HANOI: A summit of Southeast Asian and other international leaders scheduled in Vietnam early next month has been postponed until end-June due to worries about coronavirus, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has informed leaders of other Southeast Asian countries about the postponement, the ministry said.
The 36th summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had been scheduled to take place on April 6-9 in Vietnam, the group’s chair this year.
The postponement decision came after Vietnam announced on March 17 that it would introduce mandatory quarantine for all visitors from the United States, Europe and ASEAN countries and suspend the issue of new visas for all foreign nationals.
The coronavirus pandemic, which has killed nearly 9,000 people worldwide and infected 76 people in Vietnam as of late Thursday, already forced a meeting between ASEAN and the United States slated for March 14.
The ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
ASEAN summit in Vietnam postponed until end-June over coronavirus
ASEAN summit in Vietnam postponed until end-June over coronavirus
- ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
Bangladesh detains Hasina era ex-election chief
- KM Nurul Huda is accused of rigging past polls in favor of former leader
DHAKA: A Bangladesh court on Monday remanded in custody the former elections chief for his alleged role in rigging the vote in favor of now-ousted autocrat Sheikh Hasina.
KM Nurul Huda, 77, was ordered to be detained for four days while questioning continues, a day after a mob who smashed into his home and assaulted him eventually handed him to the police.
On Sunday, the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party filed a case against Huda and other former election commissioners it accuses of rigging past polls in favor of Hasina, whose 15 years in power ended in an mass uprising in August 2024.
Interim leader Mohammed Yunus has said elections will be held in early April 2026 — the first in the South Asian nation of around 170 million people since the student-led revolt ousted Hasina.
Police put a helmet on Huda while taking him to the court for protection.
Yunus’s government warned last month that political power struggles risked jeopardizing gains that have been made, saying that holding elections by mid-2026 would give them time to overhaul democratic institutions.
Hasina’s rule saw widespread human rights abuses and her government was accused of politicizing courts and the civil service, as well as staging lopsided elections.
Hasina, 77, remains in self-imposed exile in India, where she fled after she was ousted last year.
She has defied orders to return to Dhaka to face charges amounting to crimes against humanity. Her trial in absentia continues.
What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Extinction of Experience'
- One of the strong points of the book is the author’s writing style and how she narrows down and simplifies the issue of technology dependency for readers
“The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World” by Christine Rosen, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses how humans are relying heavily on technology and digital interactions in modern times.
Rosen argues in her 2024 book that this reliance has made people dependent on them for almost everything.
Digital experiences, according to the author, are replacing real-world experiences and, with time, this will push people even further from genuine contact and physical presence.
According to Rosen, this could potentially reduce people’s understanding of empathy and connection, or even memory.
She stresses the importance of utilizing technology wisely and calls for a critical and mindful approach to it. She also emphasizes the need to bring back genuine experiences through physical interaction so they can be treasured.
One of the strong points of the book is the author’s writing style and how she narrows down and simplifies the issue of technology dependency for readers.
On the other hand, its weaknesses — that have been highlighted by readers — are that some of its chapters lack a realistic view of the world we live in, and keep repeating issues and complaining about current problems without providing solutions.
Rosen is also the author of “My Fundamentalist Education” and “Preaching Eugenics.”
Risk of genocide in Sudan ‘very high’: UN
- The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced 13 million, including 4 million who fled abroad, triggering what the UN has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis
GENEVA: The risk of genocide in Sudan’s devastating civil war remains “very high,” amid ongoing ethnically motivated attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a top UN official warned Monday.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and RSF commander Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo.
The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced 13 million, including 4 million who fled abroad, triggering what the UN has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
“Both parties have committed serious human rights violations,” said Virginia Gamba, a UN under-secretary-general and acting special adviser to UN chief Antonio Guterres on the prevention of genocide.
“Of specific concern to my mandate is the continued and targeted attacks against certain ethnic groups, particularly in the Darfur and Kordofan regions,” she told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
She highlighted in particular that the RSF and allied armed militias “continue to conduct ethnically motivated attacks against the Zaghawa, Masalit and Fur groups.”
“The risk of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Sudan remains very high,” Gamba warned.
EU finds ‘indications’ Israel is breaching key agreement with its actions in Gaza
BRUSSELS: The EU says there are indications that Israel’s actions in Gaza are violating human rights obligations in the agreement governing its ties with the EU, according to its findings seen by The Associated Press.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas presented the review to foreign ministers of the 27-member bloc in Brussels on Monday, leading at least one country to propose suspending the agreement openly.
