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Pope’s Visit to Thailand Will Also Be a Family Reunion

In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary's School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, right, talks to students during a lunch break at the girls' school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, originally from Buenos Aires in Argentina, shares a great-grandfather with Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who, six years ago, became Pope Francis. So, she and the pontiff are second cousins. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP

UDON THANI — Catholics in Thailand are celebrating the official announcement of the first papal visit in 35 years, but one 77-year-old nun in a far-flung corner of the country has a connection that makes the occasion particularly special.

Pope Francis is due to arrive in Thailand on Nov. 20 for a four-day visit, the first leg of an Asia trip that will also take him to Japan, Catholic officials announced Friday.

Read:  Pope Francis to Visit Thailand on Nov. 20 to 23

The pontiff’s arrival will lead to a reinvigoration of belief among the nearly 400,000 faithful here. But for Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, it also means the pleasure of a family reunion.

At St. Mary’s girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, the pupils have only recently realized their unassuming vice principal’s connection to the pope.

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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, center, talks to students during a lunch break at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP

Originally from Buenos Aires in Argentina, Sister Ana Rosa came to Thailand in 1966 and has worked as a missionary in several parts of the country. She shares a great-grandfather with Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who, six years ago, became Pope Francis. She and the pontiff are second cousins.

As word of a planned papal visit spread ahead of the official announcement, Sister Ana Rosa went from being an almost invisible presence to being at the center of increasingly excited attention in her community.

“Many people who are not Catholics, they are asking me every time. Is he coming? When is he coming? He, will he be coming? Because, it means that they are interested. They want to see him. They want to meet him,” she said.

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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, ST. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, center, talks to students during a lunch break at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP

“Then, of course, for the Catholics, it would be a push to be a good Catholics, to be good Christians.”

Two years ago, Pope Francis paid a historic visit to Myanmar. It came at the height of the Rohingya Muslim crisis. Myanmar’s army carried out human rights abuses against the ethnic minority, and the call to hold officials responsible led to intense scrutiny of whom the pope met and what he said.

Hundreds of thousands flocked to see the pope on that visit, including many who traveled from neighboring Thailand — but not Sister Ana Rosa. She said she didn’t want to take up his time.

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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, ST. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori watches a picture taken with Pope Francis at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP

She insists, however, that the two are close, and stay in touch. He is “old school,” she says, never sending emails and instead writing letters by hand and dispatching them through the Vatican’s embassy in Bangkok.

The last time the cousins met face to face was two years ago at the Vatican.

“I will be glad to see him, and he will be glad to see me also,” she said, smiling broadly. “We will have the chance to see each other and have the chance to talk a little bit.”

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This Aug. 27, 2019, photo, shows a postcard which Pope Francis sent to St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP

In 1984, John Paul II became the first pope to visit Thailand when he spent two days in country, partly to thank the kingdom for sheltering refugees who fled wars in neighboring countries. He visited a refugee camp to spread a message of hope.

The Catholic mission to Thailand began 350 years ago, but the country remains overwhelmingly Buddhist, with Catholics accounting for less than 1% of the population.

Sister Ana Rosa said she is in Thailand to stay — on papal orders.

“He spoke to our mother-general, the superior-general of the congregation, saying that my work is in Thailand, to do the work in Thailand, so you don’t move her anywhere.”

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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, center, and students pray inside a church at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, rear, and students pray inside a church at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, right, prays with students inside a church at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori prays inside a church at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, second left, watches as students leave a church at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, rear, watches students play during a lunch break at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
AP19254207835825
In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, center, talks to students during a lunch break at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
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In this Aug. 27, 2019, photo, St. Mary’s School Vice Principal Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, rear center, watches students play during a lunch break at the girls’ school in Udon Thani, about 570 kilometers (355 miles) northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP

Story: Jerry Harmer and Tassanee Vejpongsa

Related stories:

Pope Francis to Visit Thailand on Nov. 20 to 23

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Group Drops ‘Ultraman Buddha’ Charges, But Sees Larger Conspiracy

An auction organizer poses next to an
An auction organizer poses next to an "Ultraman Buddha" painting which sold for 2 million baht on Sep. 13, 2019. Image: ปกรณ์ พรชีวางกูร / Facebook

BANGKOK — Hardline Buddhists on Monday said they have withdrawn charges of religious sabotage against a student who depicted Buddha as a Japanese superhero in now-viral paintings, but vowed other legal prosecution will continue.

