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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 ...

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, ...

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 ...

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 ...

Nepals Tibetan Refugees Struggle Under Chinas Shadow

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:15:10 -0400

KATHMANDU Tibetan refugees in Nepal say they face increasing restrictions from Nepalese authorities due to pressure from China. VOA correspondent Aru Pande talks to Tibetans who, for decades, have made the Himalayan country their home. Dolma Lama learned to weave Tibetan carpets from her mother - who fled Tibet and settled in Kathmandu after a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese ...

Obama Urges Military to Stamp Out Sexual Assaults

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:15:03 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama says sexual assaults in the U.S. military undermine trust in the armed forces. The president used a commencement speech at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland Friday to tackle recent reports of widespread sexual violence in the military. "Those who commit sexual assault are not only committing a crime, they threaten the trust and discipline that ...

Legacy of cruelty by Islamists should end Bangladesh educationist

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:00:02 -0400

Bangladesh educationist Azad Chowdhury called for the banning of the country's biggest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and blamed the organisation for misusing Islam and committing the wartime atrocities during the 1971 liberation war. In an interview, Chowdhury blamed the Jamaat for butchering intellectuals in huge numbers. "Jamaat is an organized party, they had a legacy of this sort of ...

Suicide blast leaves 4 killed several injured in NW Pakistan

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:02 -0400

Beijing, May 24 (Xinhua-ANI): At least four people were killed and several others injured when a suicide bomber hit a mosque in Pakistan's northwest Peshawar city Friday afternoon, local media reported. Urdu TV channel Dunya said that the blast happened at about 2: 00 p.m. (local time) when an unknown suicide bomber blew himself up at the main gate of the mosque located in a seminary in Hafiz ...

PCB to soon bring umpires under domain

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:30:05 -0400

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it would soon introduce new rules to bring Pakistan umpires under its 'domain' so that they can keep a check on their behaviour. The PCB made this statement in the wake of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) decision to withdraw Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf from the ICC Champions Trophy following his questioning in connection with the ...

Pak releases 45 Indian fishermen as goodwill gesture

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:30:04 -0400

Pakistan has freed 45 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds as a goodwill gesture, officials have said. Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso decided last week to release the Indian fishermen who have already served their sentences, reports The News. The authorities released a group of 45 prisoners from Karachi, Malir prison who later boarded a bus that will take them to the eastern ...

China clears Boeing 787s for commercial service

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:50:02 -0400

Beijing, May 24 (Xinhua-ANI): The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued a certification for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner Thursday, a milestone for the 787 to begin commercial service in China. The CAAC presented Boeing with a Validation of Type Certification (VTC), indicating that the design of the 787 Dreamliner is compliant with China's aviation regulations and that China endorses ...

Sub-standard construction material led to Bangladesh building collapse says govt report

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:20:02 -0400

A Bangladesh Government report into the collapse of a multi-storied factory building has uncovered a series of violations. The report revealed that the building had been constructed with sub-standard materials on unsuitable land. According to the BBC, it also recommended life sentences for the building's owner and the owners of five garment factories operating there. The Rana Plaza collapse on ...

Nawaz Sharifs govt. faces urgent calls to address violence against journalists

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:50:03 -0400

The new government of Pakistan has faced urgent calls to address the country's appalling record of violence against journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists has said in a major new report that a total of 23 journalists were murdered in the past decade, with not a single conviction, reports The Independent. The CPJ's Asia programme coordinator Bob Dietz said that the government, ...

Osama doc Afridi was denied asylum in US reveals report

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:50:02 -0400

Jailed Pakistani doctor, Shakil Afridi, who helped the US track down Osama bin Laden, had applied for asylum in the US but was denied by authorities, according to a classified Pakistani government report. The 357-page Abbottobad Commission Report, which has yet to be made public, said also that Afridi was convicted by a tribal court on bogus charges, and that it has undermined Pakistan's ...

UN plans six-day mission to Afghanistan Pakistan

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:10:02 -0400

Beijing, May 24 (Xinhua-ANI): Humanitarian emergency directors from various UN agencies will travel on a six-day mission to Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United Nations said Thursday. During the visit from May 26 to June 1, the directors will see for themselves "the ongoing humanitarian operations in the countries and look into ways in which the humanitarian community can strengthen its response ...

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 ...

Pakistan Gas Blast On School Bus Kills 17

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:31:12 -0400

Seventeen children in eastern Pakistan have been killed after a gas cylinder exploded on a bus taking them to school. Police officer Mohammed Rasheed said seven children were also injured in the blast on the outskirts of the city of Gujrat. "This is a very sad incident. According to our information, at least 17 children were burned to death," he said. "The school bus ...

