A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, according to US emergency services. Authorities in the country, a military junta that has been waging a civil war since its coup d'état four years ago, has not reported any damage or injuries. But the earthquake was even heard in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, where hundreds of people fled buildings amid panic, according to Reuters. A building under construction collapsed in the Thai capital, leaving 43 workers trapped in the rubble.

Since the military coup, Myanmar has seen a month of daily mass demonstrations and fears have disappeared. For a week now, the military has been shooting to kill, but the Burmese continue to defy them in the streets and demand the return of the government of the detained Aung San Suu Kyi. The vast majority of demonstrators are young university students, between 19 and 25 years old, but there are also teachers, doctors, public workers, activists and even gangs. ARA was able to speak to three of them.

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other politicians have been arrested early this morning in a coup by the army, which has transferred power to General Min Aung Hlaing and declared a state of emergency, according to military television. Suu Kyi, 75, issued a statement in which she called on the people "not to accept it and unconditionally take to the streets to protest against the military's coup". The coup comes after months of tensions between civilians and the military, who did not recognise the result of the November elections and accuse Suu Kyi of fraud.