The group, who calls itself “Buddhist Power of the Land,” said it only dropped complaints against the student because its own investigation discovered that a larger plot is at work to “destroy Buddhism.” The second painting in the controversial collection sold for 2 million baht on Friday.

“The student was paid to do this. That’s her business,” group representative Pattachan Vichienrat said in an interview. “But now we know there’s a large network conspiring to destroy Buddhism. Now that we know this much information, the police must expand their investigation.”

Read: Junta Party MP Condemns ‘Ultraman Buddha’

Pattachan spoke hours after he and fellow activists met with officers at the Crime Suppression Division, where they handed over information about the alleged conspiracy to the police. Pattachan declined to elaborate but said the shadowy organization has its agents everywhere.

“They have infiltrated the bureaucracy and the entire country. I can assure you, if we don’t rise up right now, within the next four years Buddhists will be second class citizens,” Pattachan said.

His complaints accused the unnamed elements of violating the constitution, which states that Buddhism must be upheld. Capt. Sunthorn Thongmanee, who received the complaints from the group today, said he’ll report to his supervisors regarding further action.

Pattachan said he hopes police will take up the investigation due to the serious nature of the alleged scheme.

“It could even be considered a national security threat,” he said.

The paintings that offended the Buddhist group were drawn by a student in Korat whose full name has not been disclosed to the public. The pictures replace the body of Buddha with those of the superhero Ultraman. The student has said she intended to depict Buddha as a universal hero.

One of the paintings was auctioned for 600,000 baht last week, while another netted 2 million baht in Friday’s bidding.

Organizers said about 260,000 baht of the money will go to the painter’s education funds, while the rest will be donated to hospitals.

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Ubon Floods: Death Toll Reaches 33, Including Rescue Worker

Left: Damrongsak Jeadprakhon. Photo: Let Me Know About Ubon Ratchathani / Facebook. Right: Flooding in Ubon Ratchathani in September 2019.
Left: Damrongsak Jeadprakhon. Photo: Let Me Know About Ubon Ratchathani / Facebook. Right: Flooding in Ubon Ratchathani in September 2019.

UBON RATCHATHANI — Nearly a month of flooding in the Isaan region has claimed 33 lives, including that of a rescue volunteer, the disaster department said Monday.

Downpour from the Podul and Kajiki storms has affected more than 418,000 people in 32 provinces, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Four provinces— namely Ubon Ratchathani, Yasothon, Roi Et, and Sisaket—are still in critical condition.

On Saturday, volunteer Damrongsak Jeadprakhon died from a lung infection contracted while helping flood victims.

“I’d like to express my condolences to Damrongsak Jeadprakhon, a volunteer who gave his life while on duty in Ubon Ratchathani,” Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Sunday. “Thank you for your sacrifice for your fellow Thais.”

Anutin said the government will support Damrongsak’s family.

Damrongsak, who served in a volunteer group stationed in Buriram, went down to help the flooded province of Ubon Ratchathani in early September before contracting the infection. He died 5:20am Saturday at Buriram Hospital after five days of bedrest.

Of the 33 deaths, 29 were in the Isaan region.


Flooding Sept. 16, 2019 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Rather than state action, public awareness of flooding in the province was largely raised through social media, which drew a crowd of volunteers.

Actor Bin Bunluerit, who has volunteered in Ubon Ratchathani and regularly posted photos of the flooding situation, has collected more than 50 million baht in donations for the province as of Monday.

“Our group was eating somtam and sticky rice when we saw a man sitting sadly in a boat. I thought he must be hungry, so I gave him some rice and he ate it all, plain,” Bin said.

Bin began accepting donations on Saturday. He said that 1,000 baht would be distributed to 1,000 households from every 1 million baht.

“I’m not throwing shade at the government, but I want to wake it up. What I saw made me sick. I thought of the money that the government uses to go shopping. It should be used to help the people of Ubon Ratchathani instead,” Bin said Monday.

On Monday, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister’s Office, Naruemon Pinyosantiwat, said that families with farms or houses destroyed from flooding are eligible for a payout of 50,000 baht per household. She said the government will work transparently to implement the policy.

“The Prime Minister said that every department has to be very strict about this. There must be no complaints of corruption,” she said.

PM Prayuth Chan-ocha has expressed anger at criticism being directed at his government. During a speech to civil servants at Impact Arena this morning, he veered off script to insist that the government is doing everything it can to help. He also said he’s been working on water management and flood prevention systems for the past five years.

