by Associated Press BC-AS--Asian News Digest, AS Associated Press - 8 August 2014 08:00-04:00 ASIA: UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan's feuding presidential candidates agree to resolve their election dispute and say they will set the inauguration before the end of August. The breakthrough comes as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry holds a second day of talks in Afghanistan aimed at preventing the fragile country from collapsing into political chaos after disputed elections. By Matthew Lee. SENT: 130 words, photos. — AFGHANISTAN — Taliban fighters storm a police checkpoint in southern Helmand province, killing four policemen. SENT: 130 words, photos. ASIA-SECURITY TALKS NAYPYITAW, Myanmar — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and top diplomats from Europe and Asia are meeting to discuss regional security issues this weekend. The meeting opened Friday for talks among ministers from 10 Southeast Asian countries and expands over the weekend to comprise 27 countries who are members of the so-called ASEAN Regional Forum, including the United States, Russia, China, India, South Korea and North Korea. SENT: 830 words, photos. MYANMAR-MALNOURISHED ROHINGYA OHN TAW GYI CAMP, Myanmar — Born just over a year ago, Dosmeda Bibi has spent her entire short life confined to a camp for one of the world's most persecuted religious minorities. Like a growing number of other Muslim Rohingya children who are going hungry, she's showing the first signs of severe malnutrition. Myanmar's child malnutrition rate was already among the region's highest, but it's growing in Rakhine state, home to most of the country's 1.3 million Rohingya. By Esther Htusan. SENT: 1,200 words, photos. THAILAND-POLITICS BANGKOK — Thailand's military-dominated interim legislature holds its first meeting since it was appointed by the junta following a coup more than two months ago. The 197-member National Legislative Assembly will enact laws and nominate an interim prime minister, who will then choose Cabinet members. Its appointment last month was part of the junta's roadmap to return Thailand to elected democracy, expected to take place by October 2015. SENT: 230 words, photos. CAMBODIA-POLITICS PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Opposition lawmakers in Cambodia end a 10-month boycott of parliament, joining the assembly for the first time after reaching a breakthrough political deal with the country's ruling party. Legislators from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party had refused to take their seats after alleging results of last year's general election were rigged. By Sopheng Cheang. SENT: 210 words. CAMBODIAN AMERICANS-VERDICT SANTA ANA, California — Sophany Bay saw her two young daughters and son die at the hands of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia after the family was forced from their home and she was sent to toil in the fields under the movement's reign of terror. Nearly four decades later, the mental health counselor who helps Cambodian-Americans cope with the trauma of the 1970s-era killings says she finally felt a sense of justice after a United Nations-backed tribunal convicted two top leaders of crimes against humanity. By Amy Taxin. SENT: 460 words, photos. BUSINESS AND FINANCE: MALAYSIA-AIRLINE OVERHAUL KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia's state investment company says it plans to make Malaysia Airlines fully government owned, removing it from the country's stock exchange before carrying out an overhaul of the carrier that is reeling from double disasters. Khazanah Nasional, which owns 69 percent of Malaysia Airlines, said it has proposed to the carrier's board that it buy out minority shareholders. The takeover would cost 1.38 billion ringgit ($429 million). By Eileen Ng. SENT: 570 words, photos. — MALAYSIA-AIRLINE OVERHAUL-Q&A — SENT: 640 words, photos. CHINA-INVESTIGATORS TRIAL SHANGHAI — A British investigator and his American wife charged with illegally trading in the personal details of Chinese nationals testify that they bought such information to help companies combat fraud. Peter Humphrey and Yingzeng Yu operated a firm in Shanghai that helped companies screen potential business partners and employees. Their arrest last August sent a chill through foreign businesses. It came as Beijing tightened controls over information and prompted warnings that investigation of legitimate matters might be curtailed. SENT: 870 words. CHINA-MONOPOLY CRACKDOWN-AUTOS BEIJING — Toyota Motor Corp. says that Chinese anti-monopoly regulators are looking at its Lexus luxury unit in a spreading investigation of foreign automakers. The company is "cooperating fully with the queries from the authorities on Lexus," said Toyota spokesman Naoki Sumino in Tokyo. By Joe McDonald and Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 450 words. CHINA-TRADE BEIJING — China's export growth accelerated in July but imports sagged in a possible sign of weakness in the world's second-largest economy. Exports jumped 14.5 percent from a year earlier, double June's 7.2 percent growth. Imports fell 1.6 percent, down from the previous month's 5.5 percent expansion. By Joe McDonald. SENT: 350 words, photos. CHINA-AUTO SALES BEIJING — China's auto sales decelerated further in July while global automakers continued to mop up the market share of local brands. Sales rose 9.7 percent to 1.3 million vehicles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. That was down from June's 11.5 percent growth and May's 13.9 percent. By Joe McDonald. SENT: 380 words. WTO-US-CHINA-RARE EARTHS BERLIN — The World Trade Organization upholds a ruling that China violated trade rules with restrictions on the export of "rare earths," the minerals used in mobile phones, hybrid cars and other high-tech products. SENT: 235 words. U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL: OBAMA-IRAQ-ANALYSIS WASHINGTON — After years of resisting the pull of more Mideast conflicts, President Barack Obama is ready to return the United States to military action in Iraq, the very country where he accused his predecessor of engaging in a "dumb war." The president's authorization of airstrikes against militants in Iraq threatens to upend his legacy as the commander in chief who ended the long, unpopular war. By White House Correspondent Julie Pace. SENT: 770 words, photos. UNITED STATES-IRAQ WASHINGTON — Declaring that "America is coming to help," Obama is authorizing U.S. airstrikes if necessary and airdrops of humanitarian aid in northern Iraq to counter advancing Islamic militants and the threat they pose to Americans as well as Iraqi civilians. By Julie Pace and Robert Burns. SENT: 1,050 words, photos, video. — IRAQ — Facing serious humanitarian, security crisis, Iraqi and Kurdish officials relieved by U.S. help. SENT: 140 words. — FRANCE-UN MEETING — U.N. Security Council condemns attacks on minorities in Iraq; Britain to circulate draft resolution. SENT: 480 words. ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS GAZA CITY, Gaza — Israel and militants from Gaza resume cross-border attacks after a three-day truce expired and talks brokered by Egypt hit a deadlock. Responding to rocket fire from Gaza, Israel has already launched at least 10 airstrikes on the cramped seaside territory, one of which hit a backyard of a mosque and killed a 10-year-old boy. By Karin Laub and Moahmmed Daraghmeh. SENT: 940 words, photos, videos, interactive. EBOLA EMERGENCY LONDON — The World Health Organization declares the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to be an international public health emergency that requires an extraordinary response to stop its spread. The WHO's chief, Dr. Margaret Chan, says the affected countries "simply do not have the capacity to manage an outbreak of this size and complexity on their own." By Medical Writer Maria Cheng. SENT: 650 words, photos, videos. TROPICAL WEATHER HONOLULU — The first storm in a one-two punch that sent Hawaii scrambling to brace itself weakens on its approach, while a second system close behind was largely expected to pass north of the islands. The National Weather Service downgraded Iselle to a tropical storm about 50 miles before it was expected to make landfall early Friday in the southern part of Hawaii's Big Island. Wind and rain from the system still had enough force to knock down trees, cause power outages and block roads. By Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Audrey McAvoy. SENT: 360 words, photos, videos. TURKEY-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ISTANBUL — For the first time in its history, Turkey is directly electing its president on Sunday in a contest considered a turning point for the country of 76 million people — with its prime minister the strong favorite for a job he has pledged to transform from a symbolic role into one of real power. By Elena Becatoros. SENT: 930 words, photos. — TURKEY-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES — A look at the candidates running in Turkey's presidential election. SENT: 660 words, photos. — TURKEY-ELECTORAL PROCESS — A look at Turkey's electoral process. SENT: 520 words, photos. PISTORIUS-TRIAL PRETORIA, South Africa — The chief defense lawyer for Oscar Pistorius delivers final arguments in the athlete's murder trial, alleging that Pistorius thought he was in danger when he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and also that police mishandled evidence at the house where the shooting happened. The judge is expected to adjourn the trial at the end of proceedings Friday to deliberate on a verdict with the help of two legal assistants. By Christopher Torchia and Gerald Imray. SENT: 540 words, photos, video. GREECE CINEMA-PHOTO GALLERY ATHENS, Greece — In the hot summer months, Greece's cinema-goers move outdoors to watch the latest Hollywood films and old classics under the stars, usually with a beer and snacks beside them on a metal table. It's a widely-loved tradition that survived through the real estate boom a decade ago and the financial crisis that followed, still providing many an affordable night out. But it now faces threat from a sweeping change in technology. The global switch to digital projection will cost independent operators here tens of thousands of dollars, with many saying they will be forced out of business. An AP Photo Essay. By Petros Giannakouris. SENT: 140 words, photos. GENERAL MOTORS-TRIPLE RECALL DETROIT — General Motors is recalling a group of SUVs for the third time in an attempt to finally fix a problem with power window switches that can catch fire. The problem, revealed in documents posted by federal safety regulators this week, is so serious that GM is telling customers to park the SUVs outdoors until they are repaired because they could catch fire when left unattended. It's another example of how before this year GM officials were reluctant to issue safety recalls, and opting for a lower-cost solution when they did. By Auto Writer Tom Krisher. SENT: 680 words. ALSO GETTING ATTENTION — MUSIC-MILEY CYRUS — An all-grown up Miley Cyrus a little naughty, a little nice in return to Nashville. SENT: 590 words, photos. — JONESTOWN REMAINS — Three decades after shocking mass suicide-murder, remains of nine Jonestown bodies found in Delaware. SENT: 580 words, photos, video. — PGA CHAMPIONSHIP — Westwood, McIlroy off to a great start at PGA as Woods stumbles again in a major. SENT: 970 words, photos. ___ YOUR QUERIES: The editor in charge at the AP Asia-Pacific Desk in Bangkok is David Thurber. Questions and story requests are welcome. The news desk can be reached at (66) 2632-6911 or by email at asia@ap.org. The Asia Photo Desk can be reached at (81-3) 6215-8941 or by fax at (81-3) 3574-8850. Between 1600 GMT and 0000 GMT, please refer queries to the North America Desk in New York at (1) 212-621-1650. News Topics: General news, Presidential elections, Automobile manufacturing, Automobile safety, Automobile recalls, Cabinet appointments and nominations, Government appointments and nominations, Territorial disputes, Elections, Militant groups, War and unrest, Emergency management, Legal proceedings, International trade, Government and politics, Global trade, Weather, Crime, International relations, National elections, Consumer product manufacturing, Consumer products and services, Industries, Business, Product safety, Products and services, Corporate news, Product recalls, Cabinets, Law and order, Economy People, Places and Companies: Toyota Motor Corp, John Kerry, Barack Obama, Margaret Chan, Oscar Pistorius, Miley Cyrus, China, Turkey, Iraq, United States, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Beijing, Southeast Asia, Shanghai, Israel, Bangkok, East Asia, Middle East, Greece, Gaza Strip, Greater China, Asia, Western Europe, Europe, North America, Central Asia, Palestinian territories Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. 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