THE ASEAN DAILY

25/04/2024

Biden signs historic foreign aid bill, bolsters Ukraine and Israel; TikTok faces potential US ban

  25-4-2024 (WASHINGTON) In a pivotal move on Wednesday, President Joe Biden put pen to paper, signing a momentous $95 billion foreign aid package that will provide vital military assistance to Ukraine and Israel, while also extending humanitarian relief to Palestinians in Gaza. The long-awaited bi...

25/04/2024

TikTok CEO vows legal challenge as Biden signs legislation threatening app’s US ban

  25-4-2024 (WASHINGTON) TikTok’s chief executive has vowed to mount a legal challenge against the legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden on April 24th, a legislation that threatens to ban the wildly popular short video app used by 170 million Americans. Mere moments after Biden’s p...

25/04/2024

Yingluck cleared of final corruption case as NACC accepts court ruling

  25-4-2024 (BANGKOK) In a pivotal development, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has unanimously decided not to contest the Supreme Court’s ruling that dismissed the corruption case against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and revoked the warrant for her arrest. The resolut...

25/04/2024

  25-4-2024 (WASHINGTON) In a collaborative announcement, both the Philippine and US governments recommitted to fostering cooperation across various domains, including expanding their partnership scope, modernizing alliance collaboration, advocating for a maritime order rooted in international law,...

25/04/2024

Israeli-American hostage held by Hamas appears in disturbing video

  25-4-2024 (GAZA) In a chilling development that has sent shockwaves through the region, the Palestinian militant group Hamas has released a video depicting an Israeli-American man held hostage in Gaza. The footage, which has yet to be independently verified, shows the captive, identified as Hersh...

25/04/2024

US academic faces backlash for alleged ‘second holocaust’ remarks in Malaysia

  25-4-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A prominent American academic has ignited a firestorm on social media after purportedly accusing Malaysia of advocating for a “second Holocaust against the Jewish people” during a lecture at the prestigious Universiti Malaya. Bruce Gilley, a professor of political sci...

24/04/2024

Indonesia president-elect Prabowo Subianto calls for unity and national progress

  24-4-2024 (JAKARTA) President-elect Prabowo Subianto, after his confirmation ceremony on Wednesday, pledged to champion the interests of all Indonesians and urged political elites to unite for the nation’s advancement as he prepares to assume office in October. Addressing the gathering, Prabowo...

24/04/2024

Alleged Yakuza members accused in chilling dismemberment murder in Thailand

  24-4-2024 (BANGKOK) In a chilling case that has gripped the nation, details have emerged about a ruthless murder carried out by alleged members of the Japanese yakuza crime syndicate in the Bangbuathong district of Nonthaburi province. The victim, an unidentified Japanese man, was found brutally ...

24/04/2024

Reckless driving suspect arrested after deadly Tampines collision

24-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) In a development following the tragic multi-vehicle accident in Tampines that claimed two lives, Singaporean authorities have arrested a 42-year-old car driver on Wednesday (Apr 24). The arrest comes after the individual was discharged from the hospital, where he was receiving....

24/04/2024

Smoke emanates from ANA plane upon landing at Shin Chitose airport

  24-4-2024 (TOKYO) A tense situation unfolded at Shin Chitose Airport in northern Japan on Wednesday when smoke was seen emanating from an All Nippon Airways (ANA) plane as it touched down safely. The incident, which did not result in any reported injuries, has raised concerns about flight safety ...

24/04/2024

Bank Indonesia surprises markets with rate hike to strengthen Rupiah

  24-4-2024 (JAKARTA) Indonesia’s central bank, Bank Indonesia (BI), took markets by surprise as it announced a rate hike. The move aims to bolster the country’s currency, the rupiah, which has faced selling pressure due to global risk aversion and a delay in expected US policy easing. BI raise...

24/04/2024

Amnesty international urges Philippines’ Marcos administration to end ‘war on drugs’

  24-4-2024 (MANILA) Amnesty International has urged the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to implement a clear and unequivocal policy to halt the “war on drugs” and extrajudicial killings. In a report unveiled on Wednesday, Amnesty International emphasized that extrajudicial exe...

24/04/2024

Suspected Yakuza members believed to be hiding in Thailand after murder case

  24-4-2024 (BANGKOK) Two suspected Japanese yakuza members are currently being hunted by the police in connection with the murder of a fellow countryman. The gruesome discovery of the victim’s severed arms and mutilated body, stuffed into black plastic bags, was made by a 10-year-old boy in the ...

24/04/2024

Man violently assaults woman at Bangkok gym after rejected advances

  24-4-2024 (BANGKOK) A shocking incident has come to light in the Thai capital, where a man was caught on camera grabbing and throwing a woman onto the ground at a Bangkok gym after she rejected his advances. The CCTV footage, which has been widely circulated on social media platforms, has sparked...

