Suu Kyi faces court as UK targets military biz

YANGON: Britain on Thursday ramped up sanctions against the Myanmar junta over its brutal crackdown on protests, as ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in court. More than 535 people have been killed in daily demonstrations since the military overthrew Suu Kyi on February 1, halting Myanmar’s decade-old experiment in democracy. International powers have sought to pile pressure on the military by hitting its sprawling business interests, which include the country’s lucrative jade and ruby trade. Britain, the country’s former colonial ruler, announced sanctions on the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), a conglomerate controlled by the military that Washington has already blacklisted. London will also stump up £500,000 ($700,000) towards UN Security Council efforts to document serious human rights violations in Myanmar. — AFP SEE P4