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Myanmar visit to turn new page in history Japanese PM

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:50:01 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a message published in Myanmar official media here Saturday that his current official visit to Myanmar will bring Japan-Myanmar cooperation to even higher level and serve as an opportunity to lay down a foundation for turning a new page in history. Abe said he will exchange views with President U Thein Sein in the forthcoming meeting, expected to take ...

Tamils rise up against Sri Lankan armys land seizure

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:10:03 -0400

There are growing tensions in northern Sri Lanka as Tamils are trying to prevent the Sinhalese-dominated army from taking over their land. In a new development, villagers have driven out a group of surveyors sent by the authorities. Thousands others are involved in a court action trying to win back the land they were displaced from years ago. According to the BBC, two thousand people are ...

Pakistan remains opposed to illegal drone strikes in country after Obama speech

Sat, 25 May 2013 03:40:04 -0400

The Pakistan Government has repeated its view that drone strikes by America in its territory were illegal. The rhetoric from Pakistan came after President Barack Obama laid out new guidelines for the use of he unmanned vehicles. According to the Daily Times, Obama mounted a firm defence of the covert drone war as 'legal' in a major speech on counterterrorism policy on Thursday. He, however, ...

Sindh HC dismisses defeated JI candidates rigging plea on PTI win in Karachi

Sat, 25 May 2013 03:40:03 -0400

The Sindh High Court has dismissed a plea from a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate, who challenged the results of the election of Karachi's PS-39 seat, which has been won by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The move from the high court comes while hearing a string of appeals against the outcome of the elections. According to the Express Tribune, upholding the returning officer's decision, the bench headed ...

Pakistan urges Afghanistan to consider regional implications of arms deal with India

Sat, 25 May 2013 03:20:05 -0400

The Foreign Office in Pakistan has urged Afghanistan to consider the regional security situation while pursuing an arms purchase deal with India. At a media briefing on Friday, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani said as a sovereign country Afghanistan can pursue its own policies, but it should mind the overall peace and security situation in the region. According to Dawn News, Jillani was ...

Obamas drones Gitmo speech welcomed in Pakistan Yemen

Sat, 25 May 2013 03:20:05 -0400

President Barack Obama's speech on the use of drones and the fate of Guantanamo prisoners has been welcomed by two key countries affected by the policies - Pakistan and Yemen. At the same time, Pakistani officials criticized Obama for not announcing an end to drone strikes against Islamic militants in the country in his landmark speech on Thursday, as they have long demanded. According to the ...

China Pakistan vow to deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation

Sat, 25 May 2013 03:20:03 -0400

Beijing, May 25 (Xinhua-ANI): China and Pakistan agreed to cement their strategic partnership and deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation in various areas, according to a joint statement issued Thursday during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the South Asian country. In the statement, China reaffirms that its relationship with Pakistan is always a priority in its foreign policy and ...

Pak troops violate ceasefire again injure brigadier two soldiers in Tutmari Gali sector

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:50:01 -0400

An army brigadier and two soldiers were injured late Friday night when Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian positions, violating the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Tutmari Gali sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Brigadier Sanjeev Langar and the two soldiers suffered minor injuries, army sources said here on Saturday. The exchange of fire took place around 7.15 p.m. India and Pakistan ...

15 students killed in school van blast in Pakistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:50:04 -0400

Islamabad, May 25 (Xinhua-ANI): At least 15 children were killed in a school van gas cylinder blast that took place early Saturday morning in Gujrat, a district in Pakistan's eastern province of Punjab, reported local media Dunya. The blast also killed a teacher on board, said local media, adding that the killed included 13 boys and two girls. Nine including eight children and a driver were ...

BSF arrests Pak woman in Samba District of Jammu and Kashmir

Fri, 24 May 2013 23:50:04 -0400

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have arrested a Pakistani woman who entered Indian territory along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district on Friday. Border Security Force personnel observed some suspicious movement along the International Border near the Kamore forward post in the Ramgarh area of Samba sector and arrested the woman. Nothing incriminating was recovered ...

PM to undertake five-day visit to Japan Thailand from Monday

Fri, 24 May 2013 23:50:03 -0400

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will undertake a five-day official visit to Japan and Thailand from Monday. He will first visit Japan from May 27 to May 29 and then visit Thailand on May 30 to 31. The focus of the visit to Japan is expected to be on strategic content and ways to expand bilateral energy and economic ties, while the visit to Bangkok will be aimed at signing a long awaited ...

Nepal Ban urges all parties to maintain momentum to hold elections within timetable

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:18:08 -0400

24 May 2013 150 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged all parties in Nepal to overcome remaining political obstacles to hold the country's next elections within the existing timetable. In a statement, Mr. Ban's spokesperson said the Secretary-General "has been following events in Nepal closely," and "urges all parties to maintain momentum by overcoming the remaining political obstacles ...

Misbah urges Pak to improve game following surprise Ireland tie

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:50:01 -0400

Pakistan Test and one-day captain Misbah-ul Haq has said that it is a must for his team to improve in all three departments of the game ahead of the series decider with Ireland, before the ICC Champions Trophy. Kevin O'Brien hit a dramatic four off the last ball of the first one-day international on Thursday to deny Pakistan victory and earn Ireland a dramatic tie, the 28th in ODI history, ...

UN rights experts call for stronger protection of victims of caste-based discrimination

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:15:59 -0400

24 May 2013 150 More than 260 million people across the world are still victims of human rights abuses due to caste-based discrimination, United Nations independent experts warned today, urging South Asian countries to strengthen legislation to protect them. "Caste-based discrimination remains widespread and deeply rooted, its victims face structural discrimination, marginalization and ...

Myanmar state sets 2-child limit for Muslims

Sat, 25 May 2013 18:42:34 -0400

YANGON: Authorities in Myanmar's western Rakhine state have introduced a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families in an effort to ease tensions with the Rohingya's Buddhist neighbours after a spate of deadly sectarian violence, an official said on Saturday. Local officials said the new measure - part of a policy that will also ban polygamy - will be applied to two Rakhine townships ...

Indonesia is seeing a new corporate colonialism

Sat, 25 May 2013 18:32:03 -0400

Indonesia as local and multinational companies have been encouraged to seize and then deforest customary land - land owned by indigenous people and administered in accordance with their customs. More than 600 were recorded in 2011, with 22 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The true number is probably far greater, say watchdog groups.The Indonesian national human rights commission reported more ...

Bangladeshs lifeline faces safety probe

Sat, 25 May 2013 18:23:52 -0400

A woman cries as she sticks a poster of a a family member on the wall of a school turned makeshift morgue for Rana Plaza victims. Bhuiyan said MIB and other large companies with which he is familiar comply with international labor laws, but even for bigger companies, that isn’t easy."There is a tremendous pressure to maintain the minimum level of compliance," he said. "You ...

5 soldiers killed as rash of bombings hits southern Thailand

Sat, 25 May 2013 17:41:42 -0400

Police officers and soldiers in southern Thailand escaped death in bombings Saturday, one day after a bomb killed five military rangers, authorities said. A roadside bomb hit a truck carrying five soldiers in Narathiwat province, the Bangkok Post reported. Police officers in the same province responding to a report of gunshots were ambushed by a bomb but escaped without injury. Other bombings ...

