Good morning from Nicosia, Cyprus. A crackdown on the opposition by Myanmar’s junta is turning more lethal, while on the pandemic front, some coronavirus patients are seeing symptoms linger for months. The U.S. president and vice-president are on a promotional tour for the $1.9 trillion plan to fight COVID-19, and a decade after the start of their uprising that developed into a devastating civil war, Syrians are driven deeper into poverty and hunger. Single mothers in China are fighting for their rights while the pandemic has set back Italian women’s fight for jobs.

Also this morning:

• Concern about China’s growing influence tops agenda of two U.S. ministers’ first Japan visit
• The Grammys shows us that even amid a pandemic, it’s all about the music

Menelaos Hadjicostis

The Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus

The Rundown

Martial law imposed in parts of Myanmar city as deaths rise

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar’s ruling junta has declared martial law in parts of the country’s largest city as security forces killed more protesters in an increasingly lethal crackdown on……Read More

Survivors struggle as scientists race to solve COVID mystery

There was no reason to celebrate on Rachel Van Lear’s anniversary. The same day a global pandemic was declared, she developed symptoms of COVID-19. A year later, she’s still waiting for them to…Read More

Biden, Harris and others to promote relief plan’s benefits

WASHINGTON (AP) — Let the sales push begin. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are opening an ambitious, cross-country tour this week to highlight the… …Read More

‘Republic of Queues’: 10 years on, Syria is a hungry nation

BEIRUT (AP) — The lines stretch for miles outside gas stations in Syrian cities, with an average wait of five hours to fill up a tank. At bakeries, people push and shove during long, chaotic wa…Read More

Chinese single moms, denied benefits, press for change

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Sarah Gao had a busy job. As the head of a 500 million yuan ($76.8 million) investment fund, she was constantly flying across China on business trips. Then she found out s…Read More

OTHER TOP STORIES

1st US ministers’ Japan visit under Biden to focus on China

TOKYO (AP) — Concerns about China’s growing influence in the region is expected to be a main focus when two ministers of President Joe Biden’s administration visits Japan…Read More

Pandemic sets back Italian women’s long fight for jobs

ROME (AP) — One of hundreds of thousands of women in Italy who lost jobs in the pandemic, Laura Taddeo has a masters degree in tourism, speaks fluent English and Spanish …Read More

Who run the Grammys? Beyoncé, Taylor Swift make history

NEW YORK (AP) — The Grammys are drunk in love with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift: the singers both made history at the 2021 show. Swift, 31, became first woman to win album of…Read More

The joy of music returns for Grammy winners, performers

Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish made history at the Grammy Awards. Just as joyously, dozens of creators largely sidelined for a year due to the pandemic got to ma…Read More