The number of blazes in Indonesia's rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed Thursday, spreading smog across Southeast Asia and adding to concerns about the impact of increasing wildfire outbreaks worldwide on global warming.

Illegal blazes to clear land for agricultural plantations have been raging on Sumatra and Borneo islands, with Indonesia deploying water-bombing helicopters and thousands of security forces to tackle them.

It is just the latest such outbreak globally -- huge blazes have torn through the Amazon in South America while bushfires are sweeping across eastern Australia in an unusually ferocious and early start to the wildfire season.

Indonesia's forest fires are an annual problem but have been worsened this year by particularly dry weather, and in recent days sent toxic smog floating over Malaysia and triggered a diplomatic row.

The number of "hotspots" -- areas of intense heat detected by satellite which indicate a high chance of fire -- jumped sharply in Indonesia on Wednesday, according to the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre.

There were 1,619 hotspots detected on the Indonesian part of Borneo and Sumatra up from 861 a day earlier, according to a tally from the centre, which monitors forest fires and smog outbreaks.

In hard-hit Riau province on Sumatra, firefighters were battling round the clock through charred forests as they sought to extinguish blazes belching thick white smog, AFP reporters said.

Provincial capital Pekanbaru was blanketed in dense smoke, leaving the sky dark even at midday. Residents sought to go about their daily lives as usual, with many wearing only rudimentary face masks.

Kiki Taufik, a forests campaigner with Greenpeace in Indonesia, told AFP there has been little rain in the past fortnight, particularly on Indonesian Borneo which saw the sharpest increase in hotspots.

Borneo is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Burning issue

Taufik saw similarities between the blazes in Indonesia and those in the Amazon, where farmers also start fires to clear land for agriculture.&nbsp;

"This should remind people we are facing a climate crisis," he said of the recent fires around the world.

"Industries are looking to expand plantations using fires."

And he warned Indonesia's blazes would add to the sprawling archipelago's climate-damaging emissions, already among the highest in the world.

In 2015 Indonesia suffered its worst forest fires for about two decades, which dramatically increased its greenhouse gas emissions.

Diplomatic tensions were also rising as Malaysian Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin accused her Indonesian counterpart of being "in denial", after Jakarta insisted fires in Malaysia had caused the smog there.

"Let the data speak for itself," she said in a Facebook post, indicating figures from the ASEAN centre which showed only a handful of hotspots in Malaysia compared to the hundreds in Indonesia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will write to Indonesian President Joko Widodo raising concerns about the haze, she said.

Indonesian Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar hit back Wednesday, telling AFP that "hotspots are not only found in Indonesia, but also in Sarawak (on Malaysian Borneo) and peninsular Malaysia".

"We are not standing idly by," she added.

Indonesian personnel have been struggling to tame the blazes as many burn underground in carbon-rich peat, which has been cleared across vast areas of the country for plantations.

After being cleared and drained of water, peat is highly combustible and hard to extinguish once ablaze.

There have been some outbreaks of fire in the Malaysian part of Borneo. Drone footage taken by AFP in the area showed smoke rising from charcoal grey patches of smouldering earth, surrounded by pristine forest.

The number of blazes in Indonesia's rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed Thursday, spreading smog across Southeast Asia and adding to concerns about the impact of increasing wildfire outbreaks worldwide on global warming.

The number of blazes in Indonesia's rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed Thursday, spreading smog across Southeast Asia and adding to concerns about the impact of increasing wildfire outbreaks worldwide on global warming. Illegal blazes to clear land for agricultural plantations have been raging on Sumatra and Borneo islands, with Indonesia deploying water-bombing helicopters and thousands of security forces to tackle them. It is just the latest such outbreak globally -- huge blazes have torn through the Amazon in South America while bushfires are sweeping across eastern Australia in an unusually ferocious and early start to the wildfire season. Indonesia's forest fires are an annual problem but have been worsened this year by particularly dry weather, and in recent days sent toxic smog floating over Malaysia and triggered a diplomatic row. The number of "hotspots" -- areas of intense heat detected by satellite which indicate a high chance of fire -- jumped sharply in Indonesia on Wednesday, according to the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre. There were 1,619 hotspots detected on the Indonesian part of Borneo and Sumatra up from 861 a day earlier, according to a tally from the centre, which monitors forest fires and smog outbreaks. In hard-hit Riau province on Sumatra, firefighters were battling round the clock through charred forests as they sought to extinguish blazes belching thick white smog, AFP reporters said. Provincial capital Pekanbaru was blanketed in dense smoke, leaving the sky dark even at midday. Residents sought to go about their daily lives as usual, with many wearing only rudimentary face masks. Kiki Taufik, a forests campaigner with Greenpeace in Indonesia, told AFP there has been little rain in the past fortnight, particularly on Indonesian Borneo which saw the sharpest increase in hotspots. Borneo is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Burning issue Taufik saw similarities between the blazes in Indonesia and those in the Amazon, where farmers also start fires to clear land for agriculture. "This should remind people we are facing a climate crisis," he said of the recent fires around the world. "Industries are looking to expand plantations using fires." And he warned Indonesia's blazes would add to the sprawling archipelago's climate-damaging emissions, already among the highest in the world. In 2015 Indonesia suffered its worst forest fires for about two decades, which dramatically increased its greenhouse gas emissions. Diplomatic tensions were also rising as Malaysian Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin accused her Indonesian counterpart of being "in denial", after Jakarta insisted fires in Malaysia had caused the smog there. "Let the data speak for itself," she said in a Facebook post, indicating figures from the ASEAN centre which showed only a handful of hotspots in Malaysia compared to the hundreds in Indonesia. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will write to Indonesian President Joko Widodo raising concerns about the haze, she said. Indonesian Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar hit back Wednesday, telling AFP that "hotspots are not only found in Indonesia, but also in Sarawak (on Malaysian Borneo) and peninsular Malaysia". "We are not standing idly by," she added. Indonesian personnel have been struggling to tame the blazes as many burn underground in carbon-rich peat, which has been cleared across vast areas of the country for plantations. After being cleared and drained of water, peat is highly combustible and hard to extinguish once ablaze. There have been some outbreaks of fire in the Malaysian part of Borneo. Drone footage taken by AFP in the area showed smoke rising from charcoal grey patches of smouldering earth, surrounded by pristine forest.

Indonesia forest fires surge, stoking global warming fears

NASA is developing a new technique to forecast malaria outbreaks in Myanmar from space, as the emergence of new drug-resistant strains in Southeast Asia threatens efforts to wipe out the deadly disease globally.

The goal of worldwide malaria eradication within a generation, by 2050, is "bold but attainable", a report released this week in The Lancet argued.

Malaria cases and deaths plummeted by more than 90 per cent in Myanmar between 2010 and 2017, World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show, a success largely credited to better rural health services and wider use of treated bednets.

But the country still has a higher prevalence than its neighbours in the Mekong region.

Several drug-resistant strains are taking hold across Southeast Asia and it is feared these could migrate to Africa where more than 90 per cent of cases globally occur.

To counter this threat, NASA is deploying "cutting edge" spatial technology to tackle malaria outbreaks before they happen, scientist Tatiana Loboda told AFP.

She is applying her expertise in geospatial and risk modelling coupled with a background in predicting wildfire outbreaks in the US to identify potential hotspots so medicines and health workers can be mobilised in advance.

"A lot of people use a little spatial modelling but not to the same depth and capabilities as we're doing here," said Loboda, a professor at Maryland University.

The satellites provide meteorological data, including land surface temperatures, atmospheric water content, and information about land cover, including forest, shrubland, settlements or water.

These are then combined with socio-economic data gathered by teams of researchers carrying out in-depth surveys with sample populations in the field.

The project is only in its third year but Loboda's team has already seen a high correlation between the rate of deforestation and the disease.

One unproven theory is that these areas often dotted with logging sites, mines and plantations are hosts to a disproportionate number of migrant or seasonal workers, bringing with them new strains of the parasite.

The Maryland University team is working closely with local government and military scientists, collecting data from civilians and troops respectively.

But that brings challenges in a country where the armed forces keep their operations shrouded in mystery.

"We're not allowed to ask where they go," Loboda told AFP in Yangon, describing it as "like working blindfolded".

This is coupled with a lack of access to Myanmar's myriad conflict areas.

"I'm used to working with big data," Loboda bemoaned. "I want to blanket the whole country with random locations but I can't."

The project is not immune to geopolitics either.

The state of US-Myanmar relations can complicate meetings with the military in the capital Naypyidaw.

"Sometimes I can go, sometimes I can't," Loboda said.

NASA is developing a new technique to forecast malaria outbreaks in Myanmar from space, as the emergence of new drug-resistant strains in Southeast Asia threatens efforts to wipe out the deadly disease globally.

NASA is developing a new technique to forecast malaria outbreaks in Myanmar from space, as the emergence of new drug-resistant strains in Southeast Asia threatens efforts to wipe out the deadly disease globally. The goal of worldwide malaria eradication within a generation, by 2050, is "bold but attainable", a report released this week in The Lancet argued. Malaria cases and deaths plummeted by more than 90 per cent in Myanmar between 2010 and 2017, World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show, a success largely credited to better rural health services and wider use of treated bednets. But the country still has a higher prevalence than its neighbours in the Mekong region. Several drug-resistant strains are taking hold across Southeast Asia and it is feared these could migrate to Africa where more than 90 per cent of cases globally occur. To counter this threat, NASA is deploying "cutting edge" spatial technology to tackle malaria outbreaks before they happen, scientist Tatiana Loboda told AFP. She is applying her expertise in geospatial and risk modelling coupled with a background in predicting wildfire outbreaks in the US to identify potential hotspots so medicines and health workers can be mobilised in advance. "A lot of people use a little spatial modelling but not to the same depth and capabilities as we're doing here," said Loboda, a professor at Maryland University. The satellites provide meteorological data, including land surface temperatures, atmospheric water content, and information about land cover, including forest, shrubland, settlements or water. These are then combined with socio-economic data gathered by teams of researchers carrying out in-depth surveys with sample populations in the field. The project is only in its third year but Loboda's team has already seen a high correlation between the rate of deforestation and the disease. One unproven theory is that these areas often dotted with logging sites, mines and plantations are hosts to a disproportionate number of migrant or seasonal workers, bringing with them new strains of the parasite. The Maryland University team is working closely with local government and military scientists, collecting data from civilians and troops respectively. But that brings challenges in a country where the armed forces keep their operations shrouded in mystery. "We're not allowed to ask where they go," Loboda told AFP in Yangon, describing it as "like working blindfolded". This is coupled with a lack of access to Myanmar's myriad conflict areas. "I'm used to working with big data," Loboda bemoaned. "I want to blanket the whole country with random locations but I can't." The project is not immune to geopolitics either. The state of US-Myanmar relations can complicate meetings with the military in the capital Naypyidaw. "Sometimes I can go, sometimes I can't," Loboda said.

NASA developing new technology to forecast malaria outbreaks in Myanmar from space

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-floods-kill-at-least-10-force-54000-people-from-homes-155495">Myanmar troops deployed to flood-hit parts of the country</a> on Sunday to help with relief efforts after the death toll from a deadly landslide jumped to 48.

Every year monsoon rains hammer Myanmar and other countries across Southeast Asia, submerging homes, displacing thousands and triggering landslides.

But the disaster Friday in southeastern Mon state was the worst in recent memory and hundreds of emergency response workers were still pulling bodies out of the muddy wreckage early Sunday.

'The total death toll reached 48. Search and rescue is still ongoing,' Paung township administrator Zaw Moe Aung told AFP.

Heavy rains pounded Mon, Karen and Kachin state, flooding roads and destroying bridges.

As the rainy season reaches its peak, the country's armed forces are pitching in.

'Our regional military commands are working to help with the search and rescue process in disaster areas,' Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP.&nbsp;

'Helicopters will be used to supply food.'

The bulk of the effort is focused on hard-hit Mon state, which sits on the coast of the Andaman sea.

Floodwaters have submerged more than 4,000 houses in the state and displaced more than 25,000 residents who have sought shelter in monasteries and pagodas, according to state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar.

Vice President Henry Van Thio visited landslide survivors in a Paung township village on Saturday and 'spoke of his sorrow' while promising relief assistance, the paper reported.

Around 89,000 people have been displaced by floods in recent weeks, although many have since been able to return home, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 
&nbsp;

Myanmar troops deployed to flood-hit parts of the country on Sunday to help with relief efforts after the death toll from a deadly landslide jumped to 48. Every year monsoon rains hammer Myanmar and other countries across Southeast Asia, submerging homes, displacing thousands and triggering landslides.

Myanmar troops deployed to flood-hit parts of the country on Sunday to help with relief efforts after the death toll from a deadly landslide jumped to 48. Every year monsoon rains hammer Myanmar and other countries across Southeast Asia, submerging homes, displacing thousands and triggering landslides. But the disaster Friday in southeastern Mon state was the worst in recent memory and hundreds of emergency response workers were still pulling bodies out of the muddy wreckage early Sunday. 'The total death toll reached 48. Search and rescue is still ongoing,' Paung township administrator Zaw Moe Aung told AFP. Heavy rains pounded Mon, Karen and Kachin state, flooding roads and destroying bridges. As the rainy season reaches its peak, the country's armed forces are pitching in. 'Our regional military commands are working to help with the search and rescue process in disaster areas,' Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP. 'Helicopters will be used to supply food.' The bulk of the effort is focused on hard-hit Mon state, which sits on the coast of the Andaman sea. Floodwaters have submerged more than 4,000 houses in the state and displaced more than 25,000 residents who have sought shelter in monasteries and pagodas, according to state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar. Vice President Henry Van Thio visited landslide survivors in a Paung township village on Saturday and 'spoke of his sorrow' while promising relief assistance, the paper reported. Around 89,000 people have been displaced by floods in recent weeks, although many have since been able to return home, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Myanmar troops help flood rescue after landslide kills 48

Myanmar troops and emergency responders scrambled to provide aid in flood-hit parts of the country Sunday after rising waters forced residents to flee by boat and a landslide killed at least 52 people.

Every year monsoon rains hammer Myanmar and other countries across Southeast Asia, submerging homes, displacing residents and triggering landslides.

But this season's deluge has tested disaster response after a fatal landslide on Friday in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-landslide-kills-41-many-more-feared-missing-242080">southeastern Mon state was followed by heavy flooding</a> that reached the roofs of houses and treetops in nearby towns.

Hundreds of soldiers, firefighters, and local rescue workers were still pulling bodies and vehicles out of the muddy wreckage of Paung township on Sunday.

"The latest death toll we have from the landslide in Mon state was 52," Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP.

As the rainy season reaches its peak, the country's armed forces are pitching in and have readied helicopters to deliver supplies.

"Access to affected regions is still good. Our ground forces can reach the areas so far," Zaw Min Tun said.

Heavy rains pounded other parts of Mon, Karen and Kachin state, flooding roads and destroying bridges that crumbled under the weight of the downpour.

But the bulk of the relief effort is focused on hard-hit Mon, which sits on the coast of the Andaman sea.

About two-thirds of the state's Ye township remained flooded, an administrator said, as drone footage showed only the tops of houses, tree branches and satellite dishes poking above the waters.

We thought we were dead

Families realised they had to leave in the early hours Sunday, packing possessions into boats, rowing towards the higher ground or swimming away.&nbsp;

Than Htay, a 40-year-old from Ye town told AFP that water rose to their waists around 02:00 am and she and her family members started shouting for help.

The heavy rains muffled their pleas but a boat happened to pass by and gave them a ride.

"That’s why we survived. We thought we were dead,” she said. 
Another resident said this year's flooding was the worst they had experienced.