“Flood problems are natural disasters, but they are blaming the government,” Prayuth said. “They scold us everyday and on every issue.”

On Monday, a group of volunteers from Na Kae district in Nakhon Phanom province to the north of Ubon Ratchathani brought food and other supplies to aid their neighbors.

The volunteers, including Na Kae district chief Sri Sriphuttarin, said they wanted to help since they know the experience of being flooded – much of the farmland in their province was flooded for two months in 2017.

Volunteers from Na Kae, Nakhon Phanom give a thumbs-up Sept. 16, 2019 in Ubon Ratchathani.
Volunteers from Na Kae, Nakhon Phanom give a thumbs-up Sept. 16, 2019 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Flooding in the Isaan province of Roi Et is so high that locals of Thung Khao Luang District are using boats as transport. Saotongtong Srisura, headman of Wang-on Village, says it’s been flooding since Aug. 29, when the Chi River spilled its banks.

Rescue workers ride boats Sept. 15, 2019 in Wang-on Village in Roi Et province.
Rescue workers ride boats Sept. 15, 2019 in Wang-on Village in Roi Et province.

It’s not just Isaan and the north that’s being hit by deluges. Koh Chang in Trang suffered from an entire day of flooding Sunday that damaged houses and cut off bridges. Disaster officials had to pick up stranded locals and tourists.

Toh, a 49-year-old male elephant, also died on the island Sunday when he was found drowned and tied to a tree. His owner said he had to tie Toh there due to musth.

Related stories:

#SaveUbon: Netizens Rally for Drowned Isaan Province

Second Storm to Shower Isaan and Much of Thailand Today

Flash Flooding Risk in 47 Provinces, Meteorological Dept. Warns

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New Chinese Acupuncture Textbook Debuts in US

Cheng Kai (2nd L), an editor of the new book "Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion" and professor in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, demonstrates the needle therapy at an acupuncture seminar in Maryland, the United States, on Sept. 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhou Zhou)

WASHINGTON (Xinhua) — The new edition of a widely-received international acupuncture textbook was marketed in the United States on Saturday, offering a long-awaited tutorial for the growing number of acupuncture practitioners in the country.

“Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion,” initially edited by the late Chinese acupuncture master Cheng Xinnong, included, in its fourth English edition, treatment techniques for more common diseases for modern people.

Also, it was more integrated with World Health Organization medical standards in describing the locations and structures of acupoints, the specific points on the body where a needle is inserted, said Cheng Kai, an editor of the new book and professor in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, at the launching ceremony.

Allyson Wilson, an acupuncture therapist, told Xinhua that “it is the basic in the United States you have to read to begin understanding the traditional Chinese medicine.”

Acupuncture, which has been practiced in China for thousands of years, is being increasingly embraced by patients and doctors in the United States. There are about 38,000 licensed acupuncturists and more than 60 authorized acupuncture schools in the country.

Megan Haunges, administrative dean of New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, told Xinhua that the new edition would be helpful to the new generation of students who came from all walks of life. Haunges’ school taught 200 students including physical therapists and nurses.

Now, the U.S. medicare and medicaid are looking to acupuncture as a way to address the opioid crisis in the country, according to Haunges. The United States is seeking non-pharmaceutical approaches to pain management and addiction, and the acupuncture is one of the most promising therapies.

“The acupuncture is becoming better known and integrated into the general health care, like the cancer hospitals,” said Wilson, who taught 150 students at Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine in Florida.

Hundreds of clinical studies on the benefits of acupuncture show that it improves conditions ranging from back pain to nausea and even depression, insomnia, and infertility, according to the Center for Integrative Medicine at University of California, San Diego.

Cheng Kai, the grandson of Cheng Xinnong, also gave a lecture on Saturday on the ongoing two-day seminar where nearly 100 acupuncture therapists from across the country joined to learn the needle techniques.

Acupuncture has shown effectiveness in treating emotional, metabolic, degenerative, neurological, digestive and reproductive system diseases, according to Cheng.

At the U.S. Center for Chinese Medicine in Maryland, Cheng demonstrated how to stick the needle tips into the proper depths to solve shoulder and back problems, and how to use a Virtual Reality system to improve acupuncture teachings.