Cambodian documentary wins Cannes prize

Sat, 25 May 2013 16:34:57 -0400

Psy impersonator fools Cannes festival stars A documentary using small clay figures to tell the story of how Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh's family perished under the Khmer Rouge regime won the top prize in the second most important competition at the Cannes film festival. L'Image Manquante (The Missing Picture) was among the 18 films that premiered in the Un Certain Regard category ...

Christian preacher tests Vietnam’s censors

Sat, 25 May 2013 16:24:24 -0400

The remark was Vujicic's only direct reference to his faith in a night that was otherwise motivational. Most people in the audience were not Christians. Vujicic's appearance is a sign of how a government that once severely restricted religion is now taking a slightly more relaxed attitude. Those associated with Vujicic's Vietnam tour said it was the first by a foreign Christian -- ...

Cambodian film on familys experience under Pol Pot wins Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize

Sat, 25 May 2013 15:40:00 -0400

CANNES, France - A French-Cambodian film, "The Missing Picture," which explores the bloody history of Pol Pot's dictatorship in late 1970s Cambodia, has won the "Un Certain Regard" prize at the Cannes Film Festival. To rousing applause, director Rithy Panh collected the award at a ceremony Saturday night, expressing his gratitude to be able "to have the freedom to ...

AFridayIn The Port of Karachi

Sat, 25 May 2013 15:11:47 -0400

This past Friday, GlobalPost'sKarachi Correspondent Mariya Karimjee gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the famed Port of Karachi and Kiamari District. Mariya shared her remarkable breadth of Karachi knowledge -- beginning with some Pakistani history lessons, and finishing up with some colorful images of tragically polluted waters, exotic fish from the Arabian Sea, and vibrant vessels tied ...

Muslims given a two-child limit in Myanmars Rakhine state

Sat, 25 May 2013 15:11:39 -0400

Rakhine state imposes a two-child limit on the local Rohingya population, claiming the measure will help defuse clashes with local ...

16 kids 1 teacher die in Pakistan bus fire

Sat, 25 May 2013 15:09:42 -0400

LAHORE, Pakistan -- Police say that a teacher was among the 17 burned to death in eastern Pakistan when a minibus taking children to school suddenly caught ...

Minorities Unsafe in Pakistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:06:32 -0400

Pakistan’s founder "Quaid-i-Azam" Mohammad Ali Jinnah dreamt of a country that would be Islamic and at the same time secular. The basic ideals behind the creation of Pakistan underscored security, welfare and cooperation of the people of all religions. Thanks to extremism and radicalization, today Pakistan is counted among the most dangerous places to live. Unfortunately, ...

Pakistani women faced major hurdles at polls

Sat, 25 May 2013 14:03:57 -0400

Pakistani women were often blocked from voting in recent elections, but many were compelled to vote, usually for their husband's or father's ...

Police arrest Asian gamblers in Abu Dhabi

Sat, 25 May 2013 13:30:42 -0400

The Western Police received a call from the victim, who works as a mechanic, after being stabbed by the two escaped attackers in an industrial area near ...

Thousands defy Malaysia govt to hold rally

Sat, 25 May 2013 12:29:45 -0400

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (AFP) - Tens of thousands of people rallied near Malaysia's capital Saturday night against alleged electoral fraud, further raising the political temperature after divisive recent polls.The latest in a series of protest rallies over the May 5 elections -- which the opposition says were won fraudulently by the 56-year-old ruling coalition -- saw a large crowd gather in ...

In Malawi an NGO Saves Rural Dwellers from Waterborne Illnesses

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:48:33 -0400

CHIKHWAWA DISTRICT, MALAWI -- A few years ago, residents of Malawi's southern district of Chikhwawa were often stricken with diarrhea often caused by cholera, an illness spread by unclean drinking water from unprotected sources like wells and rivers. Today, the situation is under control, thanks to an international NGO that's drilling boreholes in the area for fresh drinking water and ...

Black Widow Suicide Bomber Wounds 12 in Russia

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:48:33 -0400

Police say the bomber detonated her explosives in the central square in Makhachkala, Dagestan's capital. At least two of the wounded are in critical ...

Why youve never heard of these Vietnam vets

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:24:57 -0400

Retired Major General Peter Phillips at home in Canberra with ten-year-old grand daughter Sarah. He says his experiences in Vietnam as a D Company Commander were "life changing". Picture: Ray ...

The dark side of Japanese fashion made in Bangladesh

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:22:51 -0400

Few, if any, similarities exist between the redactions of the Benghazi e-mails and the deletions and distortions made by Richard Nixon in his taped ...

Visiting Abe assures Myanmar of support from ‘whole of Japan’

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:22:49 -0400

Wholehearted support: Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi meets with visiting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Yangon on Saturday. | ...

Psy to perform in Indonesia South Korean diplomatic celebration

Sat, 25 May 2013 11:14:51 -0400

South Korean pop star Psy will perform in Indonesia at a concert celebrating diplomatic ties between the two countries, his management agency said Saturday. The performance -- which will not be staged as a solo concert -- will mark Psy's first visit to Indonesia, the Jakarta Globe reported. The "Gangnam Style" singer will perform July 6 at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in ...

Ukraine Gays Hold First March Protected by Police

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:49:23 -0400

KYIV -- About 100 Ukrainian gay rights activists held the country's first gay rally Saturday, helped by police who arrested 13 people for trying to break up the march. The activists walked for about 250 meters along Prospekt Peremohy (Victory Avenue) in the capital, Kyiv, while Orthodox Christian activists nearby chanted slogans denouncing them. "Ukraine is not America. Kyiv is ...

Japanese PM Visits Myanmar

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:44:37 -0400

Naiyipid, May 25 (Prensa Latina) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, met a wide range of activities during the first three days of an official visit to Myanmar, highlights the digital website of the NHK Japanese television. Abe and his wife Akie, laid a wreath at the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Yangon, the country's largest city. It is a monument dedicated to General Aung San and his comrades ...

Two men arrested after RAF Typhoon jet is scrambled to escort Lahore passenger flight plane to London Stansted Airport

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:29:47 -0400

Two men were arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft after a passenger aircraft was escorted through British airspace by fighter jets and redirected to land at Stansted airport in ...

Myanmar orders two child limits for Muslims

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:23:14 -0400

Authorities in Myanmar's western Rakhine state have imposed a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families, a policy that does not apply to Buddhists in the area and comes amid accusations of ethnic cleansing in the aftermath of sectarian violence. Local officials said on Saturday that the new measure would be applied to two Rakhine townships that border Bangladesh and have the highest ...

Five climbers feared dead on Nepal mountainside

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:15:44 -0400

Officials in Nepal said five missing mountain climbers were likely killed by an avalanche on Mount Kanchenjunga earlier this week. The Nepal tourism ministry said the group went missing while descending the mountain and included climbers from Nepal, Hungary and South Korea. "All our efforts to trace them have failed," Mingma Sherpa, the organizer of the expedition, told the BBC. ...

Gabon nets US$1.7bn Singaporean investments

Sat, 25 May 2013 10:11:50 -0400

Gabonese authorities have managed to secure investments worth a total of US$ 1.7 billion from Singapore, including a new fertilizer plant to be set up outside Port Gentil and palm oil ...

