Originally published by The Spinoff After a hectic week for National, the new shadow cabinet has been unveiled. Toby Manhire assesses its strengths and weaknesses. For the first time in a long time the most anticipated political…

A special court in Myanmar's capital has sentenced the country's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, to four years in prison after finding her guilty of incitement and violating coronavirus restrictions, a legal official said.

The sentencing was the first in a series of cases in which the 76-year-old Nobel laureate is being prosecuted since the army seized power on February 1, preventing her National League for Democracy party from starting a second five-year term in office.

The incitement case involved statements posted on her party's Facebook page after she and other party leaders had already been detained by the military, while the coronavirus charge involved a campaign appearance ahead of elections in November last year which her party overwhelmingly won.

READ MORE: Queensland to reopen border early

The army, whose allied party lost many seats in the election, claimed massive voting fraud, but independent election observers did not detect any major irregularities.

The court's ruling was conveyed by a legal official who insisted on anonymity for fear of being punished by the authorities.

EXPLAINER: Why did the military stage Myanmar coup?

Ms Suu Kyi's trials are closed to the media and spectators, and her lawyers, who had been the sole source of information on the proceedings, were served with gag orders in October forbidding them from releasing information.

The cases against Ms Suu Kyi are widely seen as contrived to discredit her and keep her from running in the next election.

The constitution bars anyone sent to prison after being convicted of a crime from holding high office or becoming a lawmaker.

Opposition to military rule remains strong 10 months after the army's takeover, and the verdict may inflame tensions even further.

There were protest marches yesterday against the military government and calling for the release of Ms Suu Kyi and other detained members of her government.

An army truck deliberately sped into a march by about 30 young people in Yangon, the country's biggest city, and at least three of the protesters may have been killed, according to unconfirmed reports.

READ MORE: UK doctor warns 'horse has bolted' on Omicron variant

The verdicts in Ms Suu Kyi's first two cases, on incitement — for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information that could disturb public order — and violating the Natural Disaster Management Law for allegedly breaching coronavirus restrictions, were supposed to be delivered last Tuesday.

However, the court postponed its ruling with no explanation.

At the same time, it agreed to allow testimony this week on a separate coronavirus charge from an additional defence witness who had previously been unable to attend court because of ill health.

Ms Suu Kyi's lawyers sought vigorously to have the incitement charge dismissed.

The prosecution's evidence consisted of statements posted on a Facebook page of Ms Suu Kyi's party.

Defence lawyers argued that Ms Suu Kyi and a co-defendant, former President Win Myint, could not be held responsible for the statements — which criticised the takeover and suggested in broad terms that it be resisted — because they were already in detention.

The former mayor of Naypyitaw, Myo Aung, was another defendant in the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine.

READ MORE: New dinosaur discovered with bizarre weaponised tail

Win Myint was sentenced to a total of four years and Myo Aung to two years.

February's seizure of power was met by nationwide nonviolent demonstrations, which security forces quashed with deadly force.

They have killed about 1,300 civilians, according to a detailed tally compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

READ MORE: Fears for Australian academic Sean Turnell detained in Myanmar days after military coup

With severe restrictions on nonviolent protest, armed resistance has grown in the cities and countryside, to the point that UN experts have warned the country is sliding into civil war.

The military took Ms Suu Kyi into custody on the day of its takeover, and she has not been seen in public since then, though she has appeared in court in several of her trials.

Judgment on Ms Suu Kyi's second count of violating coronavirus restrictions is scheduled for December 14.

The maximum penalty for each count is three years' imprisonment and a fine.

Other cases against Ms Suu Kyi now being tried cover the alleged unregistered import and use of walkie-talkies by her security guards; violation of the Official Secrets Act, in which jailed Australian economist Sean Turnell is a co-defendant; and four separate corruption charges covering the alleged acceptance of a bribe and abuse of office to obtain favourable terms on property transactions.

Each of the corruption charges has a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment and a fine.

A trial on a fifth corruption charge has not yet started, and state media last week announced a sixth charge has also been filed against Ms Suu Kyi.

The latest charge accuses her and Win Myint of corruption in granting permits to rent and buy a helicopter.

In mid-November, the military-appointed election commission announced it intended to prosecute Ms Suu Kyi and 15 other senior political figures for alleged fraud in the last election, which could result in her party being dissolved.

The military has declared it seized power because of widespread election fraud, a claim that independent election observers say lacks evidence.

By Adam Burns, Local Democracy Reporter Alleged cases of abuse directed at Ashburton business owners and staff due to Covid-19 restrictions have angered the region’s mayor.Ashburton District Mayor Neil Brown has denounced the…

Campaigners are celebrating their latest victory in a long-running battle to preserve a world-famous Coromandel summer destination, with a public-backed charity buying the northern headland of New Chum Beach for $2.15m. The sale…

Wairarapa DHB is making inquiries after an allegation that a large group of DHB vaccination workers used Prezzy cards to pay for a big night out at a popular Masterton eatery last weekend.The inquiry comes after a tipoff to the…

Failing to prioritise Māori children in a vaccine rollout for those aged 5 to 11 could have deadly consequences, the Waitangi Tribunal has heard, especially in light of emerging information about Omicron’s severe health effects…

Labour and National’s landmark townhouse bill will be watered down again, reducing the maximum height of buildings at the section boundary, allowed under the bill.Initially, the bill allowed height to boundary ratios of 6m at the…

Australians looking to travel to Queensland for Christmas will have four additional days to do so after the Queensland Government brought forward its open border date.

Instead of borders opening up on December 17, Queensland will now open to all Australians from 1am on Monday, December 13.

From COVID-19 tests to quarantine and vaccination status, here's what you need to know.

LIVE UPDATES: Queensland opens it borders four days early

When is Queensland's border opening?

Queensland's border is opening on Monday, December 13 at 1am AEST.

This is four days earlier than the scheduled opening date of December 17.

Can anybody enter Queensland?

Yes – provided you can travel outside of your own state.

Queensland's borders will reopen even to places designated as COVID-19 "hotspots" including New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT.

Do you need to quarantine when you enter Queensland?

If you're fully vaccinated, you do not need to quarantine.

If you are not fully vaccinated, you can only arrive via air and you must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days.

READ MORE: New dinosaur discovered with bizarre weaponised tail

Does this include the road borders? Can I drive to Queensland?

It does include the road borders and you can drive to Queensland.

Police will be conducting checks on the vaccination status of people in vehicles crossing the border.

Do I need to prove that I am COVID-19 negative?

You do.

Every person who enters Queensland must have a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours prior to entering the state.

If you arrive from a COVID-19 hotspot – such as all of NSW and Victoria – you must also get another COVID-19 test on day five after arriving.

Penalties will apply if a person does not get the second test on day five.

What about international arrivals?

International arrivals must be fully vaccinated, return a negative test within 72 hours of departure and must do 14 days of home or hotel quarantine, Ms Palaszczuk said.

If I just got my second jab, do I have to wait two weeks to be considered fully vaccinated?

You do not.

The Queensland Government is adopting national guidelines that say one week – or seven days – after your second dose is enough to consider a person to be fully vaccinated.

READ MORE: UK doctor warns 'horse has bolted' on Omicron variant

What if I live in a border town like the Tweed?

From Monday, December 13, at 1am AEST, border residents will be able to move freely across for any reason.

These residents will still need a border pass which is current for 14 days, but they will not need constant COVID-19 negative tests.

Why did the government bring forward the border opening?

The border opening has been brought forward due to the speed of vaccination in Queensland.

Queensland is anticipated to hit the milestone of 80 per cent fully vaccinated in the coming days.

About 25 properties are cut off due to a landslip on Kāpiti Coast, with wild weather continuing to slam the capital this afternoon. Wellington commuters have been urged to plan ahead with heavy rain still falling and several…

An Auckland couple who have campaigned to change the law in an effort to save their condemned husky, Aspen, have now argued their case before a High Court justice as well.In April, a district court judge found Alexandra and Graham…