DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Angolan government says 17 people die, 6 survive in air crash” plus 9 more

LUANDA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Angolan government announced on Thursday in a communique that 17 people were killed and six people survived in Wednesday's crash of an Angolan air force plane in the central city of Huambo.

The death toll issued by the government contradicts preliminary press reports that at least 30 people died after the Embraer-120 aircraft crashed soon after it took off from Huambo en route for the capital Luanda about 600 km to the northwest.

The source said, the airplane crashed at about 11:30 at Albano Machado airport, in Huambo, with a military delegation on board.

Among the killed were Lieutenant-Generals Bernardo Leitao Francisco Diogo and Elias Malungo Bravo da Costa Pedro, brigadier Demosthenes Katata and other senior army officers, according to the communique. Six civilians, including two women and two children also died in the crash.

However, the crew survived the accident, including captain Lino Calue, co-pilot Ibraim Navidade, flight engineer Gomes de Almeida, and flight assistant Celma Ventura, sergeant Joao Gomes, and an unidentified civilian, and they were taken to the military hospital in the province for emergency treatment.

People in the front of the aircraft survived but those passengers in the back died as that section caught fire as the plane broke into two pieces upon impact, Angolan officials said.

The Angolan government and the military are further probing into the crash, the worst air disaster in recent memory in the African country.

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people were killed and some 50 others injured when a suicide bomber hit a funeral in Pakistan's northwest district of Lower Dir on Thursday afternoon, local Urdu TV channel Geo reported.

According to the local media reports, the attack took place at around 3:00 p.m. local time Thursday at a funeral ceremony held for a local elder named Malik Sultan in the Jandol area of Lower Dir district.

All the injured people have been shifted to the local Timargara hospital. Hospital sources said that the death toll could further rise as many of the injured were in critical condition.

As the Jandol area is located in the deep mountainous area which is close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border line, details about the blast are not immediately available.

Both Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the suicide blast shortly after the incident was reported.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Last year a similar attack was reported at a funeral ceremony held in the country's northwest tribal area for a local elder who supported the government in the fight against Taliban, during which dozens were reportedly killed or injured.

MANILA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified suspects abducted Thursday morning a 17-year old college student in Palawan province, Philippines, police said.

The victim was identified as Maoie Larroza, daughter of a radio commentator in Palawan province, Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said.

Larroza was seized at around 10:30 a.m. in a canteen in Palawan State University where she is studying located in Tiniguiban village, Puerto Princesa City.

Cruz said that a Crisis Management Committee was activated and Task Force Maoie was organized to secure the release of the victim.

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least two soldiers were killed in an attack launched by unknown terrorists Thursday afternoon on a convoy of security forces in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency, which borders Afghanistan, reported Urdu TV channel ARY, adding that four terrorists were also killed by the security forces in retaliation.

MANILA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Consumer sentiment improved significantly across the Philippines in the third quarter although the number of pessimists in their ranks continue to outnumber optimists, the central bank reported Thursday.

From outturn of negative 24.1 percent in the second quarter this year, consumer pessimism softened to negative 18.7 percent as Filipino households anticipate more jobs, higher earnings, booming business and the goodwill generated by the government's conditional cash transfer program.

"Their responses suggested that expansion in the domestic labor market, growth in local industries and higher fiscal spending could be expected to boost domestic demand for the current quarter. Their sentiments, however, did not reflect the possible impact of the U.S. credit rating downgrade and the spillover effects of sovereign debt crisis issues in Europe, since the survey was conducted from 1-14 July 2011," the central bank said in a statement.

Consumer perception on the economy also improved. Respondents cited brighter job prospects, good governance and stable prices for their improved outlook on the economic condition of the country.

The survey found the most optimistic belongs to the high income group.

Likewise, respondents expected inflation to decline over the next 12 months.

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least ten people were killed and over 50 others were injured when a suicide bomber hit a funeral in Pakistan's northwest district of Lower Dir on Thursday afternoon, local Urdu TV channel ARY reported.

Both Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the suicide blast shortly after the incident was reported.

The attack took place at about 3:00 p.m. local time Thursday at a funeral held for a local elder in the Jandol area of Lower Dir district, which is close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

JERUSALEM, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Taking a "better safe than sorry" tack, Israel brought home the staff of its embassy in Jordan's capital of Amman on Wednesday over fears of potential violence in a protest rally scheduled for Thursday evening.

Embassy staffers usually return to Israel on Thursday or Friday, depending on security arrangements, leaving a skeleton diplomatic and security staff over the weekend.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered the early closure, fearing violent protests similar to those taking place in Cairo last weekend, when demonstrators sacked the embassy and threatened the lives of security personnel holed up inside a safe room.

