TOKYO: Japan said Tuesday it would give $120 million of new cash to help stabilise the Islamist-infested Sahel region of North Africa, days after 10 Japanese were killed when jihadists stormed an Algerian gas plant.

"The Japanese government plans to give an additional $120 million to help stabilise Mali and the Sahel region," Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said. "This is to help the region to strengthen governance and security, including aid for peacekeeping operations."

Japan was hit hard by the four-day siege in the Algerian desert, when heavily-armed militants took hundreds of people hostage.

The stand-off ended in bloodshed when Algerian commandos stormed the plant, with some reports talking of summary executions of hostages in the final firefight.

Of the at least 37 foreigners known to have died, Japan's toll of 10 was the highest of any country whose nationals were caught up in the siege.

All of the Japanese who died were employed by plant engineering firm JGC, which, along with a number of other similar firms from resource-starved Japan, is active in North Africa.

"We expect this aid to help strengthen the AFISMA mission and abate the poverty that could breed terrorism," Kishida said, referring to the African-led International Support Mission to Mali, which has UN Security Council backing.- AFP

• Google, like Facebook, in talks to buy Waze for about US$1bil
• Crown selling entire 10% in rival Echo, partly owned by Genting
• First edition of 'Great Gatsby' to be sold at auction, can fetch US$150,000
• Malaysia leads the way in Basel III debt
• Markets face rough summer ride as Fed pullback feared
• Wall Street sags, HP hits 52-week high
• Commodities trader sues BP, Shell others for alleged oil price fixing
• Billionaire Icahn seeks up to US$7bil for Dell bid
• Google faces new federal antitrust probe
• Goldman Sachs unveils checks on conflicts in bid to fix tarnished image
• Air Asia's Tony Fernandes to ‘fire up’ investors
• Maybank bullish on growth, to expand regionally under new leadership
• Khazanah appoints Nor Mohamed deputy chairman
• Lafarge Malayan Cement to finalise next expansion plans by August
• Daibochi expanding exports to S-E Asia and Australia

• Strong quake strikes off Tonga
• Jury fails to decide on US murderer death sentence
• One killed in Brazil giant fuel depot blaze

• BAM must stop rewarding mediocrity or be doomed
• Gritty Indonesia give mighty China a huge scare
• Yong-dae believes luckless run in world meet will end in Guangzhou
• Chin Chai will not take up offer as CNT committee chairman
• BAM secretary: It all depends on Kien Keat and Boon Heong now
• Chong Wei urges team-mates to put Cup exit behind
• Kelly overcomes scare to clinch title in KLGCC
• Time to make amends Garcia wants to meet Woods to defuse racist row
• American Johnson back to defend Colonial crown
• Rain dampens debut of LPGA Bahamas event
• Tianlang adds another US event to schedule
• Malaysia to host 2016 World Table Tennis meet
• Masziyaton lets slip medal chance in Myanmar
• Nicol David sails into quarter-finals of British Open in 35 minutes
• Nor Aliyah smashes 18-year-old 200m record in MSSM meet

• Please wait.

• Singapore GDP growth surprises, beats economists’ forecast of contraction
• KL car number plates to bear ‘W1A’
• Lower profit for Unico-Desa, hit by depressed CPO prices
• Daibochi expanding exports to S-E Asia and Australia
• TDM to expand plantation and hospital ops
• Lafarge Malayan Cement to finalise next expansion plans by August
• Three held over May 13 statements
• Google faces new federal antitrust probe
• Malaysia leads the way in Basel III debt
• Danajamin names non-exec director