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 ...

Obamas drone speech welcomed in Pakistan YemenPresident Barack Obamas speech on the use of drones and the fate of Guantanamo prisoners was largely welcomed Friday in two key countries affected by the policies — Pakistan and Yemen.

Sat, 25 May 2013 01:08:44 -0400

Obama cast drone strikes against Islamic militants as crucial to US counterterrorism efforts but acknowledged in his landmark speech on Thursday that they are not a ...

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) ...

Japanese PM arrives in Myanmar for historic visit

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:52:33 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) arrives at the Yangon International Airport in Yangon, Myanmar, on May 24, 2013. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Yangon Friday evening to pay a three-day official goodwill visit to the Southeast Asian nation. (Xinhua/U ...

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 ...

5 climbers feared dead on worlds third-highest peak in Nepal

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:09:59 -0400

Five men who disappeared earlier this week trying to climb the world's third-highest mountain are feared dead, searchers leading the recovery effort in Nepal said on Friday, saying few could survive this ...

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 ...

UK arrests two men on Pakistan flight

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:09:04 -0400

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft after an incident on a plane flying from Pakistan to Britain, rattling the UK just days after a British soldier was killed on a London street in a suspected terror attack. A fighter jet was launched to divert the Pakistan International Airlines plane carrying nearly 300 passengers to Britain's Stansted Airport, officials ...

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 Pakistan vow to deepen co-op in joint statement

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:35 -0400

China and Pakistan have 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 nation. The statement said both sides are satisfied with their relationship, which contributed to peace and stability in the region and acquired ...

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 ...

‘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 ...

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 ...

Puerto Rico approves anti-discrimination bill

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:53:21 -0400

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -; Legislators in Puerto Rico on Friday approved a heavily debated bill that outlaws employment discrimination based on gender or sexual ...

Print Media Thrives In Myanmar Where Internet Is Limited

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:50:31 -0400

Although print media is often seen as past its prime in the U.S. and Europe, in many Asian countries such as China and India newspapers are thriving and expanding. One example is Myanmar, also known as Burma, where only 1 percent of the people have access to the Internet, and private daily newspapers are rushing into print after decades of being ...

Burma - In historic development Mizzima Daily newspaper launched in Burma

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:46:32 -0400

Mizzima was born out of a democratic struggle, and has been fighting for press freedom for over 15 years. It takes an historic step forward by publishing ...

Obama signals easing not end of drone strikes on Pakistan

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:40:09 -0400

President Barack Obama praised Pakistan’s sacrifices, although it was underlined by the subtle subtext of the state’s lack of will and capacity to meet the terrorism threat ...

Toronto mayor denies he smokes crack cocaine

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:13:29 -0400

TORONTO (AP) -- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford denied Friday that he smokes crack cocaine and said he is not an addict after a video purported to show him using the drug. The mayor of Canada's largest city did not say whether he has ever used ...

Putting Slurplus Food to Good Use

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:48:27 -0400

With world headlines warning of increasing drought and a hunger crisis and almost 15 percent of U.S. households struggling to put food on the table, a religious group in the shadow of the nation's capital is quietly putting surplus food on empty tables. Every Monday, about 150 people line up in the parking lot of Christian Life Center in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Joan ...

Boris Becker backing new Asian tennis league

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:44:28 -0400

The three-time Wimbledon champion is joining ex-players Justin Gimelstob and Mahesh Bhupathi in founding the International Premier Tennis ...

IMF chief named key witness in French payoff case

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:44:28 -0400

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde arrives for a second day of the court hearing at a special court house, in Paris, Friday, May 24, 2013. Lagarde faced questioning at a special Paris court Friday over her role in the 400 million euro ($520 million) pay-off to a controversial businessman when she was France's finance minister. (AP Photo/Thibault ...

Pakistan Plane Forced Down in London 2 Arrested

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:38:15 -0400

British police arrested two men on Friday after they reportedly tried to get into the cockpit of a Pakistani passenger plane, forcing the flight to be diverted under military escort to a London ...

Men arrested after RAF jet is scrambled to escort Pakistan Airlines passenger plane to London Stansted Airport

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:28:41 -0400

Two men have been arrested at Stansted today after a passenger plane heading to Manchester airport was diverted to Stansted by an RAF Typhoon jet following reports of threats on ...

Bowie Young Takes Early Lead on Short Course

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:27:45 -0400

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas ...