Floodwaters have submerged more than 4,000 houses in the state and displaced more than 25,000 residents who have sought shelter in monasteries and pagodas, according to state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar.

Vice President Henry Van Thio visited landslide survivors in a Paung township village on Saturday and "spoke of his sorrow" while promising relief, the paper reported.

The search for victims continued later Sunday though the rain has made the process more difficult.

“We are still working. We will continue searching in the coming days as well," Paung township administrator Zaw Moe Aung said.

Climate scientists in 2015 ranked Myanmar at the top of a global list of nations hardest hit by extreme weather.

That year more than 100 people died in floods that also displaced hundreds of thousands.

Myanmar troops and emergency responders scrambled to provide aid in flood-hit parts of the country Sunday after rising waters forced residents to flee by boat and a landslide killed at least 52 people.

Myanmar troops and emergency responders scrambled to provide aid in flood-hit parts of the country Sunday after rising waters forced residents to flee by boat and a landslide killed at least 52 people. Every year monsoon rains hammer Myanmar and other countries across Southeast Asia, submerging homes, displacing residents and triggering landslides. But this season's deluge has tested disaster response after a fatal landslide on Friday in southeastern Mon state was followed by heavy flooding that reached the roofs of houses and treetops in nearby towns. Hundreds of soldiers, firefighters, and local rescue workers were still pulling bodies and vehicles out of the muddy wreckage of Paung township on Sunday. "The latest death toll we have from the landslide in Mon state was 52," Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP. As the rainy season reaches its peak, the country's armed forces are pitching in and have readied helicopters to deliver supplies. "Access to affected regions is still good. Our ground forces can reach the areas so far," Zaw Min Tun said. Heavy rains pounded other parts of Mon, Karen and Kachin state, flooding roads and destroying bridges that crumbled under the weight of the downpour. But the bulk of the relief effort is focused on hard-hit Mon, which sits on the coast of the Andaman sea. About two-thirds of the state's Ye township remained flooded, an administrator said, as drone footage showed only the tops of houses, tree branches and satellite dishes poking above the waters. We thought we were dead Families realised they had to leave in the early hours Sunday, packing possessions into boats, rowing towards the higher ground or swimming away. Than Htay, a 40-year-old from Ye town told AFP that water rose to their waists around 02:00 am and she and her family members started shouting for help. The heavy rains muffled their pleas but a boat happened to pass by and gave them a ride. "That’s why we survived. We thought we were dead,” she said. Another resident said this year's flooding was the worst they had experienced. Floodwaters have submerged more than 4,000 houses in the state and displaced more than 25,000 residents who have sought shelter in monasteries and pagodas, according to state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar. Vice President Henry Van Thio visited landslide survivors in a Paung township village on Saturday and "spoke of his sorrow" while promising relief, the paper reported. The search for victims continued later Sunday though the rain has made the process more difficult. “We are still working. We will continue searching in the coming days as well," Paung township administrator Zaw Moe Aung said. Climate scientists in 2015 ranked Myanmar at the top of a global list of nations hardest hit by extreme weather. That year more than 100 people died in floods that also displaced hundreds of thousands.

Myanmar battles rising floodwaters after landslide kills 52

Malaysia will review its labour laws to cut an "over dependence" on foreign labour and address other issues, its prime minister said on Thursday, amid simmering discontent against overseas workers who make up 46 per cent of the labour force.

In the first quarter of the year, Southeast Asia`s third biggest economy had a labour force of 15.5 million. More than 7 million of them were foreigners, from countries such as Bangladesh, with many working in the construction and hotel industries.

Labour force refers to employed or unemployed people between the age of 16 and 64. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-malaysia-restart-massive-belt-and-road-project-after-hiccups-238327">Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad</a> told a gathering of international trade chambers that generating more skilled jobs, raising salaries and wages, enhancing "management of migrant workers" and improving labour market conditions were some of his government`s top labour reform priorities.

"These reforms are crucial, not only in developing human capital to support our future economic growth but also in addressing job mismatches which contribute to graduate underemployment, unemployment, and slow wage growth as well as over-dependence on foreign labour," he said.

The prime minister said his government was also working on increasing the female labour force participation rate to 59 percent by next year. In the first quarter, the figure was 55.7 percent. 
&nbsp;

Malaysia will review its labour laws to cut an "over dependence" on foreign labour and address other issues, its prime minister said on Thursday, amid simmering discontent against overseas workers who make up 46 per cent of the labour force.

Malaysia will review its labour laws to cut an "over dependence" on foreign labour and address other issues, its prime minister said on Thursday, amid simmering discontent against overseas workers who make up 46 per cent of the labour force. In the first quarter of the year, Southeast Asia`s third biggest economy had a labour force of 15.5 million. More than 7 million of them were foreigners, from countries such as Bangladesh, with many working in the construction and hotel industries. Labour force refers to employed or unemployed people between the age of 16 and 64. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told a gathering of international trade chambers that generating more skilled jobs, raising salaries and wages, enhancing "management of migrant workers" and improving labour market conditions were some of his government`s top labour reform priorities. "These reforms are crucial, not only in developing human capital to support our future economic growth but also in addressing job mismatches which contribute to graduate underemployment, unemployment, and slow wage growth as well as over-dependence on foreign labour," he said. The prime minister said his government was also working on increasing the female labour force participation rate to 59 percent by next year. In the first quarter, the figure was 55.7 percent.

Malaysia to reform labour laws to cut 'over-dependence' on foreigners: PM

Cambodia fined a company more than $250,000 for shipping 1,600 tonnes of plastic waste from the US and Canada, an official said Tuesday, as Southeast Asian countries hit back against an influx of rubbish.&nbsp;

China's decision to ban foreign plastic waste imports last year threw global recycling into chaos as shipping containers filled with trash were rerouted to ports in the region.

The discovery of 83 plastic-filled containers at Cambodia's Sihanoukville port this month fueled outrage among officials, who said the country was not a rubbish bin.&nbsp;

It gave the firm responsible - Chungyuen Plastic Manufacture - until August 24 to send the shipment back to the US and Canada and fined it $254,000.&nbsp;

The company "will face further action through the courts" if it does not comply with the order and pay, Kun Nhim, director-general of Cambodia's customs department, told reporters.&nbsp;

Seventy of the containers are from the US while the remainder came from Canada, he said.&nbsp;

He did not provide details on how they ended up in Sihanoukville.

"It could be that they shipped it to Cambodia temporarily when they could not find a country to accept the waste," he added.&nbsp;

Cambodia is the latest country in Southeast Asia to push back against a growing rubbish crisis. &nbsp;

Indonesia announced earlier this month it was sending back dozens of containers full of waste to France and other developed nations while neighbouring Malaysia said in May it was shipping 450 tonnes of imported plastic waste back to its source.&nbsp;

Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, and much of it ends up in landfills or polluting the seas.

Cambodia fined a company more than $250,000 for shipping 1,600 tonnes of plastic waste from the US and Canada, an official said Tuesday, as Southeast Asian countries hit back against an influx of rubbish.

Cambodia fined a company more than $250,000 for shipping 1,600 tonnes of plastic waste from the US and Canada, an official said Tuesday, as Southeast Asian countries hit back against an influx of rubbish. China's decision to ban foreign plastic waste imports last year threw global recycling into chaos as shipping containers filled with trash were rerouted to ports in the region. The discovery of 83 plastic-filled containers at Cambodia's Sihanoukville port this month fueled outrage among officials, who said the country was not a rubbish bin. It gave the firm responsible - Chungyuen Plastic Manufacture - until August 24 to send the shipment back to the US and Canada and fined it $254,000. The company "will face further action through the courts" if it does not comply with the order and pay, Kun Nhim, director-general of Cambodia's customs department, told reporters. Seventy of the containers are from the US while the remainder came from Canada, he said. He did not provide details on how they ended up in Sihanoukville. "It could be that they shipped it to Cambodia temporarily when they could not find a country to accept the waste," he added. Cambodia is the latest country in Southeast Asia to push back against a growing rubbish crisis. Indonesia announced earlier this month it was sending back dozens of containers full of waste to France and other developed nations while neighbouring Malaysia said in May it was shipping 450 tonnes of imported plastic waste back to its source. Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, and much of it ends up in landfills or polluting the seas.

Company fined $254,000 for shipping plastic waste to Cambodia

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-entrepreneur-dyson-backs-exit-from-eu-368">British billionaire James Dyson</a>, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, has bought Singapore's most expensive penthouse, official records show.

The three-story penthouse - once valued at S$100 million ($73.44 million) - sits on the 62nd-64th floor, is equipped with a private pool and located in the heart of the city-state's financial district.

Dyson, a Brexit supporter, announced in January he is moving his head office from Britain to Singapore to be closer to its fastest-growing markets. His eponymous firm - which also makes bladeless fans, air purifiers and hair dryers - plans to build its first electric car in the city-state.

Wallich Residence's penthouse sits in the tallest building in Singapore, built by developer GuocoLand Ltd.

Before its unveiling in 2017, the highest asking price for the "bungalow in the sky" reached a dizzying S$100 million, making it Singapore's most expensive.

Official title records seen by Reuters show Dyson and his wife became tenants of the 99-year leasehold property on June 20. The records did not state the price paid but Business Times reported that Dyson bought the property for S$73.8 million ($54.17 million).

"Given the decision to locate the headquarters in Singapore and the growing focus of the company's business in the region, of course, James Dyson has bought a property there," a Dyson spokesman said, without giving further details of the purchase.

The 72-year-old has become one of Britain's best-known entrepreneurs, creating a multibillion-dollar company from an insight that a cyclone could collect household dust better than a clogged-up bag.

Singapore is an island of well-heeled stability that attracts the super-rich from its less-developed Southeast Asian neighbours, as well as multi-millionaires from mainland China.

To cool its property market, the Singapore government intensified property curbs last year after a 9.1% annual increase in home prices and as developers paid record amounts to buy land.

Foreigners now have to pay levies of over 20% to buy property in the city-state under the new rules.

($1 = 1.3623 Singapore dollars)

British billionaire James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, has bought Singapore's most expensive penthouse, official records show. The three-story penthouse - once valued at S$100 million ($73.

British billionaire James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, has bought Singapore's most expensive penthouse, official records show. The three-story penthouse - once valued at S$100 million ($73.44 million) - sits on the 62nd-64th floor, is equipped with a private pool and located in the heart of the city-state's financial district. Dyson, a Brexit supporter, announced in January he is moving his head office from Britain to Singapore to be closer to its fastest-growing markets. His eponymous firm - which also makes bladeless fans, air purifiers and hair dryers - plans to build its first electric car in the city-state. Wallich Residence's penthouse sits in the tallest building in Singapore, built by developer GuocoLand Ltd. Before its unveiling in 2017, the highest asking price for the "bungalow in the sky" reached a dizzying S$100 million, making it Singapore's most expensive. Official title records seen by Reuters show Dyson and his wife became tenants of the 99-year leasehold property on June 20. The records did not state the price paid but Business Times reported that Dyson bought the property for S$73.8 million ($54.17 million). "Given the decision to locate the headquarters in Singapore and the growing focus of the company's business in the region, of course, James Dyson has bought a property there," a Dyson spokesman said, without giving further details of the purchase. The 72-year-old has become one of Britain's best-known entrepreneurs, creating a multibillion-dollar company from an insight that a cyclone could collect household dust better than a clogged-up bag. Singapore is an island of well-heeled stability that attracts the super-rich from its less-developed Southeast Asian neighbours, as well as multi-millionaires from mainland China. To cool its property market, the Singapore government intensified property curbs last year after a 9.1% annual increase in home prices and as developers paid record amounts to buy land. Foreigners now have to pay levies of over 20% to buy property in the city-state under the new rules. ($1 = 1.3623 Singapore dollars)

British billionaire James Dyson buys Singapore's priciest penthouse

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g20-to-tackle-ocean-plastic-waste-as-petrochemical-producers-expand-in-asia-226838">Indonesia</a> said Tuesday it would send more than <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-returns-five-containers-of-waste-to-the-us-227333">210 tonnes of garbage</a> back to Australia, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash.

The eight containers seized in Surabaya city should have contained only waste paper, but authorities also found hazardous material and household trash including plastic bottles and packaging, used diapers, electronic waste and cans, a spokesman for the East Java customs agency told AFP.

Following the inspection the Indonesian environment ministry recommended "the items be re-exported," the agency said in a separate statement Monday.&nbsp;

"This is done to protect the public and Indonesian environment, especially in East Java, from B3 waste," it added, referring to hazardous and toxic materials.

Australian company Oceanic Multitrading sent the waste to Indonesia with help from Indonesian firm PT. MDI, authorities said.

China's decision in 2018 to ban imports of foreign plastic waste threw global recycling into chaos, leaving developed nations struggling to find places to send their waste.

Huge quantities of rubbish have since been redirected to Southeast Asia, but opposition to handling exported trash is growing in the region.

Indonesia announced last week it was sending back 49 containers full of waste to France and other developed nations.

In May, neighbouring Malaysia announced it was shipping 450 tonnes of imported plastic waste back to its sources, including Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.

The Philippines, meanwhile, returned about 69 containers of rubbish to Canada last month, putting an end to a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Global concern over plastic pollution has been spurred by shocking images of waste-clogged rivers in Southeast Asia and accounts of dead sea creatures found with kilos of refuse in their stomachs.

Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), with much of it ending up in landfills or polluting the seas, in what has become a growing international crisis.

Indonesia said Tuesday it would send more than 210 tonnes of garbage back to Australia, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash.

Indonesia said Tuesday it would send more than 210 tonnes of garbage back to Australia, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash. The eight containers seized in Surabaya city should have contained only waste paper, but authorities also found hazardous material and household trash including plastic bottles and packaging, used diapers, electronic waste and cans, a spokesman for the East Java customs agency told AFP. Following the inspection the Indonesian environment ministry recommended "the items be re-exported," the agency said in a separate statement Monday. "This is done to protect the public and Indonesian environment, especially in East Java, from B3 waste," it added, referring to hazardous and toxic materials. Australian company Oceanic Multitrading sent the waste to Indonesia with help from Indonesian firm PT. MDI, authorities said. China's decision in 2018 to ban imports of foreign plastic waste threw global recycling into chaos, leaving developed nations struggling to find places to send their waste. Huge quantities of rubbish have since been redirected to Southeast Asia, but opposition to handling exported trash is growing in the region. Indonesia announced last week it was sending back 49 containers full of waste to France and other developed nations. In May, neighbouring Malaysia announced it was shipping 450 tonnes of imported plastic waste back to its sources, including Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. The Philippines, meanwhile, returned about 69 containers of rubbish to Canada last month, putting an end to a diplomatic row between the two countries. Global concern over plastic pollution has been spurred by shocking images of waste-clogged rivers in Southeast Asia and accounts of dead sea creatures found with kilos of refuse in their stomachs. Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), with much of it ending up in landfills or polluting the seas, in what has become a growing international crisis.

Indonesia to send 210 tonnes of waste back to Australia

Several major <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-hits-chinese-firm-sinovel-with-15-mn-fine-for-stealing-technology-149666">US-based technology</a> companies are planning to shift substantial production out of China, spurred by a bitter trade war between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/4th-july-celebrations-battle-tanks-arrive-in-washington-trump-promises-incredible-flyovers-biggest-ever-fireworks-232578">Washington</a> and Beijing, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

Personal computer makers HP Inc and Dell Technologies are planning to reallocate up to 30% of their notebook production out of China, according to the Nikkei.

Microsoft Corp, Alphabet Inc, Amazon.com Inc, Sony Corp and Nintendo Co Ltd are also looking at moving some of their game console and smart speaker manufacturing out of the country, the Nikkei added.

