Asia News

Australia: No deal with Indonesia in Schapelle Corby drug case

By AP News Wed, May 23, 2012 3:58PM UTC

Former beauty student Schapelle Corby pictured in 2005. Pic: AP.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia denied Wednesday that it had agreed to treat young Indonesian people smugglers more leniently in return for Indonesia reducing the prison sentence of a high-profile Australian drug trafficker. But Foreign Minister Bob Carr conceded that Indonesians saw a link between the treatment of Australian Schapelle

View Comments Read Full Story ›

Foreigner-bashing rises amid China’s domestic woes

By AP News Wed, May 23, 2012 10:31AM UTC

A young protester throws a paint ball toward Japanese Consulate building in Shanghai, China. Pic: AP.

BEIJING (AP) — First, videos of rude foreigners went viral in Chinese cyberspace, then a Beijing police crackdown on visitors without valid visas drew fervent applause, and finally, a state TV host urged his countrymen to toss out the “foreign trash.” The latest anti-foreigner stirring in China has put the

View Comments Read Full Story ›

UK govt expresses concern about death of Ah Kong, calls for LM review

By Andrew Spooner Wed, May 23, 2012 5:54AM UTC

Last week I blogged about questions raised in the UK Parliament by the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kerry McCarthy MP (Bristol East, Labour Party) regarding Thailand’s use of its infamous lese majeste laws and the treatment/death of Ampon Tangnoppakul aka Ah Kong (a Thai political prisoner who died on

View Comments Read Full Story ›

Burma Army still using rape as a weapon of war

By Zin Linn Wed, May 23, 2012 12:43AM UTC

The Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) has reported a gang-rape committed by soldiers from the Burma Army. The incident occurred at Luk Pi village in Chipwi township an area where heavy fighting took place in recent weeks between the Burmese soldiers and the Kachin Independence Army. The victim was found

View Comments Read Full Story ›

Indonesia cuts prison term for Australian drug smuggler

By AP News Tue, May 22, 2012 5:57PM UTC

BALI, Indonesia (AP) — An Australian woman imprisoned in Indonesia for drug smuggling has been granted a five-year reduction on her 20-year sentence, officials said Tuesday, meaning she could be eligible for parole as early as August. Former beauty student Schapelle Leigh Corby was convicted in 2005 of smuggling marijuana

View Comments Read Full Story ›