| Wednesday, January 2, 2008 |
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Malaysia Bans 11 Books for Alleged Misrepresentation of Islam
Malaysia has banned 11 books for allegedly giving a false portrayal of Islam, such as by linking the religion to terrorism and the mistreatment of women, an official said Wednesday. The government ordered the books—most of them released by US publishers—to be blacklisted earlier this month "because they are not in line with what we call the Malaysian version of Islam," said Che Din Yusoh, an official with the Internal Security Ministry's publications control unit. The banned books include eight English-language ones, such as "The Two Faces of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and its Role in Terrorism," "Secrets of the Quran: Revealing Insights Into Islam's Holy Book" and "Women in Islam." There are also three books written in the local Malay language. It was not immediately clear whether the books have ever been on sale in Malaysia, but government authorities regularly review the contents of books and publications that could have sensitive material, mostly regarding religion and sex, Che Din said. (AP)
East Timor Shaken by 6.2-magnitude Earthquake
A strong earthquake struck off the coast of East Timor Wednesday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning—but no large waves hit the tiny nation's coast. The 6.2 magnitude tremor struck 262 kilometers (160 miles) northeast of the capital, Dili, in Indonesia's Banda Sea at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), the US Geological Survey said. Residents in Dili did not feel any shaking and there were no immediate reports of damage of injuries. Indonesia's Meteorological and Geophysics agency issued a tsunami alert, saying it had been powerful enough to generate giant waves. The warning was later retracted. East Timor, a former Portuguese colony that became Asia's youngest country after breaking from Indonesia in 1999, sits along a series of fault lines and volcanos known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. (AP)
Friday, January 25, 2008
Burmese Intruder Eludes Bangkok Airport Security
A Burmese man who claimed to be a convict on the run was arrested on the tarmac at Bangkok's international airport after eluding security, authorities said Friday. Police said the man, who identified himself as 28-year-old Zu Aung, was found on Tuesday aboard a Turkish Airlines jet that was parked in a waiting zone before picking up passengers bound for Istanbul, said police Lt-Col Pranachai Sattawut. The man, who had no travel documents, told police he had climbed into the plane using a ladder leaned up to its door, Pranachai said. An engineer inspecting the plane spotted the man sitting alone in the cabin and alerted authorities, Pranachai said.
The man told police through an interpreter that he had escaped from a Malaysian prison and walked for two months until arriving on Tuesday evening at the airport. Police questioned the veracity of his story as the trip from the Thai-Malaysian border to Thailand's capital, Bangkok is about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), Pranachai said. The man faces up to three years in prison for trespassing and illegal entry. (AP)
Sweden To Sell Six Fighter Jets to Thailand
The Swedish government has approved a deal to sell six Gripen-JAS fighter jets to Thailand, replacing some of that country's aging US warplanes. The deal, to be handled by the Swedish Defense Material Administration, is valued at 3.8 billion kronor (US $588 million), and includes the radar surveillance system Erieye, the Swedish government said in a statement. The administration is an independent, civil authority that provides Sweden's armed forces with material and systems and represents the government in certain international deals. Delivery of the JAS 39 fighter jets is planned for the beginning of 2011, when Thailand winds up its current fleet of US F-5 warplanes that have been in its arsenal for three decades. Thailand has made a number of military purchases recently, including armored personnel carriers from Ukraine, assault rifles from Israel and surface-to-surface missiles from China. (AP)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been awarded a Spanish honor for her work for political reconciliation. The award, “Abogados de Atocha,” named for two victims of right-wing Spanish terrorism, was to be presented on Thursday evening in Toledo to a representative of Suu Kyi. The Castilla-La Mancha regional selection committee said it wanted to show that the Spanish people had not forgotten the plight of the Burmese population and wanted to show solidarity with them. Bo Hla Tint, a member of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, a Burmese government in exile, was to accept the award on behalf of Suu Kyi.
Soldiers of DKBA Killed and Injured by Landmine Accident
Two soldiers of the Karen ceasefire group, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, were killed and nine injured when their truck hit a landmine on a road near the Burmese-Thai border. The soldiers are from the DKBA’s Battalion 333. The Karen National Union said the truck was traveling to Myawaddy, the Burmese town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot. The DKBA broke away from the KNU in 1995.
