26/07/2025

SATURDAY | JULY 26, 2025

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S’pore calls for de-escalation in Thai-Cambodian clash

NINE DEAD, 16 HURT IN BUS COLLISION HA TINH: A road collision in Vietnam’s central province of Ha Tinh yesterday killed at least nine people and injured 16 others, Vietnam News Agency reported. The sleeper bus was en route from Hanoi to Da Nang when it lost control, hit roadside markers and overturned. One of the injured was in critical condition and transferred to the provincial general hospital while the others were being treated at a local hospital. – Bernama-VNA CHILDREN KILLED IN SCHOOL ROOF CRASH NEW DELHI: At least four children were killed and 17 injured in India’s western state of Rajasthan after the roof of a school building collapsed yesterday, local media reported, with dozens still feared trapped under the rubble. Local media reported that students were attending classes at a government school in Jhalawar when the roof collapsed. “Instructions have been given to concerned authorities to ensure proper treatment for the injured children,“ said Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. Some of the injured children were critical, local police officer Amit Kumar told the PTI news agency, according to the Economic Times newspaper. – Reuters IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF DUTERTE BLOCKED MANILA: The Philippines’s top court blocked the impending Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday, saying it violated a constitutional provision against multiple impeachment proceedings within a single year. Court spokesperson Camille Ting said: “There is a right way to do the right things at the right time. This is what due process of the law means, even for impeachment.” – AFP were now in full stride. In Bulacan province, just north of the capital Manila, AFP journalists saw entire villages submerged in waist-deep waters. Lauro Sabino, 54, said he and his wife evacuated their home in the morning after a frightening night of strong winds. “It was as if my roof was being blown off. It was creaking. The rain poured the entire night,“ he said, adding that they would sleep at a local market until flooding subsided. “The same thing happens every time. There is no solution. The floodwaters are getting deeper,“ said housewife Mary Rose Navia, 25. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Thursday explicitly tied the recent flooding to climate change, saying his country had to accept that this is the “new normal”. “This is the way it is going to be as far as we know for many decades to come, so let us just prepare.“ The storm, which was weakening as it made its way north by northeast, was expected to be gone from the Philippines within 24 hours from press time. – AFP

BR I E F S

parliament’s powers, sparked brawls in the legislature and massive street protests last year. DPP needs a minimum of 12 KMT lawmakers to be recalled to give it a “short-lived legislative majority”, said risk analysis firm Eurasia Group, giving that outcome “a 60% probability”. Lai’s party would then need to flip six seats in by-elections later this year to secure control of the 113-seat parliament, which Eurasia Group said would be an “uphill climb”. The scale of the recall campaign is “unprecedented” in Taiwan, said University of London School of Oriental and African Studies Taiwan politics expert Dafydd Fell. It reflects the “strengths of Taiwanese civil society, which has responded to what it perceives as a serious threat to Taiwan’s democracy and sovereignty“, he said. With turnout critical, DPP supporters have been standing outside subway stations, in public parks and at food markets for weeks urging people to vote “yes”. along Thailand-Cambodia border amid escalating tensions between the countries, its Foreign Ministry said yesterday. “We are confident that the neighbouring countries will immediately return to peaceful means to settle their differences, in line with the principles enshrined in the Asean Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation,” the ministry said in a statement posted on X. Jakarta said it is paying close attention to the safety and well-being of Indonesian nationals in the affected areas. In its advisory, the Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh urged its citizens in Cambodia, particularly those in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces, to remain calm and vigilant as reports of intensified border clashes emerged on Thursday. Citizens were encouraged to stay informed through trusted sources and register on the Peduli WNI platform to maintain communication with embassy officials. In a separate advisory, the Indonesian embassy in Bangkok issued a similar warning to citizens in Thailand’s Surin, Buriram, Si Sa Ket, Sa Kaeo, Trat and Ubon Ratchathani provinces, urging them to follow guidance from local authorities. The embassy said at least 15 Indonesian nationals are registered in the Thai border provinces of Trat, Sa Kaeo and Ubon Ratchathani, adding that no injuries or direct impacts have been reported. In the latest clash between the the

Meanwhile, Thailand’s military yesterday condemned Cambodia’s use of long-range weapons to “target civilian areas”. It accused Cambodia of committing “barbaric acts” that “have senselessly claimed the lives and inflicted injuries upon numerous innocent civilians”. Thailand is open to mediation in efforts to find a negotiated solution to its bloody conflict with Cambodia, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura yesterday. Nikorndej said Bangkok is open to talks, possibly aided by Malaysia. “We are ready. If Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far, we have not had any response.”– Bernama-AFP

two countries, a landmine authority under the Cambodian government has accused Thailand’s military of using a large number of cluster munitions, expressing alarm yesterday over what it called a serious violation of humanitarian norms. A statement from the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority cited a Cambodian military field report from yesterday as saying a large number of cluster munitions were used twice in the space of 90 minutes in Preah Vihear, a province on the border with Thailand, endangering surrounding communities. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegation.

SINGAPORE: Singapore has called on Cambodia and Thailand to de-escalate tensions through diplomatic means and ensure the safety of all civilians following their latest clashes on Thursday. “Singapore is deeply concerned by the clashes and calls on both countries to exercise restraint and cease hostilities,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. The ministry added that there were no reports of Singaporeans injured arising from the incident and advised them to defer all travel to the border regions. “Singaporeans in Cambodia and Thailand are advised to monitor the news closely, heed local government advice and remain vigilant for personal safety.” Thai and Cambodian troops reportedly clashed on Thursday in a disputed area along their shared border, with both sides accusing each other of initiating the latest confrontation. Tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbours have been rising since May 28, following a deadly border clash near the Preah Vihear area that left one Cambodian soldier dead. Indonesia is also closely monitoring recent developments o Both countries charged to exercise restraint and cease hostilities targeting its lawmakers, which could tip the balance of power to President Lai Ching-te’s party. Supporters of Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are seeking to unseat 31 Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers who they accuse of being pro-China. KMT, which advocates closer ties with Beijing, controls parliament with the help of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and has slammed the recall effort as undermining the democracy of the self-ruled island. Two dozen KMT lawmakers could lose their seats today in a legal process that allows the public to oust elected officials before the end of their term. Another seven face recall elections on Aug 23. Started by civic groups this year, the recall campaigns have dominated Taiwanese politics, newspaper headlines and social media feeds. DPP lost its parliamentary majority in the 2024 elections that swept Lai, who is detested by Beijing, to the presidency. Since then, KMT and TPP have

An elderly evacuee being assisted at a shelter at Surindra Rajabhat University in the Thai border province of Surin yesterday. – AFPPIC

Boats take supplies to Filipinos stranded by floods

Opposition protests before recall vote TAIPEI: Taiwan’s main opposition protested yesterday ahead of unprecedented recall elections joined forces to stymie Lai’s agenda and cut the government’s budget. A series of opposition Bills, including reforms expanding

Thousands gathered in the rain near the Presidential Office Building on Thursday in a show of support for the recalls. Fell said with many recall votes happening in KMT strongholds, it would be difficult for DPP to win control of parliament. National Taipei University political scientist Liu Chia-wei said the vote has become an “ideological duel” between DPP and KMT as China looms large. Taiwan’s top policy body on China said this week there was “visible evidence” that Beijing was trying to “interfere” in the election process. Lai’s government has repeatedly warned of the growing threat from Chinese espionage, disinformation and cyberattacks. Public opinion on the recalls is divided. Aaron Yu, 32, said he supported the campaign because “most of the Bills passed by KMT lawmakers are pro-China”. However, restaurant worker Sharon Chen, 65, criticised it as a waste of money, saying voters had already made their decisions in last year’s elections. – AFP

BULACAN: Rescuers in the northern Philippines picked up residents stranded by flooding and delivered supplies by boat yesterday as Typhoon Co-May was downgraded to a tropical storm hours after making landfall. Schools remained closed and electricity was down in swathes of the archipelago nation’s biggest island after days of monsoon rains that have killed 25 and left eight missing across the country, according to the natural disaster agency. In the west coast province of La Union, where Co-May arrived in the early hours, a family of four was rescued after being trapped on the second floor of their wooden home. “They could not leave their house because the flood was waist-deep and they have children,“ said a rescue official who asked not to be named as they were not authorised to speak to media. “Many have been calling us since early morning but we were having challenges in responding because the rain and winds were so strong,“ they said, adding that a break in the downpour meant rescue operations