Asia

Philippines says three soldiers hurt by China water cannon

MANILA, March 24, 2024 (AFP) – Three Philippine troops were injured in the latest China Coast Guard water cannon attack on a Filipino supply vessel near a South China Sea reef, Manila’s national security adviser said Sunday. The Philippine government said Saturday’s confrontation caused severe damage to the Unaizah May 4 vessel while it was on its way to deliver troops and provisions to a Philippine navy ship grounded atop the Second Thomas Shoal. China […]

McDonald’s stores shut in Sri Lanka over poor hygiene case

COLOMBO, March 24, 2024 (AFP) – McDonald’s stores across Sri Lanka shut Sunday after the US fast-food giant launched a legal battle with its local franchise holder over allegations of poor hygiene, court officials said. The Commercial High Court of Colombo ordered the closures until April 4, after the parent company accused the local franchise holder of failing to meet international hygiene standards. “The closure was ordered pending an investigation,” a court official said. He […]

Two Rohingya found dead at sea after Indonesia ends survivor search

ACEH JAYA, Indonesia, March 23, 2024 (AFP) – The bodies of two Rohingya refugees were retrieved and several more were spotted at sea Saturday, local rescuers said, days after a wooden boat believed to be carrying around 150 people capsized, leaving many missing or dead. The mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar, and thousands risk their lives each year on long and expensive sea journeys, often in flimsy boats, to try to […]

Philippines accuses China of water cannon attack on supply vessel

  MANILA, March 23, 2024 (AFP) – The Philippines accused the China Coast Guard of blocking and firing water cannon at a Filipino supply vessel Saturday morning off a remote and contested South China Sea reef. The Philippine military said the attack occurred off Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese ships have unleashed water cannon and collided with Filipino vessels in similar stand-offs in recent months. The military released video clips that showed a white ship […]

‘Dragon Ball’ theme park planned in Saudi Arabia

TOKYO, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – A theme park based on Japan’s “Dragon Ball” manga franchise will be built in Saudi Arabia’s new high-end tourist attraction of Qiddiya just outside Riyadh, authorities said Friday. The announcement comes two weeks after fans of the massively popular and influential series were shocked by news of the death of its creator Akira Toriyama, aged 68. The 500,000-square-metre (125-acre) park will allow fans to “live the adventures at the […]

Magnitude-6.4 quake hits off Indonesia’s Java island: USGS

JAKARTA: A magnitude-6.4 offshore earthquake hit near Indonesia’s Java island on Friday (Mar 22), the United States Geological Survey said, with the tremor felt in the capital Jakarta and forcing residents of another city to flee their homes. The quake had a depth of approximately 8km, and struck off Java island’s northern coast near Bawean island at about 3:52 pm local time (4.52pm, Singapore time), the USGS said. There were no immediate reports of damage […]

Vietnam confirms recall of nearly 6,000 VinFast electric cars

HANOI, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Vietnam’s leading electric car manufacturer VinFast has recalled almost 6,000 vehicles after a fault in their indicator system was discovered, the government has confirmed, in a fresh blow to the firm. The communist state’s first homegrown auto maker is hoping to compete with electric vehicle (EV) giants such as Tesla, and is trying to crack the global market. But VinFast has struggled to convince international drivers its EVs are […]

Rescuers end sea search for Rohingya refugees

By Zahlul Akbar MEULABOH, Indonesia, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Indonesian rescuers called off the search for Rohingya refugees missing at sea after their boat capsized, despite reports from some of the survivors that dozens of people were swept away. Friday’s announcement comes a day after authorities staged a dramatic rescue of 69 Rohingya who had been adrift at sea for weeks before the boat capsized, with many found clinging to the hull of the […]

36 Chinese military aircraft detected around Taiwan

By Amber Wang with Dene-Hern Chen in Hong Kong TAIPEI, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Taipei’s defence ministry announced Friday the highest single-day number of Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island this year, which analysts attributed as a reaction to Taiwan’s political outreach to Europe in recent days. Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under China’s control. Friday’s incursion, an […]

Battle for democracy – arrest of Indian opposition figure challenges Modi’s rule

By Abhaya SRIVASTAVA NEW DELHI, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – A top Indian opposition politician was expected to fight his arrest in court Friday in a case supporters say is aimed at sidelining challengers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi before next month’s election. Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of the capital Delhi and a key leader in an opposition alliance formed to compete against Modi in the polls, was detained on Thursday in connection with a […]

Japan to discuss AUKUS defence tech partnership: US diplomat

TOKYO, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Japan is expected to discuss cooperating on technology with the AUKUS defence grouping at a summit in Washington next month, according to comments from a high-ranking US diplomat published in Japanese media on Friday. The United States, Australia and Britain established the AUKUS security partnership in 2021, aiming to jointly beef up their military muscle in a bid to counter China’s growing assertiveness in the region. Potential collaboration with […]

Ex-lawmaker accused of killing Philippine governor arrested in East Timor

MANILA, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – A Filipino former congressman accused of organising the killing of a provincial governor has been arrested at a golf driving range in East Timor, the Philippine Department of Justice said. Arnolfo Teves was the alleged mastermind of the March 2023 attack, which killed Roel Degamo, then-governor of the central province of Negros Oriental, and nine others. Police in East Timor detained Teves at a golf driving range in the […]