Artemis astronauts gird for re-entry and splashdown

Pakistan is due to host talks between Iran and the United States in a bid to turn a fragile two-week ceasefire into a lasting end to a war that has roiled global energy markets.

Here are five things to know about the Islamabad talks:

- The war behind the talks -

On February 28, the US and Israel launched deadly coordinated strikes that killed supreme leader Ali Khamenei and struck Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure. More than 3,000 people were killed in Iran in five weeks, according to Iranian media and US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

Tehran responded by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil and gas passes, sending energy prices soaring and disrupting trade worldwide.

On April 8, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan. The ceasefire is expected to expire April 22.

- Pakistan's unlikely starring role -

Pakistan's value as a mediator rests on an unusually broad diplomatic network. 

Iran was the first country to recognise Pakistan following independence in 1947, with the two neighbours sharing a 900-kilometre (560-mile) border and deep historical, cultural and religious ties. Pakistan is also home to over 20 million Shia Muslims: the second-largest such population in the world after Iran.

Islamabad has cultivated strong ties with Washington, Riyadh and Beijing. 

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Beijing at the end of March for talks with Wang Yi, who backed Islamabad's mediation efforts as "in keeping with the common interests of all parties".

Trump himself told AFP that China helped bring Iran to the negotiating table, an account backed by Pakistani officials.

"On ceasefire night, hopes were fading, but China stepped in and convinced Iran to agree to a preliminary ceasefire," a senior Pakistani official familiar with the negotiations told AFP on condition of anonymity. 

- What's on the table? -

The gap between the two sides remains vast.

Washington's reported 15-point proposal centres on Iran's enriched uranium and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has countered with a 10-point plan demanding control over the strait, a toll for vessels crossing the strait, an end to all regional military operations and the lifting of all sanctions.

Lebanon is also a major sticking point. Israel continued its strikes in the country targeting Hezbollah -- after the ceasefire came into force -- with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's assertion that the truce included Lebanon.

US Vice President JD Vance appeared to take a softer tone, saying there may have been a "legitimate misunderstanding" from Iran that Lebanon would be included. 

Iranian sources have also told Iranian media that Tehran won't attend the talks unless a ceasefire is in place in Lebanon

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on X that Israel's strikes on Lebanon rendered the negotiations "meaningless".

Iran has also long refused to concede to Washington's demands on its nuclear programme. 

- Who are the negotiators? -

Vance will lead the American team, joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner. 

It marks the most senior US engagement with Iran since Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal. Witkoff held multiple rounds of Oman-mediated talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi before the war cut the process short.

Iran has not officially announced the composition of its delegation.

- Islamabad on lockdown -

The talks are being held in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

The government has kept its cards close to its chest without confirming the venue, but the Serena Hotel -- located next to the foreign ministry in the capital's high-security Red Zone -- asked its guests to clear out on Wednesday.

The same day authorities in the capital announced a two-day public holiday on Thursday and Friday.

The talks themselves are expected to be indirect: the two delegations sitting in separate rooms with Pakistani officials shuttling proposals between them, mirroring the format used in earlier Oman-mediated rounds. 

Outside, the streets of Islamabad are flooded with armed security personnel in military fatigues, traffic diversions and police checkpoints. The capital, already a quiet city, was even quieter on Friday.

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When the US-Israeli war with Iran began at the end of February, it was widely assumed that Moscow would be one of the conflict's key winners.

Higher oil prices, a distracted Washington and a sudden need for Western air defence systems in the Gulf were seen as a boost to Moscow's four-year invasion of Ukraine.

But in Kyiv, officials and analysts say a flurry of high-level visits by President Volodymyr Zelensky and the inking of security accords across the Middle East amount to a diplomatic coup that have given the embattled country outsized clout in a region recently seen as aligned with Russia.

"Ukraine is for the first time -- and to some countries' surprise -- acting as a state that can provide security services, that can, as experts say, export defence and security expertise," Volodymyr Fesenko, a respected political observer in Kyiv, told AFP.

That is a marked turnaround from 2022 when an under-equipped Kyiv went on bended knee to the United States and Europe to appeal for sophisticated air defence systems, advanced battle tanks, and as many artillery shells as they could get their hands on.

The rapid proliferation of drones has made many of those weapons less relevant, and spurred Ukrainian rag-tag arms producers to become global leaders in drone warfare and anti-drone systems. 