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Solid Gold Toilet Stolen From Winston Churchill’s Birthplace

FILE - This Sept. 16, 2016 file image made from a video shows the 18-karat toilet, titled
FILE - This Sept. 16, 2016 file image made from a video shows the 18-karat toilet, titled "America," by Maurizio Cattelan in the restroom of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Thieves have stolen the solid gold toilet worth up to 1 million pounds from Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The toilet, the work of Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, had been installed only two days earlier at Blenheim Palace, west of London, after previously being on show at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Photo: AP File

LONDON (AP) — A unique solid gold toilet that was part of an art exhibit was stolen early Saturday from the magnificent home in England where British wartime leader Winston Churchill was born.

The toilet, valued at roughly 1 million pounds ($1.25 million), was the work of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It had been installed only two days earlier at Blenheim Palace, west of London, after previously being shown to appreciative audiences at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Police said the toilet was taken early Saturday by thieves who used at least two vehicles. Because it had been connected to the palace’s plumbing system, police said the toilet’s removal caused “significant damage and flooding” to the building, a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with valuable art and furniture.

A 66-year-old man was arrested in the case, but he has not been identified or charged.

Inspector Richard Nicholls from Thames Valley Police said police believe the thieves left the spacious property about 4:50 a.m. and that the toilet was the only item taken. Closed circuit TV footage is being studied in the investigation.

Prior to the theft, visitors to the Cattelan exhibition could book a three-minute appointment to use the toilet. This had proved popular when the toilet was on display at the Guggenheim.

The artist intended the golden toilet to be a pointed satire about excessive wealth. Cattelan has previously said: “Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise.”

Last year, the chief curator at the Guggenheim offered to lend the golden toilet to U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump when they asked to borrow a Van Gogh painting for their private White House quarters. Curator Nancy Spector had been critical of Trump in social media.

Saturday’s theft also comes after Edward Spencer-Churchill told The Times newspaper that the golden toilet would not be very easy to steal since it was connected to the palace’s plumbing.

“So no, I don’t plan to be guarding it,” he said.

Thames Valley Police Detective Inspector Jess Milne said: “The artwork has not been recovered at this time but we are conducting a thorough investigation to find it and bring those responsible to justice.”

Blenheim Palace said officials are “saddened” by the theft but “relieved no one was hurt.”

“We knew there was huge interest in the Maurizio Cattelan contemporary art exhibition, with many set to come and enjoy the installations,” the palace said in a tweet. “It’s therefore a great shame an item so precious has been taken, but we still have so many fascinating treasures in the Palace and the remaining items of the exhibition to share.”

The building was closed to the public Saturday but the palace said normal operations will resume Sunday.

The stately home in Oxfordshire, 65 miles (105 kilometers) west of London, is popular with visitors and is occasionally used for special events including fashion shows and art exhibits.

Story: Gregory Katz.

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Hong Kong Govt: Violence Is Harmful, Won’t Solve Divisions

An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail during a demonstration near Central Government Complex in Hong Kong, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban. Photo: Kin Cheung / AP
An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail during a demonstration near Central Government Complex in Hong Kong, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban. Photo: Kin Cheung / AP

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s government reiterated that violence is not the solution after an unapproved march descended into chaos with police firing tear gas and water cannons after demonstrators lobbed Molotov cocktails at government buildings, blocked traffic and set fires.

The government in a statement late Sunday said violence would only harm the community and it was sincerely trying to solve problems.

Thousands of people, black-clad masked protesters alongside families with children, defied a police ban and peacefully marched 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Causeway Bay shopping district to the central business district, making continuous calls for democratic reforms. Police had turned down the march permit, but the demonstrators were undeterred, as they have been all summer.

Some protesters later burned Chinese flags and vandalized subway stations. Hundreds of them targeted the government office complex, throwing bricks and gasoline bombs through police barriers. Police responded by firing volleys of tear gas and using water cannon trucks to spray chemical-laced water as well as blue liquid that helped them identify offenders. Protesters retreated but regrouped in cat-and-mouse battles lasting a few hours before calm returned.

The anti-government protests have taken place since June and increasingly have been marked by violence and clashes with police. The movement was sparked by an extradition bill many Hong Kong residents see as an example of the territory’s autonomy being eroded under Chinese rule.

The government’s decision to withdraw the bill was seen by the protesters as too little, too late. Their demands have grown to calls for greater democracy and police accountability, and some of the more confrontational protesters defend violence as necessary since peaceful demonstrations haven’t effected change.

More than 1,300 people have been arrested amid the increasing clashes between protesters and police.

The unrest has battered Hong Kong’s economy, which was already reeling from the U.S.-China trade war. It is also seen as an embarrassment to Beijing, which has accused foreign powers of fomenting the unrest.