Taiwan protests Philippine naval ships in disputed waters

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:46:31 -0400

Protesters hurl eggs at the Philippines representative office in Taipei, Taiwan and the Philippines are embroiled in a diplomatic row over the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine Coast Guard personnel earlier this month. -- PHOTO: ...

President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan congratulates Ilham Aliyev

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:43:28 -0400

President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan congratulates Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan. News.Az reports citing the AzerTag website that the letter reads: "Excellency, It gives me immense pleasure to extend my heartfelt felicitations to you and the people of Azerbaijan on the auspicious occasion of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan. I am sure that ...

Five soldiers four police injured in southern attacks

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:43:20 -0400

Five soldiers were injured in a roadside bomb attack Saturday in Narathiwat's Reu So district while another roadside bomb in Yala's Yaha district, targeting a bomb squad police car, left four policemen and two civilians wounded. The bombing in Narathiwat occurred at 11am on Tha Reu-Kota Baru Road in Tambon Batong. Police and bomb squad officials rushed to inspect the scene where they ...

US should help mediate territorial dispute between Taiwan and Philippines

Sat, 25 May 2013 09:39:39 -0400

China Seas region. The two countries reached a diplomatic impasse after a Taiwanese fisherman was shot dead on May 9 by the Philippine Coast Guard in waters claimed by both sides. Philippine President Benigno Aquino's personal apology was not accepted by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who regarded it insincere for the lack of official representation and compensation. Taipei held naval ...

Kerry US Working with AU to Reduce SudanSouth Sudan Violence

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:47:16 -0400

ADDIS ABABA -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he is working with the African Union to end violence along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. America’s top diplomat met separately with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Ethiopia. Kerry says Sudan and South Sudan "are in a very delicate place right now" and it ...

Obama Calls on Americans to Remember Military Families

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:47:15 -0400

As Americans observe Memorial Day weekend, U.S. President Barack Obama is calling on his fellow citizens to remember the men and women who have given their lives in service to the country, and to remember the military families who make sacrifices of their own. In his weekly address Saturday, Obama noted that members of the U.S. military often risk their lives without seeking the limelight or ...

Shot banker told to go to Jakarta

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:44:54 -0400

A police official said banker Edison Tampubolon to seek further treatment in Jakarta, because his wounds are so severe. Edison Tampubolon, head of BRI's Palu branch was shot by an unidentified person while heading home from work on Friday night and is still hospitalized at a local hospital. "He needs to be sent to Jakarta as soon as possible," Central Sulawesi police ...

Fire on Pakistani school bus kills 16 children one teacher

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:44:45 -0400

Men stand around a burnt-out school bus, after a gas cylinder on it exploded, killing seventeen children, about 200 kilometres from Islamabad. ...

7 Filipino marines 5 Abu Sayyaf militants killed in Sulu clash

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:43:09 -0400

Soldiers load the bodies of Filipino marines killed during a clash with Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu province south of the Philippine capital Manila. At least seven marines and four militants have been killed as the military launched an offensive against gunmen blamed for recent kidnappings and of trying to sabotage a road project in Sulu. -- PHOTO: ...

Minister must quit over blackout poll

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:40:06 -0400

Energy Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal must resign to take responsibility for the blackout in all 14 provinces of the South last Tuesday, according to the majority of respondents in an Abac Poll. Of the 2,075 respondents, 55.7 per cent said the energy minister should be held responsible for the embarrassing power outage. They said he must also take responsibility for the damage to electricity ...

Gas Cylinder Explosion On Pakistan School Bus Kills 17

Sat, 25 May 2013 08:21:19 -0400

LAHORE, Pakistan - Sixteen schoolchildren and a teacher burned to death in eastern Pakistan early Saturday when a short-circuit near a leaking gas tank caused their minibus to be engulfed in flames, police said. Police officer Ijaz Ahmad said five children were also injured, three of whom were listed in critical condition, in the blaze in Gujrat about 200 kilometers (120 miles) northwest of ...

Assault on Qusair Intensifies Ahead of Hezbollah Speech

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:43:41 -0400

Syrian anti-government activists say Syrian troops have launched the heaviest barrage of gunfire yet in a week-long battle to re-take the strategic town of Qusair from rebel ...

11 Dead in Philippines Clash

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:43:41 -0400

Authorities in the southern Philippines say at least 11 people have been killed in a clash between government troops and a Muslim militant gang. Military spokesman Brigadier General Domingo Tutaan said seven Philippine marines and at least four members of the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group died early Saturday in a firefight on the outskirts of Patikul town on the island of Jolo. Tutaan ...

Japan PM vows all possible help for Myanmar economy

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:41:55 -0400

YANGON (AFP) - Japan's premier on Saturday pledged "all possible assistance" to kick-start Myanmar's ailing economy, hailing a major industrial zone near Yangon as a symbol of development for the impoverished nation.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is touting the potential of Japanese businesses to boost the once junta-ruled nation's economy, visited the Thilawa project -- ...

HIVAIDS patients mistreated in Lampung

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:41:21 -0400

People infected with HIV/AIDS still face discrimination in health facilities in Lampung. Mariana, a patient, said it was usual for medical practitioners to wear multiple covers when dealing with people with HIV/AIDS. "A doctor even told my friend that she deserved to be infected. My friend's condition got even worse after the visit," she told the audience at the Independent ...

Citizen journalists push public services agenda

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:41:19 -0400

Dozens of writers, bloggers and journalists have gathered in Makassar to attend a two-day citizen journalism festival held on May 23-24. The conference, which was aimed at strengthening community voices to increase transparency, accountability and responsiveness of public services, was organized to mark the first ever citizen journalist festival held in Eastern Indonesia. The conference ...

Taiwan eyes closer business ties with France

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:40:25 -0400

Paris, May 24 (CNA) Taiwan's representative to France, Michel Lu, visited the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP) Friday to promote economic exchanges, eyeing closer business ties between the two countries.Lu, along with the secretary of the Taipei representative office's economics division, Liang Chia-chen, met with Pierre-Antoine Gailly, president of the CCIP, and Gilles ...

Two-child limit for Muslims in parts of Myanmar

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:39:40 -0400

YANGON (AP) - Authorities in Myanmar's western Rakhine state have introduced a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families in an effort to ease tensions with the Rohingya's Buddhist neighbors after a spate of deadly sectarian violence, an official said Saturday. Local officials said the new measure - part of a policy that will also ban polygamy - will be applied to two Rakhine ...

UK arrests two men on Pakistan flight

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:38:45 -0400

A Pakistan International Airlines source says an incident which led to a plane being diverted by fighter jets outside London was sparked by a family ...

17 children die in Pakistan bus explosion

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:38:28 -0400

Seventeen Pakistani children have been killed after a gas cylinder on the bus taking them to school exploded. Ten children were injured in the blaze on the outskirts of Gujrat, 170km southeast of Islamabad, DawnNews said. Many vehicles in energy-starved Pakistan are powered by relatively cheap compressed natural gas and cylinder blasts are ...