- 'Moscow extremely upset' -

Kyiv's forces neutralise hundreds of the Iranian-designed drones launched by Russia every day, and as Iran started firing off drones across the Middle East in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks, Zelensky quickly deployed more than 200 of his anti-drone experts to at least four states.

Zelensky himself paid high-profile visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Syria -- becoming one of the first foreign leaders to visit the region during the war.

"Moscow is extremely upset with Ukraine's rapid strengthening of ties with the Gulf countries in the wake of Iranian air terror," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said on social media.

"They understand that Ukraine's unique experience has dramatically changed its role in the region," he added.

Sybiga said Russia and its close ally Iran had taken to spreading disinformation about Ukrainian anti-drone units to undermine Kyiv's diplomatic reach -- like that Iran had struck a depot housing Ukrainian anti-drone systems in the United Arab Emirates.

Despite Ukraine managing to give itself a surprise role in the conflict, the question remains what material benefit it can extract besides some good publicity.

"Frankly, in the Gulf countries you can simply ask for money," political analyst Taras Zagorodniy suggested to AFP in a telephone interview.

"This is a way to scale our own technologies and attract additional resources, because we need money to support our technologies and investments," Zagorodniy, Managing Partner of the National Anti-Crisis Group think tank, added.

Details of the defence agreements struck with several states in the region have not been made public.

Zelensky had previously proposed swapping Ukrainian drone warfare technology for the advanced air defence missile ammunition -- though that idea appeared to gain little traction.

- No 'breakthrough' -

The Ukrainian leader has also suggested that improved ties with the Gulf could help place broader pressure on Russia to halt its invasion. 

But analysts have warned that these overtures do not amount to a breakthrough -- yet.

For one, the impact of the two-week truce agreed between the United States and Iran is unclear. 

Zelensky has said Ukrainian anti-drone units will remain in the Middle East but the long-term demand for Ukrainian war tech remains in question.

The region has largely refrained from criticising Russia's invasion and has not hit Moscow with sanctions. Many states seek good relations with both sides to play a mediating role -- hosting talks or brokering the return of children.

"It is premature to speak of a breakthrough. This is not even a step -- rather a first cautious move in the right direction," former Ukrainian diplomat Vadym Triukhan wrote in a recent analysis.

To be a "game changer" for Kyiv, the pace of engagement needed to be kept up.

"If this tempo is not lost, then within a few months it will be quite realistic to reach multi-year, multibillion contracts," Triukhan wrote.

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China's President Xi Jinping met Taiwan's opposition party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, telling the visiting delegation he had "full confidence" that Taiwanese and Chinese people would be united.

Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Cheng is the party's first leader to visit China in a decade, but her trip has sparked debate in Taiwan with critics accusing her of being too pro-Beijing.

China severed high-level contact with Taiwan in 2016 after Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party won the presidency and rejected Beijing's claims that the self-ruled island is part of its territory.

Xi told Cheng as the two met on Friday that "the general trend of compatriots on both sides of the Strait getting closer, edging nearer and becoming united will not change".

"This is an inevitable part of history. We have full confidence in this," Xi said during the talks carried by Taiwanese media. 

He also said China was willing to strengthen dialogue with groups in Taiwan, including the KMT, on the "common political foundation of... opposing Taiwan independence".

The KMT supports closer relations with China, which claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it.

Cheng echoed Xi's stance, telling a press conference after their meeting that by "opposing Taiwan independence, we can avoid war".

She also told Xi earlier that the Taiwan Strait would "no longer be a focal point of potential conflict" and "both sides should transcend political confrontation".

Beijing has sworn to take Taiwan and has not ruled out using force, ramping up military pressure around the self-ruled island in recent years.

China conducts near-daily deployments of fighter jets and warships near the island and regular large-scale military drills.

Taiwanese lawmakers have been at loggerheads over the government's plan to spend NT$1.25 trillion ($39 billion) on defence, which has been stalled for months in parliament, controlled by Cheng's KMT party.

- Defence spending -

Cheng's trip comes a month before US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing for a summit with Xi.

The United States has been piling pressure on Taiwanese opposition lawmakers to back a proposal for defence purchases, including US weapons, to deter a potential Chinese attack.

Cheng has railed against the government's proposal, insisting "Taiwan isn't an ATM" and instead backed a KMT plan to allocate NT$380 billion ($12 billion) for US weapons with the option for more acquisitions.

While KMT party members regularly fly to China for exchanges with officials, its last leader to visit was Hung Hsiu-chu in 2016.

