Joko sees Indonesian economy picking up pace
Indonesia could see growth of more than 5 per cent in the second half of the year, President Joko Widodo said yesterday, forecasting a pick-up from a tepid first half that has seen analysts cut their full-year outlook for South-east Asia's biggest economy.
There is also no fear that the region is facing a situation similar to the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, Mr Joko said.
"Growth will be... more than 5 per cent," he said in an interview with The Straits Times at the Bogor Palace ahead of a visit to Singapore.
Muhyiddin breaks silence on 1MDB, says PM ignored advice: Reports
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin says he asked Prime Minister Najib Razak to step down as chairman of the board of advisers at the controversial 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), but the PM "didn't want to listen".
A report in the Malaysian Insider said Tan Sri Muhyiddin said he had had no ill-intentions by suggesting this, but had not wanted Datuk Seri Najib's name to be tarnished because of his involvement with the debt-ridden state investment vehicle.
On Sunday night, said reports, Mr Muhyiddin said the PM himself should personally take the lead to explain the issue to the people, adding at the closing of a Cheras Umno meeting that the government should not underestimate the people's negative sentiments towards 1MDB.
British PM heads to South-east Asia with trade, ISIS on agenda
British Prime Minister David Cameron begins a visit to South-east Asia on Monday, seeking greater cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group and to strengthen trade ties with the region's booming economies.
Cameron will arrive in Indonesia on the first stop of a four-day trip, accompanied by 30 British business leaders and the trade minister, before heading to Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Six injured as roof shears off bus in northern France
Six passengers were seriously injured early on Sunday in a spectacular accident in northern France when the top of a bus was shorn off while trying to pass under a low bridge.
Frederic Fevre, the public prosecutor in the northern city of Lille, said six people were in grave condition after the bus from Spain carrying 58 passengers attempted to drive under a bridge prohibited to vehicles exceeding 2.6m in height.
Cycling: Strongman Froome rides out jeers, spit and urine to triumph again
Chris Froome dug deep into his physical and mental reserves to claim his second Tour de France title on Sunday after three punishing weeks on, and possibly even more so, off the bike.
The 30-year-old Briton, who resisted Nairo Quintana's late charge in the Alps to repeat his 2013 triumph, endured a torrid race during which he was jeered, spat at and had urine thrown at him due to ongoing suspicions of doping.
Froome is not the first yellow jersey holder to be roughed up by the crowd - Belgian great Eddy Merckx and French champion Jacques Anquetil were in their time - but he faced a high level of scrutiny in a sport still reeling from the Lance Armstrong drugs scandal.
