04/08/2025

MONDAY | AUG 4, 2025

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Asean team monitors Thai-Cambodia ceasefire

India wraps up Kashmir pilgrimage SRINAGAR: More than 400,000 Hindus took part in a month-long pilgrimage in Kashmir, authorities said. The pilgrimage began on July 3 and closes officially on July 9, but organisers said lashing rains had damaged narrow paths, forcing a premature end. Official Vijay Kumar Bidhuri said in a statement on Saturday that 415,000 pilgrims had taken part. Many of the faithful began their trek to the Amarnath ice pillar from near Pahalgam, where gunmen on April 22 killed 26 tourists. New Delhi said the gunmen were backed by Pakistan, claims Islamabad rejected, triggering tit-for-tat diplomatic measures that escalated into a four-day conflict. It was the worst standoff by the nuclear-armed nations since 1999, with more than 70 people killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides, before a May 10 ceasefire. New Delhi last week said three Pakistani men who carried out the Pahalgam attack were killed during a gun battle on July 28 in forests near the hills where the cave shrine is located. The number of devotees this year fell short of the estimated half a million devotees who took part last year. Officials had earlier appealed to Hindus to undertake the pilgrimage, ramping up security by deploying 45,000 troops with high-tech surveillance equipment overseeing the gruelling trek to the cave, dedicated to Shiva. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. Rebel groups have fought Indian forces for decades, demanding Kashmir’s independence or its merger with Pakistan. – AFP Robo-pets warm up to owners TOKYO: A fluffy robot pet equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) has proven to be a hit in Japan, as it develops its own personality and quirks depending on how it is “raised”. Moflin by Casio Computer Co demonstrates over four million distinctive personality traits, recognising the person who talks to it frequently as its owner. It gradually learns what the owner likes based on interactions such as petting and cuddling. “Development began with women as our target group. “We imagined a sidekick that could provide support even when one is facing issues at work or in personal life,” said Erina Ichikawa, 42, the leader of the team that developed Moflin. The project gained momentum after an engineer from the company brought in a prototype robot for the purpose of portraying the cuteness of small animals. Casio, which launched the robots in November, exceeded its target and sold over 7,000 units by March. They are popular among women in their late 30s and 40s, according to the company. Ichikawa notes how some people also bring them on excursions. “People can feel that their Moflins are different from other Moflins, as the robots, like animals, display individual personalities and emotions, on top of growing and having varying sleep cycles,” Ichikawa said. The robots are priced at ¥59,400 (RM1,710). The company also provides add-on services, including a salon that cleans the robots’ fur. – Bernama

de-escalation efforts through the GBC meeting,” Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry told a media briefing yesterday. The armed confrontation that broke out on July 24 and lasted for five days triggered a diplomatic pause between Cambodia and Thailand, two neighbours that have yet to resolve their 817km border dispute dating back to 1907. Director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia Dr Kin Phea emphasised that both governments must honour the ceasefire agreement if lasting peace is to be achieved in the region. “Both sides must maintain utmost restraint and resolve the conflict peacefully under legal frameworks and mechanisms, and both sides must fully and consistently respect international law and the UN Charter,” he said. The dispute caused over 170,000 Cambodians to evacuate their homes in several northern provinces. – Bernama

The bilateral talks to be held until Thursday are part of a ceasefire agreement reached between Cambodia and Thailand on July 28, which led to de-escalation and pushed soldiers back to their barracks. The GBC talks are being hosted by Malaysia in its capacity as the 2025 Asean Chair, and will take place within the framework of the Asean and internationally backed ceasefire. Cambodia is shoring up diplomatic support. It has invited foreign missions based in Phnom Penh to observe the implementation of the ceasefire along the border in Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap provinces. More than 20 diplomats and representatives from UN agencies took part in the inspection visits on Friday and Saturday. “It underscores Cambodia’s steadfast commitment to international law, de-escalation and continued adherence to the Asean Charter, the UN Charter and the ceasefire agreement. “Cambodia looks forward to advancing

o Military attaches begin field observation trips PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s National Defence Ministry announced yesterday that an interim Asean Defence Attache Observer Team, led by Malaysia, has begun monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces. The military attaches from Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam began field observations yesterday. Meanwhile, Cambodian top negotiators will head to Kuala Lumpur for the General Border Committee (GBC) negotiations, where the release of 18 soldiers held captive by the Thai army is likely to top their agenda. The soldiers are being held following a border conflict that erupted on July 24.

Cambodians taking part in a Peace March in Phnom Penh on Saturday. – AFPPIC

Airstrike on ruby mining hub kills 13 YANGON: An airstrike on a rebel-occupied ruby mining hub killed 13 people on Saturday, according to a resident and a rebel spokesperson. “A passing car was also hit. Seven people were wounded, including the driver,” the resident said. A spokesperson for the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, which has occupied Mogok since last year, matched the death toll, but gave a figure of 14 wounded.

settlements in central Myanmar, including the gold mining hub of Thabeikkyin, which it seized last month after a year-long battle. The government on Thursday ended the state of emergency it had declared after toppling the government of Aung San Suu Kyi more than four years ago and has touted elections in December as an off-ramp for the conflict. However, with Suu Kyi still jailed, opposition groups, including ousted lawmakers, are boycotting the poll. A UN expert in June described the exercise as a“fraud”designed to legitimise the government’s continued rule. – AFP The Chinese Defence Ministry said on Friday that this year’s exercises were aimed at “further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership” of the two countries. China has never denounced Russia’s more than three-year war nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine’s allies, including the United States, believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow. China insists it is a neutral party, regularly calling for an end to the fighting while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine. – AFP

Myanmar is rich in precious stones and rare earth elements coveted by all factions and sold off, mostly to China, to boost war chests. A resident, who declined to be named for security reasons, said the strike took place in the morning, killing seven at the scene, with six dying later of their wounds. He said among the dead were a Buddhist monk collecting alms and a father and son who were riding a motorcycle.

“It was in the morning when the airstrike hit a public area,” said rebel spokesperson Lway Yay Oo. “There were a lot of people walking in the street, as a result many were killed.” The military has enacted conscription to boost its ranks. Its troops recently retook several key

China, Russia begin Sea of Japan naval drills BEIJING: China and Russia began joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan yesterday as they seek to reinforce their partnership and counterbalance what they see as a US-led global order. joint anti-submarine, air defence and anti-missile operations, and maritime combat”.

Four Chinese vessels, including guided missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, are taking part in the exercises alongside Russian ships, the ministry said. After the drills, the two countries will conduct naval patrols in “the Pacific”. China and Russia have carried out annual drills for several years, with the Joint Sea exercises beginning in 2012. Last year’s drills were held along China’s southern coast.

Alongside economic and political ties, Moscow and Beijing have strengthened military cooperation in recent years, and bilateral relations have deepened since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Joint Sea-2025 exercises kicked off near the Russian port of Vladivostok and would last for three days, China’s Defence Ministry said. The two sides will hold “submarine rescue,