Cross-strait relations have worsened in particular since the election of Tsai's successor, Lai Ching-te, who Beijing considers a separatist.

Lai said in a Facebook post on Friday that "China's... military threats in and around the Taiwan Strait and the island chain have severely undermined regional peace and stability".

Cheng landed in Shanghai on Tuesday evening, saying shortly after her arrival that "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not doomed to war, as the international community has feared".

The KMT leader also travelled to the eastern city of Nanjing, where she visited the mausoleum of revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen, one of the few Chinese historical figures revered in both Beijing and Taipei.

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Traffic in a seaside Australian town was briefly diverted on Friday when a local seal decided to take a nap on the road.

The dozy pinniped was spotted snoozing on a road in Dromana in the southern state of Victoria.

Local police placed cones around the seal -- known to some locals as Sammy -- who could be seen sunning himself with little concern for the traffic.

"You don't know where he will pop up next," local Laura Ellen, who spotted the slumbering animal, told AFP.

"He usually sleeps all day," she said.

"It made me laugh when I saw him on the road. Haven't seen him do that before."

The seal was later redirected back to the beach by wildlife rescuers and the lane was re-opened.

Seals are a common sight along Victoria's coast and it is illegal to touch or feed them, the state government says.

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While the Artemis II astronauts have been protected from the icy vacuum of space on their journey, their bodies have nonetheless been left exposed to possibly high levels of radiation -- a danger of space travel that NASA is anxiously waiting to study.

Their trip around the Moon has taken the four astronauts farther into space than any human before -- more than 1,000 times the distance from Earth to the International Space Station.

Earth's magnetosphere offers some protection against radioactive cosmic rays and solar particles to the orbiting ISS, but no such cover on the Moon. 

Studying the impacts of radiation is essential as NASA hopes to eventually build a Moon base and send astronauts on the long trip to Mars.

The US space agency installed radiation sensors on the Orion capsule and took blood samples of the astronauts before takeoff to compare with samples post-trip. The crew's saliva samples are gathered throughout the journey and their health is monitored via smartwatches.

NASA has also placed state-of-the-art computer chips in the capsule that can replicate certain physiological functions, like that of an organ.

Mission planners chose to mimic bone marrow, which produces blood cells and is one of the tissues "most quickly affected by radiation and other stressors," NASA Human Research Program chief scientist Steven Platts told AFP.

With all of the data, Platts said his team hoped to better understand the variation between low earth orbit and deep space.

"It will be good research information for us to see the level of radiation, but also the type of radiation," he said.

"Our prediction is that we'll see a lot more galactic cosmic radiation... which is from supernovas and is everywhere," versus radiation coming from the Sun, he said.

- Mental health -

Platts said while most people associate radiation with cancer risk, it also can impact the central nervous system and blood circulation.

"It can lead to inflammation in the brain, and that's one of the things that can increase the risk of Parkinson's disease," he said.

With the Artemis II astronauts spending just 10 days in space, radiation is not a major concern, but the danger could rise dramatically with longer stays on the Moon.

Extensive health studies were conducted on the Apollo astronauts, but technology has advanced greatly in the 50 years since, said Bruce Betts, chief scientist at the Planetary Society, a space advocacy group.

"There will be a lot of information on the medical side of things," he said.

The other major focus is on psychological risks of spending long periods of time on the Moon or Mars.

With greater disconnection from home and tight living quarters, mental health could pose the greatest danger to astronauts on such missions, Platts said.

He compared the difference between the ISS and the tiny Orion capsule as like going from a "six-bedroom house, like a mansion... to a camper van."

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A mounting diplomatic row between Ecuador and Colombia intensified on Thursday, with Bogota recalling its ambassador after Quito announced 100 percent tariffs on imports from its South American neighbor.

The two countries have been engaged in a trade war for months, with Ecuador accusing Bogota of failing to combat drug trafficking and illegal mining along their shared border. 

"Our ambassador to Ecuador must return immediately," Colombian President Gustavo Petro said in an X post responding to Ecuador's leader Daniel Noboa, a staunch ally of US President Donald Trump.

"The next cabinet meeting will be held at a location on the border with Ecuador," Petro added.

The diplomatic tit-for-tat escalated after Petro referred to a jailed former Ecuadoran vice president as a "political prisoner" this week.

The left-wing Petro was referring to Jorge Glas, who was vice president under firebrand former socialist leader Rafael Correa and Correa's successor Lenin Moreno.

Glas was sentenced to 13 years in prison last year for corruption, his fourth conviction since 2017.

That prompted right-wing Noboa to recall his envoy from Colombia for consultations on Wednesday and announce the tariffs starting in May.

Petro earlier called the threat of a 100 percent tariff "a monstrosity" and threatened to withdraw Colombia from the Andean Community of Nations, a trade bloc which also includes Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

"It's just simply a monstrosity, but this signifies the end" of the grouping, "in which we already no longer participate," Petro earlier said on X.

Noboa responded that "it is not possible to reach agreements with someone who does not share the same commitment to fighting narco-terrorism."

"In the future, it will be possible to talk with a government that is truly committed to combating crime and drug trafficking," Noboa said.

The right-wing Ecuadorian leader kicked off a trade war with Colombia in January over the alleged lack of cooperation in combating drug trafficking.

From an initial 30 percent, he later increased tariffs on Colombia to 50 percent.

Colombia responded with 50-percent tariffs and by halting electricity sales to Ecuador, which has suffered chronic energy shortages.

Talks between the two countries failed to produce a breakthrough.

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© Agence France-Presse

Rocking her baby to soothe his searing pain and gasping breaths, 18-year-old Rubia Akhtar Brishti recounts how her son nearly died in Bangladesh's deadly measles outbreak.

"The boy had high fever and found it hard to breath," Brishti told AFP, mopping the fevered brow of one-year-old Minhaz, cradled in her arms. "His whole body had rashes."

At least 143 people have died in the outbreak since March 15, the vast majority children, with more than 12,000 suspected cases -- the worst in the South Asian nation for 20 years.

Brishti, like dozens of others, rushed from her village seeking help in the capital Dhaka, where the DNCC Hospital in Mohakhali, set up originally for Covid-19, is flooded with cases.

The ward is filled with the sounds of coughing and cries of pain, as mothers hold nebulisers over their children's mouths to help their little lungs gulp for air, their tiny bodies marked by a searing rash.

Measles is one of the world's most contagious diseases, according to the World Health Organization, and spreads via coughs or sneezes.

While it can affect people of any age, it is most common among children and can cause complications, including brain swelling and severe breathing problems.

"Both of my children are sick now," said Nusrat Jahan, who had lost her vaccination cards and therefore missed getting her infants a shot. "Both the babies are suffering."

Her children were in different wards in the hospital.

"One is admitted on first floor and another is on second floor," she said. "I am caught in between, as both the children cry for me."

- Vaccine drive -

Bangladesh has made significant advancements in vaccinations to tackle infectious diseases.

But a measles drive due in 2024 was delayed by the deadly uprising that toppled the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina.

Many of the families with sick children in the ward say they come from areas where vaccine coverage was limited.

Yasmin Khatun, grandmother of one-year-old Safwan, said she had tried to get the baby protected.

"We took him to the centre but there were no vaccines available for measles," she said.

Health authorities are scrambling to stop the spread and roll out vaccination campaigns.

Health authorities launched an emergency measles-rubella campaign on April 5, alongside UN agencies, aiming to protect more than 1.2 million children.

Vaccines work the best when all are covered.

Government health services spokesperson Zahid Raihan said that among the affected children, 17 percent had received a single dose, while 11 percent had received two doses.

"In the absence of herd immunity, children can still get infected even after vaccination," Raihan said, saying 95 percent coverage of children was needed to ensure that.

"Last year, the coverage was only 59 percent," he said.

Golam Mothabbir, from Save the Children Bangladesh, said the hardest hit places included the crowded capital Dhaka, as well as the densely packed refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, home to more than a million people.

"We know that if not enough vaccines are administered or if the vaccine campaign isn't sustained, the outbreak will continue to spread, and paediatric wards will continue to fill," Mothabbir said.

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In India's West Bengal state, the beloved fish has leapt from the kitchen table to the campaign trail, becoming an unexpected flashpoint in a fiercely contested election.

For Bengalis, fish is not merely food. It is intrinsic to the Bengali identity and pride. Its aroma drifts from roadside fryers, and it is a must at wedding feasts and festival spreads.

Now, as the state of over 100 million people gears up for polls on April 23 and 29, the slippery staple has also become political ammunition.

In tea shops and markets, where mounds of fish glisten on beds of crushed ice, the chatter has centred around whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party will ban fish if it takes power.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sometimes promoted vegetarianism as part of its Hindu nationalist agenda, and has imposed limited dietary restrictions in other states.

