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by M. Jegathesan Agence France-Presse KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak was hit with new charges Wednesday linked to a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal that contributed to his shock election defeat in May. Appearing at a court in Kuala Lumpur, Najib was charged with three counts of money-laundering over claims he pocketed 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) from a former unit of scandal-hit sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. These are in […]
TANJUNG, Indonesia (AFP) — The death toll from a shallow 6.9-magnitude earthquake on the Indonesian island of Lombok has risen above 130, officials said Wednesday. “We estimate the death toll of 131 will keep rising,” national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. © Agence France-Presse
ASEAN and China agree on need for an effective Code of Conduct on South China Sea, he says (Eagle News) – Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said that the Philippines has taken over as country coordinator with China for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dialogue and will be working for an effective Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea, a flashpoint in the region. “So we are happy to take […]
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — China and Southeast Asian states held simulated naval exercises this week for the first time, Singapore said Friday, as they seek to lower long-running tensions in disputed waters. The “table-top” exercises at a Singapore naval base came ahead of the first naval drills between the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Beijing, scheduled for October. Four ASEAN states — Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam — […]
by Martin Abbugao / Ayee Macaraig Agence France Presse SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — China wants military exercises and energy exploration with Southeast Asian nations in disputed waters, according to a draft document, but insists on outside countries being excluded in what analysts said was a bid to diminish US influence. Beijing’s suggestions are part of efforts to expand its influence in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely, and push back at […]
by Martin Abbugao / Ayee Macaraig Agence France-Presse SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) – The US will urge the international community to keep up sanctions pressure against North Korea at a security forum in Singapore this week, as concerns mount that Pyongyang has made little progress towards denuclearisation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart will attend the gathering in the city-state where US President Donald Trump and the North’s leader Kim Jong Un […]
by Bara Elank Agence France Presse MATARAM, Indonesia (AFP) — More than 500 hikers and guides stranded by landslides on an Indonesian mountain after an earthquake have returned to safety, with some recalling their terror when tonnes of rock cascaded down. The shallow 6.4-magnitude quake, which struck early Sunday on Lombok island and was followed by scores of aftershocks, triggered major landslides on Mount Rinjani, blocking the hiking routes that criss-cross it. Some 800 trekkers […]
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 […]
