Islamic State supporters from Indonesia are traveling to join forces with their counterparts in the Philippines, raising concerns about cross-border violence, Indonesian anti-terrorism officials said on Tuesday. Authorities in Southeast Asia have been on heightened alert since a gun-and-bomb attack rocked the Indonesian capital Jakarta in January and stamped Islamic State’s presence in the region for the first time. “Some… Read more »
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is on a diplomacy roll and maybe a bank roll too. During his trip last week to China, the source of a tense maritime sovereignty dispute, the 71-year-old newcomer to his country’s national politics agreed to economic deals worth $24 billion and some expect that stack to grow. The sum covers $9 billion in soft loans and… Read more »
The New Zealand contingent in Iraq will eventually switch from training Iraqi troops to training local police, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says. Mr Brownlee is in Paris for a meeting of 13 countries in the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State.
In a cavernous, dimly-lit auditorium in Washington last month, three officials took the stage. They settled themselves into tan, leather armchairs and fielded questions, including this one: Name a global flashpoint you’re looking to with concern? “North Korea,” came the reply from one. “And how the United States and China deal with that situation.” The exchange is worth noting because… Read more »
The president of the Hong Kong legislature on Tuesday delayed the swearing-in of two pro-independence lawmakers and temporarily banned them from attending meetings, an unprecedented move that follows weeks of pressure from factions loyal to Beijing.
After years of hesitation, South Korean defense officials and members of President Park Geun-hye’s ruling Saenuri Party are openly discussing the possibility of pre-emptive strikes on North Korean missile and nuclear facilities. Increasingly, political figures are urging both their own government and the U.S. to go beyond the level of study promised by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and… Read more »
Malaysia’s government has announced its 2017 Budget, with Prime Minister Najib Razak waxing poetic on the multitude of goodies for various segments of the population, from civil servants to rubber-tappers. SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia – who is also the country’s Finance Minister – spoke for a good 150 minutes in the parliament on Friday (Oct 21), detailing his… Read more »
Much about the death of King Bhumibol has been as expected. Thailand has been consumed in grief for the loss of a beloved ruler. But the decision to delay anointing his son and designated heir, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, as the next king has caught people by surprise. On the night of 13 October, members of the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly… Read more »
An Indonesian man who attacked police with a machete on the outskirts of Jakarta this morning has died from gunshot wounds. Key points: An unexploded pipe bomb was also found near the scene Indonesia believes IS has more than 1,200 followers in the country Police are on alert for IS-linked Indonesians returning from Mosul Jakarta police spokesman Awi Setiyono said… Read more »
Indonesia could “wipe out” paedophilia with its new policy of chemical castration, President Joko Widodo has told the BBC. He said Indonesia respected human rights but there would be “no compromise” when it came to punishing such sexual crimes. Indonesia passed controversial laws earlier this month authorising chemical castration for paedophiles. The laws were subject to fierce debate in parliament…. Read more »
