Washington would accept nothing less than Pyongyang’s fully complying with the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, according to the deputy assistant to the president and senior director for Asia at the White House, Matt Pottinger.

Such a commitment from the North Korean side was convincing as President Donald Trump had spoken one-on-one with Kim during the historical summit in Singapore last week, he said.

“The leader [Kim] is the person in that system who would take the decision, he is sitting at the top of the system. He sets the tone, the policy and strategy for North Korea,” said Pottinger, who was at the historic Singapore summit.

Shortly after the summit, US and North Korean officials met to begin the implementation of the denuclearisation process, he said.

“We will see in the weeks and months ahead how that goes. Our Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has a mandate from the US President to begin immediately the challenge of implementing a road map to denuclearise North Korea,” he added.

The US believes that the process to free North Korea from nuclear weapons must be verified. “There is no such thing as unverified denuclearisation. As far as President Trump is concerned, we have to verify, we have to have inspectors on the ground, and we really need the full cooperation of North Korea,” Pottinger stressed.

The senior US official was speaking in Bangkok on Monday during his swing through Southeast Asian nations after the Singapore summit, and is being undertaken in the context of implementation of the Trump administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy.

The trip also took him to Myanmar over the weekend, and will see him in Malaysia on Tuesday.

Indo-Pacific strategy is the main pillar of the national security strategy of the Trump administration in championing the principle of realism in international relations, the president’s deputy assistant said.

“A freer Indo-Pacific is for the nations to be free from coercion and have the freedom to protect their territory and integrity. Nations should also have freedom at sea and in the air,” Pottinger said.

“We are now in the stage of mapping out details for implementing the Indo-Pacific strategic plan. One key component for the strategy is deepening US alliances and partnerships. Asean centrality is still important to the strategy and American interests,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pottinger said that while in Myanmar, he had discussed the ongoing Rohingya crisis with leaders and senior officials of the country.

The US has been encouraged by the steps taken by Aung San Suu Kyi’s government to increase access to Rakhine state, he pointed out.

“We are encouraged by the Myanmar government for finding a way for Rakhine Muslims to return safely and with dignity,” he said, referring to the repatriation of thousands of refugees to Myanmar’s strife-torn state.

Some 700,000 Rohingya had fled Rakhine since August last year after a crackdown against ethnic insurgents that also prompted a “clearance operation” conducted by the Myanmar military to force the group out.

The refugees faced atrocities of torture, murder, gang-rape and massacre while fleeing from their homes to the Bangladesh border.

Asked whether the issue of ethnic cleansing was discussed with Myanmar leaders, the US official simply said: “I had a very frank and constructive conversation with all officials. I also met journalists there, young entrepreneurs, members of parliament. We have seen some promising side [to the issue] now, progress in eradicating the suffering resulting from the catastrophe.”

Some used the opportunity to freely ride their bikes and jog along the empty streets without having to worry about passing traffic.

Others, meanwhile, took their excitement for the near-complete absence of traffic to a whole new level, as the empty city stimulated creativity and a sense of humor.

An Instagram user, @fredneust, used the opportunity to take photos of himself doing everyday routines in the middle of the now-empty business districts of Jl. Satrio and Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta, as well as on Jl. Agus Salim in Central Jakarta.

His comical poses included grilling satay on a barbecue and sleeping in pajamas in the middle of the usually congested streets.

Fred, who arrived in Jakarta three years ago, said he took the photos spontaneously, out of his affinity for “Indonesian humor”.

“My main mission here is to always see the positive side of Indonesia,” he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. “We have problems here, but we have improved a lot thanks to the government and the people of Jakarta.”

He was not alone in his enjoyment of the empty Jakarta streets.

Danang Dwi, a university student in Jakarta, snapped a photo of him and his friends lounging lazily on folding chairs against the backdrop of an empty bridge that links Kuningan with Menteng, South Jakarta.

“We did it just for fun,” he told the Post. “We got quite bored spending our holiday at home. We could not afford to go out of town, so we decided to have fun on the empty streets of Jakarta.”

He added that his fondness for travelling and hiking drove him to use a tent, a travel bag and folding chairs as props in his photo.

The photos taken by Fred and Danang have since gone viral and received thousands of likes on Instagram. (rfa)

The ministry based its report on a report from the Thai consul general in Osaka.

The 5.8-magnitude quake hit Osaka at 7.58am local time, the height of rush hour in the city of around 2 million people. The shaking lasted about 20 seconds. The tremor’s centre was in Kyoto prefecture.

Train service was suspended and schools closed.

Any Thais in need of the assistance can contact the consul general’s office at +819074885672 or  +819018950987.

