Six dead in Christmas fires: Philippine police (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Six people have been killed in Christmas fires in the Philippines that were blamed on exploding fireworks, police and television reports said Friday.
Manila Standard Today (Manila Standard Today)
The Court of Appeals has ordered a Mandaluyong court to start the trial of a former assistant of socialite Rosemarie Baby Arenas for syndicated estafa involving P27 million worth of jewelry.
Thailand rejects Cambodian allegation of coup plot (Channel NewsAsia)
BANGKOK : Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday rejected Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s accusation that Thailand was hatching a plot to stage a coup in the neighbouring nation.
Rescuers hunt for missing in Philippine ferry sinking (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Rescuers combed waters off the Philippine capital on Christmas Day for at least 23 people missing after a ferry smashed into a trawler in an accident that called the crew’s competence into question.
Thai Army chief says it’s impossible for Thais to plot coup in Cambodia (The Nation – Thailand’s English news)
Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda said Friday that it is impossible for Thais to plot a coup in Cambodia.
Thailand rejects Cambodian allegation of coup plot (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday rejected an accusation from his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen that Thailand is hatching a plot to stage a coup in the neighbouring nation.
Manila Standard Today — Caring — /2009/december/25 (Manila Standard Today)
I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Relax, be with your family, call your friends and share with others who are in need. Enjoy the day because I know 57 families the families of those massacred in Maguindanao that won t. My heart goes out to them and I offer my deepest sympathy to them.
Thailand says to repatriate ethnic Hmongs to Laos (Thailandnews.net)
Thailand on Friday said it would repatriate thousands of ethnic Hmongs to Laos. The Hmong, currently held in a camp in Huay Nam Khao in Phetchabun province, 300 km (186 miles) north of Bangkok, have s…
Christmas in camps for Philippines volcano evacuees (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Thousands of evacuees spent Christmas Day in temporary shelters in the shadow of Mount Mayon in the Philippines on Friday, as the volcano continued to spew ash and molten lava.
Dozens missing as Philippine vessels collide (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Rescuers combed waters off the Philippine capital on Christmas Day in a vain hunt for at least 23 people missing after a ferry smashed into a trawler, topping off a year of deadly disasters.
Memories of Aceh: Indonesia Five Years After the Tsunami (Time Magazine)
A TIME reporter recalls ground-zero of a cataclysm and the global outpouring of relief that helped Banda Aceh recover
(AFX UK Focus) 2009-12-24 10:41 SE Asia Stocks-Singapore, Thailand ease; Malaysia up (Interactive Investor)
By Viparat Jantraprap
Abhisit denies Thai govt plan to stage coup in Cambodia (The Nation – Thailand’s English news)
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva categorically denied that his government planned to stage a coup to topple the Hun Sen government.
Laos waits for Thailand’s confirmation about Hmong repatriation (The Nation – Thailand’s English news)
Laos has not yet received notification from Thailand over the next round of Hmong repatriation from Phetchabun’s Ban Huay Nam Khao although the Thai military is preparing a transportation for a big lot in a week or so, Laos Foreign Ministry said Friday.
