Latest Southeast Asia News
RSS-
Philippines to launch 6-month tourist visa
Foreign visitors who want to extend their vacation in the Philippines may now do so without the usual hassles. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Tuesday that foreigners who would like to stay longer in the country, could avail of a six-month, long-stay tourist visa from the agency. The program is set to be formally launched next week, according to the BI. In a statement, Immigration ...
-
Dugong disappearing fast from southern Thailand
Trang's dwindling dugong population is now threatened with extinction as the Seagrass meadows it feeds upon in the waters around Koh Libong have shrunk to 7,306 square rai. Trang is in the south of Thailand and is known for its jungles, mountains, waterfalls and beaches. The head of Trang's Marine and coastal resources conservation centre, Prachuap Mokharat, said yesterday that a ...
-
Spore calls on Jakarta to tackle haze
Singapore has called on Indonesia to name those companies which are causing the haze in the region and take action against them for illegal burning. It noted that primary responsibility for dealing with these companies rests with Indonesia because they would have carried out acts on Indonesian territory and broken its laws. Singapore remained ready to work with Indonesia at the provincial ...
More Southeast Asia News
RSS-
Bangladesh Bank gives green light to ninth new bank
Bangladesh Bank yesterday decided to grant a licence to NRB Global Bank, taking the number of new banks to nine, a spokesman for the central bank said. BB took the decision at its board meeting yesterday with Governor Atiur Rahman in the chair, said AFM Asaduzzaman, general manager of BB. Nizam Chowdhury, a US-based expatriate and chairman of NRB Global Bank, also confirmed The Daily Star on ...
-
US offers to help Vietnam fight emerging epidemics
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius has said her country is committed to working with Vietnam to combat emerging epidemics, especially infectious diseases, and to promote the transfer of technology to fight HIV/AIDS. Received by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Ha Noi yesterday, Sebelius stressed that the US and Vietnamese health sectors enjoyed close collaboration ...
-
Thailands Songkhla ranked fourth highest in human-trafficking
The Royal Thai Police revealed that Songkhla ranked fourth in terms of the number of areas most at risk of human-trafficking crimes at 642, after Bangkok's 1,108, Chumphon's 997 and Prachuap Khiri Khan's 848 locations. This report prompted Social Development and Human Security Minister's secretary Anusorn Eiamsa-Ard to visit the province for inspection yesterday, where he ...
-
Malaysias new low-cost airport launch delayed to May 2014 amid construction setback
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The opening of a new airport to accommodate budget carriers has been delayed until next year because of design changes and other construction setbacks, Malaysia's airport operator says. Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad said late Tuesday that the contractors for the terminal building of the new airport, who previously said the facility would be completed this month, ...
-
S. Sudan Could Drop Austerity Budget as Oil Flows
JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN -- South Sudan’s Council of Ministers has submitted a $5.6 billion dollar national budget to parliament for the new fiscal year, more than double the country’s current austerity budget. But officials warned that they are prepared to slash spending if oil production is shut down again over a new row with Sudan, which has accused Juba of backing rebels in the north ...
-
Freeport open mine may resume work this week
Paper Edition | Page: 13 PT Freeport Indonesia likely to resume production activities at its Grasberg open mine site in Papua this week as investigators consider the facility "safe enough", a senior minister has said.While the condition of the hillside of the mining firm's working area needs "close attention", its open pit was quite safe for operations, Energy and ...
-
Want a new Thai PM Then vote for someone else
Some Thais appear to have learnt nothing from history - as suggested by a group's calls for the royal appointment of a new premier to replace elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. On Monday, the Thai Patriotic Front lodged a petition with the Bureau of the Royal Household seeking a new premier through an undemocratic method. This is the second time in seven years this group of Thai ...
-
Suicide blast at Pakistan funeral kills 28 including lawmaker
At least 28 people, including a provincial lawmaker of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), were killed Tuesday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives during a funeral procession in Mardan district of restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. At least 57 other people were also injured in the blast, said Jaffar Khan, the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of police in Mardan. KP Information and ...
-
SHOWBIZ Linkin Park comes to town in August
After nearly a decade of anticipation, rap/rock band Linkin Park returns to Malaysia to kick off their Living Things World Tour on August 19 at Stadium National, Bukit Jalil at 8pm. The award-winning, multi-platinum alternative rock band, Linkin Park, comprises lead vocalist Chester Bennington, drummer/percussionist Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, ...