South Korea edges Thailand to reach seventh Sudirman Cup final

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:32:30 -0400

Three-time champion South Korea defeated Thailand 3-1 here on Saturday to reach its seventh Sudirman Cup final.South Korea will meet the winner between defending champion China and Denmark, who will take on each other later Saturday.Thailand, making its debut in the world team badminton championships, lost to South Korea for the second time in five days.On Saturday, South Korean pair Ko Sung ...

Myanmar Japanese firms sign MoU on Thilawa SEZ development

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:32:14 -0400

Myanmar and Japanese firms on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on development of Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ), in Myanmar's Yangon.The MoU on significant cooperation between nine Myanmar public companies and a Japanese consortium including -- Mitsubishi Corp., Marubeni Corp. and Sumitomo Corp which are engaging in the zone development, was signed between U Win Aung, ...

China edges through Indonesia to for Sudirman semifinals

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:29:15 -0400

China's Fu Haifeng (L) with partner Cai Yun plays a shot during their men's doubles match against Indonesia's Saputro Rian Agung and Pratama Angga at the quarterfinals of the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Kuala Lumpur, May 23, 2013. ...

Premier Lis visit will cement Pakistan-China ties

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:29:04 -0400

Premier Li Keqiang is congratulated by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari after being conferred the Nishan-e-Pakistan honor, for the highest degree of service to Pakistan, in Islamabad on Wednesday. [Pang Xinglei/ ...

17 dead after school van explodes in central Pakistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:26:49 -0400

Map: Pakistan At least 17 people were killed when a school van exploded in central Pakistan earlier today.The van erupted in flames when a faulty gas cylinder exploded in the city of Gujrat, south-east of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Seven children were taken to hospital with injuries, five of them in a serious condition. "The fire erupted in the vehicle when the children were only ...

16 Pakistani schoolchildren killed in bus blast

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:25:02 -0400

A gas cylinder blast on a Pakistani school bus has killed 16 children and their teacher in the center of the country. The ensuing fire, which injured another seven children, completely destroyed the vehicle. The wounded children are now being treated at a nearby hospital, and five of them are currently in critical condition.The minivan was taking the children to a private school in Gurjat, ...

Eleven dead in Philippines clashes

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:19:29 -0400

File image - Eleven people were killed in the southern Philippines as troops clashed with a militant group blamed for the country's deadliest terror attacks. (AP Photo/Bullit ...

Spot-fixing Media reports claim Asad Rauf has left for Pakistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 07:18:51 -0400

According to media reports quoting police sources, the controversial umpire may have left the country either on May 20 or 21. This effectively means that the 58-year-old cannot be questioned by the Indian police in connection with spot-fixing investigations, at this ...

Asian death wave tops a year of big disasters

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:39:36 -0400

The earthquake and tidal waves that took the lives of more than 23,000 in countries around the Indian Ocean was the latest and biggest of a series of natural disasters in 2004, one of the worst years in recent memory. The other events include:February 24Morocco. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 hit the northeastern region of Al Hoceima, killing 628 and injuring more than 900. March ...

Sharjah eyes more Korean Asian tourists and investments ahead of Seoul summit

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:33:36 -0400

WAM SHARJAH, May 25, 2013 (WAM)--The Third UAE-Korea Economic Partnership Forum that opens tomorrow will help provide a direct impetus to the travel and tourism industry in Sharjah and the UAE by way of more Korean and Asian tourists and investments in the promising tourism and hospitality sector, said Mohamed Ali Al Noman, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority. This ...

Mumbai case Trial of Pakistani suspects adjourned till June 1

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:33:32 -0400

Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, charged with involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks was today adjourned till June 1 as the government is yet to appoint a chief prosecutor to handle the case. The trial suffered a major setback when chief ...

Female suicide bomber injures 11 in Russian region of Dagestan

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:21:37 -0400

MAKHACHKALA, Russia - A female suicide bomber injured at least 11 police officers and civilians, including two children, in the southern Russian region of Dagestan on Saturday, police said. Police spokesman Vyacheslav Gasanov said the bomber blew herself up in the central square in the provincial capital, Makhachkala. He did not give details about the injured children. Since 2000, at least two ...

17 children and six policemen killed in Pakistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 06:10:44 -0400

ISLAMABAD: ISLAMABAD: At least 17 children and a female teacher were burnt to death when a gas cylinder fitted into a school van exploded on Saturday in Pakistan's eastern city of Gujrat. At least 10 more children also sustained injuries when the van caught fire. According to police officials, the children were aged between five and 15 years. Emergency teams reached the scene to rescue the ...

Pakistan Van Accident Kills 15 Children and Teacher

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:32:10 -0400

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan ...

Japan PM visit boosts huge Myanmar industrial zone

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:31:51 -0400

YANGON (AFP) - Japan's premier on Saturday backed the development of a major industrial zone near Yangon on a visit to Myanmar aimed at deepening economic ties with the former junta-ruled nation.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe observed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at the Thilawa project on the first day of a trip promoting Japanese business in a country which desperately needs ...

Myanmar sets two-child limit for Rohyingas

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:21:21 -0400

AUTHORITIES in Myanmar's (Burma) western Rakhine state have introduced a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families in an effort to ease tensions with their Buddhist neighbours after deadly sectarian violence. A local official said on Saturday that the new measure would be applied to two townships that border Bangladesh and have the highest Muslim population in Rakhine. State spokesman Win ...

Freeport Indonesia union says mine shut but maintenance under way

Sat, 25 May 2013 05:11:12 -0400

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Between 35 and 40 percent of workers at Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc's Indonesian unit returned to work on Saturday to carry out maintenance work after a tunnel collapse that killed 28 people, a union official said. The resumption of work was a possible sign the firm was gearing up towards restarting operations at the world's No. 2 copper mine. ...

Investors to gain access to Pakistan with imminent fund launch

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:24 -0400

The first Pakistan fund, the Melchior Selected Trust Pakistan Opportunities Fund (MSTPOF), will be launched on 19 June by Dalton Strategic Partnership LLP, advised by KASB Funds in Karachi. At launch, it is believed that MSTPOF will be the only Luxembourg UCITS Fund dedicated to investing in Pakistan equities. Dalton Strategic Partnership LLP believes that Pakistan warrants particular ...

Pilots go on strike in Indonesia some flights delayed cancelled

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:29:28 -0400

Hundreds of pilots of leading carrier Garuda Indonesia staged a strike on Thursday that cause flight delays and cancellations in several airports in the country.The strike started since midnight Thursday after the president of Garuda Pilot Association Stephanus Gerardus told his colleagues to stop flight."This morning (Thursday) at 03:15 a.m. Jakarta time we instructed (the pilots) not to ...

China to make joint effort with Vietnam to advance bilateral relations FM

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:29:27 -0400

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (2nd R) meets with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem (2nd L) in Bali, Indonesia, July 21, 2011. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in Bali Thursday that China hopes to make joint effort with Vietnam to advance the bilateral relations on the right track. China and Vietnam have established a ...

Russia S.Korea Singapore sign nanotechnology cooperation deal

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:29:27 -0400

Russia, South Korea and Singapore signed a cooperation deal on developing nanotechnology Thursday.A memorandum of understanding signed Thursday on the sidelines of the 2011 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum broadens investment in the Asia Nanotechnology Fund, which was set up last September by the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnology (RUSNANO), the Singaporean Economic Development ...

