Alex Ritson

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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Alex Ritson, and in the early hours of Sunday, the 28th of December, these are our main stories.

Voting is underway in the election stage by Myanmar's military leaders amid a civil war and humanitarian crisis.

The poll has been labelled a sham.

President Zelensky is going to Florida for a crucial meeting with Donald Trump about the Russia-Ukraine peace plan, and China proposes stricter rules for human-like AI systems.

Also in this podcast, Hondurans in the US are sending home more money in remittances than ever before we hear from people in both countries.

And tennis is set for another battle of the sexes.

A lot of people think it's just going to sort of cause division and mirth.

It's kind of lose-lose for Sabalenka and therefore the kind of women's tennis movement.

Is this the sequel no one asked for?

The polls have opened for a general election in Myanmar, the first held in the country since the military seized power in a coup nearly five years ago.

It's taking place despite the fact that the country is in the grip of a civil war and humanitarian crisis.

The military government has been trying to inspire voters but the elections have been widely slated as a charade.

intended to rebrand the army's rule.

There are 57 parties on the ballot, but most have links to the military that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who's currently in jail.

Our correspondent Jonathan Head spoke to me from a polling station.

People are voting here.

This is quite close to central Mandalay.

In fact, it's a very big military base near here.