In Myanmar

A close ally of Myanmar's top general has been imprisoned for five years on corruption charges, state media said Saturday.

In recent months, the military — which has faced armed resistance since seizing power in a 2021 coup — has detained a number of officials as the civil conflict batters the already struggling economy.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers have agreed to downgrade Myanmar's participation in an upcoming summit in their sharpest rebuke yet of its leaders following a Feb. 1 military takeover.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations will invite a non-political representative instead of Myanmar's military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the grouping's chair Brunei said on Oct. 16.

Security forces in central Myanmar opened fire on anti-coup protesters on April 3, killing at least two people according to local media. A human rights group said mounting violence since the Feb. 1 military takeover has killed at least 550 civilians.

Defense chiefs from a dozen countries on March 28 jointly condemned the bloodbath in Myanmar a day earlier, when at least 90 people -including several children -were killed after security forces opened fire on anti-coup protesters.

Turkey on March 27 "strongly condemned" the most violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar when the ruling military regime put on a show of its strength on its annual Armed Forces Day.