17 killed 30 injured in road accident in Bangladesh

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:29:20 -0400

At least 17 people were killed and about 30 others injured as a goods laden truck and a night passenger bus collided head on in Bangladesh's Shajahanpur sub- district of Bogra district, 197 km northwest of the capital Dhaka, on Thursday morning.Police was quoted by private news agency UNB as saying that the Dhaka bound truck collided head on with the passenger bus, leaving 11 passengers dead ...

One killed as light plane crashes in southern Philippines

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:29:13 -0400

One person was killed and another injured when a light plane used for spraying pesticide over plantations crashed in southern Philippines late on Wednesday, police said on Thursday.Bonifacio Cabansag, 42, a traffic control personnel for banana firm Dole Philippines died after being hit by the company's spray aircraft as it landed on an airstrip in Mapawa village, Maragusan town, in ...

-REFILE-Freeport Indonesia union says 35-40 pct of workers resume work

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:07:55 -0400

JAKARTA, May 25 (Reuters) - Between 35 and 40 percent of workers at Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc's Indonesian unit returned to work on Saturday to carry out maintenance work after a training tunnel collapse that killed 28 people, a ...

Gunmen kill seven policemen in Pakistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:05:47 -0400

GUNMEN have killed seven police in an ambush attack in Taliban-plagued northwest Pakistan, officials say. The target of the late Friday attack was top police officer Dilawar Bangash who "survived with minor injuries" two officials said on Saturday. Bangash was heading from the region's main city of Peshawar to the garrison town of Kohat near the lawless tribal region when the attack ...

African Union celebrates 50th anniversary

Sat, 25 May 2013 04:02:17 -0400

AFRICAN leaders have opened celebrations for the 50th jubilee of the continental bloc, with Africa's myriad problems set aside for a day to mark the progress that has been made. African Union (AU) chairman and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, in a speech to open the ceremony on Saturday, said the celebrations would look forward to "create a continent free from poverty and ...

Opposition party PKR postpones leadership polls to next year

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:53:05 -0400

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK): The opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat has pushed its party polls deadline to May next year from November this year, extending the mandate of its leadership by up to six months. The PKR delegates unanimously agreed to the motion to put off the polls proposed by secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail during the party congress on Saturday. He ...

Vesak Day in honor of Buddha in Thailand

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:43:32 -0400

A Buddhist believer meditates during Vesak Day, an annual celebration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, at Wat Dharmmakaya in Pathum Thani province, on the outskirts of Bangkok on May 24, 2013. ...

Chit fund scam Sudipta Sen cash trail may lead to Singapore Bangkok

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:40:20 -0400

probe to foreign shores. According to sources, FIU may seek the help of the international Egmont Group sharing financial information across member countries to spot money laundering. The Centre had set up the FIU-IND in November 2004, and India is a member of the Egmont Group. The Reserve Bank Of India has already decided to set up a coordination committee to look into the Ponzi and Collective ...

Sri Lanka immigration officials accepted eTNs suggestion to correct tourist visa on arrival procedure

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:28:24 -0400

reported about its publisher's experience with an extortion scam by Sri Lanka Immigration Officers. eTN is now pleased to report that due to our article, the Controller General team of the Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration, Mr. W.A.C. Perera reached out to eTN Publisher Juergen T. Steinmetz and confirmed the following: 1) The Immigration Officer listed on your arrival ...

Political Jockeying Ahead of Malaysia Election

Sat, 25 May 2013 02:22:54 -0400

The police said 45,000 people. Some politicians claimed it was 60,000. Other independent estimates were as high 150,000 individuals. Such squabbling over crowd numbers at political events isn't unique to Malaysia, but nonetheless likely sets the adversarial tone for the coming weeks or months until the next parliamentary election, due to be called by the end of April. "We want a free ...

2014 Asian Golf Tourism Convention to be held at Mission Hills Haikou

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:51:39 -0400

Asia’s golf tourism industry will be gathering on China’s tropical island of Hainan next spring as the region’s most important golf tourism convention moves to award-winning golf resort Mission Hills Haikou. The baton for the 3rd Asia Golf Tourism Convention was passed to China at a signing and hand-over ceremony on the final day of AGTC 2013, held at the Royal Cliff Hotel ...

US teen takes Danish supermodel to prom

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:49:48 -0400

A Southern California teenager turned heads at his prom when he showed up with a Danish model as his date. Sports Illustrated model Nina Agdal agreed to step in as Jake Davidson's date for the traditional high school dance Thursday night after he got turned down by supermodel Kate Upton. The teenager appeared in a YouTube video that was viewed more than 2.5 million times asking Upton to ...

Healthy gorilla born to 1st time parents at US zoo

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:49:47 -0400

A baby gorilla has been born to first-time parents at an Ohio zoo. The healthy 5-pound (2.2-kilogram) male gorilla arrived Thursday at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, joining 16 other gorillas there. It's the first offspring for mother Kambera, who has displayed a lack of maternal skills. Animal care experts are raising the baby in an environment that provides around-the-clock neonatal ...

11 dead as Philippine troops clash with militants

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:48:27 -0400

MANILA (AFP) - Eleven people were killed in the southern Philippines early Saturday as troops clashed with a militant group blamed for the country's deadliest terror attacks, the military said. The fighting left seven Filipino marines dead and nine others wounded on the island of Jolo, said Colonel Jose Cenabre, a local military commander. Four members of the Abu Sayyaf group were also ...

Evangelist gets rare opportunity to preach Christianity in Vietnam

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:19:31 -0400

The 25,000 people at the soccer stadium and the millions more watching at home waited 90 minutes before the Australian evangelical preacher got to the message he had come to Communist-ruled Vietnam to ...

Soldiers Place US Flags in Arlington Cemetery for Memorial Day

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:43:18 -0400

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA -- On Memorial Day - Monday, May 27 this year - Americans remember those in the military who died while serving their country. Ahead of that day, soldiers place American flags in front of the more than 360,000 gravestones in Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington. Army Colonel James Markert places a flag at the tombstone of Christopher Henderson, who was killed in ...

Banker shot in Palu

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:40:59 -0400

A local banker was shot by an unidentified person while heading home from work on Friday night, with the assailant fleeing the scene and taking nothing from the victim. The victim was identified as Edison Tampubolon, head of BRI's Palu branch, Central Sulawesi. Edison is now hospitalized at Budi Agung General hospital with wounds to his left cheek and hand. According to ...

Militants attacks kill nine in Pakistan

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:35:16 -0400

A PAIR of suspected militant attacks have killed nine people in two different areas of northwest Pakistan. In the deadlier of Friday's two attacks, suspected militants armed with heavy weapons attacked a police convoy in Mattani, 20km south of the main northwest city of Peshawar, killing six policemen and wounding seven others, said senior police officer Shafiullah Khan. In the second attack, ...

Gas cylinder blast on Pakistan school bus kills 17

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:34:17 -0400

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - A pair of suspected militant attacks killed nine people in two different areas of northwest Pakistan on Friday, police said.In the deadlier of the two attacks, suspected militants armed with heavy weapons attacked a police convoy in Mattani, 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the main northwest city of Peshawar, killing six policemen and wounding seven others, said senior ...

