Asia Briefs: Rescued Thai boys, coach made citizens

Rescued Thai boys, coach made citizens

BANGKOK • The United Nations refugee agency welcomed yesterday a decision by Thailand to grant Thai citizenship to three boys and their soccer coach from among a group of 13 who were rescued from a flooded cave last month.

The four were granted citizenship on Wednesday. The 12 boys and their 25-year-old coach were catapulted into the international spotlight after they became trapped inside the Tham Luang Cave in the northern province of Chiang Rai, triggering a dramatic rescue effort.

REUTERS


3 carmakers admit emissions cheating

TOKYO • Japan's Suzuki Motor, Mazda and Yamaha have admitted using false emissions data for some vehicles, the Transport Ministry said yesterday, in the latest product quality scandal to hit the country's auto sector.

The companies came forward after the ministry last month ordered 23 car and motorbike companies to conduct in-house probes after it emerged Nissan and Subaru had cheated on fuel economy and emissions data.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


Jailed banker loses final murder appeal

HONG KONG • Hong Kong's highest court yesterday rejected the final attempt by a British former banker to force a new trial over his jailing in 2016 for the cocaine-fuelled murder of two Indonesian women he tortured and raped.

Rurik Jutting, 32, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Ms Sumarti Ningsih, 23, and Ms Seneng Mujiasih, 26, in 2014.

A three-judge panel at the Court of Final Appeal did not grant Jutting leave for appeal, rejecting his lawyer's argument that the trial judge had misdirected the jury over the defence of diminished responsibility, broadcaster RTHK reported.

REUTERS


20 killed after rains trigger landslides

NEW DELHI • At least 20 people were killed yesterday in landslides triggered by heavy rains in southern India, an official said, pushing the nationwide monsoon death toll for this year to over 700. The casualties were reported from Idukki, Malappuram Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.

XINHUA

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 10, 2018, with the headline Asia Briefs: Rescued Thai boys, coach made citizens. Subscribe