24/04/2024

Standard chartered cuts Vietnam’s economic growth projection for 2024 to 6.0%

  24-4-2024 (HANOI) Standard Chartered has revised down its projection for Vietnam’s economic growth in 2024 to 6.0 per cent from the earlier forecast of 6.7 per cent, the bank announced on Wednesday, attributing the adjustment to subdued growth in the first quarter and prevailing global trade un...

24/04/2024

Tesla’s humanoid robot set for potential market debut by end of next year, Elon Musk reveals

  24-4-2024 (CALIFORNIA) Tesla’s humanoid robot, currently in the developmental phase, could potentially hit the market by the end of next year, CEO Elon Musk revealed during a conference call on Tuesday. Numerous companies are banking on humanoid robots to address potential labour shortages and ...

24/04/2024

Singapore’s foreign minister meets Indonesia’s incoming president Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta

  24-4-2024 (JAKARTA) Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan engaged in a diplomatic rendezvous with Indonesia’s incoming president Prabowo Subianto during his recent four-day sojourn in Jakarta. Dr Balakrishnan paid a visit to Prabowo at Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence headquarters...

24/04/2024

Rude AirAsia staff allegedly calls chinese vlogger “Bodoh” (Stupid)

  24-4-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A Chinese vlogger living in Malaysia has taken to social media to share her unfortunate experience with an airline staff member who allegedly called her “bodoh” (stupid) during a service request. The incident, which took place while attempting to check in for a flight...

24/04/2024

TikTok faces uncertain future as US senate approves divestment mandate

  24-4-2024 (WASHINGTON) The wildly popular social media app TikTok is facing an uncertain future in the United States after the Senate approved legislation requiring the Chinese-owned platform to be divested from its parent company, ByteDance, or face being shut out of the American market. The mea...

24/04/2024

Malaysian foreign minister visits Beijing to strengthen bilateral bonds with China

24-4-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, touched down in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit, marking his inaugural trip to China since assuming his post in December 2023. According to Chinese experts, this visit could pave the way...

24/04/2024

U.S. senate passes $95 billion war aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan

  24-4-2024 (WASHINGTON) In a decisive move late Tuesday, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved a $95 billion war aid package destined for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. After months of heated debate and delays, the legislation now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature, marking a significant ste...

23/04/2024

President Marcos Jr. stands firm on retaining vice president Sara Duterte in cabinet

  24-4-2024 (MANILA) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reiterated on Tuesday his stance on retaining Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte in his Cabinet, stating he sees no grounds for her replacement. Addressing concerns in a Filipino statement, Marcos emphasized that Cabinet secretari...

23/04/2024

Ukrainian national guard commander warns of potential Russian offensive in Kharkiv

  24-4-2024 (KYIV) As tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, the commander of Ukraine’s National Guard, Oleksandr Pivnenko, cautioned on Tuesday that Russian troops could launch an unexpected summer offensive in Ukraine, targeting unconventional areas along the front lines, inc...

23/04/2024

Survey reveals half of Singapore workers ready to quit jobs with office work mandates

  24-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) A recent survey conducted by Randstad, a human resources solutions agency, unveiled that 50 percent of Singaporean workers are prepared to leave positions that necessitate more frequent office attendance, particularly resonating with Gen Z employees. Released on Monday, the ...

23/04/2024

Thailand to hold first senate elections in a decade amid calls for constitutional reform

  23-4-2024 (BANGKOK) Thailand is set to hold elections for its upper house of parliament, the Senate, in June, marking the first such poll since the military seized power in a coup a decade ago. The government’s announcement on Tuesday has reignited debates surrounding democratic representation ...

23/04/2024

12 militants killed in southern Philippines gun battle

  23-4-2024 (MANILA) A fierce gun battle between security forces and militants in the southern Philippines has resulted in the death of twelve militants and left seven soldiers injured, according to a statement from the army. The clash occurred on Monday in Maguindanao del Sur province on Mindanao ...

23/04/2024

Asia tops global disaster charts due to climate-related hazards, UN reports

  23-4-2024 (GENEVA) Asia emerged as the world’s most disaster-prone region concerning climate-related hazards in the previous year, as outlined by the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with floods and storms inflicting the highest number of casualties. According to a rep...

23/04/2024

Woman sentenced to 10 years for splashing hot water on man with down syndrome

  23-4-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A sales promoter, Oo Saw Kee, 39, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined RM6,000, or an additional 12 months in jail, after pleading guilty to splashing hot water on a man with Down Syndrome. Sessions court judge Ahzal Fariz Ahmad Khairuddin delivered the verd...

23/04/2024

Prabowo-Gibran prepares coalition following court decision

  23-4-2024 (JAKARTA) After the Constitutional Court dismissed all disputes concerning the 2024 Presidential Election, presidential candidate pair, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is gearing up to form their future government coalition. This development comes after the court rejected chall...

23/04/2024

Exclusive sneakers may hold key evidence in murder of Singaporean in Spain

  23-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) In the mysterious killing of Singaporean Audrey Fang in Spain, a pair of limited-edition Nike sneakers found in the possession of the prime suspect could prove to be a critical piece of evidence for Spanish authorities investigating the case. On April 9, the 39-year-old Fang...