Export pork to Indonesia? Putin gets a good laugh

MOSCOW • Russian President Vladimir Putin burst into laughter when one of his Cabinet ministers proposed that the country export pork to Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, said news channel Al Arabiya English.

Mr Putin at first chuckled when Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev mentioned the plan. He then explained to Mr Tkachev that Indonesia is a Muslim country and its people do not eat pork.

The minister insisted and replied: "They will."

Mr Putin said "No, they will not", before bursting into laughter.

Mr Tkachev then smiled and clarified that he meant South Korea and not Indonesia.

THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Arrest warrant out for head of Hanjin Group

SEOUL • South Korean police are seeking an arrest warrant for Mr Cho Yang Ho, chairman of Hanjin Group, the parent of Korean Air Lines, on charges of breach of trust following their probe into construction work at his house, a police official said yesterday.

Mr Cho is under investigation for allegedly using 3 billion won (S$3.6 million) allotted for the construction of a new hotel to pay for the remodelling of his house in 2013.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Loss of pressure forces AirAsia flight to turn back

SYDNEY • An AirAsia flight from Australia to Indonesia was forced to turn back to Perth after losing cabin pressure, with passengers yesterday recounting their terror as oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling.

AirAsia said the plane suffered a "technical issue", with Australian media reporting that the aircraft had to quickly drop from a height of around 9,750m to 3,050m some 25 minutes after take-off.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE