Cambodia says leader's trip to Myanmar 'good' amid criticism

Cambodia’s leader returned home Saturday from the first visit by a head of state to Myanmar since the military takeover last year plunged it into turmoil, with his foreign minister declaring the mission a success though there was little evidence of a breakthrough.

Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn told reporters that talks between Prime Minister Hun Sen and Myanmar's leader achieved “a very good, positive result with a progressive step forward" on the implementation of peace efforts agreed to by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional bloc currently led by Cambodia.

Hun Sen's meeting with Myanmar's military chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi last February, triggered protests in Myanmar and criticism abroad. Opponents said it legitimized the military takeover and broke the generals’ near-total diplomatic isolation.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn speaks during a press conference upon his arrival from Myanmar, at Phnom Penh International Airport, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar seeking to revive peace efforts after last year's military takeover has provoked an angry backlash among critics, who say he is legitimizing the army's seizure of power. (AP PhotoHeng Sinith)

The military's seizure of power has led to widespread conflict with civilians forming guerrilla groups and thousands of people driven from their homes by army offensives.

“If there is anyone who opposes progressing these negotiations and the agreements like this, it is only those people who love war, those people who do not want to see Myanmar return to stability and peace,” said Prak Sokhonn, who is also ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar.

Friday’s joint statement on the talks, which described them as “frank and candid,” said Min Aung Hlaing was extending a cease-fire until the end of the year, and that both leaders would push for a meeting of stakeholders on delivering humanitarian aid.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn speaks during a press conference upon his arrival from Myanmar, at Phnom Penh International Airport, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar seeking to revive peace efforts after last year's military takeover has provoked an angry backlash among critics, who say he is legitimizing the army's seizure of power. (AP PhotoHeng Sinith)

The cease-fire offer is unlikely to be taken seriously by the military’s opponents. Such arrangements are routinely broken in Myanmar. The cease-fire also specifically referred only to long-standing ethic armed groups, not the new civilian guerrilla units that are currently doing most of the fighting.

Prak Sokhonn also disclosed that Hun Sen brought up the case of Australian Sean Turnell, a former economic advisor to Suu Kyi who is on trial in Myanmar on charges of violating state secrets. He said that Hun Sen raised the matter at the request of Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

“Hun Sen raised the issue with Min Aung Hlaing directly and he responded that the case is now before the court but he said that once it is completed, the senior general will consider the case. That means he promised that he would get back to Hun Sen with positive news,” Prak Sokhonn said.

CORRECTS TITLE OF MINISTERS - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, talks with his Deputy Prime Ministers, Sar Kheng, center, also Minister of Interior Ministry, and Tea Banh, left, also Defense Minister, during the arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport from Myanmar, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar seeking to revive peace efforts after last year's military takeover has provoked an angry backlash among critics, who say he is legitimizing the army's seizure of power. (AP PhotoHeng Sinith)

Last April, ASEAN leaders, including Min Aung Hlaing, agreed on a five-point roadmap toward a peaceful settlement of the Myanmar crisis, including an end to violence and a political dialogue between all stakeholders.

The Myanmar leader was barred in October from attending ASEAN meetings after the group's special envoy was prevented from meeting with Suu Kyi and other political detainees, which was one of the stipulations of the agreement.

Myanmar’s military has said Hun Sen will not be allowed to meet with Suu Kyi, who was convicted in December on charges of incitement and violating coronavirus restrictions and sentenced to four years in prison — a sentence that Min Aung Hlaing then cut in half.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, second from right, walks at Phnom Penh International Airport as he returned from Myanmar, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar seeking to revive peace efforts after last year's military takeover has provoked an angry backlash among critics, who say he is legitimizing the army's seizure of power. (AP PhotoHeng Sinith)

She is also facing a string of other charges.

The Myanmar military has a history of bloodshed, including a brutal campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority. Its seizure of power provoked nationwide nonviolent demonstrations, which security forces have quashed with deadly force.

The military has recently engaged in violent suppression of all dissent, disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings. It has also launched airstrikes and ground offensives against ethnic armed rebel groups.

Security forces have killed about 1,443 civilians, according to a detailed tally by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. As the crackdown has become more severe, an armed resistance has grown inside the country.

Allergy season can bring misery to tens of millions of Americans each year.

Tree, grass, and other pollens can cause runny noses, itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing.

Where you live and what you're allergic to can make a big difference in how bad your allergies are, but there are many things you can do to feel better.

Here are some tips from experts to keep allergies at bay — maybe even enough to allow you to enjoy the outdoors.

There are three main types of pollen. Earlier in the spring, tree pollen is the main culprit. After that grasses pollinate, followed by weeds in the late summer and early fall.

Some of the most common tree pollens that cause allergies include birch, cedar, cottonwood, maple, elm, oak and walnut, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Grasses that cause symptoms include Bermuda, Johnson, rye and Kentucky bluegrass.

The best and first step to controlling allergies is avoiding exposure. That’s easier said than done when it's nice out.

Start with keeping your windows closed at home and in the car, avoiding going out when pollen counts are highest and changing clothes when you get home. The same masks that got us through the pandemic can protect you from allergies — though they won't help with eye symptoms.

Pollen trackers can help with planning. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology tracks levels through a network of counting stations across the U.S. Counts are available at its website and via email.

You can't fight an enemy you don't know.

Since many Americans are allergic to several things at once, the first thing to figure out is what specifically you’re allergic to, said Dr. Nana Mireku, an allergist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Over-the-counter nasal sprays can help relieve symptoms, but they take a while to kick in, so it’s best to start them in early in the season, said Dr. Rachna Shah, an allergist and director of the Loyola Medicine Allergy Count.

Antihistamines are another option. Shah said she’s seen some patients benefit from switching to a similar brand if one stops working, but said that there isn’t much broader data to back the recommendation.

For young children and people who have to take many different allergy medications, immunotherapies in the form of shots and oral drops can help desensitize the immune system to allergens, treating symptoms at their root.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America issues an annual ranking of the most challenging cities to live in if you have allergies, based on over-the-counter medicine use, pollen counts and the number of available allergy specialists. This year, the top five were Wichita, Kansas; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Dallas; and Oklahoma City.

If you've been thinking it started earlier and seems longer this year, you're on to something.

Shah usually starts looking at pollen counts in the Chicago area in April. But this year, she peeked at her data in mid-February, and tree pollen was already at a “moderate” level.

“This season has been so nuts,” she said. “Granted, it was a pretty mild winter, but I didn’t expect it to be so early.”

Shah said she believes this season will be longer than other years, assuming the weather remains warm.

Experts say climate change has led to longer and more intense allergy seasons.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FILE - Tree pollen pods lay in a pile at a park in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas, Thursday, March 21, 2024. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America issues an annual ranking of the most challenging cities to live in if you have allergies, based on over-the-counter medicine use, pollen counts and the number of available allergy specialists. In 2024, the top five were Wichita, Kansas; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Dallas; and Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - An oak tree with new leaf growth also shows pollen and a drop of water hanging among the branches at a park in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, March 21, 2024. There are three main types of pollen. Earlier in the spring, tree pollen is the main culprit. After that grasses pollinate, followed by weeds in the late summer and early fall. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)