Thai veteran politician set for single day as acting prime minister

BANGKOK: Thailand’s acting prime minister is set to helm the country for only one full day on Wednesday (Jul 2), standing in for suspended premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra before being replaced himself in a Cabinet reshuffle. Transport minister and deputy prime minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit began his engagements by attending a ceremony in Bangkok celebrating the longevity […]

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Indonesia bets on critical minerals to avert US tariffs – will its ‘second-best offer’ work?

By Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is banking on its rich reserves of critical minerals to persuade the United States to pull back steep looming tariffs – an offer that could appeal to American strategic interests even as concerns remain about regulatory risks and China’s entrenched role in the country’s mineral supply chains. Coordinating Minister for […]

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Philippines joins Japan’s ‘one-theatre’ plan against China sea threat

By Sam Beltran The Philippines is adopting a Japan-led strategy to treat the East and South China seas as a unified theatre of operations – a shift that is seen to reflect growing alignment among regional allies in the face of China’s expanding maritime footprint. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the “one-theatre” concept would promote […]

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Philippines’ Sara Duterte takes aim at US ties, attacks missile deployment

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has stepped in to defuse a potential family feud over his Davao City house that was put up for sale, saying he is unwilling to offload the property due to its sentimental value. Duterte’s partner Honeylet Avancena said she was seeking buyers for the residence, citing her emotional concerns ever […]

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Thailand’s PM Paetongtarn suspended over leaked call as political crisis deepens

Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office pending an investigation over a leaked phone call with a former Cambodian leader. The judges voted unanimously Tuesday to take the petition accusing her of a breach of ethics, and voted 7 to 2 to suspend her from duty. Paetongtarn has faced growing dissatisfaction over […]

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Philippines’ financial center taps tourism department to become halal hub

MANILA: Philippine business leaders in Makati City are collaborating with the Department of Tourism to make the country’s financial center an all-encompassing halal hub for both trade and tourism, the head of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Makati chapter said on Saturday. Makati City in Metro Manila is popularly known as the Philippines’ […]

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Protesters rally in Bangkok to demand Thai prime minister’s resignation over leaked Cambodia call

By JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI BANGKOK (AP) — Thousands rallied in Thailand’s capital on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, part of the brewing political turmoil set off by a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a recent border dispute with […]

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