It is waging an aggressive bid to dislodge West Bengal's chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the firebrand leader of the opposition All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) which has been in power in the state since 2011.

But the fuss over fish has given the state premier an early opening.

At a recent rally, Banerjee warned that the BJP would "ban fish, meat and even eggs" if it came to power in West Bengal.

At another event, she portrayed the BJP as blind to the state's gastronomic soul, saying: "They are not aware of the traditions and culture of West Bengal... It's a party of outsiders."

The BJP has denied it intends to ban fish in the state. 

But for many voters, Banerjee's claims have tapped into a deep local sentiment.

- 'Celebrated delicacy' -

"I cannot imagine Bengalis without a preparation of fish during lunch or dinner," said Sumita Dutta, 59, a teacher at a state-run school.

"If any restriction is imposed on the sale of fish, people in the state will revolt."

From the sacred "hilsa" offered during festivities to the carp served at wedding rituals to symbolise fertility and prosperity, fish is woven intricately in Bengali life. 

"Fish is important to Bengali culture and cuisine, serving both as a daily staple and a celebrated delicacy," said Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, former vice-chancellor of a state-run university.

"Fish and rice make a Bengali," he told AFP.

Hindus are a majority in India and widely eat meat and fish, though some communities follow vegetarian traditions.

Given the sensitivities in West Bengal, the BJP has been striving to show its appetite for the catch of the day.

One video of BJP candidate Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay canvassing with a fish dangling from his hand has gone viral, prompting both amusement and debate on social media.

The aim of the campaign was to "counter the TMC" and "address the debate on food habits", BJP state chief Samik Bhattacharya told AFP.

"Most people in (West) Bengal eat non-vegetarian food, and even BJP leadership consumes non-vegetarian food," he said.

He insisted the party had no intention of imposing dietary restrictions if elected.

- Angling for votes -

The fear of a fish ban has stemmed from some Indian states where BJP and its affiliates have pushed restrictions on meat, especially during Hindu festivals.

In 2024, the BJP government in the northeastern state of Assam announced a complete ban on serving or consuming beef in restaurants, hotels, public functions, and public spaces, expanding earlier local restrictions into a statewide policy.

And in Bihar state, where the BJP is part of a ruling coalition, the sale of fish and meat near schools and religious sites was banned in February, with the deputy chief minister saying it was meant to maintain "social harmony".

The news of the ban quickly travelled across state borders into neighbouring West Bengal's charged political atmosphere, tapping into anxieties around culture and autonomy.

"Emotions and identity are becoming a part of the political campaign," Ray Chaudhury said.

"Food choices are likely to influence voting in this election."

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Thousands of fans have gathered in the California desert for the hotly anticipated Coachella Festival, which kicks off Friday with pop princess Sabrina Carpenter in the headliner spotlight.

The star-studded line-up -- which also includes headliners Justin Bieber and Colombia's Karol G -- will grace the stage in Indio on two consecutive weekends, kicking off the US music festival circuit for 2026.

Friday's acts include standout emerging talent Teddy Swims and girl group KATSEYE, as well as established artists like Moby.

But the highlight of the opening night will be Carpenter, who promised "the most ambitious show" of her career in an interview with Perfect Magazine.

The "Manchild" singer made her Coachella debut in 2024, the year she released her catchy summer hit "Espresso."

Closing out the first day will be Italian DJ Anyma, who is set to premiere his new production, "ÆDEN," which promises to be an immersive audiovisual experience that will hit the road after Coachella for a tour including stops in Milan, London and Seoul.

- Bieber Fever -

The party continues across Coachella's nine stages on Saturday, with the highly anticipated appearance of Bieber, who will close out the night.

"Bieber fever" seems to have returned after a decade and already spread across the Coachella Valley, after the singer made a comeback at the Grammy Awards this year.

Fans of the 32-year-old artist posted videos on social media this week of what appear to be rehearsals that included hits such as "Sorry" and "Where Are U Now."

The night will also feature performances by techno stalwarts like Armin van Buuren and Adam Beyer, K-pop stars such as Taemin and British dance sensation PinkPantheress.

French DJ and producer David Guetta returns to the desert in Indio, and David Byrne, the legendary co-founder of Talking Heads, will make an appearance.

Another highly anticipated act is Nine Inch Noize -- a collaboration between the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails and German producer Boys Noize -- which has just announced a joint album. 

As a testament to the diversity of genres on display at Coachella, the festival's main stage will host influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae, as well as New York rockers The Strokes.

