Myanmar’s military-backed government has transferred former leader Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to house arrest, according to a state television announcement on Thursday night. The move came as part of a general amnesty marking a Buddhist religious festival, during which the 80-year-old’s prison term was further reduced. A government information office released a photo showing Suu Kyi seated on a wooden bench in traditional attire, accompanied by two uniformed officials.

Suu Kyi had been detained since the February 1, 2021 military coup that ousted the elected government. She was last seen publicly during a court hearing in May 2021 and was sentenced by late 2022 to a total of 33 years in prison on multiple charges. Her supporters and human rights groups have long described the convictions as politically motivated efforts to sideline her from politics.

Officials said her sentence was reduced by another one-sixth, though the exact remaining term was not disclosed. State media reported that 1,519 prisoners, including 11 foreigners, were granted amnesty following General Min Aung Hlaing’s assumption of the presidency on April 10.

Myanmar’s military ruler and current president Min Aung Hlaing has announced a one-sixth reduction in prison sentences for all inmates, marking a general amnesty tied to a national holiday. According to official statements, the decision applies broadly without naming specific prisoners. Sources close to detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi indicated that her sentence could also be partially reduced under this order.

Suu Kyi, detained since the 2021 military coup, remains imprisoned on multiple charges including corruption and COVID-19 regulation violations. A former senior member of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party said it is still unclear how much her total sentence will decrease. An NLD-linked source claimed that the 80-year-old leader would be covered by the amnesty. In 2023, her sentence was previously reduced to 27 years following partial pardons.

Analysts view the move as a possible attempt by the junta to ease international pressure, while opposition groups and observers describe it as a limited and symbolic reform. Suu Kyi’s family and supporters have expressed concern over her deteriorating health and prolonged isolation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pledged Beijing’s firm support for Myanmar’s national sovereignty and security during a meeting with President Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw. The meeting took place as part of Wang’s tour of Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar this week, aimed at strengthening regional ties and presenting China as a stable alternative to the United States amid existing regional risks.

According to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry released on Saturday night, Wang said Beijing would help Myanmar develop a path suited to its own conditions and supported by its people. He emphasized that both sides should use the first year of Myanmar’s new government to advance traditional friendship and open new opportunities in bilateral relations.

Wang also stated that China is ready to assist Myanmar in eradicating online gambling and telecommunications fraud, which have become major issues in recent years. Analysts cited in the report noted that China was the main supporter of the junta-backed election that brought Min Aung Hlaing to the presidency.

Myanmar’s government has declared a state of emergency across 60 townships in nine states and regions, according to local media reports on Friday. The measure, announced by the President’s Office on Thursday, aims to suppress armed unrest, restore stability, and reestablish law and order. Under the order, administrative and judicial powers have been transferred to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, who has delegated authority to regional commanders to directly oversee security operations.

Officials stated that commanders may further distribute responsibilities among subordinate officers as needed. The move effectively places the affected townships under military control, significantly expanding the army’s influence over civil administration and the judiciary. Civilian trials may now be conducted in military tribunals, where penalties could range from long-term imprisonment to capital punishment.

Earlier in the week, President Min Aung Hlaing set a 100-day deadline for peace talks with anti-government armed groups, inviting both signatories and non-signatories of the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement to participate.

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Homalin area along the India-Myanmar border on Tuesday at 6:29 a.m. local time. The tremor, originating in Myanmar’s Sagaing province at a depth of about 66 kilometers, caused mild shaking that was also felt in parts of Bangladesh, according to the international monitoring agency Earthquake Track.

Because the quake occurred at a relatively deep level, its intensity on the surface remained low. As of now, no reports of damage or casualties have been received from India, Myanmar, or Bangladesh. The event was described as a moderate seismic occurrence with limited impact.

Bangladesh, though not located directly on a major tectonic fault line, occasionally experiences tremors due to its proximity to seismically active regions in northeastern India and Myanmar. Authorities have not issued any warnings or alerts following this incident.

