PHUKETWAN recognises the importance of Asean with the Economic Community approaching and marks what's happening around the region with a new column, Asean Today.



cnn.com The crash of a 50-year-old Indonesian Air Force plane that killed at least 135 people has put the health of the Southeast Asian nation's military aircraft under scrutiny. The C-130 Hercules transport plane slammed into a neighborhood of Medan, a major city on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, shortly after takeoff Tuesday.



thestar.com.my As the wives, children and other relatives cried out loud in the High Court and hugged Murad Halimmuddin Hassan, 49, and Abu Daud Murad Halimmuddin, 25, the story emerged of a plan to bring terror from the Middle East to Malaysia. The father was sentenced to 18 years in jail while the son got 12 years.



qz.com Burma (Myanmar) might need more electricity, medical equipment, andfinancial services, but at least it's got a KFC now. The nation's first major US fast-food outlet opened in Yangon, and by lunchtime people were forming long lines to get in.



scmp.com Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong insisted he was defamed and sought aggravated damages from an activist who grilled the leader in court for seven hours as part of a civil case.



afp Nearly 200 Cambodian garment workers have been hospitalised after a new spate of mass fainting at factories this week, officials said, renewing concerns about conditions in the kingdom's crucial textile industry. At least 61 workers at a factory in southern Takeo province fainted on Wednesday Cheav Bunrith, a spokesman for the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), told AFP.



ibtimes.com Vietnamese officials condemned protests held by Cambodians near the two countries' borders that led to clashes between Vietnamese authorities and civilians, leaving more than a dozen people injured. The protests are the latest development underscoring growing tensions at the shared border.



philstar.com The Philippines was ranked 68th globally in terms of financial literacy index, according to a study made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The study on financial education in Asia indicates majority of Asian nations do not have a national strategy for financial education and literacy, or that the existing programs lag behind the rest of the world.



xinhua China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng pledged here to enhance strategic cooperation with Laos. Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks while meeting with Vice President Tong Yeu Tho of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC).



belfasttelegraph.co.uk The Prince of Wales hailed Gurkhas as ''the very best of soldiers'' as he helped mark the 21st anniversary of one of their regiments during a visit to their barracks tonight.