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.



abcnews.go.com Incredible footage has emerged showing a '''fireball meteor''' dashing through the sky in Thailand's capital of Bangkok Monday evening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zsMckKP-s



abc.net.au The systematic violation of human rights against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, falls within the framework of genocide, according to a new report by the International State Crime Initiative.



takepart.com In 2011, UNICEF released a study saying that the number of orphanages in Cambodia had increased by 75 percent in the previous six years, and only about 23 percent of children in these centers were orphans who had lost both parents. The rest had families who, desperate and out of options, saw the orphanages as an opportunity for their children and accepted the promise that they would be cared for and receive an education.



wsj.com The six-year global hunt for billions of dollars invested by a Malaysian development fund has run through Saudi Arabia and the Cayman Islands. Now, it points to Australia. Regulators there are liquidating a little-known firm called Avestra Asset Management, saying it put its clients' money at risk in questionable investments.



straitstimes.com High-level agreements between Singapore and China, such as the start of a third government-led project to modernise connectivity as well as negotiations to upgrade the bilateral free trade agreement, are set to be signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit this week.



wsj.com This year the fires are worse than usual, exacerbated by the El Nino weather effect that has extended the country's dry season. The economic cost of the fires will likely run into billions of dollars, according to the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research.



reuters The Philippines' election is still six months away, but already investors are seeking reassurance that whoever replaces outgoing President Benigno Aquino will honor his clean and competent style of government.



fidh.org The EU must ensure that the Lao government makes firm commitments during upcoming bilateral human rights talks, FIDH and its member organisation Lao Movement for Human Rights (LMHR) said. The two organisations made the call ahead of the 6th EU-Laos human rights dialogue, which will be held on November 6 in Vientiane.



smh.com.au Qantas and Vietnam Airlines have committed to a long-term expansion of their Jetstar Pacific joint venture that could more than double the size of the Vietnamese low-cost carrier's fleet to 30 over the next five years. That would make Jetstar Pacific the largest of Qantas's budget Asian offshoots.



thediplomat.com The United States and Brunei began an annual military exercise with an opening ceremony at Muara Naval Base in the Southeast Asian state.