Myanmar’s military junta has expanded its ban on sanitary pads, claiming that resistance fighters use them for medical purposes. Although no official announcement has been made, the restriction is part of a broader strategy known as the “four cuts,” aimed at depriving opposition forces of essential supplies. The ban, which began in some rebel-held areas in August last year, now includes a transport blockade between Mandalay and Sagaing.

Women’s rights group Sisters2Sisters said the military alleges that the People’s Defense Force uses menstrual products to absorb sweat and blood in combat. Health experts, including Meredith Ban of Skills for Humanity, dismissed this claim, noting that sanitary towels are unsuitable for treating wounds. Activists described the policy as misogynistic and harmful, forcing women to rely on unsafe alternatives such as torn cloth or leaves, increasing risks of infections.

As prices for pads have tripled on the black market, many women face severe discomfort and reduced mobility. Observers believe the junta’s actions aim to further restrict women’s participation in public and political life, reflecting a broader pattern of gender-based repression.

Myanmar’s government has reduced the prison sentence of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi as part of a New Year general amnesty. Her lawyer told Reuters on Friday that the reduction amounts to one-sixth of her total sentence. It remains unclear whether the Nobel laureate will be allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest.

Suu Kyi has been serving a 27-year prison term on multiple charges, including incitement, corruption, electoral fraud, and violation of state secrets laws. She was ousted from power in a 2021 military coup that overthrew her elected government.

The partial reduction of her sentence comes amid continued political repression in Myanmar, though the government has not clarified whether the amnesty signals any broader policy shift toward detained political figures.

The Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic armed group in Myanmar, has declared its goal to achieve “final victory” and take full control of Rakhine State by 2027. The announcement was made by Major General Twan Mrat Naing, the group’s leader, during the AA’s 17th founding anniversary on Friday, according to Myanmar Now. Since launching its offensive in late 2023, the AA has captured 14 townships in Rakhine and Paletwa in southern Chin State, leaving only three townships—Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung—under junta control.

In his anniversary address, Naing reaffirmed the group’s determination to continue fighting Myanmar’s military junta alongside allied forces. The AA is part of the Brotherhood Alliance, which began “Operation 1027” in Shan State shortly before the Rakhine offensive. The group has also established administrative, judicial, educational, and healthcare systems in areas under its control.

Despite these gains, ongoing air and naval attacks by junta forces have displaced large numbers of civilians, raising humanitarian concerns across the region.

Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing has been elected president, five years after leading a coup that removed the country’s elected government. The parliamentary vote took place on Friday, where he secured at least 293 out of 584 votes, formally consolidating his control over the war-torn nation.

His nomination was proposed earlier in the week after the new parliamentary session began. In accordance with the constitution, Min Aung Hlaing stepped down as commander-in-chief of the armed forces before assuming the presidency. The current parliament is dominated by his loyalists, as one-quarter of the seats are reserved for the military and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won about 80 percent of the remaining seats in the recent election.

Min Aung Hlaing, aged 69, had orchestrated the 2021 coup against Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s administration, triggering widespread protests that later evolved into nationwide armed resistance against military rule.

Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing, who led the 2021 coup against Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, is set to become the country’s next president after a parliament dominated by his loyalists convened on Friday. He resigned as commander-in-chief to assume the post, fulfilling a long-delayed promise of returning to civilian rule, though the process remains largely symbolic. The military’s party, the USDP, won nearly 80 percent of contested seats in an election widely seen as predetermined.

The new government is expected to remain heavily militarized, with General Ye Win Oo, a close ally of Min Aung Hlaing, confirmed as the new army chief. The incoming president has also formed a powerful advisory council with authority over both civilian and military affairs. Analysts and opposition groups say the shift will not alter Myanmar’s ongoing conflict, which has displaced millions and devastated the economy since the coup.

Opposition forces, including the National Unity Government, continue to reject the election as illegitimate and vow to fight for a federal constitution. Meanwhile, economic hardship, fuel shortages, and widespread displacement persist across the country.

Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was elected vice president by the country’s lower house of parliament on Tuesday, according to a parliamentary official. The official confirmed that Min Aung Hlaing received 247 votes out of 260 lawmakers during a live broadcast session, marking a significant step toward consolidating his hold on power and potentially becoming president.

Reports from Naypyidaw via AFP stated that three vice presidents are scheduled to be elected this week. Once the process is complete, the full parliament will vote to select one of them as president. The election marks a key moment in Myanmar’s ongoing political process under military control.

The development positions Min Aung Hlaing closer to the presidency, strengthening the junta’s influence over the country’s political institutions as the selection process continues.

Myanmar’s military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has resigned to contest in the country’s upcoming presidential election. The announcement came on Monday in Naypyidaw, where Hlaing formally handed over his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to General Ye Win Oo, an experienced officer. Ye Win Oo, who was appointed intelligence chief in 2020, was promoted earlier this month to lead the military.

On the same day, Myanmar’s newly elected lower house of parliament nominated two vice-presidential candidates, including Hlaing. The upper house will nominate another candidate, and the combined parliament will later vote to elect one of the three as president. The date for the vote has not yet been announced.

The election, held under military control, was the first since the 2021 coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government and triggered civil war. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party won a majority, though the United Nations and several Western countries have dismissed the polls as a sham.

Myanmar’s military junta secretly imported jet fuel from Iran in three separate shipments before the outbreak of war involving the United States and Israel, according to a report by Japan-based Nikkei Asia citing internal sources. The shipments were delivered to the Myan Oil terminal near Yangon’s Thilawa Port, previously known as Puma, which serves as a jet fuel storage facility. Documents reviewed by Nikkei showed that the supplier vessel, MV Reef, falsely declared Iraq as the fuel’s origin. The ship, capable of carrying 18,376 tons or about 146,000 barrels of fuel, was suited for Yangon’s shallow waterways.

Sources told Nikkei that the junta imported an unusually large volume of jet fuel to sustain its military operations amid the ongoing civil conflict. Former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s ex-adviser, Australian economist Sean Turnell, confirmed the Iranian fuel supply as genuine and significant. He noted that Myanmar’s foreign reserves remain strained, and rising global fuel prices following the Iran war could deplete the junta’s surplus used for purchasing weapons from Russia, leaving it without a key supplier.

The report suggests Myanmar may now need to seek alternative fuel sources as sanctions and price surges intensify.

At least 26 civilians were killed and 19 others injured in airstrikes carried out by Myanmar’s ruling military junta in the country’s western and northwestern regions, according to local media reports cited by AFP on Wednesday. In the western Rakhine State, 17 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 14 injured when airstrikes hit Yoengu village near Ponnagyun town, about 33 kilometers northeast of the state capital Sittwe.

A resident of Ponnagyun said some of the injured were in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could rise. In a separate attack in the northwestern Sagaing region, nine civilians, including two children, were killed and five others injured when military paramotors dropped three bombs on a site where locals were reportedly using Starlink devices for internet access.

Since the military coup in February 2021, clashes between the junta and ethnic armed groups have intensified. Human rights organizations report that more than 6,000 people have been killed and about three million displaced since the coup.

The United Nations has reported that at least 170 civilians were killed in more than 400 airstrikes conducted by Myanmar’s military during a two-month voting period. The information was released from Geneva on Friday, citing data verified by the UN human rights office. According to the report, the attacks occurred between December 2025 and January 2026, coinciding with the country’s election process.

The UN human rights office stated that the figures were based on credible sources and confirmed that approximately 408 airstrikes took place during the election period. The organization also warned that the actual death toll could be higher than the confirmed number of 170.

The report underscores growing international concern over civilian safety in Myanmar amid ongoing military operations during politically sensitive periods.