Bird Flu Outbreak in Thailand Again
The deadly H5N1 virus has killed 400 chickens in central Thailand, in the first outbreak of bird flu in 10 months, livestock officials said Thursday. The outbreak was confirmed by laboratory tests after the poultry deaths were reported Monday by a farm in the Chumsaeng district of Nakhon Sawan province, about 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of the capital, Bangkok, said Somboon Srisupthep, head of the province's livestock department. About 50,000 chickens being raised at the farm were expected to be slaughtered later in the day to contain the virus, Somboon said. The outbreak is the first in Thailand since March 18, 2007, when about 50 ducks and chickens were found dead in northeastern Thailand. (AP)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Singapore Closes Airport as Jets Intercept Small Plane
Singapore closed its airport for nearly an hour as two military jets were scrambled to intercept a small civilian plane headed toward the city-state's airspace without permission. Two Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16s were deployed late Tuesday to escort the single-engine turboprop Cessna 208 to land at Singapore's Changi Airport, Defense Ministry spokesman Darius Lim said in an e-mailed statement. The civilian plane was heading toward Singapore's airspace "without an approved flight plan," Lim said. The statement did not elaborate, but police said their investigations revealed no criminal intent and no arrest were made. The city-state's Changi Airport was closed from 7:10 p.m. local time (1110 GMT), delaying 17 incoming and six departing flights, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said. One arriving flight was diverted to a small airport in neighboring Malaysia. (AP)
Interpol Planning Second Soccer Gambling Crackdown in Asia
Police in Asia are planning a second crackdown on soccer gambling following the success of the first phase, which resulted in 423 arrests across the region, Interpol said Wednesday. "Gambling on soccer matches might seem as harmless as placing a small bet on your favorite team, but these illegal operations are often controlled by organized criminals," said Interpol Secretary-General Ronald K. Noble at an international crime conference in Singapore. In the first crackdown launched last June, law enforcers from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam were involved in the operation, leading to the arrests in October and November. (AP)
Bird Flu Kills Man in Northern Vietnam
Bird flu has killed a man in northern Vietnam, marking the country's first human case this year, health officials said Wednesday. The 32-year-old man from Tuyen Quang province, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Hanoi, died last week, two days after being admitted to the national tropical disease hospital in Hanoi, said To Doan Hong of the provincial Preventive Medicine Center. Test results later came back positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, he said. It was the country's 48th death reported since the virus began raging across Asia in late 2003. Nguyen Huy Nga, director of the Ministry of Health's Preventive Medicine Department, confirmed the results. (AP)
Monday, January 21, 2008
A passenger bus from Rangoon to Kyaikkami in Mon State crashed on Monday morning killing 11 men, 15 women and one monk, and injuring another 10 people, according to the state-run newspaper Kyaymon (“the mirror”). The bus crashed at Kyaikto in Mon State.
Seven Bodies Found in Thai Lake
Seven bodies, believed to be Burmese migrant workers, were found floating in the Sri Nakarin Dam, about 69 km (43 miles) from Kanchanaburi, the news agency Agence France-Presse reported on Saturday. Five of the bodies were women, one was a man and one a young boy. According to the report, the provincial police commander, Maj-Gen Rawat Klingaysorn, said that none of the bodies showed signs of assault and it was possible they died after their boat capsized. In late December, Thai authorities also uncovered the bodies of 22 Burmese migrant workers in the Andaman Sea, off the coast of southern Thailand.
Burmese Regime Attacks Bloggers
The Burmese military government has blocked blogger sites and redirected links on such websites. According to the Niknayman Blog, the military government has recently added more words in their Niknayman blog address. The added words are: “This is Myanmar,” “NLD,” and “stupid sucking blog.” If people click on the Niknayman blog its webpage pulls up pornographic pictures and videos. The Niknayman blog was one of the most active blog sites during the September uprising and put up several pictures of the demonstrations and videos depicting how the military government cracked down on the peaceful protesters and monks.
The Niknayman blog said that the military government has now also blocked the website of www.blogger.com and was also trying to slow down Internet speed so internet users could not access the blog and other websites.
Friday, January 11, 2008
UN Says Burma Government Control Hampers Aid Distribution
Poor access and tight government control in military-ruled Burma have hampered efforts to provide food assistance in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation, the UN's World Food Program said Thursday. One of the main challenges for the group is the military government's control of the transportation system, said Chris Kaye, WFP's country director in Rangoon. The group, like other international humanitarian organizations here, is required to get formal clearance from authorities to deliver food where it is needed, he said. Although the hindrances haven't been removed, there has recently been an easing of clearance procedures in northwestern Burma helping to speed up the movement of food, Kaye said, adding that the WFP hoped to get a similar agreement covering the rest of the country.
