Film pulled off in Hanoi over South China Sea map

Hanoi: Vietnam has pulled the animated film “Abominable” from theatres over a scene featuring a map of the South China Sea showing Beijing’s claims in the flashpoint waterway. China has long used its so-called nine-dash line to justify its jurisdiction over most of the resource-rich sea. The U-shaped line appears on a map of the South China Sea in a scene in the film released as “Everest: The Little Snowman” in Vietnam, which is about a Chinese teenager helping a yeti return to his home on Mount Everest. State media said the movie would no longer be shown in Vietnam. AFP 

Afghanistan museum restores Buddhist artifacts     

Kabul: Restoring Afghanistan’s Buddhist artifacts that were destroyed by the Taliban 18 years ago is like working on a 1,500-year-old jigsaw puzzle, say conservators working on the restoration project. The militants in 2001 destroyed artifacts dating from the third century, including two towering Buddha statues in Bamyan province and scores of smaller ones excavated from monasteries. “It is very important (work) because it is actually restoration of our heritage, our identity, our past,” said Mohammad Fahim Rahimi, director of the 100-year-old National Museum of Afghanistan.” Reuters

K-pop star Sulli found dead in Seoul

Seoul: Sulli, a 25-year-old K-pop star, was found dead at her residence near Seoul, South Korea, police said on Monday. The police told the BBC that the singer’s manager found her dead at her home and were investigating the cause of her death. The star, whose real name is Choi Jin-ri and had more than five million followers on Instagram. There were reports that said the artist suspended her work after struggling with the abuse she got online. IANS