Thailand’s military government has said political parties are free to start campaigning ahead of a long-awaited election scheduled for 24 February. The announcement ends a ban on political campaigning brought in when the military ousted the elected government in a coup four years ago. The military has always insisted it intends to restore democracy in […]
India’s ruling Hindu nationalist BJP is set to lose power in two key states, and is locked in a cliffhanger in a third. So is Congress, India’s Grand Old Party, finally back in the reckoning? The Congress looks set for victory in the states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and is leading in Madhya Pradesh. The […]
A political refugee who spoke out against a powerful ruling family in the Gulf moved one step closer on Tuesday to being extradited to his native Bahrain by the Thai authorities. A Thai court formally extended the detention of Hakeem al-Araibi, once a star defender for the Bahraini national soccer team, for 60 days, during […]
PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – The status of a national park and sultanate land is not the same and the Johor sultanate should revert Pulau Kukup to its former status, said Malaysian Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Tuesday (Dec 11). Muhyiddin said he was “angry” when he knew that Pulau Kukup was degazetted to […]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. producer prices unexpectedly rose in November as increases in the costs for services offset a sharp decline for energy products, but the overall momentum in wholesale inflation appears to be slowing. The Labor Department said on Tuesday its producer price index for final demand edged up 0.1 percent last month after […]
SINGAPORE – A man who worked as senior equipment operator of a container firm was taken to court on Tuesday (Dec 11) after he allegedly tried to obtain a $1 bribe from a truck driver. The Straits Times understands that this is one of the lowest amounts involved in a corruption case. Chinese national Chen […]
HONG KONG (AFP) – From ankle-deep mud in Central Asia to the scorching heat of Australia, Mina Guli is running 100 marathons in 100 days to highlight a looming global water shortage. The 48-year-old Australian is galloping across the planet, 42km at a time, with barely a moment to adjust her watch before it’s on to […]
KUALA LUMPUR (BLOOMBERG) – Malaysia’s Finance Ministry has approved a plan to revive the balance sheet of Lembaga Tabung Haji, a state fund tasked with helping Muslims save for a pilgrimage to Mecca. The government will form a special purpose vehicle that will take over as much as 19.9 billion ringgit (S$6.53 billion) of the […]
Announcement is followed by military government saying it is lifting four-year ban on political activities. Thailand’s much-delayed general election will be held on February 24, electoral officials commission have said, shortly before the military government announced the lifting of a ban on political campaigning. The military government had imposed the strict prohibition after taking power in 2014, […]
TOKYO (REUTERS) – The US military ended a search on Tuesday (Dec 11) for five Marines missing in the sea off Japan since two Marine Corps aircraft were involved in an accident during an air-to-air refuelling exercise on Dec 6. The five missing crew of a KC-130 Hercules refuelling plane were officially declared deceased. “We […]