of the country which has seen dozens of coups in the last century and witnessed a series of street protests.

Despite opinion polls indicating a win for progressive opposition parties in Thailand's general election, fears of military rule linger. It's the first election since youth-led pro-democracy protests in 2020. Polls opened in Thailand on Sunday for an election that is likely to unseat the ruling conservative military-backed government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha after almost a decade. How is the race significant?  The general elections in Thailand will see about 52 million eligible voters choosing between progressive opposition parties and the incumbent government led by Prayuth who first came to power in a 2014 coup. About 95,000 polling stations set up across the country opened at 8:00 am (0100 GMT) on Sunday. The main opposition Pheu Thai party led by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra along with the Move Forward party— were projected to win most of the 500 seats of the lower house, in the final opinion polls. This is the first election being held since youth-led pro-democracy protests broke out in 2020. A political party, or coalition, needs to win a majority of 376 votes from both the 500-seat lower house and the 250 military-appointed senators. The next premier will be selected in a joint session of the lower house and the 250-seat Senate, which will take place in July. Fears linger despite a wind of change Despite opinion polls suggesting the likelihood of a change in government, a history of military coups, court orders and junta-formulated 2017 constitution sustain fears of the military's continued rule. In the 2019 elections, Pheu Thai won most seats but its military-backed nemesis, the Palang Pracharath Party, entered into a coalition with Prayuth as prime minister. The Senate, which comprises members who favor the military, will jointly decide the fate of the country which has seen dozens of coups in the last century and witnessed a series of street protests.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said the junta needed to "tackle" the underground National Unity Government at a military parade. He promised to hold elections once the state of emergency ends. The leader of Myanmar's military junta vowed on Monday to continue a crackdown against opposition groups that formed after the coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi. During a speech to mark Armed Forces Day, Senior General Min Aung said the military would take "decisive action" against lawmakers who were ousted by the military in 2021 and formed their own National Unity Government (NUG), aided by the People's Defense Forces (PDF) and allied ethnic minority militias. "The terror acts of the NUG and its lackey so-called PDFs are needed to be tackled for good and all," Min Aung Hlaing said at a military parade in the capital, Naypyidaw. "The [military] and the government also need to take action against this terrorist group, trying to devastate the country and killing the people." Min Aung Hlaing promised to hold "free and fair elections" once the current state of emergency is lifted. In February, the military extended the state of emergency by six months and admitted it did not control enough territory for a vote to take place. What is the situation in Myanmar? More than 3,100 people have been killed in the military's crackdown on dissent since the 2021 coup, according to a local monitoring group. The ruling junta has been accused indiscriminate killings of civilians and other war crimes. United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has called situation in Myanmar is a "festering catastrophe." Opposition groups hold sporadic protests Armed Forces Day is an annual public holiday that commemorates the start of local resistance to the Japanese occupying forces during World War II. Myanmar's state media showed women lining the streets holding flowers near the military parade in Naypyidaw, which included around 8,000 soldiers. However, there were reports of scattered protests around the country. Independent online media reported that at least three bombs exploded in the country's biggest city, Yangon, on Monday morning. The pro-democracy Yangon Revolution Force said it also protested Armed Forces Day by performing a ritual at a Buddhist pagoda placing a curse on Min Aung Hlaing. Myanmar's military leaders are known to be highly superstitious. In the Sagaing region in the northwest, a stronghold of armed resistance, people also held small protests against the junta on the pubic holiday.