What We Are Reading Today: The River of Lost Footsteps by Thant Myint-U
Western governments and a growing activist community have been frustrated in their attempts to bring about a freer and more democratic Myanmar, only to see an apparent slide toward even harsher dictatorship.
In 'The River of Lost Footsteps,' Thant Myint-U tells the story of modern Myanmar, in part through a telling of his own family's history, in an interwoven narrative that is by turns lyrical, dramatic, and appalling.
The book is a distinctive contribution that makes Myanmar accessible and enthralling, according to a review on goodreads.com.
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Al Arabiya
14 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Cambodia Threatens Thai Fruits Ban as Tensions Over Border Disputes Continue to Soar
Cambodia announced on Monday it would halt imports of Thai fruits and vegetables if Thailand refused to lift border restrictions implemented after a deadly clash in a disputed border area. An armed confrontation on May 28 resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier. The incident, which both sides blamed on the other, reportedly occurred in a relatively small no-man's-land along their border that both countries claim as their own. Cambodian and Thai authorities have engaged in saber-rattling since last week and continue to implement or threaten measures short of armed force, keeping tensions high. Thailand has added restrictions at border crossings, and Cambodia has banned Thai movies and TV shows and implemented a boycott of the neighboring country's international internet links. Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, the former prime minister, said in a televised speech Monday that the ban on Thai fruits and vegetables would take effect if Thailand doesn't lift the border restrictions by Tuesday. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra later said Thailand decided to impose the border restrictions out of safety concerns for the citizens of both countries due to the heavier presence of armed forces along the areas. She also said any unprofessional communication conveyed outside a bilateral mechanism would only hurt the interests of both sides. Officials from the two countries met over the weekend in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, regarding the conflicting territorial claims that led to last month's deadly confrontation. While both sides said the meeting was held in a good atmosphere, it appears no major breakthrough was achieved to resolve the current spat. Cambodia announced on Sunday it had officially submitted a request to the UN's International Court of Justice seeking a resolution to the ongoing border disputes with Thailand in four areas. The Cambodian State Secretariat of Border Affairs said after the weekend meetings concluded that Cambodia would no longer discuss these areas under the bilateral mechanism of the two countries. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that it was deeply disappointed that Cambodia refused to address the disputes through the existing mechanism and reiterated that Thailand does not accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Both, however, agreed to participate in the next round of meetings on border issues to be hosted by Thailand in September. Much of their war of words has appeared intended to mollify nationalistic critics on both sides of the border. In Thailand, the elected government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn has been attacked by right-wing nationalists who are longtime foes of her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. There is a long history to the territorial disputes between the two countries. Thailand is still rankled by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that awarded Cambodia the disputed territory where the historic Preah Vihear temple stands. There were sporadic, though serious, clashes there in 2011. The ruling was reaffirmed in 2013.
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
What We Are Reading Today: The River of Lost Footsteps by Thant Myint-U
Western governments and a growing activist community have been frustrated in their attempts to bring about a freer and more democratic Myanmar, only to see an apparent slide toward even harsher dictatorship. In 'The River of Lost Footsteps,' Thant Myint-U tells the story of modern Myanmar, in part through a telling of his own family's history, in an interwoven narrative that is by turns lyrical, dramatic, and appalling. The book is a distinctive contribution that makes Myanmar accessible and enthralling, according to a review on
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Anti-Trump demonstrators crowd streets, parks and plazas across the US. Organizers say millions came
PHILADELPHIA: Masses of demonstrators packed into streets, parks and plazas across the United States on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and small towns, blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights. Organizers of the 'No Kings' demonstrations said millions had marched in hundreds of events. Governors across the US had urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering. Confrontations were isolated. But police in Los Angeles, where protests over federal immigration enforcement raids erupted a week earlier and sparked demonstrations across the country, used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to clear out protesters after the formal event ended. Officers in Portland also fired tear gas and projectiles to disperse a crowd that protested in front of a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement building well into the evening. And in Salt Lake City, Utah, police were investigating a shooting during a march downtown that left one person critically injured. Three people were taken into custody, including a man believed to be the shooter, who also suffered a gunshot wound, according to Police Chief Brian Redd. Redd said it was too early to tell if the shooting was politically motivated and whether those involved knew each other. The shooter appeared to be walking alongside the group of thousands who were marching, he added. Video feeds showed demonstrators running for safety as gunshots rang out. Huge, boisterous crowds marched, danced, drummed, and chanted shoulder-to-shoulder in New York, Denver, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles, some behind 'no kings' banners. Atlanta's 5,000-capacity event quickly reached its limit, with thousands more gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol. Officials in Seattle estimated that more than 70,000 people attended the city's largest rally downtown, the Seattle Times reported. Trump was in Washington for a military parade marking the Army's 250th anniversary that coincides with the president's birthday. About 200 protesters assembled in northwest Washington's Logan Circle and chanted 'Trump must go now' before erupting in cheers. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump — a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet — was wheeled through the crowd. In some places, organizers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress. Mexican flags, which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, also made an appearance at some demonstrations Saturday. In Culpepper, Virginia, police said one person was struck by an SUV when a 21-year-old driver intentionally accelerated his SUV into the crowd as protesters were leaving a rally. The driver was charged with reckless driving. The demonstrations come on the heels of the protests over the federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump ordering the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire. 'Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: we don't do kings,' the No Kings Coalition said in a statement Saturday afternoon after many events had ended. Philadelphia Thousands gathered downtown, where organizers handed out small American flags and people carried protest signs saying 'fight oligarchy' and 'deport the mini-Mussolinis.' Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support. 'I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,' she said. She is concerned about the Trump administration's layoffs of staff at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and Trump trying to rule by executive order, she said. A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words 'young man' in the song 'Y.M.C.A.' to 'con man.' 'I am what the successful American dream looks like,' said C.C. Téllez, an immigrant from Bolivia who attended the protest. 'I've enjoyed great success here in the United States, and I've also contributed heavily to my community. And if there was space for me, I think there's a way for everybody else to belong here as well.' Los Angeles Thousands gathered in front of City Hall, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle before marching through the streets. As protesters passed National Guard troops or US Marines stationed at various buildings, most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies. But others chanted 'shame' or 'go home' at the troops. Amid signs reading 'They fear us don't back down California' and 'We carry dreams not danger, ' one demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back. Another hoisted a huge helium-filled orange baby balloon with blond hair styled like Trump's. A few blocks from City Hall, protesters gathered in front of the downtown federal detention center being guarded by a line of Marines and other law enforcement. It was the first time that the Marines, in combat gear and holding rifles, have appeared at a demonstration since they were deployed to city on Friday with the stated mission of defending federal property. Peter Varadi, 54, said he voted for Trump last November for 'economic reasons.' Now, for the first time in his life, he is protesting, waving a Mexican and US combined flag. 'I voted for Donald Trump, and now I regret that, because he's taken this fascism to a new level,' Varadi said. 'It's Latinos now. Who's next? It's gays. Blacks after that. They're coming for everybody.' Even after the formal event ended, the downtown streets were packed with a jubilant crowd as people danced to salsa music and snacked on hot dogs and ice cream bought from vendors, many of whom are Latino immigrants. But the previously calm demonstration turned confrontational as police on horseback moved into the crowd and struck some people with wood rods and batons as they cleared the street in front of the federal building. New York City Marchers in the crowd that stretched for blocks along Fifth Avenue had diverse reasons for coming, including anger over Trump's immigration policies, support for the Palestinian people and outrage over what they said was an erosion of free speech rights. But there were patriotic symbols, too. Leah Griswold, 32, and Amber Laree, 59, who marched in suffragette white dresses, brought 250 American flags to hand out to people in the crowd. 'Our mothers who came out, fought for our rights, and now we're fighting for future generations as well,' Griswold said. Some protesters held signs denouncing Trump while others banged drums. 'We're here because we're worried about the existential crisis of this country and the planet and our species,' said Sean Kryston, 28. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and law enforcement encouraged people not to attend rallies 'out of an abundance of caution' following the shootings of the Democratic state lawmakers. Dozens of events were canceled, but tens of thousands still turned out for demonstrations in Duluth, Rochester and St. Paul, which included a march to the state Capitol. Walz canceled his scheduled appearance at the St. Paul event. Authorities said the suspect had 'No Kings' flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets. Seda Heng, 29, of Rochester, said she was heartbroken by the shootings, but still wanted to join the rally there. 'These people are trying to do what they can for their communities, for the state, for the nation,' Heng told the Minnesota Star-Tribune. North Carolina Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte's First Ward Park before marching, chanting 'No kings. No crowns. We will not bow down.' Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping along the way. Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to 'speak for what's right' after mass deportations and Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. 'If we don't stop it now, it's just going to keep getting worse,' she said. Naomi Mena said she traveled an hour to demonstrate in Charlotte to represent her 'friends and family who sadly can't have a voice out in public now' to stay safe. Texas A rally at the Texas Capitol in Austin went off as planned despite state police briefly shutting down the building and the surrounding grounds after authorities said they received a 'credible threat' to Democratic state lawmakers who were to attend. Dozens of state troopers swarmed through the grounds about four hours before the event, but the area was later opened and the rally started on time. The building remained closed. The Department of Public Safety later said one person was taken into custody 'in connection with the threats made against state lawmakers' after a traffic stop in La Grange, Texas, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of Austin. State police did not detail the threat or immediately identify the person, but said there was no additional active threat. Mississippi A demonstration of hundreds of people opened to 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath playing over a sound system on the state Capitol lawn in Jackson. 'A lot of stuff that's going on now is targeting people of color, and to see so many folks out here that aren't black or brown fighting for the same causes that I'm here for, it makes me very emotional,' said Tony Cropper, who traveled from Tennessee to attend the protest. Some people wore tinfoil crowns atop their heads. Others held signs inviting motorists to 'Honk if you never text war plans.' Melissa Johnson said she drove an hour-and-a-half to Jackson to protest because 'we are losing the thread of democracy in our country.' Portland Earlier in the day, thousands of protesters lined the streets in downtown Portland for several blocks, waving signs as passing cars honked in support. They marched around the city draped in American flags to the beat of drums and music. By late afternoon, a small group of demonstrators amassed across the river to protest in front of an ICE office where three people were arrested Wednesday night after starting a small fire against the building, police said. Federal immigration officers fired tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets in an effort to clear out the remaining protesters in the evening. Some protesters threw water bottles back and tended to each other's wounds. The police department wrote on X that the event was declared a riot. At least two people were detained and taken inside the federal immigration building.
