Japan Snap Election Sparks Bond Yield Surge as Parties Clash Over Fiscal and Monetary Policy 
Russian Drone Attack Hits Kyiv and Kharkiv Amid Ongoing Peace Talks 
U.S. Backs Iraq’s Move to Detain ISIS Fighters, Urges Global Repatriation 
U.N. Human Rights Council Condemns Iran Over Deadly Crackdown on Protests 
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok Meets U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Advance Trade and Security Talks 
Russia, U.S., and Ukraine Plan Abu Dhabi Security Talks as Moscow Stresses Territorial Demands 
Somaliland President Meets Eric Trump and Israeli President at Davos to Seek Recognition and Investment 
Iran Warns of All-Out War Response as U.S. Sends Aircraft Carrier to Middle East 
United States Officially Exits World Health Organization, Raising Global Public Health Concerns 
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Stall as Energy Crisis Deepens 
New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District 
U.S. Steps Aside as Syria Reclaims SDF-Held Territory in Power Shift 
Trump Administration Weighs Tougher Sanctions on Cuba Including Possible Oil Blockade 
U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Visit Azerbaijan and Armenia Following Historic Peace Deal 
Haiti Transitional Council Pushes to Remove Prime Minister Despite U.S. Warnings 
Pentagon Signals Reduced U.S. Role in Deterring North Korea as South Korea Takes Lead 
Trump Withdraws Canada Invitation to Board of Peace Initiative 
The junta-backed court in Myanmar handed more prison time to ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi this week. Suu Kyi was sentenced to an additional three years imprisonment on corruption charges.
A military court on Wednesday sentenced Suu Kyi to an additional three years in prison, finding the ousted leader guilty of two counts of corruption. The sentences would run concurrently, and Suu Kyi is now sentenced to serve a total of 26 years in prison. Suu Kyi has denied any wrongdoing, calling the charges levied against her by the junta absurd.
Suu Kyi is still on trial for five more charges of corruption.
Tony Cheng of Al Jazeera said the corruption charges against Suu Kyi were made by a businessman who has previously gotten into trouble with authorities in the past.
“He said he visited her house on a number of occasions. Left parcels wrapped in black paper with sums ranging between $100 and $150,000 US dollars for her in return for preferential treatment in government tenders his company had made,” said Cheng.
“Those accusations were actually broadcast live on Myanmar TV after the coup. He himself is a rather dubious witness or witness of questionable quality. He’s previously served prison terms for drug possession. Nonetheless, she was found guilty on both charges today,” said Cheng.
Cheung added that the court verdicts and sentences were aimed at completely removing Suu Kyi from the country’s political scene. Critics of the junta have long alleged that the charges against the ousted leader were to remove her from politics and to prevent her from returning to politics again or trying to challenge the military’s hold on power.
Hundreds were killed and thousands were detained by the junta when the generals staged a coup to oust the elected government in February last year. Fighting has reportedly resumed again in the area of Rakhine where the Rohingya Muslim minority was driven out in 2017 in a crackdown denounced as genocide and is the subject of an ongoing trial.
The Arakan Army, also known as AA, the rebel militant group looking to take more control of Rakhine, and its political wing the United League of Arakan looked to extend its power in Rakhine following the coup, is now being suspected by the generals as having ties to coup opponents.
