Article: Over 1,000 new wildlife species discovered in Mekong River

December 16, 2008 Categories: Asean+

Over 1,000 new wildlife species discovered in Mekong River

Bangkok: More than 1,000 new species, including the world’s largest huntsman spider and the Laotian rock rat, have been discovered in the Greater Mekong Region of Southeast Asia between 1997 and 2007, the World Wildlife Fund For Nature (WWF) revealed yesterday. The huntsman spider has leg span of 30cm, and the rock rat was previously thought to have become extinct 11 million years ago, according to the report First Contact in the Greater Mekong.

Some of the 1,068 newly discovered species were found in surprising places, said the report.

"The Laotian rock rat, thought to be extinct 11 million years ago, was first encountered by scientists in a local food market," the WWF said. — dpa

Asean charter for EU-style bloc comes into force

Jakarta: Southeast Asian foreign ministers yesterday formalised a charter that transforms the 41-year-old bloc of half a billion people into a a more united community. The charter sets out rules of membership, transforms the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) into a legal entity and proposes a single free trade area by 2015.

"The Asean Charter officially entered into force," Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told the meeting in Jakarta. "This is a momentous development at a time when Asean is consolidating, integrating and transforming itself into a community."

The charter would take the region to the highest level of political, economic and social cultural dynamism, he said. — dpa

22 dead, 34 missing in Philippine ferry tragedy

Manila: A boat with more than 100 passengers capsized in the northern Philippines, killing 22 people, the coast guard said yesterday.

While 46 people survived, 34 were still missing from the sinking of the MB Maejan on Sunday off Ballesteros town in the province of Cagayan, 420km north of Manila.

Elena Bautista, chief of the Maritime Industry Authority, said the boat was already near the pier when it was suddenly battered by large waves.

"It was about to dock but had to pull back because of the huge waves, and it capsized," she said. "Hopefully we can rescue all those missing." — dpa

This article was taken from: The Malay Mail: Asean+ 16 December 2008