Month: July 2021

Myanmar’s military rulers are again seeking to replace the country’s ambassador to the United Nations, who opposed their February 1 ouster of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and takeover of the government.  Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin says in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that he has appointed Aung Thurein, who left the military this year after 26 years, as Myanmar’s U.N. ambassador. A copy of the letter was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.  Lwin said in an accompanying letter that Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar’s currently recognized U.N. ambassador, “has been terminated on Feb. 27, 2021, due …

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Fighting in Afghanistan temporarily subsided Tuesday on the first day of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, as Taliban insurgents said they were observing an unannounced cease-fire to enable Afghans to peacefully participate in the festivities.    While there were no reports of battlefield clashes between Afghan government forces and the Taliban across the country, a rocket attack shattered the capital, Kabul, during early morning prayers, which mark the opening of the three-day Eid celebrations.   The Afghan interior ministry said at least three rockets landed near the presidential palace, where President Ashraf Ghani was offering Eid prayers, along with top government officials. But TV images showed Ghani …

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President Joe Biden on Monday took a swipe at political opponents, including former President Donald Trump, by touting the reinvigorated U.S. economy, which has been recovering rapidly during his first six months in office. But some economists worry that the administration’s aggressive efforts to spur economic growth could lead to a punishing recession next year. Speaking at the White House on Monday morning, Biden reminded listeners of the predictions of economic disaster that his detractors had insisted would follow his election as president. Without naming him, Biden referred to his predecessor by quoting his prediction that if Biden became president, …

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Anger is building at the administration of Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O-Cha for a slow COVID-19 vaccine rollout, which has left just 5% of Thais inoculated amid the deadliest wave of the coronavirus pandemic to hit the country, and as health officials warn the worst is yet to come. Thailand reached a record caseload of 11,305 Tuesday, adding scores to the grim death toll — 3,408 since April — in a kingdom that had won praise for snuffing out the pandemic in earlier rounds. The resurgence since April has revived the political challenge to Prayuth, who seized power in a …

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In the Indian capital, tattoo studios have seen a growing demand for memorial tattoos in the wake of the second wave of the COVID pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. New Delhi was among the worst-hit cities in India, as Anjana Pasricha reports. Camera: Darshan Singh         Video editor: Jason Godman …

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Muslims around the world were observing Tuesday yet another major Islamic holiday in the shadow of the pandemic and amid growing concerns about the highly infectious delta variant of the coronavirus. Eid al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” is typically marked by communal prayers, large social gatherings, slaughtering of livestock and giving meat to the needy. This year, the holiday comes as many countries battle the delta variant first identified in India, prompting some to impose new restrictions or appeal for people to avoid congregating and follow safety protocols. The pandemic has already taken a toll for the second year …

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