Myanmar army razed Rohingya villages to build security outposts, UN-backed report says

After the 2017 expulsion of the Muslim minority Rohingya from Myanmar’s Rakhine state, the military destroyed villages and mosques and repurposed their lands for security outposts, according to a UN-backed investigation released on Monday. Violence against the Rohingya escalated dramatically in August 2017 when Myanmar’s military launched an operation in response to militant attacks, driving […]

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Indonesian president defends free meals programme after 6,000 suffer food poisoning

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Monday defended his ambitious plan to provide free meals for children after some 6,000 cases of food poisoning, saying the percentage of those affected was small and the programme was still finding its footing. The food poisonings have sparked a public outcry with TV channels broadcasting images of children being […]

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Beijing, Hong Kong slam ‘biased’ US investment climate report ‘smearing’ city

By Denise Tsang The Chinese foreign ministry’s arm in Hong Kong and the city government have slammed the latest edition of a US report on the local business environment, saying it continues to “maliciously smear and make unfounded and false accusations” against the national security law. The US State Department issued its “2025 Investment Climate […]

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How will the Philippines use its share of US$55 million maritime aid?

By Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippines is among Asian nations to be covered by a US$55 million maritime defence funding from the United States, but Manila is not expected to buy any significant game-changing security assets with its share. Analysts say while the funding signals Washington’s focus on pulling mid-sized states into its orbit to counter […]

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