A parliamentary vote in Myanmar has elected junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as president, consolidating his grip on power five years after he ousted an elected government in a coup.
On Friday, Min Aung Hlaing secured a decisive victory in a parliamentary vote, backed by lawmakers from the dominant Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the military’s bloc of appointed legislators. The former commander-in-chief won by a substantial margin, reinforcing his transition to a nominally civilian leadership role.
Since seizing power in February 2021, the 69-year-old general has faced a turbulent tenure marked by the ousting and detention of former leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. That move triggered mass protests that escalated into a nationwide armed resistance against military rule.
The election follows a tightly managed vote held in December and January, in which the USDP - a party largely composed of retired military officers - secured an overwhelming majority. Critics and Western governments have dismissed the process as a sham designed to entrench military control behind a civilian façade.
Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief and close ally of Min Aung Hlaing, has been appointed commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The move is widely seen as ensuring continued military loyalty as Min Aung Hlaing assumes the presidency.
Analysts say Ye Win Oo’s rise reflects entrenched patronage networks within the military, with little expectation of meaningful change despite ongoing allegations of abuses by security forces.
After the USDP’s landslide defeat in the 2020 elections, Min Aung Hlaing seized power, citing electoral irregularities and concerns over the military’s influence.
Following years of conflict and instability, he has now formally exchanged military leadership for the presidency, consolidating authority through a tightly controlled political transition.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Fra...
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's f...
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public re...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public records, a Kabul Institute report released on 22 October said. The United Nations says its oversight systems ensure accountability.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment