Railway Rehabilitation: Southeast senator accuses transport minister of neglecting zone

An abducted Cameroonian ruling party senator appears in a video announcing her resignation and calling for anglophone independence. Regina Mundi may have been forced to read this statement by English-speaking separatist militia. Meanwhile, in Congo-Brazzaville, there are calls for the government to do more to identify and support those suffering from mental illness. And as Muslims across Africa prepare to celebrate Eid, preparations have been tainted by soaring prices.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

US Senator Marsha Blackburn met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, expressing support for the island. She arrived after visiting Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Southeast Asian countries, most of whom count the EU as one of their largest trading partners, are watching the bloc's economic slowdown with a mixture of trepidation and opportunity.

As European countries turn to energy suppliers in Southeast Asia, driving up global prices, there are concerns that other developing countries are being forced to spend more on increasingly expensive LNG or coal.

Skyrocketing inflation and energy costs are expected to dampen European spending on retail goods, which will come down hard on Asian production centers.

We bring you reactions in the US press after Congressman Kevin McCarthy once again fails to secure the role of House speaker. Also, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveils his five-point plan to "get the UK back on track".

A survey has found that many people in Southeast Asia prefer to engage with the EU amid US-China rivalry in the region. Cambodians particularly viewed the bloc favorably — Malaysians and Indonesians not so much.

The European Parliament has been sending delegations to the region as it edges towards an EU-ASEAN parliamentary assembly. But the bloc is fractured over who should lead EU foreign policy.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday.⁣

The proposed legislation is causing consternation in Southeast Asia, where local businesses are currently working to adapt to the EU regulations on the environment and sustainability.

Despite recent crackdowns on criminal gangs, people traffickers are expanding their scam operations and increasingly targeting citizens outside the region.