US President Donald Trump and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-heads-to-north-korea-to-meet-kim-jong-un-ahead-of-trump-talks-228852">Chinese President Xi Jinping</a> struck a truce at last weekend's Group of 20 summits in Japan, paving the way for a restart in trade talks after months of stalemate.

However, the companies are not likely to alter their plans of moving some of their production out of China as they also face higher operating costs in the country.

In June, Apple Inc asked its major suppliers to assess the cost implications of moving 15%-30% of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia as it prepares for a restructuring of its supply chain, Nikkei had reported last month.

HP, Dell, Amazon, Microsoft and Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.

Several major US-based technology companies are planning to shift substantial production out of China, spurred by a bitter trade war between Washington and Beijing, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

Several major US-based technology companies are planning to shift substantial production out of China, spurred by a bitter trade war between Washington and Beijing, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources. Personal computer makers HP Inc and Dell Technologies are planning to reallocate up to 30% of their notebook production out of China, according to the Nikkei. Microsoft Corp, Alphabet Inc, Amazon.com Inc, Sony Corp and Nintendo Co Ltd are also looking at moving some of their game console and smart speaker manufacturing out of the country, the Nikkei added. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping struck a truce at last weekend's Group of 20 summits in Japan, paving the way for a restart in trade talks after months of stalemate. However, the companies are not likely to alter their plans of moving some of their production out of China as they also face higher operating costs in the country. In June, Apple Inc asked its major suppliers to assess the cost implications of moving 15%-30% of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia as it prepares for a restructuring of its supply chain, Nikkei had reported last month. HP, Dell, Amazon, Microsoft and Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.

HP, Dell, other tech firms plan to shift production out of China: Nikkei

A number of apparent suicide bombings in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-condemns-bombing-of-philippines-cathedral-that-killed-20-as-terrorist-attack-193236">Philippines</a> over the past 12 months are a worrying escalation of militancy driven by the influence of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-next-islamic-state-battlefield-will-be-in-south-asia-216301">Islamic State</a> in Southeast Asia, security experts say.&nbsp;

A decades-old Islamist insurgency in the southern Philippines has killed tens of thousands.

But suicide attacks have been used extremely rarely, with foreign fighters blamed for the few that have been carried out.

Authorities now fear however the most recent suspected suicide attack, which struck a military base Friday on the southern island of Jolo, killing at least five people, may have been the work of a Filipino.

It was the third suspected suicide attack since July 2018.

"The change did not come with (Friday's) bombing, it came with the introduction of a lethal new ideology into the Philippines," said security analyst Sidney Jones.&nbsp;

"The game-changer" was the Islamic State, she added.&nbsp;

As its "caliphate" crumbled in the Middle East, IS has stepped up its strategy of absorbing existing insurgent groups around the world and claiming their attacks.

The group has had a presence for years in the south of the Philippines, where rugged terrain and weak government control provide a safe haven for fighters.

Suicide attacks indicate a higher level of commitment to the militant cause, experts say, and are often approved by the central leadership of IS, who trade off the media profile the tactic brings.

The group has taken credit for Friday's blasts, as well as the deaths of over 30 people, killed in two previous attacks believed to be the work of suicide bombers.

The first was a July 2018 van bomb at a checkpoint in southern Basilan island, followed by the explosions during Sunday mass in January at a Catholic cathedral in Jolo.

"It is an escalation, but it's also a sign of increased radicalisation," said Zachary Abuza, Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in Washington.

The Philippines is a key piece of territory because it is one of the few places in the region where IS can hold ground as its affiliates did for five months in Marawi.

Filipino bomber?&nbsp;

The rash of suicide bombings and new IS propaganda videos suggests the pull of the militant group in the Philippines "remains strong", Jones said, referring to jihadists who laid siege to the southern Marawi city in 2017.

The army suspects a 23-year-old Filipino carried out the latest attack and are investigating whether it was a suicide bomb, or a remote detonation went wrong.

"(His) remains were claimed by the mother and the sibling who identified him based on the head," Major General Cirilito Sobejana told AFP.&nbsp;

"For the benefit of the doubt, we are doing DNA testing."

Analysts have long feared suicide attacks would take root in the Philippines, given the IS influence and presence of foreign fighters.

"Society is changing. Their method of attack is changing. Suicide bombing is the current and future method of attack," said Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.

At the same time, there are strong motivations from local militant cells to try to catch the eye of the IS central leadership with suicide attacks.

Several figures are vying to be the designated leader in the region, with top candidates coming from the IS-aligned Abu Sayyaf network.

The kidnap-for-ransom group has engaged in bombings as well as kidnappings of Western tourists and missionaries since the early 1990s and has in recent years also preyed on cargo ships and fishing vessels.

When IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released a propaganda video in April it contained no mention of the East Asia wing.

"Members of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia might be thinking they really need to up their game to get back in the good graces of Islamic State central," said Abuza.

A number of apparent suicide bombings in the Philippines over the past 12 months are a worrying escalation of militancy driven by the influence of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, security experts say.

A number of apparent suicide bombings in the Philippines over the past 12 months are a worrying escalation of militancy driven by the influence of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, security experts say. A decades-old Islamist insurgency in the southern Philippines has killed tens of thousands. But suicide attacks have been used extremely rarely, with foreign fighters blamed for the few that have been carried out. Authorities now fear however the most recent suspected suicide attack, which struck a military base Friday on the southern island of Jolo, killing at least five people, may have been the work of a Filipino. It was the third suspected suicide attack since July 2018. "The change did not come with (Friday's) bombing, it came with the introduction of a lethal new ideology into the Philippines," said security analyst Sidney Jones. "The game-changer" was the Islamic State, she added. As its "caliphate" crumbled in the Middle East, IS has stepped up its strategy of absorbing existing insurgent groups around the world and claiming their attacks. The group has had a presence for years in the south of the Philippines, where rugged terrain and weak government control provide a safe haven for fighters. Suicide attacks indicate a higher level of commitment to the militant cause, experts say, and are often approved by the central leadership of IS, who trade off the media profile the tactic brings. The group has taken credit for Friday's blasts, as well as the deaths of over 30 people, killed in two previous attacks believed to be the work of suicide bombers. The first was a July 2018 van bomb at a checkpoint in southern Basilan island, followed by the explosions during Sunday mass in January at a Catholic cathedral in Jolo. "It is an escalation, but it's also a sign of increased radicalisation," said Zachary Abuza, Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in Washington. The Philippines is a key piece of territory because it is one of the few places in the region where IS can hold ground as its affiliates did for five months in Marawi. Filipino bomber? The rash of suicide bombings and new IS propaganda videos suggests the pull of the militant group in the Philippines "remains strong", Jones said, referring to jihadists who laid siege to the southern Marawi city in 2017. The army suspects a 23-year-old Filipino carried out the latest attack and are investigating whether it was a suicide bomb, or a remote detonation went wrong. "(His) remains were claimed by the mother and the sibling who identified him based on the head," Major General Cirilito Sobejana told AFP. "For the benefit of the doubt, we are doing DNA testing." Analysts have long feared suicide attacks would take root in the Philippines, given the IS influence and presence of foreign fighters. "Society is changing. Their method of attack is changing. Suicide bombing is the current and future method of attack," said Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research. At the same time, there are strong motivations from local militant cells to try to catch the eye of the IS central leadership with suicide attacks. Several figures are vying to be the designated leader in the region, with top candidates coming from the IS-aligned Abu Sayyaf network. The kidnap-for-ransom group has engaged in bombings as well as kidnappings of Western tourists and missionaries since the early 1990s and has in recent years also preyed on cargo ships and fishing vessels. When IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released a propaganda video in April it contained no mention of the East Asia wing. "Members of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia might be thinking they really need to up their game to get back in the good graces of Islamic State central," said Abuza.

Suicide attacks emerge in Philippines under Islamic State influence

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-will-prove-to-be-the-gamechanger-for-iaf-air-chief-marshal-bs-dhanoa-221975">Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa</a> on Monday said that Pakistan closing its airspace was a problem for them and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-carries-out-major-readiness-exercise-along-pak-border-203434">Indian Air Force (IAF)</a> never stopped the civil air traffic in the country.&nbsp;

"They (Pakistan) have closed their airspace that is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part. You have noticed that the Air Force has never stopped our civil air traffic," he said at a press conference here.&nbsp;

Pakistan extended the ban on its airspace for all Indian flights till June 28. The country had fully shut its airspace on the eastern border with India after the IAF carried out aerial airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot on February 26.&nbsp;

The strikes were in response to the terror attack in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/pulwama-terror-attack-can-india-respond-like-israel-197942">Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama</a>, in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14. In March, Pakistan partially opened its airspace for all flights but not for Indian flights.&nbsp;

Since then, foreign carriers using the Indian airspace have been forced to take long detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure has mainly affected flights from Europe to Southeast Asia.&nbsp;

Dhanoa recalled: "Only on February 27 (this year) we had stopped Srinagar airspace for two-three hours. We did not allow tension with Pakistan to dictate our civil aviation because our economy is much bigger and much stronger as compared to theirs."

He was speaking at the press meet after the IAF at its Gwalior airbase recreated the Tiger Hill attack and displayed the aircraft used during the `Operation Vijay` to commemorate 20 years of the Kargil conflict.

"The purpose of our attack has always been to show our resolve and capability. The message has been given to the person who is being hit. On August 2, 2002, the message was given to the person who was being hit as that person never returned," said the Air Chief Marshal.&nbsp;

Dhanoa said that Pakistan Air Force planes did not cross the Line of Control (LoC) during the February 27 dogfight in the aftermath of the air strike on a JeM terror camp in Balakot, a military objective, which India achieved.

"Pakistan did not come into our airspace. Our objective was to strike terror camps. Their objective was to target army places. None of them crossed the border. We achieved our military objective. None of them crossed the Line of Control into our territory," he said.&nbsp;

The IAF organised a seminar on `Air operations in Kargil war, lessons learnt and way forward` at Air Force Station Gwalior. The focus of the seminar was conducting air operations at high altitude by fighters, transports, and helicopters of IAF employing contemporary equipment and innovative strategies.&nbsp;

To celebrate the event, a flypast by various aircraft like SU-30 MKI, M 2000, MiG -21 Bison, Jaguar, and Advanced Light Helicopter was also undertaken. The Kargil conflict was an intense border clash fought between India and Pakistan in the mountains of Kashmir in 1999.

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said that Pakistan closing its airspace was a problem for them and the Indian Air Force (IAF) never stopped the civil air traffic in the country.

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said that Pakistan closing its airspace was a problem for them and the Indian Air Force (IAF) never stopped the civil air traffic in the country. "They (Pakistan) have closed their airspace that is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part. You have noticed that the Air Force has never stopped our civil air traffic," he said at a press conference here. Pakistan extended the ban on its airspace for all Indian flights till June 28. The country had fully shut its airspace on the eastern border with India after the IAF carried out aerial airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot on February 26. The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14. In March, Pakistan partially opened its airspace for all flights but not for Indian flights. Since then, foreign carriers using the Indian airspace have been forced to take long detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure has mainly affected flights from Europe to Southeast Asia. Dhanoa recalled: "Only on February 27 (this year) we had stopped Srinagar airspace for two-three hours. We did not allow tension with Pakistan to dictate our civil aviation because our economy is much bigger and much stronger as compared to theirs." He was speaking at the press meet after the IAF at its Gwalior airbase recreated the Tiger Hill attack and displayed the aircraft used during the `Operation Vijay` to commemorate 20 years of the Kargil conflict. "The purpose of our attack has always been to show our resolve and capability. The message has been given to the person who is being hit. On August 2, 2002, the message was given to the person who was being hit as that person never returned," said the Air Chief Marshal. Dhanoa said that Pakistan Air Force planes did not cross the Line of Control (LoC) during the February 27 dogfight in the aftermath of the air strike on a JeM terror camp in Balakot, a military objective, which India achieved. "Pakistan did not come into our airspace. Our objective was to strike terror camps. Their objective was to target army places. None of them crossed the border. We achieved our military objective. None of them crossed the Line of Control into our territory," he said. The IAF organised a seminar on `Air operations in Kargil war, lessons learnt and way forward` at Air Force Station Gwalior. The focus of the seminar was conducting air operations at high altitude by fighters, transports, and helicopters of IAF employing contemporary equipment and innovative strategies. To celebrate the event, a flypast by various aircraft like SU-30 MKI, M 2000, MiG -21 Bison, Jaguar, and Advanced Light Helicopter was also undertaken. The Kargil conflict was an intense border clash fought between India and Pakistan in the mountains of Kashmir in 1999.

'If Pakistan closed airspace, that's their problem': Air Chief Marshal BS  Dhanoa

Methamphetamine production has reached "unprecedented levels" in Southeast Asia and has expanded its market in the eastern part of the continent, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said on Monday.

The experts pointed out to the Golden Triangle region - where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet - as the main origin of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs and said that they are trafficked to neighbouring countries in the region and beyond.

In the year 2018, at least 116 tons of methamphetamine was seized in the region, which was 30 per cent more than the year before.

"Volumes of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs originating from the Golden Triangle to Thailand have reached unprecedented levels", said Niyom Termsrisuk, Secretary-General of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) of Thailand.

"Large amounts of synthetic drugs have been trafficked to neighbouring countries in the region, but also further," Niyom added.

The increase in the production of methamphetamine is leading to a decline in the price of the drug on the black market and an increase has been registered in the confiscations by the authorities.

"The challenge is growing, and it is critical we work with UNODC and the region to curtail flows of precursor chemicals that are being used to produce methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs," Niyom said in a statement released by UNODC.

The organization explained the growing trend of expansion of methamphetamine in East Asia - China registered a record number of seizures last year - and other substances produced in the laboratories situated in the Golden Triangle region.

"Aside from methamphetamine which is getting most of the attention because of the surge in seizures and street price drops, synthetic opioids and other drugs have also been found across the region", said Jeremy Douglas, UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

“National leadership and authorities are starting to come to terms with how profoundly synthetics are changing the drug market, and we hope they use the coming Mekong Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok and ASEAN leadership meetings to reflect on the situation and their strategy – this is not business as usual, and it is past time to change the response," Douglas added.&nbsp;

Methamphetamine production has reached "unprecedented levels" in Southeast Asia and has expanded its market in the eastern part of the continent, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said on Monday.

Methamphetamine production has reached "unprecedented levels" in Southeast Asia and has expanded its market in the eastern part of the continent, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said on Monday. The experts pointed out to the Golden Triangle region - where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet - as the main origin of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs and said that they are trafficked to neighbouring countries in the region and beyond. In the year 2018, at least 116 tons of methamphetamine was seized in the region, which was 30 per cent more than the year before. "Volumes of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs originating from the Golden Triangle to Thailand have reached unprecedented levels", said Niyom Termsrisuk, Secretary-General of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) of Thailand. "Large amounts of synthetic drugs have been trafficked to neighbouring countries in the region, but also further," Niyom added. The increase in the production of methamphetamine is leading to a decline in the price of the drug on the black market and an increase has been registered in the confiscations by the authorities. "The challenge is growing, and it is critical we work with UNODC and the region to curtail flows of precursor chemicals that are being used to produce methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs," Niyom said in a statement released by UNODC. The organization explained the growing trend of expansion of methamphetamine in East Asia - China registered a record number of seizures last year - and other substances produced in the laboratories situated in the Golden Triangle region. "Aside from methamphetamine which is getting most of the attention because of the surge in seizures and street price drops, synthetic opioids and other drugs have also been found across the region", said Jeremy Douglas, UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. “National leadership and authorities are starting to come to terms with how profoundly synthetics are changing the drug market, and we hope they use the coming Mekong Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok and ASEAN leadership meetings to reflect on the situation and their strategy – this is not business as usual, and it is past time to change the response," Douglas added.

