Myanmar

Myanmar's acting military leadership has ordered the shutdown of wireless broadband internet services indefinitely to prevent access to information. According to local internet provider Ooredoo, the Ministry of Transport and Communication has ordered "all wireless broadband data services be temporarily suspended until further notice."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has spoken out against Myanmar's security forces.

"Burmese security forces crossed another line with the blind and murderous violence of last Saturday, once again using their arms against the people and killing more than 100 victims, among them very young children," Le Drian said in a statement.

Myanmar Military has occupied hospitals and universities as unions call for a nationwide strike on Monday to protest against the military coup. After the military junta seized power on February 1, the country has seen mass protests that left many injured and 54 people dead.

At least 18 people have been killed and more than 30 others injured in Myanmar during nationwide pro-democracy demonstrations against the military coup, the United Nations said in a statement on Sunday. According to the UN, security forces fired live ammunition at crowds in the two largest cities of Yangon and Mandalay, as well as in Dawei, Bag, Myeik and Pokokkuo. At least 85 medical workers and students and seven journalists were also arrested during the demonstrations.

According to a joint statement released after EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday, the bloc is poised to impose sanctions against the military leaders in Myanmar.

The Council called again on the military authorities to "immediately and unconditionally release President U Win Myint, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all those who have been detained or arrested in connection with the coup."

In a press release, the Council stated, "the EU stands ready to adopt restrictive measures targeting those directly responsible for the military coup and their economic interests."

The new military leadership in Myanmar has ordered a temporary block on the online network Facebook, through which its opponents called for civil disobedience after Monday's coup. Local telecommunications providers were ordered Wednesday by the Ministry of Transport to block access to Facebook until the end of the week. The platform was contributing to the destabilization of the country, it said in justification

Following continued criticism of the election results in Myanmar, the military is seeking to overthrow the government. Myanmar's de facto head of government Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other high-ranking members of the ruling party were arrested by the army early this morning, a spokesman for the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) said.

The military confirmed the arrests and declared a state of emergency. Control had been taken over for a year, military television said. Power had been handed over to Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The army justified the action with alleged election fraud.

Parts of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, have been put under a stay-at-home-order. The country has seen a rise in Coronavirus cases, reported 115 new infections of Friday morning.

"It took five months to discover 374 infection cases in the first wave of the disease. The number of infections quadrupled now although it's been only 24 days since the second wave started on Aug 16," said Dr Khin Khin Gyi, director of Contagious Disease Prevention and Eradication Division of Public Health Department under the Health and Sports Ministry, told Xinhua. "Active cooperation and participation of the public are needed to reduce the number of infections by following the preventive measures and guidelines by the ministry."

Renowned Gambian justice minister and attorney general Abubacarr Tambadou has resigned, the government said on Thursday. Tambadou investigated abuses under former Gambia dictator and lead a case against Myanmar's genocide against the Rohingya minority. He will be replaced by barrister Dawda Jallow.