Ceremony honors man who died in mission over Laos

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:33:55 -0400

So it will be her - Kris Olson Olexa Harrison, now of Lees Summit - who will represent the family Saturday morning on a football field in Olive Branch, Miss. A repatriation ceremony there will honor the recently recovered remains of Olsons crew, lost in the wreck of a spy plane over Laos.Every family has its memory keeper and I guess, among my siblings, thats me, Harrison, 54, said this ...

Indonesia seeks to regain status as spice country

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:27:32 -0400

Indonesia is seeking to more than triple its spice exports in 2015 to take advantage of the world's growing spice trade, a move that could see it revive its glory years as a world renowned spice exporter. Agriculture Minister Suswono said in Jakarta on Thursday that given the world's growing demand for spice products, Indonesia would be able to more than triple its spice exports to ...

Pakistan army violates ceasefire in J-K Brigadier 2 jawans injured

Sat, 25 May 2013 00:19:44 -0400

A Brigadier and two jawans were injured on Friday night when Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian positions violating the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Tutmari Gali sector in Jammu and Kashmir.Brigadier Sanjeev Langar suffered minor injuries in the firing along with the two jawans, Army sources said. "The Pakistan Army started firing at our positions in Tutmarigali in Kashmir ...

Biden Phones Iraqi PM Concerned About Sectarian Violence

Fri, 24 May 2013 23:36:35 -0400

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden telephoned Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Friday to express concern over the recent rise in violence, including bombings. The White House says Biden pledged continued U.S. support for Iraq in its fight against terrorism. A statement says Biden and Maliki agreed on the importance of reaching out to all political leaders in Iraq and the need for a ...

Malaysian police will appeal against decision to release opposition members

Fri, 24 May 2013 23:32:57 -0400

Malaysian police will appeal against a decision by a magistrate to deny remand to the opposition members and pro-opposition activist who had been detained to facilitate investigations under the Sedition Act 1948, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said. -- FILE PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS ...

IPL spot-fixing ICC withdraws Pakistani umpire Rauf

Fri, 24 May 2013 23:20:47 -0400

The spot-fixing saga in the Indian Premier League (IPL) turned murkier today with controversial Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf being withdrawn by the ICC from next month's Champions Trophy in the UK for his alleged role in the scandal.In related development, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police claimed that Rajasthan Royals player, Ajit Chandila, was given 1.2 million Indian rupees (US$21,502) ...

Attack on Police Convoy in Pakistan Kills 6

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:29:38 -0400

A militant attack on a police convoy near the city of Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan has killed at least six policemen. Several others were wounded, including the district police officer, in the attack Friday on the Indus Highway. Local media say the militants armed with rockets ambushed the convoy, which was on its way from Peshawar to Kohat. A wounded driver was able to reach Kohat, ...

Pakistan greets new U.S. drone policy with skepticism

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:27:17 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama's speech on the use of drones - vowing to strengthen oversight, rules of targeting and the protection of civilians - will be met with deep skepticism among the vast majority of Pakistanis, who see the strikes as a violation of national sovereignty and responsible for the deaths of innocent ...

Video In Bangladesh owner under scrutiny in deadly collapse

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:22:25 -0400

More than a thousand people died because of one man - as an official inquiry into last month's garment factory collapse in Bangladesh blamed the owner for violating building codes. Many of the victims are now seeking compensation. But some workers might not receive a penny. It's been reported that their ID cards were confiscated when they got their final pay packets. ITV's Jonathan ...

Amateur Shi Thai duo crowd Beijing Golf Challenge leaderboard

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:18:37 -0400

Shi Yuting continued her impressive form at the Beijing Challenge Friday as the Chinese amateur registered a hole-in-one en route to a second round 70 for a share of the 36-hole lead with Thais Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai (69) and Walailak Satarak (69) in the fourth leg of the China LPGA Tour season.Playing under overcast skies and windy conditions at the Orient (Beijing) Pearl Golf Country Club, the ...

US push on Myanmar enters new phase

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:15:12 -0400

After a landmark visit by Thein Sein, the United States is looking to a new phase of greater cooperation to encourage reform with Myanmar as it runs out of major symbolic ...

Pakistan plane escorted to airport after bomb threat

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:12:42 -0400

Source: Reuters Two men on a Pakistan Airlines flight to England tried to force their way into the cockpit and threatened to blow up the plane, British media report. British fighter jets escorted the passenger plane to Stansted Airport where police went on board and arrested two men on suspicion of endangering an aircraft. Nearly 300 passengers were on board. Passenger Umari Nauman told The ...

PHILIPPINES INCLUDED | Google looking to build wireless networks in Southeast Asia Africa - WSJ

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:06:58 -0400

, hoping to connect a billion or so people in emerging countries to the Internet, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. According to the report, Google is "deep in the throes" of the effort to build wireless networks for people outside major cities where wired Internet connections are scarce. It said Google plans to team up with local companies in some of the countries to develop ...

UN appeals ruling in favor of whistleblower

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:19:19 -0400

The United Nations is appealing a U.N. tribunal's ruling in favor of a whistleblower who accused senior colleagues of retaliating after he alleged corruption in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Last week, representatives of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon filed an appeal challenging the finding by the U.N. Dispute Tribunal and the $65,000 award to James Wasserstrom, an ...

New online HR management system

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:27 -0400

AITI's Information Management System - is built on the Microsoft SharePoint platform and is slated to bring about a "new way of working for ...

36 UBD ITB students depart for Japan

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:25 -0400

Some of the 36 UBD and ITB students, who will be going to Japan as the second batch of Bruneians under the JENESYS 2.0 programme for this year, listening to a pre-departure briefing at the Japanese Embassy in Kiulap on May 16, 2013. Picture: BT/Ubaidillah ...

Nurses play vital role in strengthening health care

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:23 -0400

Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Hjh Siti Mariam (C), Acting Senior Nursing Officer of Suri Seri Begawan Hospital in Kuala Belait Hjh Mariah (L), and Speech and Language Therapist at Suri Seri Begawan Hospital Meela Adreeyana (R), during the symposium at the Kuala Belait Convention Hall. Picture: BT/Sally ...

Way to save Malay in global culture

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:21 -0400

YOUNG people in Brunei must be imbued with certain values to ensure the preservation of Malay ethical structures and establish "Malay-ness" within the global culture, which is dominated by the English ...

Societal approach key to tackle health issues

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:17 -0400

Minister of Health YB Pehin Dato Hj Adanan (L) shaking hands with Director-General of WHO Chan Fung Chun Fu-Chun. Picture: Courtesy of Ministry of ...

MinDef grants eight development projects to 7 local contractors

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:13 -0400

A representative from LSL Sdn Bhd (R) receiving signed contract documents from Permanent Secretary (Defence and Development) Colonel (Rtd) Pg Dato Paduka Hj Azmansham Pg Hj Mohamad. Picture: BT/Md Asdeny ...

DEKA Batteries Arrive In Brunei

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:06:11 -0400

View Comments Bandar Seri Begawan - For its first anniversary this year, Battery Man Enterprise, the sole distributor and importer of the Deka batteries and accessories for Brunei Darussalam and Southeast Asia, is pleased to feature its lines of maintenance-free heavy duty commercial precision-built batteries and intimidator AGM batteries made in the USA. Deka Heavy Duty Commercial batteries are ...

