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Myanmar’s parliament approves cabinet mostly of former generals and holdovers

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar’s parliament approved a cabinet Thursday that largely includes former generals and holdovers from the past military-led government under Min Aung Hlaing.

Despite the formation of a new government following controversial elections in December and January, there’s little signs of a return to civilian governance five years after he led the 2021 army takeover.

Min Aung Hlaing will be sworn into office as president Friday, along with two vice presidents and cabinet members.

Parliament Speaker Aung Lin Dwe said the appointments of 30 ministers were approved with no objections.

According to the official list, 24 are current or former generals and military officers or are lawmakers from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. Eighteen of the ministers were cabinet members of the previous military government, while four others were military and government officials under the same administration.

Several have also been sanctioned by foreign governments that accused them of supporting and serving in the military government or violating human rights.

Parliament also reappointed the chairman of the constitutional tribunal, attorney general, and judges of the Supreme Court.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was among the outside groups that did not recognize Myanmar’s elections after most opposition groups were excluded and dissent was tightly restricted. Voting also could not take place in some areas due to Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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