In Burma, the military junta says it will grant amnesty to an unspecified number of prisoners before national elections later this year. The junta’s announcement follows a visit by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this month. Ban told the UN Security Council he hopes the prisoners will include the leader of Burma’s pro-democracy movement, Aung San Suu Kyi.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: “You have heard the [Permanent Representative] of Myanmar saying that his government is now taking some procedures to allow some amnesty, but I’m not quite sure who will be included in this amnesty. But I have made it quite clear that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in particular, should be released and free to participate in the election.”

The junta refused to let Moon meet with the jailed Suu Kyi during his visit.