Nov. 26, 2009 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, Nov. 26
SEOUL -- South Korea and the United States have agreed to work together to strengthen maritime safety, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said on Thursday.
The two countries reached the agreement as they adopt a maritime safety declaration on the sidelines of a meeting of the International Maritime Organization in London on Wednesday, according to Yonhap News Agency. (Skorea-Maritime Safety)
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WELLINGTON -- More than 300 people are being evacuated from an island in the north of Vanuatu as gas and ash from volcanic eruptions were drifting on to three villages, New Zealand media reported on Thursday.
The Vanuatu government has sent the paramilitary mobile forces and the Vanuatu Red Cross Society to monitor the evacuation from the west of the island of Gaua in Torba province, Radio New Zealand International reported. (Vanuatu-Volcano)
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MANILA -- The Philippines' economic growth in the third quarter eased to 0.8 percent on sharp contraction in the manufacturing sector, the Philippine government announced Thursday.
The sharp contraction in the manufacturing sector "adversely affected" the country's GDP, the Philippine National Statistical Coordination Board Secretary-General Romeo Virola said in a press briefing. (Philippines-GDP)
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SEOUL -- Union workers of the state-run Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) Thursday launched an indefinite strike in protest of the KORAIL's cancellation of a previously agreed-upon agreement due to wide differences between labor and management, local media reported.
The strike, which started from 04:00 a.m. local time, is the third this year following the first on Sept. 8 and the second on Nov. 5 and 6. (Skorea-Strike)
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HANOI -- The 15th Association of the Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) Transport Ministers Meeting and the 28th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting will be held in Vietnam from Dec. 7 to 11, according to the website of the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam on Thursday.
The meetings will review the implementation of the ASEAN Charter and discuss the overall plan for the ASEAN Economic Community. (Vietnam-ASEAN Meeting)
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MANILA -- A son of the governor of a southern Philippine province on Thursday surrendered himself to the authorities after he and his family clan are tagged as prime suspects in Monday's massacre of at least 57 unarmed civilians.
Andal Ampatuan Jr., son of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and mayor of Unsay town, is now in custody after military took over the provincial capitol and two municipality halls in the province, government officials said. (Philippines-Suspect)
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TOKYO -- The dollar hit its lowest mark against the yen since 1995 on Thursday, fetching 86.72-75 yen in early afternoon trading.
Finance minister Hirohisa Fujii said that he would keep "a close eye" on the currency market, and that the government would take "appropriate measures" if there was abnormal activity in the markets. (Japan-Dollar Depreciation)
