Asian club replete with strongmen welcomes ‘Duterte Harry’
By JIM GOMEZ As bodies continue to pile up in his war on illegal drugs, the Philippine president is making waves at his first summit of the Association of Southeast…
Myanmar
Powerful earthquake shakes central Myanmar
By ESTHER HTUSAN A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6.8 shook central Myanmar on Wednesday, damaging scores of ancient Buddhist pagodas in the former capital of Bagan, a major tourist attraction,…
Suu Kyi meets Chinese president during visit to boost ties
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi met Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to strengthen ties that have been challenged by Myanmar’s democratic reforms and the suspension…
Myanmar leader Suu Kyi makes first official trip, to Laos
Myanmar (AP) — Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader and foreign minister, visited neighboring Laos on Friday in her first official trip abroad. Myanmar and Laotian state media…
Suu Kyi’s party wins historic majority in Myanmar polls
By GRANT PECK Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s opposition party attained a historic majority in Myanmar’s Parliament on Friday, making it possible for them to form the Southeast Asian…
More than 2,000 enslaved fishermen rescued in 6 months
By ESTHER HTUSAN and MARGIE MASON More than 2,000 fishermen have been rescued this year from brutal conditions at sea, liberated as a result of an Associated Press investigation into…
Myanmar’s ruling party forces out influential chairman
By AUNG SHINE OO In a power play ahead of general elections, Myanmar’s military-backed ruling party announced the ouster Thursday of its politically popular chairman hours after security forces seized…
Indonesia navy nabs cargo ship loaded with slave-caught fish
By MARGIE MASON A massive refrigerated cargo ship believed to be loaded with slave-caught fish was seized by Indonesia’s navy and brought to shore Thursday, officials said, after The Associated…