Defence treaties to be maintained: Duterte
MANILA • Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said his country will maintain its existing defence treaties and military alliances, adding to uncertainty and confusion over the status of security ties with the United States.
"We need not really break or abrogate our existing treaties because they say that it could provide us with the umbrella," Mr Duterte said in a speech to coast guard personnel in Manila yesterday.
"We will maintain all military alliances because they say we need it for our defence."
REUTERS
Najib launches app to connect with people
PETALING JAYA • Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has launched an official mobile application to connect with people.
The app, which is available on Google Play Store and Apple Appstore, allows users to get the latest updates and announcements from Datuk Seri Najib and to connect to all of his official social media sites.
Users can also participate in campaigns and polls, share opinions and comments with Mr Najib and read about his political career.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Chinese city's former party chief jailed
BEIJING • A court has jailed for life the former top official in a major Chinese city after convicting him of corruption, state media said, the latest person caught in the government's sweeping campaign against graft.
Shen Weichen was Communist Party chief in Taiyuan, capital of the northern province of Shanxi. He was put under investigation in 2014.
The court in the eastern province of Jiangsu found Shen guilty of taking bribes worth almost 100 million yuan (S$20.6 million), the China Daily said yesterday.
Shen had abused his power to "gain benefits for others, including in business dealings and job promotions", the paper said, citing the judgment.
REUTERS
Clashes in Rakhine leave 12 dead
YANGON • Twelve people have died in Myanmar's Rakhine state in recent clashes between armed men and troops in a growing challenge for the country's new democratically elected government.
Four soldiers and one attacker were killed on Tuesday when hundreds of men wielding pistols and swords attacked troops in Pyaungpit, a village near the town of Maungdaw, media reports said yesterday.
Troops also discovered seven dead after fighting in the nearby village of Taung Paing Nyar, the reports said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