Methamphetamine production sees record surge in Southeast Asia: UN

Tough negotiations lie ahead over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-china-sea-code-of-conduct-consultation-should-be-finished-in-3-years-china-177007">a new pact between China and Southeast Asian nations </a>aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, as Vietnam pushes for provisions likely to prove unpalatable to Beijing, documents reviewed by Reuters suggest.

Hanoi wants the pact to outlaw many of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/chinas-expansionism-in-south-china-sea-impinges-on-indias-vital-interests-186529">actions China has carried out </a>across the hotly disputed waterway in recent years, including artificial island building, blockades and offensive weaponry such as missile deployments, according to a negotiating draft of the ASEAN Code of Conduct (COC) seen by Reuters.

The draft also shows Hanoi is pushing for a ban on any new Air Defence Identification Zone - something Beijing unilaterally announced over the East China Sea in 2013. Chinese officials have not ruled out a similar move, in which all aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, over the South China Sea.

Hanoi is also demanding states clarify their maritime claims in the vital trade route according to international law – an apparent attempt to shatter the controversial "nine-dash line" by which China claims and patrols much of the South China Sea, the draft shows.

"Going forward, there will be some very testy exchanges between the Vietnamese and China in particular over the text of this agreement," said Singapore-based Ian Storey, a veteran South China Sea expert, who has seen the draft.

"Vietnam is including those points or activities that they want forbidden by the Code of Conduct precisely because China has been carrying these out for the last 10 years."

Le Thi Thu Hang, a spokeswoman at the Vietnam Foreign Ministry, said negotiations on the Code of Conduct had made some progress recently, with Vietnam actively participating and other countries showing "their constructive and cooperative spirit".

"Vietnam wishes related countries to continue their efforts and make a positive contribution to the negotiation process in order to achieve a substantive and effective COC in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability and security in the East Sea (South China Sea) in particular and in the region in general," she said.

Singapore’s Foreign Ministry, the chair of the 10-nation ASEAN bloc for 2018, did not respond to a request for comment.

“We cannot comment right now but Thailand certainly supports discussion on the single negotiating draft,” said Busadee Santipitaks, a spokeswoman for Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which takes over as ASEAN chair in the new year.

China seeks ban on outsider drills

The draft also confirms earlier reports that China wants military drills with outside powers in the South China Sea to be blocked unless all signatories agree.

In addition, Beijing wants to exclude foreign oil firms by limiting joint development deals with China and South East Asia. Experts expect both elements to be strongly resisted by some ASEAN countries.

"That is unacceptable," one Southeast Asian diplomat told Reuters, referring specifically to the suggested ban on military drills with countries outside the region.

In a statement sent to Reuters, China's Foreign Ministry said negotiations on the code were confidential, and it could not comment on their content.

The next round of working-level talks is expected to take place in Myanmar in the first quarter of next year, the Southeast Asian diplomat said.

In August, Chinese and ASEAN officials hailed the initial negotiating text as a milestone and a breakthrough when it was endorsed by the foreign ministers of ASEAN and China.

It will be negotiated over the coming year by senior ASEAN and Chinese officials and has not yet been released publicly.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last month called for the pact to be sealed by 2021, a timetable some envoys and analysts are sceptical can be reached.

"There's a lot of tough work ahead - that figure seems to have just been plucked from the air," one senior Asian diplomat said.

Dead letter?

The code builds on an earlier declaration on the South China Sea signed between ASEAN and China in 2002.

That document did not prevent the vital international trade route emerging as a regional flashpoint amid China's military rise and its extensive programme of island building on disputed reefs since 2014.

The United States and other regional powers including Japan and India are not part of the negotiations, but take a strong interest in the waterway that links Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe.&nbsp;

Several countries, including Japan, India, Britain and Australia, have joined the United States in gradually increasing naval deployments through the South China Sea. They are often shadowed by Chinese naval ships.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military and diplomacy at Australia's Defence Force Academy, said Hanoi was expected to prove a tough negotiator but would need support among other ASEAN members to hold a firm line against China.

The Philippines successfully challenged Beijing's South China Sea claims in an international arbitration case in 2016 but has reversed policy under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has avoided confronting China as he seeks to secure billions of dollars of loans and investments for his infrastructure programme.

The 19-page draft remains vague in key areas including its precise geographic scope, whether it will be legally binding and how disputes will be resolved.

Bonnie Glaser, a regional security expert at the Centre for International and Strategic Studies in Washington, said she believed China's more controversial proposals would prove unacceptable to several key ASEAN members, as well the United States and its allies.

"People I have spoken to in the US government say that it is the clearest evidence yet that China wants to push the US out of the region," she said.

Le Thi Thu Hang, a spokeswoman at the Vietnam Foreign Ministry, said negotiations on the Code of Conduct had made some progress recently.

Tough negotiations lie ahead over a new pact between China and Southeast Asian nations aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, as Vietnam pushes for provisions likely to prove unpalatable to Beijing, documents reviewed by Reuters suggest. Hanoi wants the pact to outlaw many of the actions China has carried out across the hotly disputed waterway in recent years, including artificial island building, blockades and offensive weaponry such as missile deployments, according to a negotiating draft of the ASEAN Code of Conduct (COC) seen by Reuters. The draft also shows Hanoi is pushing for a ban on any new Air Defence Identification Zone - something Beijing unilaterally announced over the East China Sea in 2013. Chinese officials have not ruled out a similar move, in which all aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, over the South China Sea. Hanoi is also demanding states clarify their maritime claims in the vital trade route according to international law – an apparent attempt to shatter the controversial "nine-dash line" by which China claims and patrols much of the South China Sea, the draft shows. "Going forward, there will be some very testy exchanges between the Vietnamese and China in particular over the text of this agreement," said Singapore-based Ian Storey, a veteran South China Sea expert, who has seen the draft. "Vietnam is including those points or activities that they want forbidden by the Code of Conduct precisely because China has been carrying these out for the last 10 years." Le Thi Thu Hang, a spokeswoman at the Vietnam Foreign Ministry, said negotiations on the Code of Conduct had made some progress recently, with Vietnam actively participating and other countries showing "their constructive and cooperative spirit". "Vietnam wishes related countries to continue their efforts and make a positive contribution to the negotiation process in order to achieve a substantive and effective COC in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability and security in the East Sea (South China Sea) in particular and in the region in general," she said. Singapore’s Foreign Ministry, the chair of the 10-nation ASEAN bloc for 2018, did not respond to a request for comment. “We cannot comment right now but Thailand certainly supports discussion on the single negotiating draft,” said Busadee Santipitaks, a spokeswoman for Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which takes over as ASEAN chair in the new year. China seeks ban on outsider drills The draft also confirms earlier reports that China wants military drills with outside powers in the South China Sea to be blocked unless all signatories agree. In addition, Beijing wants to exclude foreign oil firms by limiting joint development deals with China and South East Asia. Experts expect both elements to be strongly resisted by some ASEAN countries. "That is unacceptable," one Southeast Asian diplomat told Reuters, referring specifically to the suggested ban on military drills with countries outside the region. In a statement sent to Reuters, China's Foreign Ministry said negotiations on the code were confidential, and it could not comment on their content. The next round of working-level talks is expected to take place in Myanmar in the first quarter of next year, the Southeast Asian diplomat said. In August, Chinese and ASEAN officials hailed the initial negotiating text as a milestone and a breakthrough when it was endorsed by the foreign ministers of ASEAN and China. It will be negotiated over the coming year by senior ASEAN and Chinese officials and has not yet been released publicly. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last month called for the pact to be sealed by 2021, a timetable some envoys and analysts are sceptical can be reached. "There's a lot of tough work ahead - that figure seems to have just been plucked from the air," one senior Asian diplomat said. Dead letter? The code builds on an earlier declaration on the South China Sea signed between ASEAN and China in 2002. That document did not prevent the vital international trade route emerging as a regional flashpoint amid China's military rise and its extensive programme of island building on disputed reefs since 2014. The United States and other regional powers including Japan and India are not part of the negotiations, but take a strong interest in the waterway that links Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe. Several countries, including Japan, India, Britain and Australia, have joined the United States in gradually increasing naval deployments through the South China Sea. They are often shadowed by Chinese naval ships. Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military and diplomacy at Australia's Defence Force Academy, said Hanoi was expected to prove a tough negotiator but would need support among other ASEAN members to hold a firm line against China. The Philippines successfully challenged Beijing's South China Sea claims in an international arbitration case in 2016 but has reversed policy under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has avoided confronting China as he seeks to secure billions of dollars of loans and investments for his infrastructure programme. The 19-page draft remains vague in key areas including its precise geographic scope, whether it will be legally binding and how disputes will be resolved. Bonnie Glaser, a regional security expert at the Centre for International and Strategic Studies in Washington, said she believed China's more controversial proposals would prove unacceptable to several key ASEAN members, as well the United States and its allies. "People I have spoken to in the US government say that it is the clearest evidence yet that China wants to push the US out of the region," she said.

Tough South China Sea talks ahead as Vietnam seeks to curb China's actions

Internet giant Google&nbsp;published its third annual 'e-Conomy: SEA 2018' report, co-authored with Singapore state investment firm, Temasek, on Monday in which it has forecast Southeast Asia's digital economy&nbsp;triple in size and reach $240 billion by 2025.

According to the&nbsp;report, Southeast Asia's online economy reached $72 billion in value this year and is projected to triple to $240 billion by 2025 --&nbsp;20 per cent higher than the $200 billion which Google and Temasek had estimated in their 2016 and 2017 report.

The growth of the internet economy is predicted by analysing four categories, online travel, e-commerce, online media and ride-hailing. It has covered Southeast Asia's largest economies -- Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

"Simply put, Southeast Asia’s internet economy hit an inflection point in 2018. Powered by the most engaged mobile internet users in the world, industries like e-commerce, online media, online travel, and ride-hailing grew at an unprecedented rate. Investors have taken notice, pouring record amounts of funds into the region — now it’s time for everyone else to pay attention," the study read.

"The record-breaking pace of the region’s internet economy in 2018 wasn’t a freak occurrence. Southeast Asian countries are on a solid foundation for accelerated digital growth."

The study also stated that the internet sector of Southeast Asia has "generated value surpassing the gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 100 countries in the world in just three years."

The research further credited e-commerce companies like, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's Lazada, Sea Ltd's Shopee, and Indonesia's Tokopedia, for helping develop the sector. 
&nbsp; 
Here are the key highlights from the study.

350 million internet users are living in the region. Since 2015, more than three million Southeast Asians, a population bigger than Chicago’s or Madrid’s, have gone online for the first time every month.

35 million Southeast Asians use ride-hailing services every month. Eight million rides are taken every day across 500 cities. Local unicorns (privately held startup companies value&nbsp;at over $1 billion) like GO-JEK and Grab are spurring rapid growth in new services like food delivery, which made up a $2 billion industry in 2018

$24 billion has been raised by Southeast Asian tech companies since 2015 and investor confidence is growing. The $9.1 billion raised in the first half of 2018 is on par with the $9.4 billion in the whole of 2017. Investor confidence extends to smaller startups, with investments in non-unicorns growing four times in the first half of the 2018 year on year.

1.7 million full-time jobs will be created in the internet economy by 2025 for highly-skilled professionals as well as flexible work opportunities in sectors like ride-hailing.

The research further noted that the growth is being boosted by the world's most engaged internet users of whom 90% connect through their smartphones; and the increasing availability of affordable smartphones, faster and cheaper internet is services are also giving a boost to the growth. &nbsp;

"There are more than 350 million internet users across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam in June 2018 — 90 million more than in 2015. Also, with more than 90% of Southeast Asians connecting to the internet primarily through their smartphones, this is one of the most mobile-first internet regions globally," research reads.

Digital economy refers to an economy that is based on digital computing technologies, although this increasingly perceives as conducting business through markets based on the internet and the World Wide Web. The digital economy is also sometimes called the Internet Economy, New Economy, or Web Economy.&nbsp;

Internet giant Google published its third annual 'e-Conomy: SEA 2018' report, co-authored with Singapore state investment firm, Temasek, on Monday in which it has forecast Southeast Asia's digital economy triple in size and reach $240 billion by 2025.

Internet giant Google published its third annual 'e-Conomy: SEA 2018' report, co-authored with Singapore state investment firm, Temasek, on Monday in which it has forecast Southeast Asia's digital economy triple in size and reach $240 billion by 2025. According to the report, Southeast Asia's online economy reached $72 billion in value this year and is projected to triple to $240 billion by 2025 -- 20 per cent higher than the $200 billion which Google and Temasek had estimated in their 2016 and 2017 report. The growth of the internet economy is predicted by analysing four categories, online travel, e-commerce, online media and ride-hailing. It has covered Southeast Asia's largest economies -- Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. "Simply put, Southeast Asia’s internet economy hit an inflection point in 2018. Powered by the most engaged mobile internet users in the world, industries like e-commerce, online media, online travel, and ride-hailing grew at an unprecedented rate. Investors have taken notice, pouring record amounts of funds into the region — now it’s time for everyone else to pay attention," the study read. "The record-breaking pace of the region’s internet economy in 2018 wasn’t a freak occurrence. Southeast Asian countries are on a solid foundation for accelerated digital growth." The study also stated that the internet sector of Southeast Asia has "generated value surpassing the gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 100 countries in the world in just three years." The research further credited e-commerce companies like, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's Lazada, Sea Ltd's Shopee, and Indonesia's Tokopedia, for helping develop the sector. Here are the key highlights from the study. 350 million internet users are living in the region. Since 2015, more than three million Southeast Asians, a population bigger than Chicago’s or Madrid’s, have gone online for the first time every month. 35 million Southeast Asians use ride-hailing services every month. Eight million rides are taken every day across 500 cities. Local unicorns (privately held startup companies value at over $1 billion) like GO-JEK and Grab are spurring rapid growth in new services like food delivery, which made up a $2 billion industry in 2018 $24 billion has been raised by Southeast Asian tech companies since 2015 and investor confidence is growing. The $9.1 billion raised in the first half of 2018 is on par with the $9.4 billion in the whole of 2017. Investor confidence extends to smaller startups, with investments in non-unicorns growing four times in the first half of the 2018 year on year. 1.7 million full-time jobs will be created in the internet economy by 2025 for highly-skilled professionals as well as flexible work opportunities in sectors like ride-hailing. The research further noted that the growth is being boosted by the world's most engaged internet users of whom 90% connect through their smartphones; and the increasing availability of affordable smartphones, faster and cheaper internet is services are also giving a boost to the growth. "There are more than 350 million internet users across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam in June 2018 — 90 million more than in 2015. Also, with more than 90% of Southeast Asians connecting to the internet primarily through their smartphones, this is one of the most mobile-first internet regions globally," research reads. Digital economy refers to an economy that is based on digital computing technologies, although this increasingly perceives as conducting business through markets based on the internet and the World Wide Web. The digital economy is also sometimes called the Internet Economy, New Economy, or Web Economy.

Southeast Asia's digital economy to triple to $240 billion by 2025: Google research

China and Southeast Asian states will hold their first joint maritime exercises next week, officials said Friday, in a move aimed at easing tensions but which may spark US alarm.

Beijing's expansive claims to the South China Sea have long been a source of friction with rival claimants in Southeast Asia, as well as Washington which has traditionally been the dominant naval power in the area.

Despite disagreements over Beijing's territorial ambitions, China and Southeast Asia are trying to strike a more conciliatory tone in an effort to stop tensions from spiralling dangerously out of control.

As part of this, the navies of China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to hold their first joint drills, which will take place in the South China Sea.

"As we speak, the navies of ASEAN are en route to Zhanjiang in China for the ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise," Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said.

