At least 18,500 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh since fighting erupted in Myanmar’s neighbouring Rakhine state six days ago, the International Organisation for Migration said on Wednesday.
Plumes of smoke billowed from several burning villages in the worst-hit section of the state, according to a reporter on a government-led trip to the area, as the violence showed little sign of abating despite security sweeps by Myanmar’s police and troops. The streets of Maungdaw –…
UK government puts forward ‘wide-ranging’ package of corporate governance reforms
A new public register of listed companies whose shareholders have objected to executive pay will form an important part of the UK government’s corporate governance reforms, business secretary Greg Clark has announced.
Kim Jong-un pledges to launch more North Korean missiles into Pacific, to ‘contain’ US territory of Guam
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for more weapons tests targeting the Pacific Ocean, Pyongyang announced Wednesday, a day after his nation flew a ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan.
Tuesday’s aggressive missile launch — likely the longest ever from North Korea — over the territory of a close US ally sends a clear message of defiance as Washington and Seoul conduct war games nearby.
Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency…
Developer ‘narrowing search’ for Mozambique power project investor
Power development company Ncondezi Energy has said it is on track to find an investment partner this year to support the development of its namesake 300-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power project in Mozambique’s Tete Province.
Thai prime minister ‘preparing to receive’ Rohingya fleeing Myanmar violence but human rights groups remain sceptical
Thailand is preparing to receive people fleeing fighting in Myanmar and send them back “when they are ready”, the prime minister said on Tuesday, following a series of attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents on Myanmar security forces last week.
Thailand was once a popular transit route for Rohingya escaping troubled Rakhine state in northwest Myanmar across the Andaman Sea. Others came by land.
But a 2015 Thai police crackdown on human-trafficking syndicates led to ships with…
With casinos on the cards, study shows Japan must first deal with its pachinko gambling addiction
As many as 900,000 Japanese people may be addicted to “pachinko” gambling or slot machines, according to a new study, raising concerns as the government continues to push forward with legalising casinos.
The nationwide survey of 9,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 79 was conducted by universities and support groups for people with addiction to pachinko – a form of pinball played on upright boards in vast halls and accompanied by flashing lights and loud music.
After…
UK government launches schemes to encourage public sector staff back to work
The UK government’s equalities office has announced the launch of four public sector schemes to encourage workers who have taken career breaks to return to employment.
Road accident in Thailand saves 88 pangolins
By Supapong Chaolan An accident at traffic lights in Thailand’s Kanchanadit district has proved the salvation of 88 protected pangolins probably intended for use in traditional medicines, and by restaurants, in China. Kanchanadit police station received a report a crash involving three vehicles at traffic lights, with the driver at fault quickly fleeing the scene. The drivers of the other two vehicles, a pickup truck and a sedan, said they had stopped at the…
China’s dilemma: how much pressure can it exert on its historical ally, North Korea?
China hit back this week against fresh North Korea-related sanctions by the United States, which targeted six Chinese firms and one individual for supporting Pyongyang’s weapons programme.
It called on Washington to “immediately correct its mistake” of enacting these sanctions, opening Beijing to renewed criticism that it has been reluctant to exert greater pressure on its authoritarian neighbour.
China has increasingly had to contend with its complicated relationship with the…
Religion, race, politics: what’s causing Malaysia’s great divide?
Religion, political manipulation and preferential policies are widening the cultural divide between Malaysia’s ethnic groups and could be hindering the nation’s chances of unity as the next general election looms.
That’s according to a new research paper – “Fault Lines and Common Ground in Malaysia’s Ethnic Relations and Policies” – that found despite general interethnic goodwill, each race tended to stick to itself when it came to forming…