Led by Julian Casablancas, the band returns with a new album slated for June, following a six-year hiatus. 

- 'Tropicoqueta' - 

The cherry on top for Sunday will be reggaeton star Karol G, the first Latina to headline the festival.

The winner of eight Latin Grammy Awards made her Coachella debut in 2022 with a performance that paid tribute to Latin music icons such as Selena, Celia Cruz, and Daddy Yankee.

For this year's show, the "Provenza" singer is expected to embrace the "Caribbean showgirl" aesthetic of her latest project, "Tropicoqueta."

Sunday also promises the festival debut of K-pop kings BIGBANG, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a highly anticipated return to the international stage. 

Also appearing will be the godfather of punk, Iggy Pop, and Fatboy Slim -- the British DJ and producer who dominated the electronic music scene in the 1990s. 

Other acts include Major Lazer, indie-pop band Foster the People and British singer, dancer, and visual artist FKA twigs.

The festival will close with a screening under the stars of the first episode of the third season of "Euphoria," the HBO high school drama series starring Zendaya, returning to television after four years.

Coachella will also be streamed live on YouTube.

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Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president on Friday, continuing his rule from a civilian post five years after snatching power in a military coup.

As the nation's armed forces chief, Min Aung Hlaing ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 -- detaining the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and triggering a civil war.

After a half-decade of ruling by diktat, he organised an election concluding in January excluding her party and securing a walkover win for military allies in civilian politics who backed him into the top office.

"Myanmar has returned to the path of democracy and is heading toward a better future," the 69-year-old said in a speech, after reading aloud the presidential oath to start his five-year term at a triumphant parliamentary ceremony in the capital, Naypyidaw.

Min Aung Hlaing has resigned as top general to take over as president of the new government ahead of Myanmar's Thingyan holiday starting Monday, which celebrates the new year with water-splashing ceremonies of renewal and rejuvenation.

- Rebranding military rule -

Democracy watchdogs deride the transition as a rebranding of military rule in an unconvincing civilian disguise.

More than two-thirds of Min Aung Hlaing's 30 ministers, also sworn in Friday, are either retired or serving members of the military.

A similar proportion served in the post-coup junta leadership, while more than ten have been subject to international sanctions.

AFP reporters saw bomb squads patrolling Naypyidaw hotels ahead of the ceremony, and parliament was sequestered by rings of checkpoints.

The lead-up to Min Aung Hlaing's swearing-in has seen some political prisoners from Suu Kyi's administration pardoned and government workers blacklisted for quitting in protest over the coup invited to return to their jobs.

Critics likewise dismissed those steps as cosmetic measures, but Min Aung Hlaing said his government will "grant appropriate amnesties to support social reconciliation, justice and peace".

He did not mention Suu Kyi -- held incommunicado since the putsch, serving a 27-year sentence on charges that rights groups dismiss as politically motivated.

More than 22,000 others have also been locked up in Myanmar's jails since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, while thousands have perished in the civil war.

- 'Restore normal relations' -

The junta trumpeted the election as a return of power to the people and a chance for reconciliation in the civil war.

Myanmar's post-coup leaders have been considered pariahs by many nations abroad.

Analysts say another aim of the election was to normalise their image with a veneer of legitimacy, unfreezing foreign engagement -- including investment projects.

Min Aung Hlaing said his government will "work to restore normal relations" with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc which has ostracised Myanmar's leaders since the coup.

Friday's ceremony was attended by representatives from the neighbouring nations of China, India and Thailand -- as well as 20 other countries, according to parliamentary officials.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul this week sent a congratulatory message, according to Myanmar state media, saying that under Min Aung Hlaing's "able leadership" the nations' relations would "grow from strength to strength".

However, China was the election's biggest backer, analysts say, and discussions over stalled Beijing-backed infrastructure projects are now being revived.

Myanmar's military has ruled the country for most of its post-independence history.

A rare decade-long interlude starting in 2011 saw the top brass loosen their grip and Suu Kyi's civilian government tentatively take the reins in a burst of optimism and reform.

Analysts say the military snatched back power out of anxiety about their waning influence after her landslide victory over pro-military parties in 2020 elections.

The junta-organised re-run of the vote excluded parties that won more than 90 percent of seats in 2020, according to the Asian Network for Free Elections, and punished protest or criticism of the poll with prison time.

Voting did not take place in swathes of the country which have been seized by rebels battling the military and rejecting the vote, further undermining Min Aung Hlaing's mandate according to rights monitors.

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