7 more years for Aung San Suu Kyi, for a total of 33 years in prison

Today's headlines: 700 Isis fighters killed this year in US-led operations; Majority of Taiwanese ready to defend island in face of Chinese invasion; Japan's imperial family consider using social media; India also mourns Pelé's death; Russian Orthodox Church builds administrative-spiritual center in Uganda; Belarus bans Greek Catholic Church magazine.

MYANMAR

A military court has sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to seven more years in prison, bringing her total sentence to 33 years. Immediately after last year's military coup, generals arrested the country's then-civilian leader.

SYRIA-IRAQ

At least 700 Isis fighters were killed in Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2022. This was revealed by the US Central Military Command (responsible for the Middle East). Washington specified that it conducted 313 operations against the "Islamic State," most of them with the cooperation of Kurdish forces and Baghdad's army.

TAIWAN-CHINA

A majority of Taiwanese are ready to defend their country in the event of a Chinese attack. A Taiwan Foundation for Democracy poll reveals that 63.8 percent would fight in the face of an armed response by Beijing to a declaration of independence by Taipei; the figure rises to 71.9 percent if China attempted an invasion to annex the island.

JAPAN

Japan's imperial family considers landing on social media, from which it has so far kept its distance. The agency that looks after the emperor's affairs explained that entry could take place in 2023. Experts say the court needs to modernize its communication style.

INDIA

Indians are mourning the death of legendary soccer champion Pelé by recalling a match he played in Kolkata (Kolkata) on Sept. 25, 1977. His New York Cosmos played against the local Mohun Bagan team in front of 80,000 spectators. Finished two to two, the match was the penultimate one played by the Brazilian star before his retirement.

RUSSIA

In Kampala, capital of Uganda, construction of an administrative-spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church has begun, as announced by the exarch for Africa, Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbačëv). It is all "thanks to the good relations between Patriarch Kirill and Ugandan President Yoveri Museveni," who recommended "putting the gold onion domes."

BELARUS

The Brest court listed "extremist publications" the magazine "Tsarkva," which chronicles the life of the Greek Catholic Church in Belarus. Editor-in-chief Igor Baranovsky had been arrested in November, along with Greek Catholic priest Igor Kondratev, guilty of criticism of President Lukashenko.

• AsiaToday