Local media reported that three people were killed in the quake in Osaka, including a nineyearold girl. Public broadcaster NHK said an 80-year-old man had been killed by a collapsing wall and another man trapped under a bookcase in his home. In addition to the three deaths, the government’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said at least 91 people were injured.

Meanwhile, Thai International Airways reported that about 100 passengers of its TG 673 flight were unable to check in on time to board the flight following the quake, after transportation services were suspended in Osaka.

The airline facilitated the group by providing them a replacement afternoon flight without charging additional fees.

Any passengers needing help could contact the airline’s branch office at 0970064015.

Meanwhile the Facebook page “Thai Students’ Association in Japan under the Royal Patronage” has issued a warning for Thais in Japan about possible aftershocks in the following days. The post advised people to be well prepared with water, food and other necessities, to avoid sleeping near shelves and to identify the locations of shelters near their places.

Television images showed buildings swaying and burst pipes spewing water after the quake.

However, there was no largescale destruction and no tsunami warning issued after the earthquake, although commuters were stranded and tens of thousands were left without power.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters the government was “working united, with its first priority on saving people’s lives”.

And government spokesman Yoshihide Suga cautioned that “there is a possibility that strong aftershocks will happen”.

“Largescale quakes are likely to happen in the next two to three days,” he told reporters.

Japan sits on the socalled Pacific “Ring of Fire” where a large proportion of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are recorded.

On March 11, 2011 a devastating magnitude 9.0 quake struck under the Pacific Ocean, and the resulting tsunami caused widespread damage and claimed thousands of lives.

It also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing Japan’s worst postwar disaster and the most serious nuclear accident since the Ukraine’s Chernobyl in 1986.

The official launch took place after Ma arrived at the building accompanied by Chinese ambassador Bai Tian.

Ma was greeted by a crowd of office staff from the same building.

“We are not from Alibaba. We saw the news that he will be here today. So we are here to see Jack Ma during our lunch break,” said an excited person from a nearby office.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng will also be here for the opening ceremony of Alibaba KL office.

Ma met Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad earlier on Monday (June 18) in Putrajaya and said he was surprised at the Prime Minister’s knowledge about technology.

He said that during the one-hour meeting, they shared a lot of ideas and discussed how to lift more Malaysians out of poverty and support more young people and small businesses.

Ma was in Malaysia last November to attend the groundbreaking launch of DFTZ with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

DFTZ, which was launched by the previous administration, is an e-hub set up by the Alibaba Group and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).

The project is expected to double the goods exported by small and medium enterprises, create 60,000 jobs locally and facilitate US$ 65bil worth of traded goods by 2025.

The earthquake occurred at the northern part of Osaka prefecture at a depth of 14 kilometers at 7:58 am local time, according to authorities as quoted by KJRI Osaka on its official Instagram account @kjriosaka.

No Indonesians were reported to be injured as of 10 a.m. but the disaster killed two and injured 10 others.

KJRI Osaka further said the Japanese government had issued a notice for the possibility of another earthquake that could be stronger in the coming days.

“All Indonesians in Osaka and surrounding areas are requested to stay calm but alert while monitoring and following local authorities’ directions,” it said on Monday morning.

For any emergency situation, it said, the office had opened a hotline on +81-80 3113-1003, which is available for phone calls, SMS messaging, WhatsApp and Line chat messaging.

The prince, who suffered two broken legs among other injuries, was airlifted from Don Muang International Airport, to Bangkok Hospital, as his injuries were serious, a source said.

The accident, which occurred when a taxi swerved into the incoming lane and collided head on with Prince Ranariddh’s vehicle on national road 4 in Ou’ Oknha Heng commune on the way to Sinhankville, killed his wife, Ouk Phalla. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but died shortly afterwards.

The same source said that the prince, who was a coprime minister with Prime Minister Hun Sen, arrived at Bangkok Airport at about 1am today and because of his serious condition was airlifted to the hospital rather than taken by ambulance.

Khmer Times quoted Yim Savy, Funcinpec secretary general, as saying that the Prince Ranariddh would be sent abroad for medical treatment.

The prince’s driver, a taxi driver and four passengers also sustained injuries, police said.

The prince and his wife were going to attend an election campaign rally in Sihanoukville for the upcoming national election on July 29.

Funcinpec Party spokesman, Nhep Bunchin said the body of the prince’s wife, Ouk Phalla, will be kept for a funeral at Botum pagoda in Phnom Penh.

Phalla, the 39yearold mother of two sons, stood for a lawmaker candidate in Prey Veng province for the upcoming national election.