The WFP has supplied 500,000 people with food aid since it began its assistance program here last year, the group said in a statement. It plans to reach a total of 1.6 million vulnerable people at a total cost of US $51.7 million over three years. The WFP said last year that some 5 million people in Burma were chronically short of food. Myanmar has a population of 54 million people. (AP)
Thailand to Ban Smoking in Nightclubs, Outdoor Markets
Smokers in Thailand will soon be banned from lighting up in nightclubs, pubs, and open-air markets, the Public Health Ministry said Friday. The new ban, scheduled to take effect Feb. 17, will apply to all air-conditioned entertainment venues, toughening earlier restrictions that affected only air-conditioned restaurants, said Hatai Chitanond of the ministry's Health Promotion Institute. Outdoor restaurants will be required to set up nonsmoking areas. Fines of 2,000 baht (US $68) will be imposed. (AP)
Suharto's Lungs Show Early Signs of Infection
Doctors caring for former Indonesian dictator Suharto said Friday his lungs showed early signs of infection, as a small group of protesters gathered in front of the hospital demanding he be held accountable for abuses during his reign. Fluids were building up in Suharto's lungs, which showed early signs of infection Friday, said Dr. Hadiarto Mangunnegoro, a pulmonologist. The 86-year-old was admitted in critical condition just over a week ago with anemia and a dangerously low heart rate. He initially responded well to a blood transfusion and kidney dialysis, but his condition has fluctuated daily since then. Patients have been cleared from part of Pertamina Hospital in Jakarta to make way for Suharto, whose 32-year regime was widely regarded as one of the most ruthless and corrupt of the 20th century. Several nearby rooms were packed with family members and close friends, some praying and chanting verses from the Quran. (AP)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Singapore Opens New Airport Terminal
Singapore opened Wednesday a new state-of-the-art airport terminal, with features including an indoor garden and waterfalls, in a bid to strengthen the city-state's status as a regional air hub. Changi Airport Terminal 3, built at a cost of 1.75 billion Singapore dollars (US $1.22 billion), will expand the airport's annual capacity by 22 million to 70 million passengers a year. Terminal 3 started operations with its first arrival from San Francisco and first departure to London, both on Singapore Airlines. Arriving passengers were greeted with a traditional lion dance performance and adorned with orchid garlands.
The seven-story terminal has 28 aerobridge gates—eight of which are designed to handle a new generation of large, double-decker passenger jets like the Airbus A380. A vertical garden of climbing plants and four waterfalls spans 300 meters (984 feet) inside the main building, which also features a roof with over 900 skylights and reflector panels that automatically allow an optimum amount of natural light while keeping out the tropical heat. As a regional air transportation hub, Singapore's Changi Airport faces competition from neighbors such as Thailand and Malaysia. (AP)
Thaksin Leaves Hong Kong for London
Deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra quietly left Hong Kong on a flight to London on Thursday, two days after his wife was arrested on corruption charges in Thailand. Dressed in a dark suit, Thaksin chatted on his mobile phone as he waited in line with other passengers at the Hong Kong International Airport to board his flight. The former first lady, Pojamarn Shinawatra, was arrested Tuesday after flying in from Hong Kong. The charges against the Shinawatras stem from a controversial 2003 land deal and having allegedly concealed millions of dollars in stock market shares. She was freed on a total bail of 6 million baht (US $202,000). Both husband and wife face up to 28 years behind bars. Critics believe Thaksin sent his wife home to test the political climate ahead of his eventual return. (AP)
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
US Diplomat Urges Burma Leaders to Start Talks with Opposition
A senior US diplomat urged Burma's ruling military junta on Tuesday to begin talks with opposition leaders and release political prisoners. Nicholas Burns, the State Department's No. 3 official, wrote in The Washington Post that the leaders in Burma and their "policies are the greatest threat to Burma's unity, stability and prosperity." Burns said the generals "have brought about a steady decline in living standards and a deterioration in educational and public health systems. They have caused a continuing flow of refugees, narcotics and dangerous diseases into neighboring countries." The United States, Burns wrote, supports UN efforts to start a national dialogue. "That's why it is critical that China, India, the Asean countries and Burma's other neighbors use any and all influence to support the UN effort and press the regime to initiate a dialogue," Burns wrote, referring to the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party is advocating for her freedom and for the release of prisoners seized during last year's crackdown on pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks. Burmese troops crushed the street rallies in September and sparked global outrage over the loss of life. (AP)
2 Vietnamese Arrested for Animal Trafficking
Two Vietnamese—Nguyen Thuy Mui, 48, and Nguyen Quoc Truong, 43—were arrested for animal trafficking after two live tigers were discovered in the back seat of a car and four dead ones were found frozen in a home, state-run media reported Wednesday. Police found the animals sedated in the car en route from the capital Hanoi to nearby Ha Dong City. They then discovered four frozen tigers in Truong's house, the biggest one weighing 150 kilograms (330 pounds). The animals were to be processed into expensive traditional medicines that many believe will cure a number of ailments. Truong told police he bought the animals from a Hanoi zoo. Mui apparently raised the two live tigers from cubs in her house after buying them six months ago for 234 million Vietnamese dong (US $14,600). She agreed to sell them to Truong for 640 million Vietnamese dong ($40,000). The animals were in good condition, said Ngo Ba Oanh, the director of a rescue center in Hanoi.
