Southeast Asia

Ex-Pak PM Imran wins by-election

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan won another national assembly seat in a weekend by-election, officials said yesterday, as he leads a so-called “long march” of thousands of supporters to Islamabad.
31 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Oldest Guantanamo Bay prisoner released

A Pakistani known for being the oldest detainee at the US-run Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba was released to his home country yesterday, the South Asian country’s foreign ministry said.
29 October 2022, 18:00 PM

North Korea fires 2 missiles into sea

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) off its east coast yesterday, South Korea’s military said, while South Korean forces were wrapping up nearly two weeks of exercises aimed at deterring their northern neighbour.
28 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Myanmar Crisis: Asean chair warns over rising violence

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is gravely concerned about escalating violence in Myanmar, the bloc’s chair Cambodia said, in remarks
26 October 2022, 18:00 PM

World is in its ‘first truly global energy crisis’: IEA chief

Tightening markets for liquefied natural gas (LNG) worldwide and major oil producers cutting supply have put the world in the middle of “the first truly global energy crisis”, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said yesterday.
25 October 2022, 18:00 PM

FAFT blacklists Myanmar

Myanmar was added on Friday to a global financial blacklist while Russia was sidelined by the international money-laundering watchdog FATF.
22 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Japan, Australia ink security pact

Australia and Japan agreed to share sensitive intelligence and deepen defence cooperation yesterday, signing a security pact to counter China’s military rise.
22 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Myanmar blacklisted by money-laundering watchdog

Myanmar was added on Friday to a global financial blacklist while Russia was sidelined by the international money-laundering watchdog FATF.
21 October 2022, 19:33 PM

Lanka votes to curb presidential powers

Sri Lanka’s parliament yesterday voted to curtail the powers of the president, a partial concession to the protest movement that forced the island nation’s former head-of-state into exile.
21 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Pakistan taken off FATF ‘grey’ list

Pakistan has been removed from an international grey list that warrants increased surveillance for terrorism financing, the head of the international money laundering watchdog which makes the list said yesterday.
21 October 2022, 18:00 PM

At least 8 killed, 18 wounded in bomb blasts outside Myanmar prison

At least two bombs exploded outside a prison in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon on Wednesday, killing eight people and wounding 18.
19 October 2022, 11:55 AM

South Korea kicks off military drills

South Korea’s troops kicked off their annual Hoguk defence drills yesterday, designed to boost their ability to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats amid simmering tension over both sides’ military activities.
17 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Japan orders probe

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered a government probe into the Unification Church yesterday, after the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe renewed scrutiny of the sect.
17 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Ex-PM Khan wins big in Pak by-polls

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan won six of eight national assembly seats he stood for in a weekend by-election, unofficial results showed yesterday, a vote he has called a referendum on his popularity.
17 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Pakistan ‘one of the most dangerous nations’: Biden

Pakistan’s foreign minister yesterday said he had summoned the US ambassador after President Joe Biden questioned the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear programme.
15 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Post-coup Myanmar: Junta jails Suu Kyi for 6 more years for corruption

Myanmar’s junta court yesterday sentenced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to another six years in prison for corruption, a source with knowledge of the case said, taking the Nobel laureate’s total jail time to 26 years.
12 October 2022, 18:00 PM

Myanmar court jails Suu Kyi for 3 more years for graft

A court in military-ruled Myanmar on Wednesday sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to three years in prison on charges of accepting a bribe, a source with knowledge of the matter said.
12 October 2022, 06:48 AM

Malaysia PM calls snap elections

Malaysia’s prime minister yesterday dissolved parliament to clear the way for snap elections in a bid to restore political stability as the country emerges from the ravages of Covid-19 and a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal.
10 October 2022, 18:00 PM

N Korea defends missile launches

North Korea yesterday defended its recent flurry of missile tests as a legitimate counter to US military threats.
8 October 2022, 18:00 PM

More than 1m displaced since coup: UN

More than one million people have been displaced in Myanmar since the military coup last year, the United Nations children’s agency has said.
7 October 2022, 18:00 PM