Zahra Shahid Hussain Politician who worked for a better Pakistan

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:58:28 -0400

The politician Zahra Shahid Hussain, who was shot dead outside her home in Karachi, spent much of her life trying to help the less fortunate people of ...

Brunei Red Crescent Society To Receive Visit From Msian Delegation

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:51:01 -0400

Kuala Lumpur - A delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regional office in Kuala Lumpur will be visiting Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent from May 27 to May 28 for a series of courtesy calls and meetings with the authorities and its primary partner in the country, Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society (BDRCS). Mr Jeremy England, Head of ICRC Kuala Lumpur regional ...

US Human Rights Abuses Continue in N. Nigeria

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:14:04 -0400

A U.S. official said Friday the State Department has been monitoring the situation and concludes that human rights abuses are continuing. The official says Secretary of State John Kerry plans to meet with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Ethiopia. Nigeria has declared a state of emergency in the north, where Boko Haram extremists have launched ...

Sydney player racially abused by fan at MCG

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:11:04 -0400

Adam Goodes of the Sydney Swans was left visibly upset after an apparent racial taunt from a fan marred his side's victory over Collingwood at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in an Australian Football League match. Sydney won 15.12 (102) to 8.7 (55) Friday in the opening match of the AFL's Indigenous Round after Goodes kicked three goals and had 30 possessions. The round is meant to ...

Ex-Guatemala president extradited to US

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:11:03 -0400

Ex-Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo was extradited on Friday to the United States to face charges of laundering $70 million in Guatemalan funds through U.S. bank accounts. The former president was taken from a military hospital where he was recovering from liver surgery and a heart condition and put on a plane, according to his lawyer Mauricio Berreondo. He said the plane was bound for ...

Tokyo plunges more than 7pct as Asian markets fall

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:50 -0400

Asian markets fell Thursday with Tokyo plunging more than seven percent as investors took profits after weak Chinese data and signs the US Federal Reserve could start tapering off its massive stimulus measures. Tokyo dropped on record volumes in the afternoon as investors panicked in the rush to take profit, with the index suffering its biggest daily percentage fall since the March 2011 ...

Is China Inserting Itself Into the Taiwan-Philippines Spat

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:47 -0400

This week a Chinese warship and a couple of maritime agency vessels conducted a patrol in the areas of the Spratly Islands that the Philippines claims, prompting an official rebuke from Manila. According to Philippines officials, at least three Chinese ships and 10 fishing boats were spotted near the Ayungin Shoal, which is part of the Spratly Islands and about 200 kms off the coast of the ...

Obama’s silence on Taiwan masks its significance in Asia

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:46 -0400

For decades, when US policymakers contemplated conflict with China, their fears focused on Taiwan. Today, by contrast, Sino-American tensions seem to be on the rise everywhere but Taiwan, where relations between this island and the mainland have significantly improved. Since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008, the government in Taipei has inked 18 agreements with China, ...

‘Comfort women’ cancel meeting with Osaka mayor

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:44 -0400

Two South Korean women forcibly drafted into Japanese military brothels during World War II have cancelled a meeting with a Japanese mayor who sparked outrage by calling them a wartime necessity. Outspoken Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto and two former ';comfort women'; were to meet on Friday, but the elderly women reportedly changed their minds over fears of becoming political pawns in a ...

Japan slams Korea daily’s ‘A-bomb’ op-ed comments

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:43 -0400

Japan yesterday accused a South Korean newspaper of ';dishonourable'; behaviour for publishing an editorial suggesting the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were ';divine punishment';. The editorial in the Korean and English versions of the Joongang Ilbo daily on Monday said the 1945 nuclear bombs dropped by US planes, which together killed more than 200,000 people, ...

S. Korea not moving to ease lift sanctions on Pyongyang

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:41 -0400

South Korea is not considering easing or lifting sanctions imposed on Pyongyang after the sinking of one of the South’s warships in 2010 that effectively put the kibosh on most cross-border exchanges, official sources said Friday. Seoul announced the so-called May 24 measures after a two-month-long probe that accused Pyongyang of sinking the Cheonan in waters near the maritime border in ...

Death toll in China blast ‘rises to 33′

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:38 -0400

The death toll from a blast at an explosives plant in eastern China earlier this week rose to 33 Thursday as 20 missing people were declared dead, state media reported. Officials had said Tuesday that the explosion, which occurred the day before in the Shandong province city of Shangqiu, had killed 13 people and left 20 missing. Xinhua news agency reported Thursday, citing local rescue ...

Chinese restaurant chain hopes to popularise hot pot in US

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:37 -0400

A popular chain of hot pot restaurants from China is set to be exported to the US this fall in the hopes of popularising the community style of eating among Western diners. According to a story in the Wall Street Journal, the first US outpost of Chinese restaurant chain Hai Di Lao will open in Los Angeles this fall, where diners will partake in what could be described as the Chinese version of ...

US China Set Pact On Auditor Access

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:37 -0400

The US and China have struck an agreement giving US accounting regulators access to documents from Chinese accounting firms. The deal, expected to be announced Friday, could help US regulators investigate the auditors of US-listed Chinese companies that might have been involved in accounting fraud. The agreement will allow the US Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to see audit records ...

New concerns for China’s rising middle class

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:36 -0400

With two cars, foreign holidays and a cook for their apartment, one Beijing family epitomises the new middle class created by China’s decades of rapid economic growth – and its resulting worries. Li Na, 42, a caterer at the capital’s zoo, and her husband Chi Shubo, 48, who works for a state-owned investment company, have seen their fortunes transformed since she arrived in ...

China US to try new tone in desert outing

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:34 -0400

China and the United States are hoping for a new chance to set the course for smoother relations through a secluded desert summit as the Asian power’s leader Xi Jinping projects a more confident style. Xi and Barack Obama will meet June 7-8 at the tony Sunnylands resort in Rancho Mirage, California, their first encounter since the Chinese president took power and three months ahead of ...

China’s Steel Overcapacity Seen Continuing

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:33 -0400

Serious overcapacity in China’s steel industry is unlikely to ease in 2013, which could hamper steel prices and jeopardise Chinese steelmakers’ performance, a China-based analyst said Thursday. China is set to produce about 750 million metric tonnes of crude steel in 2013, while capacity will rise to 950 million tonnes a year as some 50 million tonnes new capacity is being built, ...

The Powerful People Arguing for US-China Free Trade

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:31 -0400

Recommending that the US and China work toward a free-trade deal is a bit like stepping into a prize fight and asking the boxers to settle their differences peacefully. But some powerful people on both sides of the Pacific Ocean are doing exactly that. A report by a blue-ribbon, binational panel assembled by the China-United States Exchange Foundation said this week that the countries ...

Huawei’s Middle East revenue rose 18pct in 2012 executive

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:30 -0400

China’s Huawei Technologies Co’s Middle East revenue rose 18 percent to $2.08 billion in 2012 and the roll-out of 4G mobile networks and IT outsourcing will be among its main regional growth drivers, the firm said. The world’s second-largest telecom equipment maker also expects Middle East telecom operators to prioritise improving network efficiency, Shi Yaohong, president of ...