Making the announcement at a gathering of ASEAN defence ministers in Singapore, also attended by US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and his Chinese counterpart, Ng said the drills would help to "build trust, confidence".

The city of Zhanjiang in southern China is home to the South Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army.

Tabletop exercises between ASEAN and China were held in Singapore in August to prepare for next week's drills.

However, some observers see the exercise as part of efforts by China to diminish American influence in the region by forging closer ties with Washington's traditional allies and partners. &nbsp;

In an apparent effort to lessen any such fears, Ng said ASEAN was planning to hold maritime exercises with the US for the first time next year.

Mattis insisted that he did not believe the China-ASEAN drills would reduce US sway in the strategically vital region.

"We do not see this as contrary to our interests," he said.&nbsp;

"If we can have that sort of activity going on, it's transparent, something that's been lacking in the South China Sea. Then that's going to be working in the right direction."

'US not losing ground'

Hoang Thi Ha, a political analyst with the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said next week's exercises were aimed at "demonstrating that China and ASEAN are managing well their maritime problems".

But she added its significance should not be overstated as it was a one-off drill in waters that were not disputed.&nbsp;

"The US is not losing ground exactly because ASEAN chooses to be open and inclusive," she told AFP.

The Southeast Asian defence ministers also agreed on guidelines to prevent unplanned encounters between their military aircraft, and will propose them to other countries, including the US and China, at a meeting on Saturday, Ng said.

They are aimed at reducing the likelihood that a chance encounter could spiral into conflict in the case of a miscalculation.

Four ASEAN members -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- have conflicting claims in the South China Sea with Beijing. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire area, including waters near the shores of smaller countries.

Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand are ASEAN's other members.

Concerns have escalated dramatically in recent years as China started building artificial islands on reefs in disputed waters, and it has also constructed military facilities and airstrips.

Washington has expressed alarm over the island-building, saying it could affect freedom of navigation in the sea, which hosts some of the world's most vital commercial shipping lanes.

At Friday's meeting, Mattis stressed that "no single nation can rewrite the international rules of the road, and we expect all nations -- large and small -- to respect those rules".

The Pentagon chief met Thursday with his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, on the sidelines of the gathering as they sought to normalise military relations that have dramatically soured over trade and sanctions tensions.

China and Southeast Asian states will hold their first joint maritime exercises next week, officials said Friday, in a move aimed at easing tensions but which may spark US alarm.

China and Southeast Asian states will hold their first joint maritime exercises next week, officials said Friday, in a move aimed at easing tensions but which may spark US alarm. Beijing's expansive claims to the South China Sea have long been a source of friction with rival claimants in Southeast Asia, as well as Washington which has traditionally been the dominant naval power in the area. Despite disagreements over Beijing's territorial ambitions, China and Southeast Asia are trying to strike a more conciliatory tone in an effort to stop tensions from spiralling dangerously out of control. As part of this, the navies of China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to hold their first joint drills, which will take place in the South China Sea. "As we speak, the navies of ASEAN are en route to Zhanjiang in China for the ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise," Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said. Making the announcement at a gathering of ASEAN defence ministers in Singapore, also attended by US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and his Chinese counterpart, Ng said the drills would help to "build trust, confidence". The city of Zhanjiang in southern China is home to the South Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army. Tabletop exercises between ASEAN and China were held in Singapore in August to prepare for next week's drills. However, some observers see the exercise as part of efforts by China to diminish American influence in the region by forging closer ties with Washington's traditional allies and partners. In an apparent effort to lessen any such fears, Ng said ASEAN was planning to hold maritime exercises with the US for the first time next year. Mattis insisted that he did not believe the China-ASEAN drills would reduce US sway in the strategically vital region. "We do not see this as contrary to our interests," he said. "If we can have that sort of activity going on, it's transparent, something that's been lacking in the South China Sea. Then that's going to be working in the right direction." 'US not losing ground' Hoang Thi Ha, a political analyst with the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said next week's exercises were aimed at "demonstrating that China and ASEAN are managing well their maritime problems". But she added its significance should not be overstated as it was a one-off drill in waters that were not disputed. "The US is not losing ground exactly because ASEAN chooses to be open and inclusive," she told AFP. The Southeast Asian defence ministers also agreed on guidelines to prevent unplanned encounters between their military aircraft, and will propose them to other countries, including the US and China, at a meeting on Saturday, Ng said. They are aimed at reducing the likelihood that a chance encounter could spiral into conflict in the case of a miscalculation. Four ASEAN members -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- have conflicting claims in the South China Sea with Beijing. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire area, including waters near the shores of smaller countries. Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand are ASEAN's other members. Concerns have escalated dramatically in recent years as China started building artificial islands on reefs in disputed waters, and it has also constructed military facilities and airstrips. Washington has expressed alarm over the island-building, saying it could affect freedom of navigation in the sea, which hosts some of the world's most vital commercial shipping lanes. At Friday's meeting, Mattis stressed that "no single nation can rewrite the international rules of the road, and we expect all nations -- large and small -- to respect those rules". The Pentagon chief met Thursday with his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, on the sidelines of the gathering as they sought to normalise military relations that have dramatically soured over trade and sanctions tensions.

China, Southeast Asia to hold maritime drill to ease tensions

A family of five, including a child, carried out the suicide bombing of a police headquarters in Indonesia's second city Surabaya on Monday, police said, a day after a deadly wave of attacks on churches staged by another family.

The spate of bombings has rocked Indonesia, with the Islamic State group claiming the church attacks and raising fears about its influence in Southeast Asia as its dreams of a Middle Eastern caliphate fade.

Indonesia, which is set to host the Asian Games in just three months, has long struggled with Islamist militancy, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed over 200 people -- mostly foreign tourists -- in the country's worst-ever terror attack.

Security forces have arrested hundreds of militants during a sustained crackdown that smashed some networks, and most recent attacks have been low-level and targeted domestic security forces.

But that changed Sunday as a family of six -- including girls aged nine and 12 -- staged suicide bombings of three churches during morning services in Surabaya, killing 18 including the bombers.

On Monday members of another family blew themselves up at a police station in the city, wounding 10.

"There were five people on two motorbikes. One of them was a little kid," national police chief Tito Karnavian said. "This is one family."

An eight-year-old girl from the family survived the attack and was taken to hospital, while her mother, father and two brothers died in the blast, he said.

The children were likely led to their deaths without a full awareness of their fate, said Ade Banani, of the University of Indonesia’s research centre of police science and terrorism studies.

If a family believed in traditional roles, the father "has the power, so everyone has to obey", Banani said.

"The children probably don't know what's going on or don't understand."

The father of the church suicide bombers was a local leader in extremist network Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) which supports IS, and the second family was also linked to JAD.

"It ordered and gave instructions for its cells to make a move," Karnavian said of the Islamic State's role in the church attacks.

He added that the bombings may have also been motivated by the arrest of JAD leaders, including jailed radical Aman Abdurrahman, and were linked to a deadly prison riot staged by Islamist prisoners at a high-security jail near Jakarta last week.

Abdurrahman has been connected to several deadly incidents, including a 2016 gun and suicide attack in the capital Jakarta that left four attackers and four civilians dead.

Despite their apparent allegiance to IS, the church-bombing family were not returnees from Syria, police said Monday, correcting their earlier statements.

However, hundreds of Indonesians have flocked in recent years to fight alongside IS there.

Its ambitions have been reined in after losing most of the land it once occupied in Iraq and Syria, and there are concerns that jihadists will now turn their focus on establishing a base in Southeast Asia.

Increasingly proficient

On Sunday evening, just hours after the church bombings, a further three people in another family were killed and two wounded when another bomb exploded at an apartment complex about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Surabaya.

That explosion appeared to have been an accidental detonation that killed a mother and her 17-year-old child who was not identified.&nbsp

The woman's husband -- a confidante of the husband behind the church bombings, Dita Oepriyanto -- was badly injured in the explosion.&nbsp

Police said they arrived after the explosion and shot dead the injured man, Anton Febrianto, as he held a bomb detonator in his hand.

"When we searched the flat we found pipe bombs, similar to pipe bombs we found near the churches," said Karnavian.

Police said they also shot dead four suspects, including the second-ranking member of the JAD cell in Surabaya, in raids on houses and offices Monday while nine others were arrested.

Indonesian police have foiled numerous terror plots, but the coordinated nature of Sunday's church bombings and the subsequent blasts point to more sophisticated planning than in the past, analysts said.

"There is definitely a growing technical proficiency," said Zachary Abuza, the Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in Washington.

"To pull off three near-simultaneous bombings is the hallmark of a group that is thinking."

Abuza questioned the police suggestion that the attacks were ordered by the IS leadership abroad, but said it would likely boost its presence in Southeast Asia as it fades elsewhere.

"(They're) going to continue to benefit from operating transnationally in Southeast Asia," he said.

The spate of bombings has rocked Indonesia, with the Islamic State group claiming the church attacks and raising fears about its influence in Southeast Asia as its dreams of a Middle Eastern caliphate fade

A family of five, including a child, carried out the suicide bombing of a police headquarters in Indonesia's second city Surabaya on Monday, police said, a day after a deadly wave of attacks on churches staged by another family. The spate of bombings has rocked Indonesia, with the Islamic State group claiming the church attacks and raising fears about its influence in Southeast Asia as its dreams of a Middle Eastern caliphate fade. Indonesia, which is set to host the Asian Games in just three months, has long struggled with Islamist militancy, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed over 200 people -- mostly foreign tourists -- in the country's worst-ever terror attack. Security forces have arrested hundreds of militants during a sustained crackdown that smashed some networks, and most recent attacks have been low-level and targeted domestic security forces. But that changed Sunday as a family of six -- including girls aged nine and 12 -- staged suicide bombings of three churches during morning services in Surabaya, killing 18 including the bombers. On Monday members of another family blew themselves up at a police station in the city, wounding 10. "There were five people on two motorbikes. One of them was a little kid," national police chief Tito Karnavian said. "This is one family." An eight-year-old girl from the family survived the attack and was taken to hospital, while her mother, father and two brothers died in the blast, he said. The children were likely led to their deaths without a full awareness of their fate, said Ade Banani, of the University of Indonesia’s research centre of police science and terrorism studies. If a family believed in traditional roles, the father "has the power, so everyone has to obey", Banani said. "The children probably don't know what's going on or don't understand." The father of the church suicide bombers was a local leader in extremist network Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) which supports IS, and the second family was also linked to JAD. "It ordered and gave instructions for its cells to make a move," Karnavian said of the Islamic State's role in the church attacks. He added that the bombings may have also been motivated by the arrest of JAD leaders, including jailed radical Aman Abdurrahman, and were linked to a deadly prison riot staged by Islamist prisoners at a high-security jail near Jakarta last week. Abdurrahman has been connected to several deadly incidents, including a 2016 gun and suicide attack in the capital Jakarta that left four attackers and four civilians dead. Despite their apparent allegiance to IS, the church-bombing family were not returnees from Syria, police said Monday, correcting their earlier statements. However, hundreds of Indonesians have flocked in recent years to fight alongside IS there. Its ambitions have been reined in after losing most of the land it once occupied in Iraq and Syria, and there are concerns that jihadists will now turn their focus on establishing a base in Southeast Asia. Increasingly proficient On Sunday evening, just hours after the church bombings, a further three people in another family were killed and two wounded when another bomb exploded at an apartment complex about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Surabaya. That explosion appeared to have been an accidental detonation that killed a mother and her 17-year-old child who was not identified. The woman's husband -- a confidante of the husband behind the church bombings, Dita Oepriyanto -- was badly injured in the explosion. Police said they arrived after the explosion and shot dead the injured man, Anton Febrianto, as he held a bomb detonator in his hand. "When we searched the flat we found pipe bombs, similar to pipe bombs we found near the churches," said Karnavian. Police said they also shot dead four suspects, including the second-ranking member of the JAD cell in Surabaya, in raids on houses and offices Monday while nine others were arrested. Indonesian police have foiled numerous terror plots, but the coordinated nature of Sunday's church bombings and the subsequent blasts point to more sophisticated planning than in the past, analysts said. "There is definitely a growing technical proficiency," said Zachary Abuza, the Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in Washington. "To pull off three near-simultaneous bombings is the hallmark of a group that is thinking." Abuza questioned the police suggestion that the attacks were ordered by the IS leadership abroad, but said it would likely boost its presence in Southeast Asia as it fades elsewhere. "(They're) going to continue to benefit from operating transnationally in Southeast Asia," he said.

Two families staged Indonesian suicide bombings: Police

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday a mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations.

Lee flagged his concerns in remarks made as he opened a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for many of which the United States and China are the top two trading partners.

"In particular, the recent trade tensions between the U.S. and China are worrying concerns," Lee said as ASEAN members gather for the organisation's 32nd summit.

The U.S. Trump administration has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports, and Beijing has vowed retaliation against American exports.

On Saturday Lee said the open and rules-based multilateral trading system, which has backed the growth of ASEAN member states, has come under pressure as the political mood in many countries has shifted against free trade.

Also on the agenda at the summit were the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, and security tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but it was unclear how much substantive progress could be accomplished.

The situation in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims have fled for neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown, is one of the biggest challenges facing the group.

ASEAN, formed more than half a century ago, has struggled with challenges facing the region because it works by consensus and is reluctant to get involved in matters considered internal to its members.

Singapore is this year's chair of the bloc, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

Lee said ASEAN members individually will find it difficult to make an impact on regional and global challenges, and called on its leaders to boost integration and cooperation to make a mark and to be effective.

The group is working on initiatives to jointly tackle the threat of extremism and cyber attacks, as well as to promote trade and cross-border e-payment systems.

ASEAN is also working to devise a model extradition treaty and negotiating a code of conduct with China to ease tensions in the disputed South China Sea, one of the world's most volatile hotspots and one of its busiest waterways.

A mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday a mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations. Lee flagged his concerns in remarks made as he opened a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for many of which the United States and China are the top two trading partners. "In particular, the recent trade tensions between the U.S. and China are worrying concerns," Lee said as ASEAN members gather for the organisation's 32nd summit. The U.S. Trump administration has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports, and Beijing has vowed retaliation against American exports. On Saturday Lee said the open and rules-based multilateral trading system, which has backed the growth of ASEAN member states, has come under pressure as the political mood in many countries has shifted against free trade. Also on the agenda at the summit were the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, and security tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but it was unclear how much substantive progress could be accomplished. The situation in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims have fled for neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown, is one of the biggest challenges facing the group. ASEAN, formed more than half a century ago, has struggled with challenges facing the region because it works by consensus and is reluctant to get involved in matters considered internal to its members. Singapore is this year's chair of the bloc, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. Lee said ASEAN members individually will find it difficult to make an impact on regional and global challenges, and called on its leaders to boost integration and cooperation to make a mark and to be effective. The group is working on initiatives to jointly tackle the threat of extremism and cyber attacks, as well as to promote trade and cross-border e-payment systems. ASEAN is also working to devise a model extradition treaty and negotiating a code of conduct with China to ease tensions in the disputed South China Sea, one of the world's most volatile hotspots and one of its busiest waterways.

US, China trade tensions a pressing concern for Southeast Asia: Singapore PM

Ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies Inc is "doubling down" on its investments in India, one of its biggest markets, after its recent exit from Southeast Asia, its chief operating officer said on Wednesday.

India accounts for more than 10 percent of Uber rides globally and the U.S. company has a more than 35 percent share of the taxi market there, according to Counterpoint Research, but it is yet to make money in the country.

COO Barney Harford said investments in India are made using funds from profitable markets. However, the sale in March of Uber's business in Southeast Asia to Singapore's Grab Holdings, in exchange for a 27.5 percent stake, has given Uber more firepower to compete with its Indian rival Ola.

