JAKARTA – Indonesia is eyeing a bigger slice of the global durian market after China, the world’s largest importer of the fruit, rejected more than 100 containers of durian from Thailand earlier this year. The fruit from Thailand was found to be contaminated with the carcinogenic dye “Basic Yellow 2” (BY2), leading to its return by Beijing authorities and the blacklisting of several Thai exporters. This “will create an opportunity for Indonesia to supply durian directly to China,” says Liferdi Lukman, director of floriculture at the Indonesian Agriculture Ministry’s Horticulture Directorate General. Efforts to access the Chinese market for durian…
Author: Asia News Network
KUALA LUMPUR: Police suspect that the gunman in the shooting of a janitor at a shopping mall in Setia Alam had acted out of rage after being told to move his belongings. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain (pic) said the shooter, a local man in his 30s, was believed to be under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident. “However, the real motive has (yet to be determined),” he told reporters after accompanying Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil to the 60th anniversary of Silat Cekak Pusaka Hanafi celebrations here yesterday.…
BEIJING – Update: One confirmed dead and 28 still missing after landslide Twenty-nine people have been confirmed missing after a devastating landslide hit a village in Yibin, Sichuan province on Saturday, according to a news conference held early Sunday morning. The landslide, which occurred at around 11:50 am in Jinping village of Junlian county in Yibin, buried 10 residential houses and one production facility. The total number of missing people is still being verified. Preliminary assessments indicate that the recent continuous rainfall and geological conditions triggered the disaster. The landslide volume exceeded 100,000 cubic meters, forming a 1.2-kilometer-long debris flow,…
The utilities cutoff on the Myanmar border was proved effective as call-centre gangs released more than 100 employees back to Thailand on Sunday, according to a source in Tachilek, a city bordering Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district. The Thai National Security Council ordered cutting off power supply, internet connections and fuel exports to five Myanmar border areas last Wednesday to disrupt scam call-centre operations there. A source said policemen and soldiers in Tachilek launched a crackdown against gambling dens in the city from Thursday to Saturday, and some gambling-den owners and employees were arrested. Officials have also arrested many people…
BANGKOK – The Myawaddy Chamber of Commerce has made a desperate plea to Thailand to ease restrictions on electricity and fuel supplies, as the measures, implemented to target cross-border call centre operations, have brought the city to its knees. Since Monday, the blackout has paralysed government agencies, businesses, and residents of Myawaddy, which relies almost entirely on Thai electricity and fuel. Hospitals are particularly concerned, with power outages threatening the lives of patients in intensive care and those awaiting critical surgery. Medical equipment and oxygen supplies are dependent on a stable power source. The fuel shortage is also severely impacting…
DHAKA – Standing beside Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in front of the press in the White House, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, “We will take over Gaza. We will own it.” He went on to say that Gaza could become “the Riviera of the Middle East,” where the “world’s people” would live. His statement aligns with that of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who told an audience at Harvard University last year that Israel should remove civilians while it “cleans up” the Gaza Strip, and that Gaza had very valuable “waterfront property.” Trump’s announcement sent shockwaves through the…
SEOUL – “Can we really say that Seoul is the fashion hub of Asia when Seoul Fashion Week continues to be as it is?” asked Jung Joon-ho, CEO of Lotte Department Store, during his keynote speech at the Seoul Fashion Forum, held Wednesday as part of the 2025 fall-winter Seoul Fashion Week event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. Jung pointed out that if the event continues to struggle with attracting notable designer brands and a significant number of buyers, it will be impossible for Seoul to claim its place as the center of fashion in Asia. Only 16 brands…
MANILA – Vice President Sara Duterte has been impeached by the House of Representatives after a total of 215 lawmakers have endorsed the fourth impeachment complaint, fast-tracking the processing and sending of the petition to the Senate for a trial. On Wednesday, the last session before Congress goes on a break for the election season, it was announced that over one-third of all House members have signed the impeachment complaint. Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe moved that additional references of business for the day be read, during which House Secretary General Reginald Velasco announced that a fourth impeachment complaint was…
DHAKA – The Dhanmondi-32 residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sudha Sadan and houses and businesses of some senior Awami League’s leaders were vandalised across the country last night. These followed social media announcements of processions to clear the country of “pilgrimage sites of fascism”. The attacks also came as deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina delivered a speech last night. In Dhaka, around 11:30pm, protesters started demolishing the residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, located at Dhanmondi 32 in the capital, using a bulldozer. Earlier, around 8:00pm, protesters stormed and vandalised the Dhanmondi-32 residence. Meanwhile, unidentified individuals set fire to…
BANGKOK – China’s President Xi Jinping praised Thailand for cracking down on call centre gangs and promoting multi-level cooperation during his meeting with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Beijing on Thursday. During the meeting at the Great Hall of the People, both nations celebrated their 50th year of diplomatic relations, while strengthening their commitment to economic and security partnerships, Jirayu Huangsap, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, said. China has maintained its position as Thailand’s primary trading partner for 12 consecutive years, with investments exceeding $100 billion. President Xi expressed firm support for joint operations against fraud, kidnapping, and…