ASEAN IN FOCUS

Riot in Indonesia’s Papua leaves 10 dead

Indonesia has deployed security forces to a town in the breakaway eastern region of Papua after 10 people were killed during a riot sparked by rumours of a child abduction, officials said Friday. Angry locals in Wamena town attacked police with stones and arrows Thursday, believing them to be holding a young girl’s abductors, Papua province police spokesman Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo told AFP. Police responded with lethal fire, killing eight people, the official said, […]

Thai election to be held in May: PM

Bangkok, Thailand | AFP | Tuesday 2/21/2023  Thailand will hold a general election in May, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said Tuesday, with unofficial campaigning already under way. The embattled premier, who came to power as army chief in a 2014 coup before taking over as PM after a controversial 2019 election, told reporters he would dissolve parliament in March. Under Thai constitutional rules, this would mean an election some time in May, with May 7 […]

Football captain from Thai cave rescue dies in UK

  London, United Kingdom | AFP | by Jitendra JOSHI One of 12 boys dramatically rescued from a Thai cave in 2018 has died in Britain while studying on a football scholarship, authorities said on Wednesday. Duangpetch Promthep, 17, who was captain of the football team that was stranded in floodwaters in the northern Thailand cave, died Tuesday at a hospital in England, Brooke House College confirmed. Ian Smith, the principal at the central English […]

In Pictures: 6.1 magnitude quake rocks central Philippines

  Manila, Philippines | AFP | Thursday 2/16/2023 by Mikhail FLORES A 6.1 magnitude earthquake rocked the central Philippines on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, though there were no reports of casualties or significant damage. The strong and shallow quake struck just off the coast of Masbate province in the centre of the archipelago nation shortly after 2 am (1800 GMT). The epicentre was 11 kilometres (seven miles) from the coastal village of Miaga […]

Philippines’ Marcos summons Chinese envoy over laser incident at sea

Manila, Philippines | AFP | Tuesday 2/14/2023 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos summoned Beijing’s ambassador Tuesday to express “serious concern” after a Chinese security vessel was accused of using a military-grade laser light against a Philippine patrol boat in the disputed South China Sea. The confrontation marks an escalation in the diplomatic row, after the Philippine foreign ministry earlier filed a protest to the Chinese embassy condemning the “aggressive” actions of the Chinese coastguard vessel that […]

Chinese crypto scams targeting Filipinos to work for them: official

Manila, Philippines | AFP | by Mikhail FLORES Chinese criminals running cryptocurrency scams in Southeast Asia are targeting Filipinos to work for them because of their English language and computer skills, a Philippine foreign ministry official said Monday. Filipinos were “prized” targets for scam networks operating in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, said Eduardo de Vega, acting undersecretary for migrant workers affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs. De Vega said efforts to repatriate Filipinos sucked […]

Earthquake in Indonesia’s Papua kills 4

Jayapura, Indonesia | AFP | At least four people were killed Thursday when an earthquake struck the capital of Indonesia‘s breakaway eastern region of Papua and crumpled a waterfront restaurant, officials said. The 5.1-magnitude quake hit around 1.28 pm (0628 GMT) on land just southwest of Jayapura city at a depth of 22 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said. “A cafe collapsed and four people died there. It fell into the sea,” Asep Khalid, head […]

Indonesian domestic worker wins compensation for abuse in Hong Kong

  Hong Kong, China | AFP | by Holmes CHAN with Irwanda SAPUTRA in Padang An Indonesian woman who was beaten and burned by her former Hong Kong employers was awarded more than $110,000 in damages on Friday. The abuse meted out to Kartika Puspitasari, 40, made headlines a decade ago and sparked calls for better protections for the army of women who come to the city to cook, clean and care for its children and […]

Philippines’ Marcos strikes defense, infrastructure deals in Tokyo

  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos hailed new defence and other deals signed with Japan in Tokyo on Thursday, as the nations seek to deepen ties, including on security in response to growing Chinese military pressure. The countries agreed on measures to speed up military deployments for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. They also signed several other deals, ranging from infrastructure loans to cooperation on agriculture and technology. “After our meeting, I can confidently say that […]