"The recent merger ... has freed up resources which we are going to invest across people, products and partnerships to better serve this country," Harford told reporters in New Delhi.

"We are doubling down on our investments in this country like never before," he said, adding that India was a core market for the San Francisco-based company.

Harford did not say how much Uber is likely to invest in India but said it would "considerably expand" its technology resources to develop products for India and the world.

Uber's India head Amit Jain said the company has no major plans to expand to more cities in India.

Uber operates in about 30 Indian cities while Ola is in 110 cities and has more than a 45 percent total market share, according to Counterpoint Research.

Uber and Ola are backed by a common investor, SoftBank Group, which pushed behind the scenes for the merger between Uber and Grab. It is not clear whether the Japanese investor plans to spur consolidation in India as well.

Executives from Uber and Ola met at least twice over the past 12 months and, among other things, Uber brought up a potential merger between the two companies with Uber in the driver's seat, sources have told Reuters.

Harford said that while Uber was always open to having conversations with potential partners, it had no interest in entering into minority deals in India or other countries in which it operates.

India accounts for more than 10 percent of Uber rides globally and the U.S. company has a more than 35 percent share of the taxi market there, according to Counterpoint Research, but it is yet to make money in the country.

Ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies Inc is "doubling down" on its investments in India, one of its biggest markets, after its recent exit from Southeast Asia, its chief operating officer said on Wednesday. India accounts for more than 10 percent of Uber rides globally and the U.S. company has a more than 35 percent share of the taxi market there, according to Counterpoint Research, but it is yet to make money in the country. COO Barney Harford said investments in India are made using funds from profitable markets. However, the sale in March of Uber's business in Southeast Asia to Singapore's Grab Holdings, in exchange for a 27.5 percent stake, has given Uber more firepower to compete with its Indian rival Ola. "The recent merger ... has freed up resources which we are going to invest across people, products and partnerships to better serve this country," Harford told reporters in New Delhi. "We are doubling down on our investments in this country like never before," he said, adding that India was a core market for the San Francisco-based company. Harford did not say how much Uber is likely to invest in India but said it would "considerably expand" its technology resources to develop products for India and the world. Uber's India head Amit Jain said the company has no major plans to expand to more cities in India. Uber operates in about 30 Indian cities while Ola is in 110 cities and has more than a 45 percent total market share, according to Counterpoint Research. Uber and Ola are backed by a common investor, SoftBank Group, which pushed behind the scenes for the merger between Uber and Grab. It is not clear whether the Japanese investor plans to spur consolidation in India as well. Executives from Uber and Ola met at least twice over the past 12 months and, among other things, Uber brought up a potential merger between the two companies with Uber in the driver's seat, sources have told Reuters. Harford said that while Uber was always open to having conversations with potential partners, it had no interest in entering into minority deals in India or other countries in which it operates.

Uber doubling down on India investments after exiting Southeast Asia

Bangladesh officials said Monday a fishing boat carrying Rohingya Muslims to Southeast Asia did not set sail from its shores, where close to one million refugees live in congested camps.

Police in Bangladesh's southeast said they were investigating after a boat moored at a Thai island with dozens of Rohingya aboard, but were adamant their coast guard would have spotted the vessel.

"The boat didn't leave from Bangladesh," said Afrujul Haq Tutul, deputy police chief in Cox's Bazar district where the Rohingya camps are located.

"But, in light of the news, we are investigating this matter."

The boat, en route to Malaysia where there is a sizeable Rohingya community, stopped at an island off the west coast of Thailand early Sunday due to bad weather.

Thai officials said there were about 56 women, men and children on board and that the Rohingya would continue towards their destination.

Rohingya migrants attempting the boat routes south have been a rare sighting since Thai authorities clamped down on regional trafficking networks in 2015, leaving thousands of migrants abandoned in open waters or jungle camps.

Since then successive waves of violence in Myanmar have driven close to 800,000 Rohingya into southern Bangladesh, where they have joined hundreds of thousands who fled previous bouts of persecution.

Those who fled an army crackdown described by UN and US officials as ethnic cleansing arrived to find squalid camps and army blockades preventing them from leaving the immediate area in Cox's Bazar.

Bangladesh's refugee commissioner, Mohammad Abul Kalam, said local authorities had "no such information" about Rohingya trying their luck once again on the open ocean.

"We don't have any such intelligence about anyone leaving Bangladeshi shores for Malaysia by boat," he said.

A senior coast guard official said it was "impossible" that a captain would be able to evade patrols, which have been stepped up in recent months to combat drug trafficking and prevent people smuggling.

"They (boats) are not allowed to go out. It would be very hard to sneak out of our coastal patrol. I don't think these people sailed away from here," coast guard spokesman Abdullah Al Maruf.

Many of the Rohingya ensnared in the 2015 boat crisis wound up in Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia as Thailand stuck to a policy of not accepting the vessels.&nbsp 
&nbsp

Bangladesh officials said Monday a fishing boat carrying Rohingya Muslims to Southeast Asia did not set sail from its shores

Bangladesh officials said Monday a fishing boat carrying Rohingya Muslims to Southeast Asia did not set sail from its shores, where close to one million refugees live in congested camps. Police in Bangladesh's southeast said they were investigating after a boat moored at a Thai island with dozens of Rohingya aboard, but were adamant their coast guard would have spotted the vessel. "The boat didn't leave from Bangladesh," said Afrujul Haq Tutul, deputy police chief in Cox's Bazar district where the Rohingya camps are located. "But, in light of the news, we are investigating this matter." The boat, en route to Malaysia where there is a sizeable Rohingya community, stopped at an island off the west coast of Thailand early Sunday due to bad weather. Thai officials said there were about 56 women, men and children on board and that the Rohingya would continue towards their destination. Rohingya migrants attempting the boat routes south have been a rare sighting since Thai authorities clamped down on regional trafficking networks in 2015, leaving thousands of migrants abandoned in open waters or jungle camps. Since then successive waves of violence in Myanmar have driven close to 800,000 Rohingya into southern Bangladesh, where they have joined hundreds of thousands who fled previous bouts of persecution. Those who fled an army crackdown described by UN and US officials as ethnic cleansing arrived to find squalid camps and army blockades preventing them from leaving the immediate area in Cox's Bazar. Bangladesh's refugee commissioner, Mohammad Abul Kalam, said local authorities had "no such information" about Rohingya trying their luck once again on the open ocean. "We don't have any such intelligence about anyone leaving Bangladeshi shores for Malaysia by boat," he said. A senior coast guard official said it was "impossible" that a captain would be able to evade patrols, which have been stepped up in recent months to combat drug trafficking and prevent people smuggling. "They (boats) are not allowed to go out. It would be very hard to sneak out of our coastal patrol. I don't think these people sailed away from here," coast guard spokesman Abdullah Al Maruf. Many of the Rohingya ensnared in the 2015 boat crisis wound up in Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia as Thailand stuck to a policy of not accepting the vessels.

Bangladesh denies Rohingya boat docked at Thai island set sail from its shores

Ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc has agreed to sell its Southeast Asian business to bigger regional rival Grab, the firms said in a statement on Monday, marking the US company’s second retreat from an Asian market.&nbsp;

The deal is the industry’s first big consolidation in Southeast Asia, home to about 640 million people, and puts pressure on Indonesia’s Go-Jek, which is backed by Alphabet Inc’s Google and China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd.

A shake-up in Asia’s fiercely competitive ride-hailing industry became likely earlier this year when Japan-based SoftBank Group Corp’s Vision Fund made a multi-billion dollar investment in Uber. SoftBank also invested in Grab.

As part of the transaction, Uber will take a 27.5 percent stake in Singapore-based Grab and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will join Grab’s board.

“It will help us double down on our plans for growth as we invest heavily in our products and technology,” Khosrowshahi said in a statement.&nbsp;

For Grab, the deal is a boon for its meal-delivery service, which will now merge with Uber Eats. A more robust food service will give Grab an advantage over Go-Jek, according to a person close to Grab.&nbsp;

“It was really a very independent decision by both companies,” Grab President Ming Maa told Reuters, adding that SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son was “highly supportive”.

In addition to its stakes in Uber and Grab, SoftBank is also one of the main investors in several other big ride-hailing firms including China’s Didi Chuxing and India’s Ola.

Ride-hailing companies throughout Asia have relied heavily on discounts and promotions, driving down profit margins and increasing pressure for consolidation.

Uber, which is preparing for a potential initial public offering in 2019, lost $4.5 billion last year and is facing fierce competition at home and in Asia, as well as a regulatory crackdown in Europe.&nbsp;

Uber invested $700 million in its Southeast Asia business, less than the $2 billion it burned through in China before ceding its operations there to Didi.

MORE CONSOLIDATION

Uber anticipated making more deals with rivals but said it had no plans to do another sale in which it consolidates its operations in exchange for a minority stake in a rival.&nbsp;

“It is fair to ask whether consolidation is now the strategy of the day, given this is the third deal of its kind ... The answer is no,” Khosrowshahi said in a note to employees that were shared with Reuters.

“One of the potential dangers of our global strategy is that we take on too many battles across too many fronts and with too many competitors.”

A source familiar with Uber’s strategy said the company was going to step up its battle with Ola in India, another competitive and costly market where rivals have heavily subsidized rides in an effort to gain market share. Uber has close to 60 percent of the market there, by some estimates.

Uber’s two previous retreats, from China and Russia, happened under former CEO Travis Kalanick. The deal with Grab is the first operations sale by Khosrowshahi, who started in September.

Rajeev Misra, chief executive of SoftBank’s Vision Fund, had urged the company to focus less on Asia and redirect more resources to profitable markets such as Latin America, according to a person familiar with the matter.&nbsp;

He saw opportunities for mergers and joint ventures between SoftBank-backed ride-hailing companies, particularly for collaborating on R&D, but the investor would never get actively involved with management decisions, the person said.

Uber includes the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America among its core markets – regions where it has more than 50 percent market share and is profitable or sees a path to profitability.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Uber will take a 27.5 per cent stake in Singapore-based Grab and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will join Grab’s board.

Ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc has agreed to sell its Southeast Asian business to bigger regional rival Grab, the firms said in a statement on Monday, marking the US company’s second retreat from an Asian market. The deal is the industry’s first big consolidation in Southeast Asia, home to about 640 million people, and puts pressure on Indonesia’s Go-Jek, which is backed by Alphabet Inc’s Google and China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd. A shake-up in Asia’s fiercely competitive ride-hailing industry became likely earlier this year when Japan-based SoftBank Group Corp’s Vision Fund made a multi-billion dollar investment in Uber. SoftBank also invested in Grab. As part of the transaction, Uber will take a 27.5 percent stake in Singapore-based Grab and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will join Grab’s board. “It will help us double down on our plans for growth as we invest heavily in our products and technology,” Khosrowshahi said in a statement. For Grab, the deal is a boon for its meal-delivery service, which will now merge with Uber Eats. A more robust food service will give Grab an advantage over Go-Jek, according to a person close to Grab. “It was really a very independent decision by both companies,” Grab President Ming Maa told Reuters, adding that SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son was “highly supportive”. In addition to its stakes in Uber and Grab, SoftBank is also one of the main investors in several other big ride-hailing firms including China’s Didi Chuxing and India’s Ola. Ride-hailing companies throughout Asia have relied heavily on discounts and promotions, driving down profit margins and increasing pressure for consolidation. Uber, which is preparing for a potential initial public offering in 2019, lost $4.5 billion last year and is facing fierce competition at home and in Asia, as well as a regulatory crackdown in Europe. Uber invested $700 million in its Southeast Asia business, less than the $2 billion it burned through in China before ceding its operations there to Didi. MORE CONSOLIDATION Uber anticipated making more deals with rivals but said it had no plans to do another sale in which it consolidates its operations in exchange for a minority stake in a rival. “It is fair to ask whether consolidation is now the strategy of the day, given this is the third deal of its kind ... The answer is no,” Khosrowshahi said in a note to employees that were shared with Reuters. “One of the potential dangers of our global strategy is that we take on too many battles across too many fronts and with too many competitors.” A source familiar with Uber’s strategy said the company was going to step up its battle with Ola in India, another competitive and costly market where rivals have heavily subsidized rides in an effort to gain market share. Uber has close to 60 percent of the market there, by some estimates. Uber’s two previous retreats, from China and Russia, happened under former CEO Travis Kalanick. The deal with Grab is the first operations sale by Khosrowshahi, who started in September. Rajeev Misra, chief executive of SoftBank’s Vision Fund, had urged the company to focus less on Asia and redirect more resources to profitable markets such as Latin America, according to a person familiar with the matter. He saw opportunities for mergers and joint ventures between SoftBank-backed ride-hailing companies, particularly for collaborating on R&D, but the investor would never get actively involved with management decisions, the person said. Uber includes the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America among its core markets – regions where it has more than 50 percent market share and is profitable or sees a path to profitability.

After costly battle, Uber to sell Southeast Asia business to Grab

Former Vietnamese premier Phan Van Khai, who helped strengthen ties with the US and drive market reforms that ignited the communist country's economy, died on Saturday at the age 85, the government said.

A Soviet-trained economist from southern Vietnam, Khai held office for nine years starting in 1997, a period of reform that saw Vietnam transform into one of Southeast Asia's fastest growing economies.

Khai also made history as the country's first post-war leader to visit Washington in 2005, a landmark trip that helped cement ties between the former wartime foes.

A government statement announcing the former premier's death in the early hours of Saturday hailed his "spirit of innovation".

He "brought into play the capabilities of the whole economic sector, especially the private sector, in parallel with the opening up and international integration (of the country)," the statement said.&nbsp

It did not detail the cause of Khai's death, though his health has reportedly been ailing for several weeks.&nbsp

While the former premier helped open the communist country's economy and launch it onto a world stage, his administration made no departure from Vietnam's repressive one-party rule at home, where independent media is banned and critics are routinely jailed.

His government was also plagued by corruption.&nbsp

Born on December 25, 1933, in Ho Chi Minh City's suburban Cu Chi district, Khai became a political activist at 14 by joining a children's revolutionary movement against the French colonial regime.

He later joined the communist party at age 26, shortly before being sent to study in Moscow from 1960 to 1965.

He became the mayor of Ho Chi Minh city in 1985, and six years later entered Vietnam's top decision-making body, the politburo.

Before taking office as prime minister, Khai was deputy premier to his patron and mentor Vo Van Kiet from 1991-97.

Former Vietnamese premier Phan Van Khai, who helped strengthen ties with the US and drive market reforms that ignited the communist country's economy, died on Saturday at the age 85

Former Vietnamese premier Phan Van Khai, who helped strengthen ties with the US and drive market reforms that ignited the communist country's economy, died on Saturday at the age 85, the government said. A Soviet-trained economist from southern Vietnam, Khai held office for nine years starting in 1997, a period of reform that saw Vietnam transform into one of Southeast Asia's fastest growing economies. Khai also made history as the country's first post-war leader to visit Washington in 2005, a landmark trip that helped cement ties between the former wartime foes. A government statement announcing the former premier's death in the early hours of Saturday hailed his "spirit of innovation". He "brought into play the capabilities of the whole economic sector, especially the private sector, in parallel with the opening up and international integration (of the country)," the statement said. It did not detail the cause of Khai's death, though his health has reportedly been ailing for several weeks. While the former premier helped open the communist country's economy and launch it onto a world stage, his administration made no departure from Vietnam's repressive one-party rule at home, where independent media is banned and critics are routinely jailed. His government was also plagued by corruption. Born on December 25, 1933, in Ho Chi Minh City's suburban Cu Chi district, Khai became a political activist at 14 by joining a children's revolutionary movement against the French colonial regime. He later joined the communist party at age 26, shortly before being sent to study in Moscow from 1960 to 1965. He became the mayor of Ho Chi Minh city in 1985, and six years later entered Vietnam's top decision-making body, the politburo. Before taking office as prime minister, Khai was deputy premier to his patron and mentor Vo Van Kiet from 1991-97.