Pakistan Cricket Board angry after ICC withdraws Asad Rauf from Champions Trophy

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:23:46 -0400

Karachi: PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf on Friday said they have no clue why Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf was under investigation in the IPL spot-fixing scandal and why he has been withdrawn from the Champions Trophy.Rauf is under police scanner for involvement in the spot-fixing although nothing concrete has come out yet."The ICC has told us they were withdrawing Rauf from the Champions Trophy ...

Google eyes African Asian markets

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:21:37 -0400

GOOGLE is reportedly deeply involved in a series of projects to build and operate wireless networks in emerging markets including sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast ...

Pakistan Airlines flight accompanied by fighter jet for emergency landing in UK

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:18:18 -0400

Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK709 headed from Lahore to the UK with 297 passengers onboard was diverted from northwestern England's Manchester Airport to Stansted when two unruly passengers threatened an air stewardess that they would blow up the plane. The air stewardesses contacted the pilot, who contacted UK air traffic control. The UK Defense Ministry immediately sent a ...

Glow-in-Dark Roach Worlds Smallest Frog Among Top New Species

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:37:51 -0400

A cockroach that glows in the dark, a black fungus that's ruining prehistoric cave art and a frog smaller than a child's fingernail. These are three in a top-ten list of newly discovered species for 2012. An international committee of taxonomists announced their annual picks this ...

Vietnam will allow the purchase of quiet fireworks

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:25:56 -0400

Firecrackers that produce noise but don't explode may be permitted for the 2014 Lunar New Year in Vietnam, a nation that has outlawed their ...

Singapores economic growth slows by significant margin in first quarter

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:23:27 -0400

SINGAPORE -- Singapore's trade-sensitive economy slowed in the first quarter on sluggish demand for its exports, the government said Thursday, warning that risks remained despite improved global ...

Nick Vujicic Talking About God at Stadium in Vietnam Considered Miracle Says Organizer

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:23:22 -0400

Inspirational speaker Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs, speaks at the National Religious Broadcasters convention on Tuesday, March 5, 2013, in Nashville, ...

Terror threat aboard Pakistan plane

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:12:41 -0400

Limbless Aussie preaches in Vietnam

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:09:11 -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 ...

Jetwing Hotels unveils Hotel J for first time in Sri Lanka

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:05:50 -0400

Visiting Sri Lanka on a shoestring budget or planning to travel around the country economically? Most of the time the modern traveler - be they young and independent or older and adventurous - is limited by income, and cash thereby becomes a key determinant when deciding on destinations and accommodation. Hence the reason Jetwing Hotels came up with their latest brainchild of Hotel J ...

Reporters notebook Going undercover inside a Bangladesh garment factory

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:04:44 -0400

(CBS News) DHAKA, Bangladesh -- Getting inside a garment factory in Bangladesh isn't easy. It's an enormous industry. There are more than 4,000 factories, employing an estimated 4 million people. Garments and textiles make up about 80 percent of Bangladesh's export ...

Watch 2 Arrests in Pakistan Airlines Flight Scare

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:02:23 -0400

Fighter jets scrambled in Britain today after an incident on a plane but officials say it is not terror related -- royal air force jet escorted to Pakistan International Airlines plane to ...

Girl Scouts Lemonade Day success reaching Bangladesh

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:54:29 -0400

Contributed photo Mayor Nelda Martinez pours water for a batch of lemonade on May 5 at the stand operated by Girl Scout Elizabeth Schmidt and her friend Justin Kar. Chamber of Commerce Director Foster Edwards looks on. The stand’s $446 profit is being donated to Justin’s uncle to help pay for removal of a brain ...

Motion Filtering Ability Correlated to High IQ

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:44 -0400

Researchers at the University of Rochester in New York state say they can predict a person’s intelligence quotient, or IQ, using some simple visual tests. Test subjects were asked to watch brief video clips of black and white bars moving across a computer screen within three different sized circles. They were asked to identify in which direction the bars drifted. The exercise measures ...

Planemaker Embraer Sees American Closing Out US Regional Jet Cycle

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:44 -0400

SAO PAULO -- Embraer SA, the world's third-largest commercial jet maker, expects just one more big regional jet order as a result of its current U.S. sales campaign, Chief Executive Officer Frederico Curado said in an interview, after the Brazilian planemaker clinched three of four major deals since December. "After the American Airlines competition, the game is over for a ...

Obama Plan to Close Guantanamo Prison Faces Significant Obstacles

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:43 -0400

Activists wearing orange jumpsuits mark the 100th day of prisoners' hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay during a protest in front of the White House in Washington May 17, ...

