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YOGYAKARTA , Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are to launch a joint patrol in their waters after a recent surge of kidnappings by a radical Islamic group, according to an agreement struck Thursday. The decision to patrol the Sulu and Celebes seas, which together form a key waterway between the three countries, comes just over a week after the southern Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf beheaded a Canadian captive. Abu Sayyaf gangs have earned […]
JAKARTA , Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia’s growth rate was slower than forecast in the first quarter of 2016, official data showed Wednesday, in a blow to President Joko Widodo’s efforts to boost Southeast Asia’s top economy. The G20 economy grew 4.92 percent year-on-year from January to March, the official statistics agency said. This was slightly below economists’ forecasts and compared to 5.04 percent in the final quarter of 2015. The lower-than-expected figure was in part […]
(Reuters) Filipinos have scoffed and slurped to show their backing for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ahead of next week’s presidential elections. The maverick mayor of the southern city is leading the “Gulp Poll” conducted by convenience store chain 7-Eleven, which has asked customers at their 1,650 outlets across the country to pick soda cups with images of their favorite presidential candidate. The popularity of Duterte’s blue cup has mirrored two opinion polls last week […]
(Reuters) Islamist militants in the southern Philippines released a video that purports to show three hostages pleading for help and a masked militant vowing to behead them if the group’s demands are not met. “I’m appealing to Canadian government, the Filipino government, friends, family, anybody who can possibly help us. If the demand is not met, we will be executed like our friend John was a few days ago.” the hostage who identified himself as […]
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) Tuesday 5/3/2016 – The Singapore government on Tuesday announced the arrest of eight Bangladeshi men who allegedly plotted terror attacks, including assassinations, back home to establish an Islamic state. The suspects were arrested under the tough Internal Security Act in April and had originally planned to go to Syria to join the Islamic State group, the Singapore home ministry said. Items seized included bomb-making manuals, and a list of government and military officials targeted for […]
(Reuters) The fishing fleet based in this tiny port town on Hainan island is getting everything from military training and subsidies to even fuel and ice as China creates an increasingly sophisticated fishing militia to sail into the disputed South China Sea. The training and support includes exercises at sea and requests to fishermen to gather information on foreign vessels, provincial government officials, regional diplomats and fishing company executives said in recent interviews. “The […]
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed thanks and appreciation to all parties that have been involved in the efforts to release the hostages so far including the Philippine government. Widodo also reiterated the importance of sea security in the border areas when announcing the release of 10 Indonesian ship crew members held hostage by Abu Sayyaf militant group. In view of that, a meeting relating to it would be held on May 5 […]
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs said that the government will continue working for the safe release of the remaining foreign nationals being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf group. In a press statement, the DFA said “while intensified operations continue on the ground, the DFA maintains close coordination with concerned foreign governments in ensuring the safe return of all the remaining hostages.” The same statement says the Philippine government is pleased at […]
This commitment was made at the 7th ASEAN-U.S. Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting held at the ASEAN secretariat last week. This is the first JCC to be held since the elevation of the Asean-U.S. partnership to a strategic level in November 2015 and the successful convening of the ASEAN-U.S. special leaders’ summit in Sunnylands, California last February. The meeting took stock of the cooperation under the plan of action to implement the ASEAN-U.S. strategic partnership […]
HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — Hundreds of people gathered Sunday in the Vietnamese capital to protest against a Taiwanese company suspected of involvement in a toxic leak that has hit the fishing industry along the central coast. Tonnes of dead clams were found last week in Ha Tinh province where fish began washing up on beaches earlier in April, sparking a public outcry. The area is home to a large steel mill run by a Taiwanese […]
(Reuters) China risks “terrible” damage to its reputation if it ignores an impending international court ruling on the South China Sea, the United States said on Thursday, while urging Southeast Asian countries to rally behind the court decision. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to rule in coming weeks on a case the Philippines has brought against China’s claim to virtually all of the South China Sea, a strategic route for […]
by Satish Cheney TEMERLOH , Malaysia (AFP) –Withering drought and sizzling temperatures from El Nino have caused food and water shortages and ravaged farming across Asia, and experts warn of a double-whammy of possible flooding from its sibling, La Nina. The current El Nino which began last year has been one of the strongest ever, leaving the Mekong River at its lowest level in decades, causing food-related unrest in the Philippines, and smothering vast regions […]
