One of Myanmar’s most prominent ultra-nationalist monks was denied bail on Tuesday after he was arrested on charges of inciting unrest at an anti-Rohingya protest held outside the US embassy in Yangon last year.
The Buddhist abbot, Parmaukkha, was detained over the weekend in a rare move against hardline clergymen who have fanned hatred against the persecuted Muslim Rohingya – a group recently targeted by a deadly military crackdown in Rakhine state.
[I] am just protecting the…
‘Aung San Suu Kyi is handmaiden to genocide and accomplice to murder,’ says Bob Geldof
Irish musician and activist Bob Geldof called Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi “a hand maiden to genocide” on Monday as he returned his Freedom of the City of Dublin award in protest over his fellow recipient’s response to the repression of Rohingya Muslims.
“I don’t want to be on a very select roll of wonderful people with a killer,” Geldof told state broadcaster RTE. “Someone who is at best a handmaiden to genocide and an accomplice to murder.”…
‘We are still refusing to leave’: asylum seekers remain defiant as stand-off at Manus Island detention centre continues
Papua New Guinea Immigration Minister Petrus Thomas said authorities would take steps on Monday to forcibly remove around 450 men who remain in an abandoned Australian detention centre without food or running water.
Hundreds of men have barricaded themselves into the Manus Island centre for more than 13 days without regular food or water supplies, defying attempts by Australia and Papua New Guinea to close the facility, saying they fear for their safety if removed to transit centres.
“We…
EAT rejects Uber appeal against employment rights for drivers
Two Uber drivers should be classed as ‘workers’ entitled to paid rest breaks, holidays and the National Minimum Wage, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has confirmed.
Trump, Duterte meet in Manila at Asean gala dinner
US President Donald Trump is attending a gala in the Philippines celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte greeted Trump and other leaders one by one as they arrived at a convention centre in Manila for the glitzy event. Trump and Duterte shook hands twice and exchanged pleasantries before the leaders posed for a group photo and everyone filed into dinner.
Trump joined his fellow leaders in wearing Philippine formal…
Two men held over murder of expat in Bali village, months after gruesome killing of Japanese couple there
Two men have been arrested over the murder of an elderly Dutch man whose decomposing body was found at his home on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali.
The corpse of Robert Gilhooad, 80, was found on November 3 at his rental property in Jimbaran, a resort area in the southern part of the island.
An autopsy concluded the Dutch expatriate had been murdered, said policeman Aris Purwanto, the region’s criminal investigative chief.
“He had injuries to the left of his head,” he…
Japan mulling new missile interceptor deployment to guard against North Korea
To bolster protection against the threat posed by North Korean missiles, Japan is studying deploying a new land-based Aegis missile defence system in both Akita Prefecture in northeastern Japan and Yamaguchi Prefecture in western Japan, a government source said on Saturday.
Under the plan, the Ground Self-Defence Force would operate Aegis Ashore systems at SDF facilities in those two prefectures. But some defence Ministry officials are opposed to the plan, the source said.
The Cabinet of Prime…
Thai palace sacks top royal aide for having an affair, forcing mistress to have an abortion
A senior Thai royal official has been sacked for “evil acts” including having an extramarital affair and forcing his alleged mistress to get an abortion, the palace said, the latest top aide to be axed under King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Vajiralongkorn, 65, took the throne one year ago following the death of his widely revered father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for seven decades.
He has yet to attain his father’s widespread popularity but remains insulated from any…
Tax scheme negligence claims fail as time limits began to run before a tribunal decision on a similar scheme, says cCourt
Negligence claims against tax advisers who had given assurances about the effectiveness of tax schemes failed because the claims were not brought within the limitation period.
UK provides further details of ‘settled status’ for EU citizens and family members
Further details of how the proposed new ‘settled status’ for EU citizens and their family members will work after the UK leaves the EU have been published by the government.