Television images showed buildings swaying and burst pipes spewing water after the quake, which struck at the height of rush hour in the city of around two million people.

However, there was no large-scale destruction and no tsunami warning issued after the earthquake, although commuters were stranded and tens of thousands were left without power.

Among the casualties was a nine-year-old girl who died in the city of Takatsuki, north of Osaka city, reportedly trapped by a collapsed wall following the 5.3-magnitude quake.

Public broadcaster NHK said an 80-year-old man had also been killed by a collapsing wall and another man trapped under a bookcase in his home.

In addition to the three deaths, the government’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said at least 91 people were injured.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters the government was “working united, with its first priority on saving people’s lives”.

And government spokesman Yoshihide Suga cautioned “there is a possibility that strong aftershocks will happen”.

“Large-scale quakes are likely to happen in the next two to three days,” he told reporters.

Japan sits on the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire” where a large proportion of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are recorded.

On March 11, 2011, a devastating magnitude 9.0 quake struck under the Pacific Ocean, and the resulting tsunami caused widespread damage and claimed thousands of lives.

It also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing Japan’s worst postwar disaster and the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.

– ‘Strong vertical jolt’-

Local residents described the moment the quake jolted the highly urbanised area at 8:00 am, when platforms would have been heaving with passengers waiting to board their commuter trains.

“The floor moved violently. It was a strong vertical jolt. Nearly all of the dishes fell and shattered on the floor,” said Kaori Iwakiri, a 50-year-old nurse in Moriguchi, just north of Osaka city.

“My parents suffered a blackout and they have no water. I plan to take water to them now.”

Despite its relatively low magnitude, the quake caused quite a shake, registering a lower six on the Japanese experiential scale of up to seven, meaning it is hard to stay standing.

Eiji Shibuya, 52, said the tremor reminded him of the devastating 1995 Kobe earthquake, which killed nearly 6,500 people.

“I was stunned. I couldn’t do anything,” he told AFP from Itami, a city in eastern Osaka region.

“I was worried about my son as he had just left for his high school. I was relieved when I confirmed he was safe.”

NHK showed footage of firefighters tackling a blaze that ripped through a home north of Osaka.

A number of train services were suspended, including the “shinkansen” bullet train, as multiple smaller aftershocks followed the quake.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said it had detected no problems at its local atomic power plants, but some companies, including Honda, said they had suspended operations at local plants.

Kansai Electric said on its website that around 170,000 homes in the Osaka region were briefly without power.

“There are fears that the risk of house collapses and landslides has increased in the areas shaken strongly,” said Toshiyuki Matsumori, in charge of monitoring quakes at the meteorological agency.//AFP

Bernama posted a short video clip of their meeting, which is taking place behind closed doors, on its Twitter page.

Ma is believed to have held an informal meeting with Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng on Sunday (June 17) night.

The meeting had generated a certain amount of positivity against a backdrop of unfavourable contracts signed between China companies and the previous Barisan Nasional government, said sources.

Ma is in Kuala Lumpur to open an Alibaba office in Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur today (June 18).

Ma is one of China’s prominent businessmen, and among the first, to have met a high-ranking official from the Pakatan Harapan Government.

Public broadcaster NHK and private station TV Asahi both reported “several” deaths, with the Kyodo news agency saying a nine-year-old girl had been trapped by a damaged wall in a swimming facility north of Osaka city.

Local police said they could not confirm the reports.

A strong quake hit western Japan early Monday, but there were no immediate reports of major damage or risk of tsunami waves, officials said.

The 5.3-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 15.4 kilometres (10 miles) at 7:58 am (2258 GMT Sunday) near Osaka, according to the United States Geological Survey.

There was no risk of tsunami from the tremor, the Japanese meteorological agency said, putting its magnitude at 5.9, and the epicentre at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters the government was “working united, with its first priority on saving people’s lives.”

Abe said he had instructed his staff to “swiftly collect information on damage, make utmost efforts in rescuing and saving lives… (and) provide timely and appropriate information to the public.”

Local police also told AFP that they had not received reports of substantial damage, and the Nuclear Regulation Authority said it had detected no abnormalities at its facilities after the quake.

The tremor caused a blackout for thousands of houses and suspended train operations during the morning commuting hours.

Private broadcaster TV Asahi showed firefighters responding to a blaze that broke out after the quake at a house north of Osaka city.

Television footage also showed a “shinkansen” bullet train stopped on the railway.

The quake registered a lower six on the Japanese Shindo scale of up to seven, meaning it is hard to stay standing.

Pictures posted on Twitter showed signs at a train station that had fallen down and books thrown off shelves at a store.