Immigrant Drama Shoots for Top Cannes Prize

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:43 -0400

CANNES -- America's immigration debate finds echoes in a period drama that premiered at the Cannes film festival on Friday about a Polish woman who arrives at Ellis Island and fights to survive in 1920s New York. "The Immigrant" features French Oscar winner Marion Cotillard as the immigrant Ewa, speaking English and Polish in the film, with Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner as ...

Buddhists mark Vishaka Bucha nationwide

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:18:27 -0400

Buddhists in Bangkok joined the prayer ceremony at Sanam Luang to mark Visakha Bucha Day yesterday, while others in the rest of the country participated in similar rituals at their neighbourhood temples. People living in the three southern border provinces began their candle-lit walk around the temple in the middle of the afternoon for fear of attacks despite stepped-up security. Visakha Bucha ...

Art helps ease the heartache

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:18:26 -0400

Artist explains how painting helped him get over his father's death A young Muslim man living in the deep South has chosen canvas and paint to vent his frustration and anger over his father's death to insurgent violence and is using his art to teach local young people the difference between good and evil. Pattani native Suleiman Yamo, 26, enrolled at the Foundation of the Promotion of ...

Teenagers sex slavery claim doubted

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:18:25 -0400

Girl admitted she wanted to return to be with her boyfriend: father New questions have emerged about a Thai teenager's claim that her aunt forced her into prostitution in South Korea. The aunt, Piangjai Kim, flew back to Thailand late on Thursday for police interrogation, in which she firmly denied the allegation. Her older brother, the girl's father, also said that his daughter had ...

Shuttlers rejoice after historic trip to Sudirman Cup semi-finals

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

Ratchanok Inthanon reacts during her match against Sayaka Takahashi of Japan during the Sudirman Cup quarter-finals at Putra Stadium, in Kuala ...

Vietnam - Injustice reigns as eight pro-democracy activists lose appeal in Vietnam

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:14:34 -0400

Eight have lost an appeal against their conviction; in this photo, defendants appear in court in January 2013 when the sentences were originally handed ...

Two men ‘tried to get in cockpit during flight from Pakistan to Britain’

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:11:59 -0400

The Pakistan International Airlines plane that was escorted into Stansted by Typhoon jets today Two men had repeatedly tried get into the cockpit of a passenger plane which had to be escorted by an RAF Typhoon jet as it travelled from Pakistan to the UK. Police have arrested two menonsuspicion of endangerment of an aircraft today after the plane was diverted to Stansted Airport. Officers ...

Two arrests after UK fighter jets escort Pakistani plane

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:10:56 -0400

British police arrested two men on a Pakistan International Airlines plane after British fighter jets were scrambled to escort it to a London airport on Friday, officials ...

U.K. fighters escort Pakistan plane to airport 2 arrests

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:04:15 -0400

A Pakistan International Airlines is surrounded by emergency vehicles 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) LONDON - British fighter ...

Buddhist monk sets himself on fire to protest against the slaughter of cattle in Sri Lanka

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:02:33 -0400

In February, a Tibetan protester in monk's robes doused himself with gasoline, set himself ablaze and chanted anti-China slogans as he ran down a street in Nepal's ...

Top Bosnia court orders release of president charged with graft

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:55:26 -0400

SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Bosnia's Constitutional Court ruled on Friday that the president of the autonomous Muslim-Croat federation, charged with corruption, had been detained illegally, and ordered a lower court to release him ...

Deutrom wants doors open for Pakistan tour

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:07:48 -0400

Warren Deutrom: 'We have an understanding of what they are going through and we feel we are in a position where we could possibly ...

Mixed messages on home deliveries in Philippines

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:02:08 -0400

More than half of all births take place at home MANILA, 24 May 2013 (IRIN) - Varied implementation of a Department of Health (DOH) policy advocating health facility-based delivery under the care of a skilled birth attendant (SBA) has health officials and advocates worried that the policy may be doing more harm than good. The DOH policy known as ...

Rare Superman Comic Found In House Insulation

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:55:01 -0400

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- It’s considered the Holy Grail of comic books: Action Comics No. 1 from 1938, featuring the debut of Superman. And David Gonzales found one mixed in with old newspapers insulating a wall in a house he was renovating in a small town in Minnesota. Gonzalez did some research that confirmed the comic was valuable, though not as much as it could have been. He got into a ...

GM Paragua shares Asian chess top spot with Li

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:53:57 -0400

5.0 points--GM Mark Paragua (PH), GM Li Chao (Chn); 4.5--GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (PH), GM John Paul Gomez (PH), GM Le Quang Liem (Vie), GM Baskaran Adhiban (Ind), GM Subramanian Arun Prasad (Ind), GM Marat Dzhumaev (Uzb); 4.0--GM Richard Bitoon (PH), IM Wan Yunguo (Chn), GM Krishnan Sasikiran (Ind), GM G.N. Gopal (Ind), GM Santosh Gujrathi (Ind), IM Firman Syah Farid (Ina), GM Nguyen Ngoc ...