Vietnam's reformist ex-Prime Minister Phan Van Khai dies at age 85

Australia on Saturday warned the use of encrypted messaging apps to plan terrorist attacks was the greatest threat faced by intelligence agencies in modern times and urged a &quot;united and cohesive&quot; response.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told an ASEAN-Australia special summit in Sydney that the use of the &quot;dark web&quot; by extremists and other criminals was a spiralling problem.

&quot;The use of encrypted messaging apps by terrorists and criminals is potentially the most significant degradation of intelligence capability in modern times,&quot; he said.

Dutton added at the meeting of Southeast Asian leaders that the only way to deal with the threat, and the increasing use of the internet by groups like Islamic State to radicalise and recruit new members, was together.

&quot;While our nations are focused on countering the ongoing threat of terrorism domestically, it would be a mistake to approach the problem from a purely national perspective,&quot; he said.

&quot;Terrorism and violent extremism transcend national borders.&nbsp;

&quot;Countering the threat requires a united and cohesive regional effort involving coordination between our respective national security and law enforcement agencies.&quot;

Canberra is already helping Southeast Asian states choke terrorist financing and counter violent extremism.

The problem has been exacerbated by jihadists now being forced out of Syria and Iraq with the Islamic State caliphate mostly crushed.

The issue was driven home last year when pro-Islamic State militants seized the southern Philippine city of Marawi, with Australia aiding Manila to win it back.

A memorandum of understanding will be issued at the summit later Saturday, reportedly with an agreement to pool cyber intelligence and police resources across the region for the first time.

The Australian newspaper said it would include a regional digital forensics taskforce and uniform criminal legislative frameworks to secure prosecutions.

Australia has suffered six terror attacks in recent years and disrupted 14 more, including a plot to bring down a plane departing Sydney.

In response, Canberra has consolidated key functions like national security, immigration, counter-terrorism, cyber-security, and border protection under a newly-created Home Affairs department, headed by Dutton.

He said that to address the issue of apps which allow extremists to operate clandestinely, Canberra planned to introduce legislation to strengthen agencies&#39; ability to adapt to encryption.

This will include making companies that provide communications services and devices obliged to assist when asked, while also making the use of surveillance devices and computer network exploitation by authorities easier.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, with Australia a dialogue partner since 1974.&nbsp;

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told an ASEAN-Australia special summit in Sydney that the use of the 'dark web' by extremists and other criminals was a spiralling problem

Australia on Saturday warned the use of encrypted messaging apps to plan terrorist attacks was the greatest threat faced by intelligence agencies in modern times and urged a "united and cohesive" response. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told an ASEAN-Australia special summit in Sydney that the use of the "dark web" by extremists and other criminals was a spiralling problem. "The use of encrypted messaging apps by terrorists and criminals is potentially the most significant degradation of intelligence capability in modern times," he said. Dutton added at the meeting of Southeast Asian leaders that the only way to deal with the threat, and the increasing use of the internet by groups like Islamic State to radicalise and recruit new members, was together. "While our nations are focused on countering the ongoing threat of terrorism domestically, it would be a mistake to approach the problem from a purely national perspective," he said. "Terrorism and violent extremism transcend national borders. "Countering the threat requires a united and cohesive regional effort involving coordination between our respective national security and law enforcement agencies." Canberra is already helping Southeast Asian states choke terrorist financing and counter violent extremism. The problem has been exacerbated by jihadists now being forced out of Syria and Iraq with the Islamic State caliphate mostly crushed. The issue was driven home last year when pro-Islamic State militants seized the southern Philippine city of Marawi, with Australia aiding Manila to win it back. A memorandum of understanding will be issued at the summit later Saturday, reportedly with an agreement to pool cyber intelligence and police resources across the region for the first time. The Australian newspaper said it would include a regional digital forensics taskforce and uniform criminal legislative frameworks to secure prosecutions. Australia has suffered six terror attacks in recent years and disrupted 14 more, including a plot to bring down a plane departing Sydney. In response, Canberra has consolidated key functions like national security, immigration, counter-terrorism, cyber-security, and border protection under a newly-created Home Affairs department, headed by Dutton. He said that to address the issue of apps which allow extremists to operate clandestinely, Canberra planned to introduce legislation to strengthen agencies' ability to adapt to encryption. This will include making companies that provide communications services and devices obliged to assist when asked, while also making the use of surveillance devices and computer network exploitation by authorities easier. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, with Australia a dialogue partner since 1974.

Australia warns Southeast Asia of high-tech terror threat

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food is rife in Southeast Asia, a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official said on Wednesday, warning of serious risks for people and animals as bacterial infections become more resistant to treatment.

The official from the United Nations&#39; food agency issued the warning on the sidelines of an international meeting in Bangkok focused on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

FAO&#39;s Chief Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth told Reuters in Bangkok that threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was magnified in places, like Asia&#39;s megacities, where there was high population growth and intense food and agriculture production.

&quot;Here in Southeast Asia &hellip; we would consider it a hotpot because of the population growth, urbanization dynamics, the production of food,&quot; Lubroth told Reuters.

A report published on Monday by the World Health Organization said that a new global surveillance system had found widespread occurrence of antibiotic resistance among 500,000 people with suspected bacterial infections across 22 countries.

&quot;Some of the world&#39;s most common &ndash; and potentially most dangerous &ndash; infections are proving drug-resistant,&quot; Marc Sprenger, director of WHO&#39;s Antimicrobial Resistance Secretariat, said in a statement.

A 2016 report by economist Jim O&#39;Neill, commissioned by the British government, projects $100 trillion in losses by 2050 if nothing is done to reverse the trend, and estimated that the annual toll resulting from AMR will climb to 10 million deaths in the next 35 years.

&quot;Ninety percent of those deaths would be in the developing world, and that is scary,&quot; Lubroth said.

He said the FAO advocates educating farmers about the dangers of using antibiotics to promote growth in animals, and stronger enforcement of rules governing food production.

&quot;It&#39;s not only about having the rules in black and white, they need to be applied.&quot;

A 2016 report by economist Jim O'Neill, commissioned by the British government, projects $100 trillion in losses by 2050 if nothing is done to reverse the trend

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food is rife in Southeast Asia, a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official said on Wednesday, warning of serious risks for people and animals as bacterial infections become more resistant to treatment. The official from the United Nations' food agency issued the warning on the sidelines of an international meeting in Bangkok focused on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth told Reuters in Bangkok that threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was magnified in places, like Asia's megacities, where there was high population growth and intense food and agriculture production. "Here in Southeast Asia … we would consider it a hotpot because of the population growth, urbanization dynamics, the production of food," Lubroth told Reuters. A report published on Monday by the World Health Organization said that a new global surveillance system had found widespread occurrence of antibiotic resistance among 500,000 people with suspected bacterial infections across 22 countries. "Some of the world's most common – and potentially most dangerous – infections are proving drug-resistant," Marc Sprenger, director of WHO's Antimicrobial Resistance Secretariat, said in a statement. A 2016 report by economist Jim O'Neill, commissioned by the British government, projects $100 trillion in losses by 2050 if nothing is done to reverse the trend, and estimated that the annual toll resulting from AMR will climb to 10 million deaths in the next 35 years. "Ninety percent of those deaths would be in the developing world, and that is scary," Lubroth said. He said the FAO advocates educating farmers about the dangers of using antibiotics to promote growth in animals, and stronger enforcement of rules governing food production. "It's not only about having the rules in black and white, they need to be applied."

Southeast Asia a 'hotspot' for antibiotic abuse, says Food and Agriculture Organization official

The newly convened Philippine Congress heard a proposal today to re-impose the death penalty for &#39;heinous crimes&#39;, giving priority to President Rodrigo Duterte&#39;s push for capital punishment in its first legislative session. 
 
The death penalty bill was received the same day Duterte took office on June 30, and it cites illicit sales and use of drugs as the root cause of &quot;the most perverse and atrocious crimes&quot;. 
 
Introduced by two lawmakers, including a house speaker allied with Duterte, the bill cites the need for a war on crime and argues that existing laws were not a deterrent and had &quot;emasculated&quot; the criminal justice system. 
 
The death penalty was repealed in 2006 following pressure from church groups. 
 
The bill comes as Duterte&#39;s war on crime is in full swing, with at least 200 people killed in the past month, according to police, who say many of the deaths are the work of vigilantes. 
 
Other estimates of the body count are far higher and human rights groups are outraged. 
 
Duterte&#39;s vow to wipe out crime and drugs by the end of the year resonated among millions of locals when he campaigned for election on threats to kill drug dealers who refused to surrender and dump their bodies in Manila Bay. 
 
He will not get everything his way, however, with the bill calling for lethal injection as a method of administering the punishment. Duterte had called for death by hanging, which he described graphically during speeches. 
 
(Reuters)

Philippine Congress discusses death penalty bill that cites illicit sales and use of drugs as the root cause of most atrocious crimes

The newly convened Philippine Congress heard a proposal today to re-impose the death penalty for 'heinous crimes', giving priority to President Rodrigo Duterte's push for capital punishment in its first legislative session. The death penalty bill was received the same day Duterte took office on June 30, and it cites illicit sales and use of drugs as the root cause of "the most perverse and atrocious crimes". Introduced by two lawmakers, including a house speaker allied with Duterte, the bill cites the need for a war on crime and argues that existing laws were not a deterrent and had "emasculated" the criminal justice system. The death penalty was repealed in 2006 following pressure from church groups. The bill comes as Duterte's war on crime is in full swing, with at least 200 people killed in the past month, according to police, who say many of the deaths are the work of vigilantes. Other estimates of the body count are far higher and human rights groups are outraged. Duterte's vow to wipe out crime and drugs by the end of the year resonated among millions of locals when he campaigned for election on threats to kill drug dealers who refused to surrender and dump their bodies in Manila Bay. He will not get everything his way, however, with the bill calling for lethal injection as a method of administering the punishment. Duterte had called for death by hanging, which he described graphically during speeches. (Reuters)

Philippine President Duterte pushes for re-imposition of death penalty in first legislative reform

The Philippines has stopped accepting applications for new ride-sharing vehicles of Uber and Grab due to a backlog amid a government review of its policies on fare spikes, a senior official said today. 
 
The Southeast Asian nation was the first country to regulate app-based car-hailing operations after coming out with rules last year. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s just the new applications that we have to suspend so we don&#39;t have a huge amount of backlog,&quot; said Cherie Mercado, spokeswoman of the transportation department. 
 
Applications have ballooned to record high, with 29,000 pending, 23,000 of which were for Uber and the rest divided between Grab and u-Hop, she said. 
 
Mercado said the suspension was indefinite and it was not clear what changes would be required to reverse it. 
 
&quot;We will also review the fare scheme, the surge pricing,&quot; she said, referring to the fluctuating fare charges which have caused friction as conventional taxis are not allowed to apply them. 
 
The Philippines is Southeast Asia&#39;s third fastest growing market for automobiles. 
 
The country&#39;s motor vehicle sales jumped 25.4 per cent in January to May, next only to Singapore 76.8 per cent uptick and Vietnam&#39;s 36.6 per cent climb, data from the ASEAN Automotive Federation showed. 
 
Uber said it respected the decision, even though it went against its goal of getting more people into fewer cars, which it said would be a plus for a notoriously gridlocked city like Manila. 
 
&quot;Fewer drivers on Uber leads to lower reliability of service for riders in Metro Manila, who have come to rely on Uber as a viable alternative to buying and driving their own private vehicles,&quot; it said in a statement. 
 
&quot;This decision also comes at a time when we are trying to help improve the traffic situation in Metro Manila by providing an efficient method of carpooling.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Applications have ballooned to record high, with 29,000 pending, 23,000 of which were for Uber and the rest divided between Grab and u-Hop

The Philippines has stopped accepting applications for new ride-sharing vehicles of Uber and Grab due to a backlog amid a government review of its policies on fare spikes, a senior official said today. The Southeast Asian nation was the first country to regulate app-based car-hailing operations after coming out with rules last year. "It's just the new applications that we have to suspend so we don't have a huge amount of backlog," said Cherie Mercado, spokeswoman of the transportation department. Applications have ballooned to record high, with 29,000 pending, 23,000 of which were for Uber and the rest divided between Grab and u-Hop, she said. Mercado said the suspension was indefinite and it was not clear what changes would be required to reverse it. "We will also review the fare scheme, the surge pricing," she said, referring to the fluctuating fare charges which have caused friction as conventional taxis are not allowed to apply them. The Philippines is Southeast Asia's third fastest growing market for automobiles. The country's motor vehicle sales jumped 25.4 per cent in January to May, next only to Singapore 76.8 per cent uptick and Vietnam's 36.6 per cent climb, data from the ASEAN Automotive Federation showed. Uber said it respected the decision, even though it went against its goal of getting more people into fewer cars, which it said would be a plus for a notoriously gridlocked city like Manila. "Fewer drivers on Uber leads to lower reliability of service for riders in Metro Manila, who have come to rely on Uber as a viable alternative to buying and driving their own private vehicles," it said in a statement. "This decision also comes at a time when we are trying to help improve the traffic situation in Metro Manila by providing an efficient method of carpooling." (Reuters)

Philippines suspends new Uber, Grab vehicle registrations as backlog mounts

More than half of workers in five Southeast Asian countries are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation in the next two decades, an International Labour Organization (ILO) study found, with those in the garments industry particularly vulnerable. 
 
About 137 million workers or 56 per cent of the salaried workforce from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, fall under the high-risk category, the study showed. 
 
&quot;Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves. Price advantage is no longer enough,&quot; said Deborah France-Massin, director for the ILO&#39;s bureau for employers&#39; activities. The report said workers have to be trained to work effectively alongside digitalised machines. 
 
Southeast Asia is home to more than 630 million people and is a hub for several manufacturing sectors, including textiles, vehicles and hard disk drives. 
 
Of the 9 million people working in the region&#39;s textiles, clothing and footwear industry, 64 per cent of Indonesian workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation, 86 per cent in Vietnam, and 88 per cent in Cambodia. 
 
Garment manufacturers in Cambodia, who take orders from retailers such as Adidas, Marks and Spencer and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, employ about 600,000 people. 
 
Neighbouring Vietnam is seeing record investment in its footwear and textiles industries, due to new free-trade pacts with major markets, including the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is the second-largest garment supplier behind China to the United States. 
 
The United Nations agency said technologies including 3D printing, wearable technology, nanotechnology and robotic automation could disrupt the sector. 
 
&quot;Robots are becoming better at assembly, cheaper and increasingly able to collaborate with people,&quot; the ILO said. 
 
The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study, including automotive and auto parts, electrical and electronics, business process outsourcing and retail. 
 
In the automotive and auto parts industry, more than 60 per cent of salaried workers in Indonesia, and over 70 per cent of those in Thailand face the risk of their jobs being displaced. 
 
Southeast Asia&#39;s automotive sector, the seventh-largest producer of vehicles in 2015 globally, employs more than 800,000 workers, the report said. 
 
Known as the &quot;Detroit of Southeast Asia&quot;, Thailand is a regional production and export hub for the world&#39;s top carmakers. The auto sector accounts for around 10 per cent of Thai GDP and employs a 10th of its workers in manufacturing. 
 
