Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert 
Trump’s Name Appears on U.S. Institute of Peace Ahead of Rwanda–Congo Deal Signing 
A military court in Myanmar ruled to sentence a Japanese filmmaker to 10 years in prison on charges of encouraging dissent and telecommunication laws. The filmmaker is the fifth foreign journalist to be detained in Myanmar following the coup by the generals.
The junta court in Myanmar sentenced Japanese national Toru Kubota Wednesday to 10 years in prison on charges of encouraging dissent against the military and violating telecommunication laws.
Toru Kubota was arrested by the junta back in July along with two Myanmar citizens after taking photos and recording videos of the anti-coup protest taking place at Yangon.
Toru Kubota is the fifth foreign journalist to be detained by the junta following the coup by the generals back in February last year. He was sentenced to three years in prison for “incitement” and seven years for violating a telecommunications law, according to an official from Japan’s foreign ministry, citing the filmmaker’s lawyer.
The Japanese foreign ministry official also said a court hearing for immigration charges is set to take place on October 12.
“We have been asking Myanmar authorities for Mr. Kubota’s release and we intend to keep doing so,” said the official.
Japan is one of Myanmar’s major donors and has long-running relations with its military. However, last month, Tokyo announced that it would end a training program for the Myanmar military after the junta executed four anti-coup activists back in July.
Hundreds were killed by the military following the coup in a brutal crackdown, and thousands were detained. The military has also labeled the anti-coup resistance as “terrorists” and warned foreign governments against engaging with the country’s shadow government comprised of politicians the generals ousted.
The junta pledged to take action against the anti-coup rebels that it accuses of attacking a passenger plane that led to one person being hospitalized and damaged the fuselage of the plane.
The attack on the plane that had 63 people on board took place on Friday last week when bullets hit the aircraft’s cabin as it was set to land in the capital of Kayah state, Loikaw, with one passenger sustaining facial injuries from the incident.
