UN Warns Gaza Humanitarian Aid at Risk as Israel Registration Rules Threaten NGO Operations 
Italy Supreme Court Upholds Salvini Acquittal in Migrant Kidnapping Case 
U.S. Initiates $11.1 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan Amid Rising China Tensions 
Trump’s Rob Reiner Remarks Spark Bipartisan Outrage After Tragic Deaths 
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers, Raising Venezuela Tensions and Oil Prices 
Republicans Raise National Security Concerns Over Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools 
U.S.-Russia Talks in Miami Raise Hopes for Potential Ukraine War Deal 
U.S. House Advances GOP Healthcare Bill as ACA Subsidies Near Expiration 
Sydney Bondi Beach Terror Attack Kills 16, Sparks Gun Law and Security Debate 
Union-Aligned Investors Question Amazon, Walmart and Alphabet on Trump Immigration Policies 
Venezuela Seeks UN Security Council Meeting Over U.S. Oil Tanker Blockade 
Trump Attends Dover Ceremony Honoring U.S. Personnel Killed in Syria 
Pakistan’s Army Chief Faces Gaza Troop Dilemma Amid US Pressure 
Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency 
Taiwan Political Standoff Deepens as President Lai Urges Parliament to Withdraw Disputed Laws 
Trump Taps Former DHS Official Troy Edgar for U.S. Ambassador Role in El Salvador 
Myanmar’s military junta has sought to press criminal charges on the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains detained. The junta court this week postponed its verdict on the Nobel laureate’s corruption trial.
A spokesperson for the junta, Zaw Min Tun, told AFP that the verdict on the trial for Aung San Suu Kyi which is expected to be announced this week would be postponed. The spokesperson did not disclose the reason for the postponement as well as when the verdict was now set to be announced.
Journalists were not allowed to attend the special hearings in the military-established capital Naypyidaw and the ousted leader’s lawyers were not allowed to speak to the media. The corruption trial centers on the accusation that Aung San Suu Kyi accepted bribes of $600,000 in cash and gold bars from the former chief minister of Yangon.
Aung San Suu Kyi and officials of Myanmar’s democratically elected government were ousted in February 2021 when the military generals seized power. The military also engaged in a brutal crackdown on the citizens who have opposed the coup, killing over 1,000 people and detaining thousands more among other actions.
Aung San Suu Kyi is facing 10 corruption charges, each charge would have a 15-year maximum prison sentence. The ousted leader is also accused of breaching the official secrets act alongside Australian economic policy adviser Sean Turnell, who is also detained by the junta.
Aung San Suu Kyi is already sentenced to six years in prison for incitement against the military and breaching COVID-19 protocols as well as violating a telecommunications law.
Early this month, the junta announced its granting of amnesty to hundreds of prisoners as the country marks its New Year tradition. However, no political prisoners were among those who were released to their loved ones despite the military junta’s pledge to restore peace this year.
The foreign prisoners that are granted amnesty would be deported from the country, according to Lieutenant General Aung Din Lwe, and a prisons official said that most of the prisoners who were released were drug offenders and those who committed petty crimes.