-
Bolivian Girl Mauled by Dog to Fly to U.S. for Help
LA PAZ, Bolivia -- A 4-year-old Bolivian girl who was unconscious for nearly three weeks after being mauled in the face and body by a Rottweiler is awake and ready to fly to Boston for reconstructive surgery, a doctor said ...
-
Malaysia budget airport launch delayed
MALAYSIA'S airport operator says the launch of a new airport for budget carriers has been further delayed, to May 2014, due to a setback in ...
-
Bomber targets mourners at Pakistan funeral 29 dead
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of hundreds of mourners attending a funeral on Tuesday in northwestern Pakistan, killing 29 people. Among the dead was a newly elected lawmaker who may have been the target, authorities ...
-
Asian markets subdued as Fed looms Nikkei rallies
the rest of Asia was restrained as investors waited for clarity on the Federal Reserve's next policy step. Major currencies were subdued as well ahead of the outcome of the ...
-
REFILE-WRAPUP 1-Asian stocks to lead the way to years end Fed seen pulling back - poll
Member Benefits Manage your personalised Watchlist. Set up an online Virtual Portfolio. Participate in Share Chat. See more trades and director dealings. Play the Fantasy Share Trading ...
-
Study Homosexual Community at Increased Risk for HIV
One of the challenges of fighting HIV around the world is the difficulty of reaching those at risk. A new study from South Africa indicates that the homosexual community is at increased risk for HIV, and that widespread homophobia may keep these men from receiving the information and care that they need. Gay men in Africa face extreme homophobia and violence within their communities, and in ...
-
NASA Humans Could Visit Asteroid in 2021
The U.S. space agency says its proposed asteroid capture mission takes several of NASA's ongoing initiatives and aligns them for one major mission. These chunks of ancient space rocks hold clues about the formation of the universe, pose threats to our planet, and present new territory for explorers. NASA's proposed asteroid mission is a logical next leap for the space agency, says ...
-
Turkeys PM Hits Back at International Critics of Crackdown
LONDON -- The U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights has strongly criticized Turkey's crackdown on anti-government protests, joining the European Union in condemning the police response. But Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hit back, defending the security forces and questioning the democratic legitimacy of his European critics. After weeks of anti-government demonstrations in cities ...
-
New Head For US Central Bank
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama says Ben Bernanke has done an "outstanding" job leading the central bank and coping with the worst recession in decades. But some analysts say Obama is likely to appoint someone else to head the Federal Reserve in a few months. analysts have mixed opinions about Bernanke's efforts. President Obama praised Ben Bernanke during a recent ...
-
Green ‘ondel-ondel’ to enliven Jakarnaval
Paper Edition | Page: 9 At least 1,500 performers will take part in this year's Jakarnaval, slated to be held on June 30 in Central Jakarta. The annual carnival, which is part of a series of festivities to mark Jakarta's 486th anniversary, will also welcome participants from outside the capital, including Central Java, West Java and Kalimantan.Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ...
-
Police ready for entertainment crackdown during Ramadhan
Paper Edition | Page: 9 The Jakarta Police are preparing for violations by entertainment businesses and hard-line groups to ensure the Ramadhan month and Idul Fitri celebrations are peaceful.Jakarta Police's intelligence subdirectorate head Adj. Sr. Comr. Titik Valentina said on Tuesday that the police would monitor entertainment businesses, which had to adjust their operation times, and ...
-
Zero tax for eco-cars may worsen traffic
Paper Edition | Page: 9 The newly issued government regulation to provide special tax breaks for so-called eco-friendly vehicles may only exacerbate traffic in the capital if authorities fail to take preventive measures, observers say. The tax breaks, which slash taxes to as low as zero percent, will lead to massive vehicle purchases as the selling price could go very low, according to city ...
-
Reckless driver gets 3 years in prison
Paper Edition | Page: 9 The South Jakarta District Court sentenced Andika Pradipta, 27, to three years in prison on Monday following his involvement in a fatal collision, which killed two people and injured five in December 2012.The verdict was one year longer than was sought by prosecutors, but far lighter than the maximum sentence of 12 years as stipulated in Article 311 of Law No. 22/2009 on ...
South East Asia Digest
-
Southeast Asia's growing prominence in world trade
Southeast Asia has been, for many centuries, a major part of world trade and the recent recession has not hampered this position as the region is recovering much faster than many more developed countries.
Southeast Asia, although geographically large, covering an area of around 5 million square miles, is comparatively small economically in relation to the number of people that inhabit the area. The Southeast Asian region is home to over 500 million people and yet the region’s GDP is just US$1.5 trillion, or around US$2,500 per person annually. Read more
News from around our Network
