Big day for #catholics in #Thailand & the region as @Pontifex#PopeinThailand#PopeVisitThailand. Hell be celebrating mass at National Stadium but crowd already gathered hours before braving the heat. Lucky ones get the shade but many happy to be in sun to be in Pope's presence
#PopeVisitThailand#PopeVisitThailand2019 has left the #Bangkok National Stadium after celebrating mass. At least 20,000 people gathered to attend his 1st mass in #Thailand since he arrived on Wednesday. He's in Thailand for a 4-day visit
In the #Thai invite letter to @ASEAN foreign ministers, which I've also seen, @MFAThai minister Don says the "meeting is intended to be an informal dialogue that could be part of the initial steps of the #Myanmar peace process" #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Victims buried in a mass grave after #Myanmar#military launched air strikes on a #Kachin Independence Organization #KIO anniversary celebration Oct 23. At least 80 people said to be killed, 100s more injured. Fatalities may rise over hindered medical aid #whatshappeninginmyanmar
Despite atrocities committed, #Myanmar#military remains defiant by calling air strikes & killings of civilians in #Hpakant#Kachin "fabricated" & "rumours". They've now cited own "sources" saying only ethnic #Kachin Independence Army #KIA personnel & resistance fighters killed
#Myanmar#military again takes issue with foreign embassy/UN statements condemning air attacks, insisting comments made "without proper verification" & can be seen as "intentional dissemination of rumours" & "meddling of the internal affairs" of Myanmar. #WhatsHappeninglnMyanmar
#Myanmar#military's air attacks on #Hpakant#Kachin during a Kachin Independence Organization #KIO concert Oct 23 killed at least 80 people & 100s more injured. #KIA says the army carried out a "mass killing" which is "1 of the most cruel & deplorable action" against civilians.
#Myanmar's #ethnic armed group #KIA/#Kachin Independence Organization #KIO adds that the #military regime's latest attack only "encourages stronger revolution against" the Myanmar army. KIA has been clashing with the military for over 60 years. #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Some prominent singers/artists said to have been killed/injured in #Myanmar#military air attacks aimed at #Hpakant, Kachin. #Kachin Independence Army has upped its clashes with military since Feb 2021 #coup. #KIA had rejected army's offer of peace talks #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Videos of aftermath of #Myanmar#military air strikes on #Hpakant#Kachin sent to me for use. Increasingly, Myanmar military has been/will be using air attacks to target #ethnic territories controlled by ethnic armed groups/civilian resistance forces #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
🧵In less than 2 months, #Myanmar & #Russia met at least 3 times via high-level physical visits. #Military chief now making 2nd trip to Russia with his last one only in mid-July. Attending Eastern Economic Forum, he'll likely engage Russian defence again #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#Russia's Vladivostok Eastern Economic Forum's aimed at attracting investments into Russia. Unclear if Russian President Putin will attend. Since #Moscow attacked #Ukraine 5 months ago, nations like #US & #EU have introduced/expanded sanctions on Russia #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
But in latest rebuttal to @ASEAN, #Myanmar#military remains obstinate & defiant as it objected to #ASEAN's accusation that military has shown "lack of progress" in implementing 5-point plan to resolve crisis. Military staged #coup on Feb 1, 2021. 2/5 #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#Myanmar#military in turn accuses @ASEAN of making "1-sided assessment" of its 5-point consensus implementation efforts & that bloc was not appraising results in an "objective and fair manner based on the factual updates and situations on the ground" 3/5 #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar