BLOODY DAY IN MYANMAR

18 killed as police intensify their efforts to break up protests

Security forces in Myanmar opened fire and made mass arrests Sunday as they sought to break up protests against the military's seizure of power, and a UN human rights official said it had "credible information" that 18 people were killed and 30 were wounded.

That would be the highest single-day death toll among protesters who are demanding that the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi be restored to power after being ousted by a February 1 coup.

"Deaths reportedly occurred as a result of live ammunition fired into crowds in Yangon, Dawei, Mandalay, Myeik, Bago and Pokokku," the UN Human Rights Office said in a statement referring to several cities, adding that the forces also used tear gas, flash-bang grenades and stun grenades.

"We strongly condemn the escalating violence against protests in Myanmar and call on the military to immediately halt the use of force against peaceful protesters," its spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani was quoted saying.

An Associated Press journalist was taken into police custody on Saturday morning while providing news coverage of the protests.

The Democratic Voice of Burma reported that as of 5 p.m. in Myanmar, there had been 19 confirmed deaths in nine cities, with another 10 deaths unconfirmed. The independent media company broadcasts on satellite and digital terrestrial television, as well as online.

Envoy to UN sacked after anti-army speech

NAY PYI TAW: Myanmar's militar y rulers said they have fired the country's ambassador to UN, a day af ter he called for help to remove the army from power. Kyaw Moe Tun said no-one should co-operate with the militar y until it handed back power to the elected govt, the BBC reported. Myanmar's state television announced his removal, saying he had ‘betrayed the country and spoken for an unofficial organization which doesn't represent the countr y".