A Foreign Ministry official told Xinhua the move was standard operating procedure, and the embassy would remain open as usual.

Chanting "The people want the Americans out," some 70 Jordanian demonstrators earlier on Wednesday held a protest against Israel and the United States in the capital.

"Diplomatic work will continue as usual," Israeli Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ilana Stein told Xinhua on Thursday, noting that the trip back into Israel "is something that happens every week."

Stein chalked up the reports of the early closure to "media sensationalism."

Foreign Ministry officials told local Ha'aretz daily that more than 3,000 people have pledged to take part in the demonstration, via a Facebook page.

Israeli officials have made at least two trips to Cairo in recent days in order to send back the ambassador, Yitzhak Levanon, and his staff, local media reported.

Victoria Nuland, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, said Monday his country believed that "both the Egyptian and the Israeli governments speak strongly about the importance of bringing the situation under control," adding that "the fact that it has now been brought under control gives us some hope going forward."

"But obviously we all need to be vigilant," the spokesman added.

HANOI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- In the framework of the 14th session of the Vietnam-India Joint Committee, a seminar "Vietnam- India trade business" was held here on Thursday by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Embassy of India in Vietnam, aimed at further promoting friendship and economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Vietnam-India relations have finely developed. The two countries have signed agreements on trade, double-tax avoidance, encouragement and promotion of investment, among others, which are seen as firm foundations to strengthen their bilateral traditional relations and all-sided cooperation, VCCI General Secretary Pham Thi Thu Hang addressed at the conference.

With the signed India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement effective this year, and another upcoming agreement in services and investment, the economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries would be further developed, said Hang.

The India-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation will certainly be further boosted in the coming time, especially those among the private economic sector. The Embassy of India in Vietnam pledged to support and pay attention to requirements of mutual interest, promote the bilateral cooperation as well as develop friendly relations between the two countries, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Ranjit Rae said.

Participants were introduced to Vietnam-India cooperation and their potentials in various fields, India's law on foreign investment, and policies and the environment for investment in India. Businessmen from both sides updated information and sought opportunities for their business promotion.

According to the Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam-India two-way trade turnover reached 2.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2010, a year-on-year increase of 20 percent. As of July this year, India has 58 projects in Vietnam, with total registered capital of more than 225 million U.S. dollars, ranking 28th among 92 foreign investors in Vietnam.

JAKARTA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vows to fire any minister found guilty of involving in corruption case in an effort to clean his administration from graft, the president's special staff said here on Thursday.

The statement comes as some ministers have recently been mentioned to allegedly have links with corruption cases.

"The president will fire them (ministers) when they are officially declared a suspect by court," Daniel Sparingga, president special staff for political affairs said at the State Secretary office.

Regarding to recent media reports that some ministers may link to grafts, Sparingga said President Yudhoyono had asked clarifications from his ministers and asked them to undergo legal process cooperatively.

"As some ministers have recently been reported to allegedly link with corruption, the president by himself has conducted internal steps by asking for the clarification," he said.

President Yudhoyono has led a move to combat corruption in the country since his first term in 2004. Scores of officials from lawmaker to active central bank governor have been sent to jails and undergone legal process for corruption charges.

The president was expected to step up his campaign against graft in his second term after he was re-elected in 2009, but unfortunately the move seems to slow recently.

Corruption along with poor bureaucracy are still among the bottle neck in efforts to improve governance in Indonesia.

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The new Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrived here on Thursday afternoon for an official visit.

Yingluck was accompanied by Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul and a dozen of other high ranking officials.

At the Phnom Penh International Airport, the delegation was welcomed by Cambodian Minister of Women's Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi and other senior officials.

During her visit, Yingluck will hold talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and later will be received in royal audience by King Norodom Sihamoni.

Then, Hun Sen will host a dinner for Yingluck at the Peace Palace before she returns to Thailand on Thursday night.

Cambodia was the third leg of her trip to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries after she visited Brunei and Indonesia. Her next tour will be Laos.

Yingluck Shinwatra, younger sister of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was toppled in a coup in 2006 and lived in exile, was elected the first Thai female Prime Minister in July.

Cambodian analysts expected her visit to restore normal ties, mutual trust, trade and investment relations between Cambodia and Thailand.

The two countries have had sporadic border conflict over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

The bilateral ties soured after Thaksin was named adviser by Hun Sen and deadly border conflict broke out in February and April during the Democrat Party-led Thai administration.

But tensions have eased since the Pheu Thai Party, led by Yingluck, won a landslide victory in the general elections on July 3.