“There are indications that Israel would be in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement,” according to the review by the EU’s diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service.
Suspending ties would require a unanimous decision, which is likely impossible to obtain from countries like Austria, Germany and Hungary that tend to back Israel.
Other actions — such as ending visa-free travel to Europe for Israelis, sanctioning Israeli settlers in the West Bank or halting academic partnerships — could be pushed if a “qualified majority” — 15 of the 27 nations representing at least 65 percent of the population of the EU — agree.
Countries like the Netherlands, Ireland, and Spain have been vocal in their support for the Palestinians in Gaza as Israel battles Hamas.
“When all the focus is on Iran and the escalation regarding Iran, we should not forget about Gaza,” said Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, who led the charge for the review.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
About 56,000 Palestinians have since been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and relatively little aid has entered since Israel ended the latest ceasefire in March.
Outrage over Israel’s actions in Gaza has grown in Europe as images of suffering Palestinians have driven protests in London, Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, and Amsterdam.
Spain has canceled arms deals with Israel and called for an arms embargo.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno on Monday called for suspending the EU-Israel agreement.
“The time for words and declarations is behind. We had enough time,” he told the meeting. “And at the same time, Palestinians in Gaza have no more time to lose. Every day, babies, women, and men are being killed. This is the time for action.”
Manuel Albares also called for an embargo on EU countries selling weapons to Israel and for the widening of individual sanctions on anyone undermining the proposed two-state solution.
“Europe must show courage,” he told journalists.
Alesso releases official remix for Esports World Cup 2025
- Remix of EWC Music’s orchestral theme “Ascension” features cello sensation Tina Guo and merges electronic music with competitive energy in celebration of world’s biggest esports event
GRAMMY-nominated producer and global electronic music sensation Alesso has released an official remix of “Ascension”, the lead track from the original music suite created for the Esports World Cup 2025 – the world’s largest esports and gaming event.
Originally composed by Edouard Brenneisen of Hollywood Scoring and recorded at Abbey Road Studios, “Ascension” features fellow GRAMMY nominee and virtuoso cellist Tina Guo. Alesso’s remix reimagines the orchestral original with his signature euphoric production style. The sonic maven seamlessly fuses his progressive house sound with Guo’s powerful tone, transforming the cinematic piece into a high-energy rework designed to capture the intensity and emotion of elite esports competition.
The track is part of the EWC Music initiative, a new programme creating an original musical identity for the Esports World Cup and celebrating esports’ deep connection with music. Launched in April with a four-track suite by 2WEI and Hollywood Scoring, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, the programme continues with live performances, artist collaborations, and global fan activations. “Ascension (Alesso Remix)” will be featured across tournament broadcasts, live events, and digital content throughout the seven-week competition, which begins on July 7 in Riyadh.
The Opening Ceremony, on July 10, will be headlined by 9x diamond-certified artist Post Malone.
Alesso said of the track, “I was so excited when this opportunity came to me. I’m a huge fan of esports and gaming tournaments – I’m a gamer myself, so combining my two worlds into one on this remix felt so natural. Creating this alongside Tina was incredible. We were able to create something that truly brings listeners into another world. I can’t wait to share this moment with all of you.”
Tina Guo said of the collaboration, "I'm thrilled to have worked with Alesso on this remix and so excited to be a part of the Esports World Cup! This collaboration brings together my passion for music and gaming in a progressive house and cinematic fusion. The energy and creativity that Alesso brings to the table are truly inspiring, and being involved in such a monumental event like the Esports World Cup is a dream come true. I can't wait to share this experience with everyone!"
Ariel Horn, Executive Producer at the Esports World Cup Foundation, added: “Gaming and EDM have moved together for years, from Marshmello’s Fortnite show to major esports collaborations like League of Legends and VALORANT’s work with Zedd. With Alesso and Tina Guo, we’re building another bridge. Tina has scored games, rocked League Worlds, and played on iconic Hans Zimmer soundtracks – including Wonder Woman. Just as EWC is reimagining what global esports can be, this track reimagines the role music plays in connecting players, fans and culture, turning competition into something you don’t just watch – you feel.”
The Esports World Cup 2025 is the world’s premier esports event. Its unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across multiple platforms and genres – bringing together the best teams, players, and titles under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of competitive gaming.
EWC 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool. Tickets, including access to the Opening Ceremony, are now available at esportsworldcup.com.
