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WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region Monday, taking aim at China ahead of a trip to Southeast Asia to promote America’s strategic vision for Asia. Pompeo will depart later this week on a trip to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to hammer home the Trump administration’s commitment to the region, and also press for denuclearization in North Korea. The trip comes at […]
YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — At least 27 people are feared dead following a landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar, police said Wednesday, as heavy rains hampered the search for survivors. The poorly-regulated and notoriously corrupt multibillion-dollar industry in remote Kachin state is frequently hit by fatal disasters, and the victims often come from poor ethnic communities. The latest disaster hit remote Set Mu sub-township early Tuesday following heavy rains in the area, […]
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysians are dashing to durian stalls across the country to munch on the pungent, spiky fruit after a long spell of unusually warm weather led to a bumper crop and sent prices tumbling. The fruit is highly divisive, with detractors describing it as smelling of gym socks and onions while enthusiasts liken its creamy texture and intense aroma to blue cheese. People head to street-side stalls during the durian […]
CHIANG RAI, Thailand (AFP) — The 12 boys and their coach rescued from a Thai cave mourned the death of an ex-Navy SEAL who died while taking part in the mission, the health ministry said Sunday. The “Wild Boars” football team are recovering in hospital following 18 days spent inside the Tham Luang cave after entering on June 23 and getting trapped by monsoon floodwaters. Doctors say they are in good health following a successful […]
by Richard SARGENT and Vijitra DUANGDEE Agence France Presse CHIANG RAI, Thailand (AFP) — The British diver who found 12 Thai boys and their coach trapped alive in a flooded cave has described his “massive relief” as he counted them one by one, sparking a rescue bid unprecedented in its daring and complexity. The young “Wild Boars” and their 25-year-old football coach Ekkapol Chantawong wandered into the cave on June 23. Sudden floodwaters forced them […]
BENOA, Indonesia (AFP) — A massive fire laid waste to dozens of boats at a Bali port on Monday as firefighters battled to bring the dramatic blaze under control. The fire started around after midnight on the Indonesian holiday island and quickly engulfed nearly 40 local vessels but no injuries were reported, police said. “So far there are no casualties,” Bali police spokesman Hengky Widjaja told AFP. Images from Benoa port, which sits next to […]
The Philippines won three more bronze medals in the 42nd Southeast Asia Swimming Championships at the Trace Aquatic Center in Los Bano, Laguna on Sunday, as the country ended its campaign in the tournament. Xiandi Chua, Kirsten Robyn Tan and Lady Samantha Corpuz delivered the medals for the Philippines. The country’s medal haul consisted of four golds, 11 silvers and 14 bronzes. Chua, who topped the 200-meter individual medley (IM) and 200-meter backstroke events in […]
by Dave Clark Agence France Presse HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — Washington’s top diplomat Mike Pompeo was addressing Vietnamese business leaders but his real audience was not in the Hanoi dining room. The US Secretary of State was sending a message from the thriving commercial heart of this once war-torn city all the way to North Korea. Vietnam fought a brutal war to expel American invaders, but now the former foes enjoy burgeoning trade ties and […]
by Thanaporn Promyamyai and Joe Freeman MAE SAI, Thailand (AFP) — Thai rescuers vowed to take a “no risk” approach to free 12 boys and their football coach from a flooded cave, as fresh video emerged Wednesday showing the team in good spirits following their astonishing discovery nine days after going missing. Freeing the boys from the still-submerged cave complex is expected to be a protracted process, fraught with challenges for a group who are […]
SELAYAR, Indonesia (AFP) — Nearly three dozen people have died after a ferry ran aground off the coast of Indonesia, according to an updated official toll Wednesday, the latest deadly maritime accident in the Southeast Asian archipelago. The KM Lestari was believed to be carrying nearly 190 people when damage to its hull forced the captain to ground the vessel on Tuesday afternoon about 300 meters (yards) off Selayar island, near the larger island of Sulawesi. […]
by M. Jegathesa Agence France-Presse KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was formally charged Wednesday with corruption linked to a multi-billion dollar financial scandal that contributed to his shock election defeat less than two months ago. The first ex-premier in Malaysia to appear before a judge, Najib pleaded not guilty to three counts of criminal breach of trust and a separate charge that he abused his position to pocket 42 […]
KUTUPALONG, Bangladesh (AFP) — UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he heard “unimaginable” accounts of atrocities during a visit Monday to vast camps in Bangladesh that are home to a million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in Myanmar. Guterres described the situation for the persecuted Muslim minority as “a humanitarian and human rights nightmare,” as he prepared to tour makeshift shelters crammed with people who escaped a huge Myanmar army operation last year that the UN […]
