Biden to host Asean leaders for Washington summit in March amid China worries

President Joe Biden will play host to a special summit of the United States and leaders of Southeast Asian leaders on March 28 and 29 in Washington, the White House announced on Monday.The White House summit, part of US efforts to step up engagement with a region Washington sees as critical to its efforts to push back against China’s growing power, had been expected earlier in the year, but scheduling was delayed by Covid-19 concerns.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the summit of the…

7 die in Australia after heavy floods swamp Brisbane, east coast

Parts of Australia’s third-most populous city Brisbane were under water on Monday after heavy rain brought record flooding to some east coast areas and killed seven people.The flooding in Brisbane and its surrounds is the worst since 2011 when the city of 2.6 million people was inundated by what was described as a once-in-a-century event.A 59-year-old man drowned in Brisbane’s north on Sunday afternoon after he tried to cross a flooded creek on foot and was pinned against a fence, Queensland…

Ukraine invasion: Malaysia said evacuation of diplomatic staff went according to plan

Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the evacuation of its diplomatic staff in the under-siege Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Saturday was part of a detailed plan previously endorsed by the country’s top leaders, and refuted claims that the effort was bungled.The South China Morning Post had reported based on multiple government sources that a group of diplomats led by the Charge D’Affaires ad interim Fadillah Daud decided to evacuate to neighbouring Poland in four cars after earlier…

As Indonesia’s Chinese revive original family surnames, others get inspiration from Javanese customs, American culture and Islam

Indonesians have a saying that a name is akin to a prayer. So when parents give their child a name, it goes without saying that a certain wish for his or her future is inherent within. This belief has produced some distinctive name-giving traditions rooted in the country’s history and diverse cultures. Since there are some 1,300 ethnic groups in Indonesia, the results are as varied as they are unique.For a minority ethnic group like the Indonesian Chinese, who make up less than two per cent of…

North Korea fires ‘unidentified projectile’: South Korea

North Korea has fired an “unidentified projectile”, South Korea’s military said early Sunday. If confirmed it would be Pyongyang’s eighth launch this year after a month of relative calm on the peninsula during the Beijing Olympics.Pyongyang carried out a record-breaking blitz of weapons tests last month, including of its most powerful missile since 2017, when leader Kim Jong-un baited then-US President Donald Trump with a spate of provocative launches.High-profile negotiations between Trump and…

Ukraine invasion: as thousands of Asians struggle to evacuate ahead of Russian advance, some are vowing to stay

As Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, several Asian governments are scrambling to evacuate their citizens via its neighbours to the west.Japan said it had an estimated 120 citizens in Ukraine as of late January and evacuation flights were being arranged out of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged citizens to make their way to the west, towards Poland or Hungary.India said it had already evacuated 4,000 Indians since it started repatriating citizens home a…