A Pro-China supporter, center, is escorted by police after confronting journalists in north point, Hong Kong, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban. Photo: Vincent Yu / AP
A Pro-China supporter, center, is escorted by police after confronting journalists in north point, Hong Kong, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban. Photo: Vincent Yu / AP
An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail during a demonstration near Central Government Complex in Hong Kong, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban. Photo: Vincent Yu / AP
An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail during a demonstration near Central Government Complex in Hong Kong, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban. Photo: Vincent Yu / AP
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Oil Prices Surge as Attack on Saudi Facility Disrupts Output

Storage tanks are seen at the North Jiddah bulk plant, an Aramco oil facility, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. The weekend drone attack in Buqyaq on one of the world's largest crude oil processing plants that dramatically cut into global oil supplies is the most visible sign yet of how Aramco's stability and security is directly linked to that of its owner -- the Saudi government and its ruling family. Photo: Amr Nabil / AP
Storage tanks are seen at the North Jiddah bulk plant, an Aramco oil facility, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. The weekend drone attack in Buqyaq on one of the world's largest crude oil processing plants that dramatically cut into global oil supplies is the most visible sign yet of how Aramco's stability and security is directly linked to that of its owner -- the Saudi government and its ruling family. Photo: Amr Nabil / AP

DUBAI (AP) — An attack on Saudi Arabia’s largest oil processing plant pushed crude prices sharply higher Monday, though its longer-term impact depends on how long production is disrupted and the attack’s future implications.

U.S. crude oil jumped $5.61 per barrel, or 10.2%, to $60.46 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, surged $7.84 per barrel, or 13%, to $68.06 per barrel.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack on the Saudi Aramco facility. It halted production of 5.7 million barrels of crude a day, more than half of Saudi Arabia’s global daily exports and more than 5% of the world’s daily crude oil production. Most output goes to Asia.

“To take Saudi oil production down 50%, that’s shocking,” said Jonathan Aronson, a research analyst at Cornerstone Macro.

The attack may add to anxiety about the stability of the world’s oil reserves. “Saudi Arabia has been a very reliable supplier of oil in the world,” said Jim Burkhard, who heads crude oil research for IHS Markit. This attack is “adding a geopolitical premium back into the price of oil.” That means oil prices would rise because of worries about more unrest hurting supply. Higher oil prices tend to hurt the economy as consumer costs rise.

Work is under way to restore production at the Abquaiq plant. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that Saudi officials said a third of crude output will be restored Monday, but bringing the entire plant back online may take weeks. Officials said they would use other facilities and existing stocks to supplant the plant’s production.

The world’s richest countries have oil reserves of more than 2 billion barrels, but releasing those to alleviate supply concerns could potentially backfire and result in higher prices on the market as traders worry that there is a problem with tight supply, he said.

While the U.S. has a cushion because it and Canada both produce plenty, leaving the U.S. less reliant on oil from the Middle East, it’s still a global market. “If you take oil anywhere out of system it affects everybody,” said Burkhard.

Still, the situation is better today than it would have been a decade ago, prior to the U.S. energy boom.

If the plant goes back online and there is no fundamental change to the world’s supply of oil, prices may move higher and stay higher because traders would build in a “security premium,” said Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research.

There would be worries that the global oil supply is more insecure and that more attacks may be coming. And in a world already concerned about supply, the impact of another attack could mean a sharp effect on prices, said Kevin Book, managing director of Clearview Energy Partners. “It’s almost like an open season for a big attack.”

The attack on its oil infrastructure could lead Saudi Arabia to launch a military strike on Iran in retaliation, Book said. Countries attacking each other’s oil facilities and fields is a “prescription for a high oil price.” He argues that the attack on Saudi Arabia will help world markets finally recognize the repercussions of the unraveling of the Iran nuclear deal, from which President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. in 2018, imposing harsh sanctions on Iran, including its oil industry.

Story: Tali Arbel.

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Chinese Museum Receives New Donations of WWII Items

Japanese soldiers take an offensive posture on the Mukden West Gate on Sep. 19, 1931.

SHENYANG (Xinhua) — The 9.18 Historical Museum in northeast China’s Liaoning Province has received a total of 203 new donated items related to the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

A donation ceremony was held in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning, on Monday, two days ahead of the 88th anniversary of the September 18 Incident.

On Sept. 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of railway under their control near Shenyang, then accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for attack. They bombarded barracks near Shenyang the same evening, starting the bloody invasion.

