Myanmar pro-democracy fighters in a battered pickup truck drive past abandoned and bombed-out houses in the eastern city of Loikaw, on their way to the front lines of the battle to capture their first state capital from the junta.Pro-democracy fighters say they are battling on, spurred by the prize of seizing a state capital in what would be a major victory in their fight against the junta.
A brightly patterned hot air balloon spitting fireworks soared into the night sky above Myanmar's Shan state as a much-loved festival returned, but crowds stayed away from the military-backed event as violent clashes swell across the country.The usually riotous event sees teams load batteries of fireworks into homemade hot air balloons, with referees judging both the design of the contraptions and the magnificence of their aerial explosions.