(Reuters)

The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study

More than half of workers in five Southeast Asian countries are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation in the next two decades, an International Labour Organization (ILO) study found, with those in the garments industry particularly vulnerable. About 137 million workers or 56 per cent of the salaried workforce from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, fall under the high-risk category, the study showed. "Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves. Price advantage is no longer enough," said Deborah France-Massin, director for the ILO's bureau for employers' activities. The report said workers have to be trained to work effectively alongside digitalised machines. Southeast Asia is home to more than 630 million people and is a hub for several manufacturing sectors, including textiles, vehicles and hard disk drives. Of the 9 million people working in the region's textiles, clothing and footwear industry, 64 per cent of Indonesian workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation, 86 per cent in Vietnam, and 88 per cent in Cambodia. Garment manufacturers in Cambodia, who take orders from retailers such as Adidas, Marks and Spencer and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, employ about 600,000 people. Neighbouring Vietnam is seeing record investment in its footwear and textiles industries, due to new free-trade pacts with major markets, including the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is the second-largest garment supplier behind China to the United States. The United Nations agency said technologies including 3D printing, wearable technology, nanotechnology and robotic automation could disrupt the sector. "Robots are becoming better at assembly, cheaper and increasingly able to collaborate with people," the ILO said. The textiles, clothing and footwear sector is at the highest risk of automation out of five industries analysed in the study, including automotive and auto parts, electrical and electronics, business process outsourcing and retail. In the automotive and auto parts industry, more than 60 per cent of salaried workers in Indonesia, and over 70 per cent of those in Thailand face the risk of their jobs being displaced. Southeast Asia's automotive sector, the seventh-largest producer of vehicles in 2015 globally, employs more than 800,000 workers, the report said. Known as the "Detroit of Southeast Asia", Thailand is a regional production and export hub for the world's top carmakers. The auto sector accounts for around 10 per cent of Thai GDP and employs a 10th of its workers in manufacturing. (Reuters)

Millions of workers in Southeast Asian countries may lose jobs to automation: International Labour Organization study

Thailand&#39;s military government has set up security centres around the country ahead of an August referendum on a new constitution, a spokesman for the government said on Monday. 
 
The centres are the latest measure rolled out by the government as Thailand prepares to vote on a new constitution that critics fear will entrench the military&#39;s influence. 
 
The draft of Thailand&#39;s 20th constitution is to replace one scrapped after a 2014 coup by generals who promised stability in Southeast Asia&#39;s second-biggest economy. 
 
The August&nbsp;7 referendum will be the first real rest of the junta&#39;s popularity since it took power. 
 
A &quot;Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order&quot; has been set up in every one of Thailand&#39;s 76 provinces, said Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman for the Thai prime minister&#39;s office, in order to ensure &quot;no cheating, no lobbying and no persuading people to vote one way or another.&quot; 
 
Provincial governors will be responsible for assembling teams to join the centre including police, troops and civilian volunteers. 
 
&quot;We need to ensure peace during the referendum so that people can decide how our country will move forward,&quot; Sansern told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
Last month,&nbsp;junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and opposition supporters of ousted populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra both contacted the United Nations after an upsurge in political tension, just a day after police shut down an electoral monitoring centre of the &quot;red shirt&quot; anti-government movement.&nbsp; 
 
The red shirts say the centres are needed to prevent fraud.&nbsp; 
 
Thanawut Wichaidit, a spokesman for the red shirt movement, accused the government of double standards. 
 
 
&quot;We weren&#39;t able to set up our monitoring centres so why should the military government be allowed to set up their centres?&quot; Thanawut told Reuters. 
 
&quot;The military government is blindfolding the electorate and leading their hand to vote in the manner they want.&quot; 
 
Under the proposed charter, a junta-appointed Senate with seats reserved for military commanders would check the powers of elected lawmakers for a five-year transitional period.

(Reuters)

The August?7 referendum will be the first real rest of the junta's popularity since it took power

Thailand's military government has set up security centres around the country ahead of an August referendum on a new constitution, a spokesman for the government said on Monday. The centres are the latest measure rolled out by the government as Thailand prepares to vote on a new constitution that critics fear will entrench the military's influence. The draft of Thailand's 20th constitution is to replace one scrapped after a 2014 coup by generals who promised stability in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy. The August 7 referendum will be the first real rest of the junta's popularity since it took power. A "Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order" has been set up in every one of Thailand's 76 provinces, said Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman for the Thai prime minister's office, in order to ensure "no cheating, no lobbying and no persuading people to vote one way or another." Provincial governors will be responsible for assembling teams to join the centre including police, troops and civilian volunteers. "We need to ensure peace during the referendum so that people can decide how our country will move forward," Sansern told Reuters. Last month, junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and opposition supporters of ousted populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra both contacted the United Nations after an upsurge in political tension, just a day after police shut down an electoral monitoring centre of the "red shirt" anti-government movement. The red shirts say the centres are needed to prevent fraud. Thanawut Wichaidit, a spokesman for the red shirt movement, accused the government of double standards. "We weren't able to set up our monitoring centres so why should the military government be allowed to set up their centres?" Thanawut told Reuters. "The military government is blindfolding the electorate and leading their hand to vote in the manner they want." Under the proposed charter, a junta-appointed Senate with seats reserved for military commanders would check the powers of elected lawmakers for a five-year transitional period. (Reuters)

Thailand sets up security centres ahead of August referendum

Myanmar`s Aung San Suu Kyi arrives today in Thailand where she is expected to be garlanded by her adoring compatriots, hundreds of thousands of whom have sought work and sanctuary from war across the border. 
 
It is Suu Kyi`s highest profile overseas visit since her pro-democracy party took power in April, ending nearly half a century of military domination. 
 
Her government has seeded hopes for a new era of prosperity that could eventually convince the army of low-paid Myanmar labourers in Thailand to return home. 
 
The two Southeast Asian neighbours have travelled in starkly different directions in recent years. 
 
While Myanmar`s junta has rolled back its chokehold on politics, last year allowing the freest elections in decades, Thailand remains in the grip of a military that seized power in 2014. 
 
As Myanmar`s democracy champion, Suu Kyi is expected to receive a rock star welcome during a visit to a fishing village in Samut Sakhon later Thursday. 
 
The port, just outside Bangkok, is the seat of Thailand`s huge seafood industry and home to more than 100,000 low-paid Myanmar labourers. 
 
The visit &quot;fills me with hope,&quot; Myanmar migrant Thon Barami, 50, told AFP at the scruffy port. 
 
&quot;We have problems here in Thailand. She might help us with labour rights... people all around the world will listen to her,&quot; she added. 
 
The fishing sector has been battered by revelations of the use of slave labour and the widespread exploitation of workers. 
 
The scandals have prompted threats of sanctions by the European Union -- a key market for the multi-billion-dollar Thai seafood 
industry. 
 
Seeking to escape poverty at home, some one million registered Myanmar migrant workers form the backbone of Thailand`s manual workforce. 
 
Tens of thousands of others work illegally, with some estimates putting the total number of Myanmar nationals in Thailand at three million. 
 
Rights groups say migrants -- legal and otherwise -- are vulnerable to unscrupulous officials, trafficking gangs and employment agencies who charge huge sums to get them poorly paid work. 
 
Their low status also sees them treated with scorn and mistrust by many Thais. 
 
&quot;They all want to go home, but they are just waiting for the economic situation (in Myanmar) to improve significantly,&quot; explained Andy Hall, a migrant rights activist with an office in the port town. 
 
The nemesis of Myanmar`s generals throughout a quarter-century of struggle for democracy, the Nobel laureate will meet with the leader of the Thai junta in Bangkok on Friday. 
 
But her schedule does not include a single press conference as Suu Kyi continues to fiercely control her government`s messaging. 
 
The 71-year-old is officially Myanmar`s foreign minister and state counsellor, but also the de facto leader of her country despite a military-era constitution that bars her from the presidency. 
 
It is unclear if she will make a scheduled trip to a refugee camp in Ratchaburi province on Saturday.&nbsp; 
 
It is one of nearly a dozen camps in Thailand holding more than 100,000 refugees who have fled conflict in Myanmar.&nbsp;Many are ethnic Karen displaced by war with Myanmar`s army. The violence abated following a 2012 ceasefire, but conflict with other ethnic rebel groups continues. 
 
Thailand, which does not accept refugees, wants to repatriate camp residents -- some of whom have been born on Thai soil but are barred from citizenship. 
 
Suu Kyi is also not scheduled to visit any of the Thai centres holding hundreds of Rohingya boat migrants, a Muslim group who have fled poverty and persecution in western Myanmar. 
 
Campaigners say her failure to throw her moral weight behind the stateless minority is a boon to Myanmar`s Buddhist hardliners who loathe the Rohingya and say they are illegal immigrants. 
 
In a sign of the sensitivity clouding the Rohingya question, a talk at the Foreign Correspondents` Club in Bangkok just ahead of Suu Kyi`s arrival was cancelled on military orders. 
 
(AFP)

Seeking to escape poverty at home, some one million registered Myanmar migrant workers form the backbone of Thailand's manual workforce

Myanmar`s Aung San Suu Kyi arrives today in Thailand where she is expected to be garlanded by her adoring compatriots, hundreds of thousands of whom have sought work and sanctuary from war across the border. It is Suu Kyi`s highest profile overseas visit since her pro-democracy party took power in April, ending nearly half a century of military domination. Her government has seeded hopes for a new era of prosperity that could eventually convince the army of low-paid Myanmar labourers in Thailand to return home. The two Southeast Asian neighbours have travelled in starkly different directions in recent years. While Myanmar`s junta has rolled back its chokehold on politics, last year allowing the freest elections in decades, Thailand remains in the grip of a military that seized power in 2014. As Myanmar`s democracy champion, Suu Kyi is expected to receive a rock star welcome during a visit to a fishing village in Samut Sakhon later Thursday. The port, just outside Bangkok, is the seat of Thailand`s huge seafood industry and home to more than 100,000 low-paid Myanmar labourers. The visit "fills me with hope," Myanmar migrant Thon Barami, 50, told AFP at the scruffy port. "We have problems here in Thailand. She might help us with labour rights... people all around the world will listen to her," she added. The fishing sector has been battered by revelations of the use of slave labour and the widespread exploitation of workers. The scandals have prompted threats of sanctions by the European Union -- a key market for the multi-billion-dollar Thai seafood industry. Seeking to escape poverty at home, some one million registered Myanmar migrant workers form the backbone of Thailand`s manual workforce. Tens of thousands of others work illegally, with some estimates putting the total number of Myanmar nationals in Thailand at three million. Rights groups say migrants -- legal and otherwise -- are vulnerable to unscrupulous officials, trafficking gangs and employment agencies who charge huge sums to get them poorly paid work. Their low status also sees them treated with scorn and mistrust by many Thais. "They all want to go home, but they are just waiting for the economic situation (in Myanmar) to improve significantly," explained Andy Hall, a migrant rights activist with an office in the port town. The nemesis of Myanmar`s generals throughout a quarter-century of struggle for democracy, the Nobel laureate will meet with the leader of the Thai junta in Bangkok on Friday. But her schedule does not include a single press conference as Suu Kyi continues to fiercely control her government`s messaging. The 71-year-old is officially Myanmar`s foreign minister and state counsellor, but also the de facto leader of her country despite a military-era constitution that bars her from the presidency. It is unclear if she will make a scheduled trip to a refugee camp in Ratchaburi province on Saturday. It is one of nearly a dozen camps in Thailand holding more than 100,000 refugees who have fled conflict in Myanmar. Many are ethnic Karen displaced by war with Myanmar`s army. The violence abated following a 2012 ceasefire, but conflict with other ethnic rebel groups continues. Thailand, which does not accept refugees, wants to repatriate camp residents -- some of whom have been born on Thai soil but are barred from citizenship. Suu Kyi is also not scheduled to visit any of the Thai centres holding hundreds of Rohingya boat migrants, a Muslim group who have fled poverty and persecution in western Myanmar. Campaigners say her failure to throw her moral weight behind the stateless minority is a boon to Myanmar`s Buddhist hardliners who loathe the Rohingya and say they are illegal immigrants. In a sign of the sensitivity clouding the Rohingya question, a talk at the Foreign Correspondents` Club in Bangkok just ahead of Suu Kyi`s arrival was cancelled on military orders. (AFP)

Myanmar's Suu Kyi visits troubled diaspora in Thailand

The head of Malaysia&#39;s anti-graft body will step down on August 1, the agency said on Thursday, more than two years before the scheduled end of a term that included an investigation of Prime Minister Najib Razak. 
 
The revelations of the investigation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal last year, have shaken investors in Southeast Asia&#39;s third-biggest economy and dented confidence in Najib&#39;s ruling coalition. 
 
Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), asked for his contract to be terminated earlier than expected, the agency said in a statement. 
 
&quot;There was no pressure from any parties towards the decision made by Abu Kassim to shorten his contract,&quot; it said, dismissing speculation in domestic media that pressure from the Prime Minister&#39;s office might have prompted the resignation. 
 
The Prime Minister&#39;s office did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters seeking comment. 
 
Under Abu Kassim, who took on his role in the beginning of 2010, the anti-graft body began investigations into allegations of graft and financial mismanagement at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the transfer of 2.6 billion Ringgit ($647.09 million) to Najib&#39;s bank accounts. 
 
Malaysia&#39;s attorney-general cleared Najib of any criminal offences or corruption in January. Najib has denied any wrongdoing and said he did not take any money for personal gain. 
 
Abu Kassim&#39;s contract was to have run until December 4, 2018, the anti-graft body said, adding that the request to cut short his tenure followed an offer to be a visiting expert at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. 
 
&quot;The request was made after I got the opportunity to improve Malaysia and MACC&#39;s name and international standing,&quot; Abu Kassim told reporters, adding that he will stay in the civil service until mandatory retirement in 2020. 
 
A second vacancy is coming up as his deputy, Shukri Abdull, will retire on October 3, Abu Kassim added, in a video of the news conference released by the agency. 
 
Najib was widely criticised last year after the government replaced Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who had led investigations into 1MDB, with Mohamed Apandi Ali. It cited Patail&#39;s failing health for the change ahead of his retirement. 
 
($1 = 4.0180 ringgit) 
 
(Reuters)

Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, will vacate the post on August 1

The head of Malaysia's anti-graft body will step down on August 1, the agency said on Thursday, more than two years before the scheduled end of a term that included an investigation of Prime Minister Najib Razak. The revelations of the investigation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal last year, have shaken investors in Southeast Asia's third-biggest economy and dented confidence in Najib's ruling coalition. Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), asked for his contract to be terminated earlier than expected, the agency said in a statement. "There was no pressure from any parties towards the decision made by Abu Kassim to shorten his contract," it said, dismissing speculation in domestic media that pressure from the Prime Minister's office might have prompted the resignation. The Prime Minister's office did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters seeking comment. Under Abu Kassim, who took on his role in the beginning of 2010, the anti-graft body began investigations into allegations of graft and financial mismanagement at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the transfer of 2.6 billion Ringgit ($647.09 million) to Najib's bank accounts. Malaysia's attorney-general cleared Najib of any criminal offences or corruption in January. Najib has denied any wrongdoing and said he did not take any money for personal gain. Abu Kassim's contract was to have run until December 4, 2018, the anti-graft body said, adding that the request to cut short his tenure followed an offer to be a visiting expert at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. "The request was made after I got the opportunity to improve Malaysia and MACC's name and international standing," Abu Kassim told reporters, adding that he will stay in the civil service until mandatory retirement in 2020. A second vacancy is coming up as his deputy, Shukri Abdull, will retire on October 3, Abu Kassim added, in a video of the news conference released by the agency. Najib was widely criticised last year after the government replaced Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who had led investigations into 1MDB, with Mohamed Apandi Ali. It cited Patail's failing health for the change ahead of his retirement. ($1 = 4.0180 ringgit) (Reuters)

Malaysia's anti-graft panel chief to step down

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