Asia News fra SCMP

An American diplomat was found dead in Myanmar’s largest city, the US State Department said, and members of the diplomatic community in Yangon say a Thai woman has been detained by police in connection with the investigation. American officials in Thailand and the US embassy in Myanmar referred questions on the case to the State Department, which confirmed the “death of a US government employee” assigned to the embassy in Yangon but gave no other details. “Out of respect for the privacy of the...

Malaysia’s prosecutors have closed a criminal intimidation investigation involving former anti-corruption chief Azam Baki, saying a complaint by businessman Albert Tei did not “meet the legal threshold” for further action. The decision comes against the backdrop of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government facing pressure over prosecutorial independence. Anwar had campaigned on a reformist, anti-corruption platform that has since been tested by high-profile dropped cases and delayed...

Prabowo Subianto has brought one of Indonesia’s most prominent labour leaders into his administration, giving organised labour a voice inside the presidential palace while also fuelling concerns that the country’s unions are being pulled away from street-level activism. Said Iqbal, former president of the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI), defended his appointment as special adviser on labour affairs in an exclusive interview with This Week in Asia, arguing that workers needed direct...

Four Indonesian soldiers found guilty of an acid attack that left an activist blind in one eye were sentenced on Wednesday to up to three years in prison by a military court, with a judge calling their actions “arrogant”. The four, all members of the military’s Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), were found guilty of premeditated assault for the attack in March that left Andrie Yunus, 27, blind in one eye. They were arrested shortly after the attack, and BAIS head Yudi Abrimantyo stepped down...

A dismissed high-ranking Filipino police officer convicted of orchestrating the 2016 killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo was arrested in the Philippine capital of Manila after nearly two years on the run, authorities said on Wednesday. President Lee Jae Myung welcomed the arrest, vowing to seek justice for criminals targeting South Koreans abroad and expressing gratitude to officials in both countries for their joint efforts. Rafael Dumlao, who was a top official of an anti-drug unit...

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to visit the Russian city of Kazan next week in a trip that would mark the first high-level talks between leaders from both sides since the city state imposed sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, sources have confirmed. Wong will attend the Asean-Russia Commemorative Summit from June 17 to June 19 to mark the 35th anniversary of dialogue relations between Moscow and Asean, according to sources who spoke to This Week in Asia on condition...

Almost 20,000 people have signed an online petition in Japan to protest against US President Donald Trump and the White House using manga and anime characters in posts on social media. In the latest example, a video on Truth Social uploaded on Saturday depicts Trump as ninja Naruto Uzumaki from Naruto, sparking a furious reaction from some fans of the popular series. The clip is part of an AI-generated music video for “Thank You, President Trump”, a song by Anthony Constantino, a Republican from...

The death of a 17-year-old who was filmed after being swept out to sea at a popular tourist spot has prompted soul-searching in Indonesia about the bystander effect. Elmi Febrianti had been visiting the Apparalang tourist site in Bulukumba regency with her family on Sunday when she ventured to a clifftop known as a popular selfie vantage point and was struck by a large wave that dragged her out to sea. Apparalang is known for its turquoise waters and towering limestone cliffs, whose dramatic...

An acid attack against a woman doctor has sent shock waves through Pakistan’s medical sector, sparking strikes and a protest demanding safety and justice for the victim. A man threw acid at Mahnoor Nasir at her hospital in the southern city of Quetta on Saturday, causing burns to 7 per cent of her body, according to the provincial chief minister’s office. Officers killed the suspected perpetrator, Humayun Shah, a lift operator at the medical facility, at a bus station as he tried to...

Sydney’s new A$5.6 billion (US$4 billion) airport will ⁠open to passengers in ⁠October after more than a decade ⁠of planning, adding red-eye flight options from Australia’s largest city as the existing hub operates under night curfew restrictions. The current airport, located closer to Sydney’s central business district, can host take-offs and landings only until 11pm and after ‌6am due to tough noise regulations, limiting airline scheduling options relative to other major Australian cities like...