Among the donations, 128 items including machine gun bullets and utility knives once used by Japanese troops came from a private collector by the name of Wang Yu. It is the largest donation the museum has ever received.

“These weapons of war are irrefutable evidence of the crimes of the Japanese militarists who launched a war against China. The museum is where they belong,” Wang said.

Fan Lihong, curator of the museum, said the donated objects and documents could not only enrich the museum’s collections but also assist the future study of the period.

The 9.18 Historical Museum was set up in Shenyang in 1991. It now houses over 10,000 exhibits.

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Hong Kong Airport Sees Sharp Drops in Passenger, Cargo

Protesters at Hong Kong International Airport on Sep. 1, 2019. Image: Xinhua

HONG KONG (Xinhua) — Both passenger and cargo volume of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) dropped sharply in August as illegal assemblies and violent acts severely disrupted its operation, data showed Sunday.

The HKIA handled six million passengers last month, down 12.4 percent from a year ago, the Airport Authority (AA) Hong Kong said in a statement. There were 35,655 air traffic movements in August, down 3.5 percent year on year.

The declines were mainly attributable to falling visitor traffic as those to and from the Chinese mainland, Southeast Asia and China’s Taiwan experienced significant declines compared to the same period a year ago.

The statement said airport and flight operations were disrupted by the assemblies at the airport on a number of days. “In the past few months, there have been huge challenges to airport operations at times,” C K Ng, executive director of airport operations of the AA said.

Cargo volume continued to contract in August, with trans-shipments and imports down 19 percent and 15 percent year on year, respectively. Of all, the figures for Southeast Asia and the Chinese mainland decreased most significantly among Hong Kong’s key trading regions.

Over the first eight months, HKIA handled 50.6 million passengers and 285,495 air traffic movements, up 0.3 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year. Cargo throughput recorded 3.08 million, down 7.4 percent year on year.

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‘Fake Degrees’ Concern Raised Over Thammanat’s Credentials

Deputy agriculture minister Thammanat Prompao speaks to reporters Sep. 13, 2019, at Parliament in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — A minister who spent the past week embattled in narcotics allegations was hit with fresh scandals Friday, when netizens raised concerns that his PhD might be bogus.

Thammanat Prompao, who was identified by an Australian newspaper to have spent four years behind bars in Australia for drug trafficking, insisted his education credentials from an institution in California are legitimate. He also said he’s planning to file at least 100 libel lawsuits against his detractors.

Thammanat, who serves as a deputy minister for agriculture, said the lawsuits will involve “foreign media, and individuals,” without elaborating.

His threat came as online critics lampooned him for listing a “degree” from “California University CFE” on his official biography. The agency, which stands for California University Foreign Credentials Evaluation, appears to be a qualification equivalency assessor rather than a university with any academic courses.

His biography on Parliament’s website also said he received a PhD in public administration from a certain “Calamus International University, USA.”

However, a quick online search revealed Calamus International University to be located in Vanuatu. Parliament removed the entry after the issue came to light.

Thammanat is not the only politician who has had his credentials from California University CFE questioned. In April, 2016, Zambian news media reported that Zambia’s Information Minister Chisimba Kambwili received a bogus honorary doctoral degree from the same institution.

But deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said even if Thammanat’s PhD turns out to be fraudulent, it won’t affect his position because the law only requires cabinet members to hold a Bachelor’s Degree.

“As the constitution requires that a minister finish undergraduate studies, then the scrutiny ends there. There is no need to find out where he completed his master’s or PhD,” Wissanu told reporters. “Like when you apply for a job which stipulates that you must hold an undergraduate degree, even if you show them your doctoral, they don’t want to know,”

Asked whether Thammanat would be guilty of ethical violations if that is the case, Wissanu replied that it is another matter, and refused to give further comments.

A government-sponsored graft watchdog also declined to scrutinize Thammanat’s education background. Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand director Mana Nimitmongkol told the media the issue does not fit the scope of his agency.

Thammanat, a former soldier whose declared assets are worth over 866 million baht, has been battling a revelation by Sydney Morning Herald that he was convicted by an Australian court of heroin trafficking in 1993.

Citing court documents, the newspaper said Thammanat served four years in jail before being deported in 1997.

Thammanat said the report is false, though his version of the story has varied. The minister once said he spent eight months behind bars, while on other occasions he has insisted he never went to prison at all.

Additional reporting Teeranai Charuvastra

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