Lead Story News Politics Rohingya
With 1.2 million refugees originating from Burma and tens of thousands more uprooted inside the country, the Southeast Asian nation was the source of the fourth-largest population of displaced people worldwide at the end of 2017, a new report by the UN refugee agency.
From Manila’s iconic jeepneys to Kuala Lumpur’s motorbike taxis, Southeast Asian capitals are on a drive to clean their streets of vehicles that cause pollution and traffic jams, while experts defend the vital role they play in cities without adequate public transit.
Lead Story Natural Disasters News
One decade after an earthquake killed almost 70,000 people, China’s investment in disaster preparedness means a similar tragedy is unlikely, said experts who urged other Asian nations to follow suit.
The price of carbon credits must rise drastically if they are to help protect Southeast Asia’s tropical forests against rubber plantation expansion, according to researchers.
Tony Fernandes’ AirAsia Bhd is in talks with a potential partner to open an airline serving Burma, in a move that would help the low-cost carrier cover up to 95 percent of the Southeast Asian travel market.
The terrorist threat facing Southeast Asia is growing as foreign fighters return to the region, Southeast Asian defence ministers said in a joint statement on Tuesday in which they pledged to improve cooperation to tackle militancy.
Governments across Southeast Asia have a history of using laws and the judiciary to curb press freedoms, and now, they have found a handy crutch to lean on as they intensify clampdowns: US President Donald Trump’s “fake news” mantra.
Lead Story Natural Disasters News
An international team of scientists is set to begin a four-year project this month that will map, image and monitor an earthquake-prone area that encompasses some of the most remote and densely populated parts of Asia, including Burma.
Lead Story Migrants Issues News Refugees
Pope Francis described migrants and refugees as the world’s “weakest and most needy” on Monday, using his traditional New Year’s address to “give voice” to people he has urged leaders to do more to help.
Women land rights defenders in Asia are at greater risk of violence and harassment, according to rights groups who are calling on authorities to do more to protect them as conflicts over land and resources get increasingly bloody.
A “dramatic” drop in opium cultivation in Burma has underscored a regional boom in demand for illegal synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine, which many Asian countries are struggling to combat.
Pope Francis ended a diplomatically tricky trip to Asia on Saturday, seeking the forgiveness of Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh after his controversial decision to not directly refer to their plight when he visited their homeland, Burma.
ASEAN Human Rights International Relations Lead Story News
Leaders of Asian nations meeting in Manila on Monday skirted around the mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims triggered by Burma’s military crackdown, disappointing human rights groups who were hoping for a tough stand on the humanitarian crisis.
Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc has dropped a plan to form a joint venture in Burma, the airline said on Monday, after its application for an air operator’s certificate (AOC) was rejected by Burmese authorities.
Arakan International Relations Lead Story News Rohingya
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday the United States held Burma’s military leadership responsible for its harsh crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority.
With Pope Francis due to visit Burma and Bangladesh next month, a Christian leader from the latter has said he is expecting the Catholic pontiff to urge leaders of the two countries, and the world, to view both Buddhists and Muslims simply as human beings.
International Relations Lead Story News Rohingya
Burma’s global reputation continues to decline as world leaders condemn the government’s handling of the crisis in Arakan State.
Environment Farmers Lead Story News
The rapid growth of factory farming in Asia for livestock and seafood poses enormous environmental and forced labour risks, in addition to threats to public safety and health, according to a report by an investor network.
Burma must protect the rights of its Rohingya Muslim minority, the chief of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said on Thursday, urging the Southeast Asian nation to join hands with Muslim-majority neighbours in tackling a refugee crisis.
Climate change will bring soaring temperatures, more intense storms, erratic rainfall, plummeting crop yields and a collapse of coral reefs to the Asia-Pacific unless countries fully implement their commitments under the Paris climate pact, scientists say, calling the challenges “unprecedented.”
ASEAN International Relations Lead Story News
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Friday warned that Southeast Asian countries needed to ensure their economic growth was inclusive, or risk marginalised populations turning to violent extremism or even overturning political systems.
International Relations Lead Story News
Seeking to capitalise on US President Donald Trump’s controversial new travel restrictions, companies and officials in Asia said they would target greater tourism and education ties with Muslims worried about the curbs.
The UNHCR applauds a decision by the Philippines and Indonesia to grant citizenship to thousands of stateless people, saying it sets an example for resolving a global issue.
According to the world rankings, Argentina remains the strongest team, followed by Belgium, Colombia, Germany and Chile.
After each disaster in Southeast Asia, well-meaning groups donate infant formula, not realising the dangers it can pose to mothers and infants.
A Stockholm-based think tank said military spending came to 2.3 percent of global GDP — a tenth of which would be enough to end poverty and hunger by 2030.
Business Lead Story Natural Disasters News Trade
The World Bank’s prediction that the Burmese economy would grow at some 8.2 percent this year has been slashed in the latest ‘Myanmar Economic Report’.
Business Development Lead Story News
The World Bank has approved a US $400 million interest-free credit to support the Burmese government’s expansion of the national electricity grid.
Lead Story News Travel & Tourism
The India-Burma-Thailand stretch of the Asian Highway is set to open in November, so DVB has mapped out the must-see stops along the way.
ASEAN Environment Lead Story News
Asia can fight climate change and lift people out of poverty if it invests in communities living in forests, claims a Thai-based environmental organisation.
