US to provide ship to Vietnam to boost South China Sea patrol
HANOI – The United States announced on Wednesday it will provide Vietnam with another coast guard cutter for its growing fleet of ships, boosting Hanoi’s ability to patrol the South…
New front opens in Australian bushfires, power cut to thousands
SYDNEY – Electricity firms have cut off power to thousands of people, more than 100 schools have been closed and residents in high risk regions have sought shelter as Australia’s…
Australia, US, to cooperate on critical minerals, rare earths
Australia and the United States will support projects to develop critical minerals and rare earths, an Australian government minister has said, signalling deeper cooperation in a market dominated by Chinese…
Hazardous bushfire smoke blankets Sydney, residents warned to stay inside
SYDNEY – Heavy winds have stirred dozens of fires across Australia’s east coast, blanketing Sydney in hazardous smoke and prompting health warnings for the country’s most populous city. Wildfires have…
Saudi journalists, who say they were outed as gay, held in Australian asylum centre
DUBAI – Two Saudi male journalists, who say the authorities revealed their romantic relationship in retaliation for contacts one of them had with foreign media, have been detained in Australia…
Qantas urges rapper will.i.am to withdraw racism accusation against staffer
MELBOURNE – Australia’s flagship airline, Qantas, says it stands ready to offer legal assistance to a member of its flight crew named in a racism accusation by Black Eyed Peas…
China says outspoken Australian lawmakers should repent
MELBOURNE – Two Australian lawmakers who were denied entry to China for a study tour because of their outspoken criticism of Beijing must “repent and redress their mistakes” if they…
Samsung denies it plans new plant in northern Vietnam
HANOI – Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has said that it has no plans to build a factory in Vietnam’s northern province of Hoa Binh, after a provincial official said the…
Vietnam jails music teacher for 11 years over ‘anti-state’ Facebook posts
HANOI- A court in Vietnam has jailed a music teacher for 11 years for a series of posts on Facebook that the government said were “anti-state”. Despite sweeping economic reform…
Confusion, anguish in Vietnam as families await UK truck dead
HANOI – Tradition in Vietnam dictates that the dead should be buried within three days, but Nguyen Dinh Gia is still waiting for his son’s body to come home. “We…
