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PHNOM PENH / AFP- Cambodian Premier Hun Sen lashed out Monday at claims his government had bowed to Chinese pressure to help scupper a joint statement by Southeast Asian nations on the South China Sea. In an angry speech Hun Sen also accused an international court of political bias as it prepares to rule on a sea dispute between the Philippines and China. The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration is widely expected to rule […]
(REUTERS) The incoming Philippines transportation chief said on Monday President-elect Rodrigo Duterte should be given emergency powers by Congress for two years to solve a debilitating traffic crisis in the capital Manila and elsewhere. The emergency powers will quicken the release of government funds aimed at declogging main roads that have hurt businesses and the overall economy. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, speaking on the sidelines of a business conference, cited the 2.4 billion pesos ($52 […]
(REUTERS) Flash floods and landslides killed 24 people in Indonesia’s Central Java province, officials said on Sunday, forcing residents to evacuate to safer areas as torrential rains damaged thousands of homes. Rescue teams searched for 26 others who remained missing after the region, among the most densely populated parts of the country, saw heavy rainfall overnight. “Heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in 16 regencies in Central Java,” Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the national […]
LHOKNGA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesian authorities faced pressure Friday to allow dozens of Sri Lankan migrants stranded on a boat for almost a week to disembark, as witnesses said a warning shot was fired in chaotic scenes near the vessel. The 44 migrants, who include many women and children, have been stuck on the Indian-flagged vessel resting in shallow waters off Aceh province since last Saturday after it broke down en route to Australia. The […]
PROBOLINGGO, Indonesia (AFP) — Eight pilot whales have died after a mass stranding on the coast of Indonesia’s main island of Java that sparked a major rescue operation, an official said Thursday. Thirty-two of the short-finned pilot whales came ashore during high tide early Wednesday in Probolinggo, East Java province. “At first there were just one or two whales swimming near the shore, and the nature of whales is that if they are sick they […]
(REUTERS) Southeast Asian countries withdrew a statement that expressed the region’s deep concerns over tension in the South China Sea, where China is involved in protracted territorial disputes with some of its neighbors. The strongly-worded statement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), released by the Malaysian foreign ministry, did not name China directly but warned against raising tension in the waters, where Beijing has been building artificial islands and increasing its military presence. […]
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — An Indonesian woman accused of murdering a friend with cyanide-laced coffee went on trial Wednesday, in a case that has caused tensions between Indonesia and Australia over the death penalty. Jessica Kumala Wongso, who is an Australian permanent resident, denies the premeditated murder of her college friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, who collapsed and died after drinking the coffee at an upmarket Jakarta cafe in January. The case has attracted huge national […]
The much – awaited direct service between Saipan and Manila beginning June 15 has yielded high passenger bookings. PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista said, “Over the past decades, our kababayans have to take other routes to Manila via Guam. With this new offering, they now have a direct link to our home country. The high passenger count is proof that this new flight is keenly awaited. We look forward […]
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Singapore on Monday crushed and burnt almost eight tonnes of ivory confiscated over two years to try to deter smugglers as activists called for tighter enforcement. Over 2,700 elephant tusks weighing 7.9 tonnes were fed into an industrial rock crusher before incineration. It was the fist time seized ivory had been destroyed in Singapore, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said in a statement. Previous hauls were returned to the originating country, […]
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysian (AFP) — Rayani Air, Malaysia’s first Islamic-compliant airline, has been shut down, regulators said Monday, months after it was suspended from flying for breaching aviation regulations. The carrier launched only in December with Muslim flight crew wearing the hijab while non-Muslim members were forbidden from wearing revealing clothing. In-flight meals were completely halal and alcohol consumption banned. But after an “investigation into the administration and safety audit” of the airline, the Department […]
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Thailand’s ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej is recovering well after a recent operation to improve blood flow to his heart, the palace said, the latest in a series of major medical procedures for the 88-year-old. Bhumibol is the object of an intense personality cult and his frail health is a matter of significant public concern. On Tuesday doctors performed a series of angioplasty procedures without anaesthetic, using balloons and stents to widen […]
The ministry of foreign affairs of Vietnam holds the 3rd Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) caravan after similar undertakings were successfully conducted in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar and Vientiane, Lao PDR in August 2015 and January 2016, respectively. The caravan in Ha Noi is held in Melia hotel on 9-10 June. This occasion aims to provide a platform to introduce JAIF and its supported projects so that relevant stakeholders will be able to understand the latest […]
