Latest Association of Southeast Asian Nations News
US Army chief seeks closer security ties with Indonesia amid tensions in South China Sea
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — U.S. Army Chief of Staff James McConville met with Indonesia’s top defense official on Friday to push for stronger security ties amid growing Chinese maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific region. McConville said he and Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo...
ASEAN leader: No progress in ending Myanmar's deadly civil strife
LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo somberly acknowledged to fellow Southeast Asian leaders Thursday that no progress has been made to end the civil strife gripping Myanmar and renewed a call for an end to the violence, including a recent airstrike a rights group called...
ASEAN leaders to agree to cooperate in fighting cyber scams
LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders have agreed to tighten border controls and law enforcement and improve public education to fight criminal syndicates that are trafficking workers to other nations, where they are forced to participate in online fraud, according to a draft...
ASEAN leaders condemn attack on aid convoy in Myanmar
LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders condemned an attack on an aid convoy that the regional group had arranged for displaced people in Myanmar, calling Wednesday for an immediate stop to violence and for the military government to comply with a peace plan. Leaders...
Myanmar violence, sea feud are tough challenges for ASEAN
LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia (AP) — Alarm over Myanmar’s still-unfolding deadly civil strife, including an armed attack on an aid convoy, and China’s aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea are expected to challenge Southeast Asian leaders' commitments to non-interference and consensus...
ASEAN relief convoy attacked in Myanmar; no casualties
BANGKOK (AP) — A convoy including diplomats representing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on a mission to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced people in strife-torn Myanmar has been ambushed, state media and a member of an ethnic minority militia said Monday. ...
ASEAN leaders to tackle regional crises at tropical resort
LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia (AP) — A picturesque tourist destination will host crisis-weary Southeast Asian leaders with sun-splashed tropical islands, turquoise waters brimming with corals and manta rays, seafood feasts, and a hillside savannah crawling with Komodo dragons. The...
Indonesia works to rescue 20 trafficking victims in Myanmar
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian officials said Friday they were working to rescue dozens of their nationals who were trafficked to Myanmar to work as cyber scammers, amid an increase in human trafficking cases in Southeast Asia. At least 20 Indonesian job seekers are trapped...
Rights groups welcome Malaysia's move on death penalty
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Human rights groups on Tuesday applauded Malaysia's move to scrap the mandatory death penalty as a major step forward in the push for the abolition of capital punishment in Southeast Asia. Instead of the death penalty, lawmakers on Monday approved...
UN envoy: Wide resistance to Myanmar military's repression
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Widespread popular resistance to brutal repression by Myanmar’s military shows no sign of abating across much of the country, and with both sides intent on winning by force “there is no prospect for a negotiated settlement,” the U.N. special envoy to the...
