Asia Briefs: US tourist falls to death at pagoda

The pangolin is the most heavily trafficked mammal in the world.
The pangolin is the most heavily trafficked mammal in the world. PHOTO: REUTERS

US tourist falls to death at pagoda

YANGON • A 20-year-old American tourist fell to her death while trying to view the sunset from a 6-m-high pagoda in Myanmar's ancient former capital of Bagan, the government said yesterday.

The traveller, identified as Ms Kassandra Braun, died on the way to hospital in Mandalay, a Home Ministry statement said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


Auto-system to curb offensive websites

JAKARTA • Indonesia plans to launch in January a new automated system using 44 servers to help block websites displaying content such as pornography or extremist ideology, a Communications Ministry official said yesterday.

The so-called "crawling system" searches Internet content and issues alerts when inappropriate material is found, Director-General Semuel Pangerapan said.

The ministry would immediately block foreign-owned sites carrying such content, but applications such as messaging services would receive warnings first, he added.

REUTERS


Malaysia seizes live pangolins

KUALA LUMPUR • Dozens of live pangolins were seized from suspected traffickers close to Malaysia's border with Thailand, officials said yesterday, thwarting the latest attempt to smuggle the critically endangered creatures.

The pangolins, the world's most heavily trafficked mammals, were recovered on Tuesday in two separate raids in the northern Malaysian state of Kedah.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 09, 2017, with the headline Asia Briefs: US tourist falls to death at pagoda. Subscribe