Japan’s Meiji Yasuda can start buying 10-yr JGBs at 1 pct

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:28 -0400

Japan’s Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co said on Friday it will shift some of the money earmarked for foreign bonds to Japanese government bonds given their rise in yields. Japan’s third-largest private life insurer said it can start buying 10-year Japanese government bonds at 1 percent and 20-year debt at 1.7 percent. The 10-year yield was traded at 0.825 percent on Friday ...

Indian companies line up to raise funds in Singapore

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:27 -0400

Easy access and a diversified investor base in the Singapore bond market is increasingly attracting Indian firms looking to raise money at cheaper rates. They have raised S$1 billion this year, already 30 percent higher than the whole of 2012, according to Dealogic, the global deal tracker. Recently, four Tata companies, including the marquee Tata Motors Ltd, raised $624 million in Singapore ...

Scientist’s family seeks US Congress Thai expert’s help

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:26 -0400

The parents of a US scientist found hanged in Singapore last year said Thursday they will seek a US congressional inquiry and tap a celebrity Thai pathologist to prove their son was murdered. Mary Todd, mother of the late researcher Shane Todd whose death in June 2012 was ruled a suicide by the Singapore police, indicated the family did not expect the US government to intervene because of its ...

HSBC Plans to Sell First Yuan Bond to Be Cleared in Singapore – Sources

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:26 -0400

HSBC Holdings PLC (HBC) plans to sell the first yuan-denominated bond to be cleared out of Singapore, in a step forward for the city-state which is trying to build itself into an offshore trading hub for the Chinese currency. The UK banking giant’s plan comes as Singapore is set to kick off its long-anticipated yuan-clearing service Monday, after Beijing in February approved Industrial ...

Philippines exports 15 metric tonnes of rice to HK

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:25 -0400

A shipment of 15 metric tonnes (MT) of black, brown and red rice from the Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DBMPC) in Cotabato was exported last May 15 to Hong Kong, the department said in a statement. This is the country’s second rice shipment this month. The first shipment was on May 6 where 35 MT of organic black rice and aromatic Jasponica rice was sent to Dubai. Agriculture ...

Philippines business sentiment at all-time high in Q2 Central bank survey

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:24 -0400

Business sentiment in the Philippines soared to an all-time high during the second quarter after the country was awarded investment grade credit ratings by Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s, the central bank said on Thursday. The result of the central bank’s quarterly Business Expectations Survey showed the overall confidence index rising to 54.9 per cent from first ...

Philippines cemetery provides Manila’s poor a place to live among the dead

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:24 -0400

Every morning, Alberto Lagarda Evangelista, 71, leaves the two-storey, lemon-yellow home he has lived in for the past decade and walks to work at the cemetery next door. As a caretaker of about 20 graves, Evangelista earns just 20,000 pesos (GBP 315) a year, a sum so small that he must share his house with seven other people – all of whom are dead. Evangelista lives and works in the ...

Grounded ship is Philippines’ last line of defence

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:23 -0400

A handful of marines living on a World War II-era ship that is grounded on a remote, tiny reef is the Philippines’ last line of defence against China’s efforts to control most of the South China Sea. The soldiers are stationed on Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands aboard a former US tank-landing vessel that was deliberately abandoned there to serve as a base, according to ...

Forum on Pan-Asian traveler trends

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:59:57 -0400

/enpproperty--> Set for June 3 at the Shanghai Theater, Portman Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai, the International Luxury Travel Market Asia 2013 opening forum will hear leading industry experts discussing the ongoing rise of the region's luxury travel industry and explore opportunities to build business across the region. Continuing until June 6, the expo will host nearly 500 elite ...

Thailand-Japan plan two-way tourism traffic flows.

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:57:06 -0400

In an effort to address a gap in travel between Thailand and the island of Kyushu in Japan, a tourism exchange was recently organized in the city of Fukuoka between the Thai Government and the private sector of ...

Malaysia a favourite of Muslim travellers

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:56:29 -0400

BERLIN: Malaysia has been named, along with Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as one of the preferred destinations for Muslim travellers, according to a survey. The survey, conducted by DinarStandard, the leading survey institute for Muslim travel market, was presented during the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) here, the world's largest travel and tourism show by organiser Messe ...

‘Joke’ prompts British jets to divert airliner carrying 300 from Pakistan

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:43:28 -0400

A Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777 aircraft is seen parked on the tarmac at Stansted Airport, southern England, May 24, 2013. British fighter jets escorted a Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane to Stansted Airport near London on Friday, where police went on board and arrested two men on suspicion of endangering an aircraft. REUTERS/ Paul Hackett (BRITAIN - Tags: CRIME LAW ...

Indonesias central bank chief urges countrys banks to compete overseas

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:50:31 -0400

Map: Indonesia Indonesia's new central bank governor has urged the country's banks to be ready to compete internationally as authorities seek access to foreign markets.The new governor of Indonesia's central bank, Agus Martowardojo, says Indonesian banks will have tomeet international standards asthey move into other markets inthe region.Mr Martowardojo says also wants to discuss ...

Letter Asian Islands in Dispute

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:49:14 -0400

To the Editor: Re ...

Honduran gangs to announce truce to cut violence - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois Missouri News Sports

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:44:28 -0400

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - A Roman Catholic bishop says Honduras' two largest and most-violent gangs will sign a truce on Tuesday. Monsignor Romulo Emiliani says the gangs will apologize to the public and ask for dialogue with the government and police to start changing from their gang lifestyle. Emiliani spoke to The Associated Press on Friday. He said the Mara Salvatrucha and 18th ...

Blunder in Burma Scrapping of EU Sanctions Sends Wrong Message

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:26:57 -0400

Over the past two years, Burma has been emerging from 50 years of brutal military rule at a breathtaking pace. The country has made some impressive and unprecedented changes, including the release of many political prisoners, the rolling back of censorship and the lifting of restrictions to allow opposition political parties, including Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, to ...

Expert US Foreign Policy in Retreat

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:57:38 -0400

A former senior advisor to the late Richard Holbrooke, who served as U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, says when it comes to foreign policy, the U.S. is in "retreat." Vali Nasr, who is now dean of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), said the Obama administration has concluded that the best way forward for the United States is ...

British Security Services Scrutinized After Soldiers Murder

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:57:38 -0400

A police officer guards a block of flats in Greenwich following a raid in connection with the killing of a British soldier in nearby Woolwich, southeast London, May 23, ...

Unclaimed Vietnam veterans laid to rest with honors

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:56:59 -0400

Three Vietnam-era veterans were laid to rest Friday with full military honors, years after their deaths. Sergeant Roger Thompson and Private First Class Fred Hall died in January 2010. Private Gary Sharp died in April 2011, but their cremated remains went unclaimed at the East Tennessee Regional Forensic Center. The Missing in America project contacted the medical examiner's office and ...

Myanmar’s Young Expats Consider Returning Home

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:55:35 -0400

This week, Myanmar President Thein Sein made his first state visit to Washington. It was the first time in nearly 50 years that one of that country's leaders had been welcomed to the US with full diplomatic fanfare. As Mynanmar takes on more democratic reforms, ex-pats from the country are closely watching too. I met up with two young ex-pats--graduate students at Columbia University in New ...