Asia in 3 minutes: New evidence in the search for MH370; claims about Duterte’s ‘Death Squad’
Australian authorities have confirmed the retrieval of another piece of the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft while a Senate probe in the Philippines has heard gruesome details of dozens of murders allegedly ordered by the country’s leader
Wing flap found in Tanzania confirmed to be part of MH370
A wing flap that washed ashore on an island off Tanzania has been identified as belonging to missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Australian officials said Thursday. The flap was found in June by residents on Pemba Island, off the coast of Tanzania. Officials had previously said it was highly likely to have come from the missing Boeing 777. An analysis by experts at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is heading up the search for the plane, subsequently confirmed the part was from the aircraft. Several pieces of wreckage suspected to have come from the plane have washed ashore on coastlines around the Indian Ocean since it vanished with 239 people - mostly Chinese - on board during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.
What next?
The wing flap is the fifth piece of debris that the Australian authority has determined to be almost certainly, or definitely from Flight 370. Another wing piece found a year ago on La Reunion Island, near Madagascar, was positively identified by French officials. Meanwhile, the US$160 million international search for the wreckage has been focused thousands of miles away in the southern Indian Ocean.
Myanmar one step closer to integration as us lifts sanctions
The US has declared its commitment to removing all sanctions on Myanmar, marking another milestone for the former pariah state as it integrates further into the global economy. Washington had already lifted sanctions against several state-owned enterprises and banks earlier this year. The news came as Myanmar’s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi toured Washington.
What next?
Some are questioning the timing amid worries about human rights violations and the military’s continued dominance. At least two US-based concern groups oppose a sanction-free Myanmar, noting the persecution and genocide of Rohingya Muslims, which Suu Kyi has been criticised for doing little about. Some US lawmakers have demanded Congress have a say in whether sanctions should be lifted.
Indonesia blocks gay apps over ‘sexual deviancy’
Indonesia is blocking three gay networking apps, accusing them of promoting “sexual deviancy”, according to an official. It’s the latest move by the Muslim-majority country against homosexuals, who have faced a sudden backlash this year. The government has decided to block Grindr, Blued and BoyAhoy, communications ministry spokesman Noor Iza said, adding they were the apps most clearly promoting gay lifestyles. It followed a request from police to block gay networking services after they busted an online paedophile ring they said used Grindr to pimp teenage boys out to adult men.
