U.S. gives more antiterror aid to RP
U.S. gives more antiterror aid to RP
PHILIPPINES: Three days before the visit of U.S. President George W. Bush to the Philippines, Washington signed an antiterror agreement with Manila to strengthen the skills of local law enforcement agencies.
Francis Ricciardone, the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said on Wednesday the new pact would "advance our cooperation on the global war on terrorism".
He said Manila -- a staunch U.S. ally -- was expected to get more than US$10 million worth of training and equipment next year for police forces and other law enforcement agencies, about five times the current level of assistance.
The U.S. envoy said Bush appreciated the deepening cooperation between the two nations' law enforcement agencies.
"He does not only feel safe, but warmly welcome," Ricciardone told reporters after the signing ceremony at the U.S. embassy.
Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said on Wednesday Southeast Asia is making great strides to defeat terrorism following the arrest and killing of senior Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) leaders.
"The terrorists are falling one by one. This reduces the weight of terrorist threats across the broad range of targets across our country and across Southeast Asia," Arroyo said in a statement. --Agencies
;AP;HHR; ANPAu..r.. Cambodia-brothel-raid 7 Vietnamese on trial in Cambodia JP/11/ASEAN
7 Vietnamese on trial in Cambodia
CAMBODIA: Seven Vietnamese citizens accused of forcing children as young as five into prostitution went on trial in Cambodia on Wednesday.
Police arrested the four women and three men -- and rescued 37 underage girls -- in a raid on Phnom Penh's notorious Svay Pak brothel district in March.
The girls, all from neighboring Vietnam, ranged in age from five to 18, Maj. Phuong Sophy of the Interior Ministry's Bureau of Juvenile Protection and Anti-Human Trafficking said at the time of the arrests.
The defendants are charged with prostituting children and conspiracy to prostitute children. They face prison terms of 10 years to 20 years if convicted, said prosecutor Khut Sopheang.
Police were tipped off by the Washington-based International Justice Mission, a Christian human rights group that said it videotaped sex trade transactions in Svay Pak, which has about 50 brothels.
Dozens of underage girls were being sold, and "people prostituting the children were videotaped doing that," IJM president Gary Haugen said earlier. -- AP
;REUTERS;HHR; ANPAu..r.. Thailand-fire Bangkok skyscraper on fire, all safe JP/11/ASEAN
Bangkok skyscraper on fire, all safe
THAILAND: Fire broke out in a skyscraper housing the offices of international companies in central Bangkok on Wednesday and police said several people trapped in elevators had been rescued.
Police said the blaze erupted on the 45th floor of the 59- story Empire Building, which houses the offices of the Thai- German chamber of commerce, Samsung, KPMG, Taiwan's unofficial embassy and a subsidiary of Belgium's Tractebel.
Firemen said blaze was under control, but there was no word yet on the extent of the damage. They said everyone in the building was reported safe.
Several people complained no fire alarm went off and police said one woman trapped in a lift on the 15th floor called her friend on a mobile phone to ask for help and was among those rescued.
Chi-lu Pan, spokesman of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, the unofficial Taiwan embassy, said all 80 staff were safe.
"The building's fire alarm system did not work," said Natcha Ongwongskul, a 28-year-old official of the Thai-German chamber who was among more than 40 employees who descended the stairs from the 25th floor. -- Reuters