Vietnam's tiger population has dramatically declined since the Vietnam War ended in 1975 because of shrinking natural habitat and poaching. About 100 tigers live along Vietnam's borders with Laos and Cambodia, down from thousands before the end of the war, according to the Forestry Department. (AP)
Monday, January 07, 2008
Cholera Outbreak Hits Southern Laos
A cholera outbreak has swept through more than a dozen villages in southern Laos, killing two and sickening nearly 200 with severe diarrhea, a World Health Organization official said Monday. The disease was confirmed in the remote province of Sekong, near the border with Vietnam, after people from 13 villages began falling ill last month, said Tessa Rintala, the WHO spokeswoman in the capital, Vientiane. The two deaths were attributed to extreme dehydration.
It was the country's first cholera outbreak since 2000, Rintala said. She said tests found that at least one of the rivers in the villages was contaminated with cholera and could be a source of the outbreak. The Health Ministry was expected to send chlorine to the affected areas to treat water. (AP)
Suharto Stable after Dialysis, Transfusion
The health of former Indonesian dictator Suharto was improving Monday, with fluids being drained from his heart and his appetite and ability to communicate returning, days after he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, doctors and family members said. The 86-year-old was suffering from anemia, a dangerously low heart rate and swollen internal organs when he was admitted to Pertamina Hospital on Friday and his condition sharply deteriorated hours later, with some aides saying privately he had been on the verge of death. But a transfusion of blood—supplied by his children—and dialysis treatment appeared to be working, said Dr Marjo Subinandono, the chief presidential doctor.
Suharto has been accused of overseeing a brutal purge of more than half a million left-wing opponents at the outset of his 32-year reign. Though he has also faced charges of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds, he has so far evaded prosecution because of his health. Since his ouster by a pro-democracy uprising in 1998, Suharto has lived a secluded life on a leafy lane in the capital, Jakarta, rarely venturing from his mansion, but a steady stream of high-profile guests still flock to see him on birthdays and Islamic holidays, a sign of the lingering influence he has over the ruling elite. (AP)
Malaysia Rations Cooking Oil to Counter Supply Shortage
Malaysian cooking oil will be rationed starting Monday to counter a supply shortage caused by smuggling and panic buying amid fears of a price hike, a government official said. Consumers will be allowed to buy only up to 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of cooking oil at any one time, said Hoo Seong Chang, parliamentary secretary of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry. Supermarkets and retail stores nationwide have been told to enforce the rationing, he told The Associated Press on Sunday. The government is also asking cooking oil manufacturers to raise production, and is urging consumers to cooperate to ensure that the shortage is resolved quickly, Hoo said. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said panic buying and hoarding had created an "artificial shortage" of cooking oil, prompting the rationing, but that there was plenty of oil for everyone, The Sunday Star newspaper reported. The newspaper, however, said news of the rationing had sparked a renewed rush to buy cooking oil nationwide. (AP)
Burma’s First Herbal Park Opens
Burma’s first national herbal park has opened in the new capital of Naypyidaw, state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported on Sunday.
Over 20,000 herbal and medicinal plants from over 700 species are being cultivated to produce medicines for treating diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hypertension, diabetes, malaria and tuberculosis in the 81-hectare park, the report said.
According to health authorities, Burma has made arrangements for the development of traditional medicines in line with international standards, including opening diploma courses and practitioner courses to train skilled experts in the field.
Indigenous Burmese medicines have traditionally comprised ingredients such as roots, tubers, bulbs and animal products, and have a long history in the country.
Australian Takeover at Phnom Penh Post
The two Australian businessmen who run the weekly Myanmar Times announced Monday that they have taken over The Phnom Penh Post, a Cambodian newspaper, said Agence France-Presse.
According to an AFP news report, Ross Dunkley, chief executive officer of Burma Consolidated Media, which publishes The Myanmar Times, said that he and Bill Clough, an Australian miner and oil and gas entrepreneur, have taken a controlling stake in the paper.
The Phnom Penh Post, which publishes every two weeks, was founded by American journalist Michael Hayes 17 years ago.
Hayes will continue as editor-in-chief, while the project will be managed by Michael Dauguet, a French national with extensive experience working in Vietnam in media and software development.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Monk Movement Calls for Release of Detainees
The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks released a statement on Tuesday calling for the release of all detained Buddhist monks, including one of its leaders, U Gambira, as well as detained students, ethnic leaders, political prisoners and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The monks also urged the Burmese regime to solve the current political crisis by means of dialogue. The group said that it will also continue its patta ni kozana kan—a refusal to accept alms from members of the armed forces and their families—as well as urge the public to fight peacefully for their freedom in the future.