Myanmar’s military-backed party secured a sweeping victory in the country’s three-phase general election, according to state media, following the tightly controlled voting held amid civil war and widespread repression.

The final of three rounds of voting last weekend wrapped up an election that began on December 28, more than four years after the military seized power in a coup that overturned the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Dominating all phases of the vote, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won an overwhelming majority in Myanmar’s two legislative chambers, state media reports.

The USDP secured 232 of the 263 seats up for grabs in the lower house and 109 of the 157 seats announced so far in the upper chamber, according to results released on Thursday and Friday.

A spokesman for the country’s military rulers, Zaw Min Tun, said Myanmar’s parliament is now expected to convene to elect a president in March, with a new government set to take over in April, according to a report in the pro-military Eleven Media Group.

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been in political turmoil since the 2021 coup, with the crushing of pro-democracy protests prompting a nationwide rebellion. Thousands have been killed, and about 3.6 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations.

The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has said it will not endorse Myanmar’s electoral process,  and human rights groups and some Western countries have also expressed concerns about the credibility of the election.

The UN human rights office said that large segments of the population, including minorities such as ethnic Muslim majority Rohingya, were excluded from voting since they have been denied citizenship, and many have also been displaced outside the country.

At least 170 civilians were killed in air strikes during the election period, and about 400 people were arrested, according to the UN.

“Many people chose either to vote or not to vote purely out of fear,” UN human rights chief Volker Turk said.

Myanmar’s military rulers insist the polls were free and fair, and supported by the public.

A spokesperson for the United States Department of State, which has muted its critiques of foreign elections in the second Trump administration, said it was monitoring the situation and “will assess the military regime’s next steps”.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy was dissolved along with dozens of other parties, and some others declined to take part, drawing condemnation from critics who say the process was designed to legitimise military rule.

Under Myanmar’s political system, the military is also guaranteed 25 percent of parliamentary seats, ensuring continued control even if power is formally transferred to a civilian-led administration.

[Aljazeera]

The ICC and the global players’ body the World Cricketers Association (WCA) are locked in a fresh tussle over player terms, including name, image and likeness (NIL) rights, ahead of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup.

The WCA claims the ICC has sent a version of the squad participation terms to players from several countries in the tournament that does not align with an agreed version signed by both bodies in 2024. The WCA claims the new, non-agreed version is exploitative when compared to the 2024 version.

WCA had written to the ICC about these concerns and ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC, in its response, disagreed, saying the 2024 agreement was only applicable to eight member boards (referred to as National Governing Boards, or NGBs). The ICC told WCA that the remaining members who are part of this World Cup were not bound by the 2024 agreement.

The eight NGBs are Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland – in as a replacement for Bangladesh, who have been excluded after they refused to travel to India. Of the remaining 12 participating countries, boards from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Oman and the UAE do not recognise WCA and hence their players are not affiliated with it. Italy, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Namibia, USA and Canada have player bodies but had not received the squad terms as of January 15, and were expected to get the non-approved version, the WCA said in a memo.

In its follow-up response, WCA told the ICC that the 2024 agreement stated it was applicable to all players affiliated with the players body – both that were participating in the World Cup and from countries that were not part of the 20-team tournament. As a result, WCA noted, all players should be protected by the 2024 agreement, which it believes is legally binding.

WCA sent a memo on January 15 informing players that the squad terms distributed by ICC were “substantially different” to the agreed 2024 version. It is understood WCA also sent an email to ICC on the same day.

[Cricbuzz]