Asia-Pacific officials discuss security challenges

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:48:55 -0400

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - Senior officials from Southeast Asia and their dialogue partners, including the United States, Japan and China, on Friday discussed the sources of tensions and security challenges gripping the Asia-Pacific region. Diplomatic officials told Kyodo News that discussions focused on the fragile situation on the Korean Peninsula and maritime territorial disputes in the South ...

Two held after Pakistan plane diverted

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:48:05 -0400

London - British police arrested two men on a Pakistan International Airlines plane after British fighter jets were scrambled to escort it to a London airport on Friday, officials ...

Pakistan frees 45 Indian fishermen

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:37:44 -0400

prime minister as a goodwill gesture. The fishermen boarded a bus to the eastern city of Lahore from where they will cross into India through the Wagha border. "We have released 45 Indian fishermen today on the orders from the higher authorities," Sunil Shah, a senior jail official at the Landhi District Jail, told AFP. Caretaker Prime ...

Japan told to lean on Myanmar

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:33:08 -0400

The Japanese government needs to ensure it's getting a return on its investments in Myanmar by making human rights a priority, Human Rights Watch said. Japanese Prime ...

Highway Bridge Collapses in US

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:25 -0400

A road bridge on the main highway between the northwestern United States and Canada's British Columbia province collapsed and sent several cars tumbling into a river, injuring some motorists but causing no fatalities. Authorities said a tall truck hit an overhead girder on the 50-year-old bridge, and seconds later a large portion of the metal structure fell into shallow waters of the ...

Violence Continues in Conakry Over Upcoming Elections

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:25 -0400

DAKAR -- Guinea's government says it deployed extra soldiers and police to the streets of the capital, Conakry, Friday, as youth in several neighborhoods set up makeshift barriers, vandalized cars and attacked private businesses. The unrest comes the day after an opposition protest during which the government says one person was killed and at least ten were injured. The opposition puts the ...

Man Wanted for Quadruple Czech Murders Arrested in US

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:25 -0400

Czech police said Friday the suspect, identified by police as Kevin Dahlgren, was arrested at a Washington, D.C. airport after Czech authorities issued an international warrant. U.S. authorities have confirmed the arrest. Czech authorities found four bodies Wednesday in a family house in the city of Brno, about 200 kilometers southeast of Prague. Czech Television reports that the 20-year-old ...

Ethiopian Activist Recognized for Fight Against Female Genital Mutilation

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:25 -0400

LONDON -- An Ethiopian activist who has worked to support women’s rights and battle female genital mutilation has been awarded an international prize in Europe. Bogaletch Gebre founded Kembatti Mentti Gezzima-Tope in the 1990s. The organization’s name translates as Kembatti Women Stand Together. The group has a unique approach to tackling women’s rights in ...

Explosions Gunfire Hit Center of Afghan Capital

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:24 -0400

Two large explosions shook a busy area in the center of the Afghan capital Friday, in the second major attack in Kabul in a little more than a ...

Little Free Libraries Promote Love of Books

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:24 -0400

What looks like a little red birdhouse with a pitched roof sits on a post outside Centreville Elementary School in Virginia, attracting a lot of attention. But there are no birds inside. The wooden box contains about two dozen children’s books. Any child in the community who wants to read is welcome to pick ...

Taliban Attacks Heart of Afghan Capital

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:24 -0400

Taliban militants have attacked the heart of the Afghan capital, setting off explosions and battling security forces. At least four blasts shook a busy area of Kabul Friday, in the second major attack in the city in a little more than a week. Shooting erupted in the area as militants and security forces engaged in a fierce gunbattle. Afghan officials say two of the attackers were ...

Bullying in Turkish Military Becomes a Human Rights Issue

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:24 -0400

FILE -Turkish military station at the border gate with Syria, across from Syrian rebel-controlled Tel Abyad town, in Akcakale, Turkey, October 7, ...

Kerry Urges Hard Decisions After Meetings with Israeli Palestinians

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:23 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) waves as he stands next to Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat before his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah May 23, ...

British Police Arrest Two on Diverted Pakistani Airliner

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:23 -0400

British police have arrested two men on board a Pakistan International Airlines plane that was diverted to an airport near London. A Royal Air Force fighter jet intercepted the airliner - which was en route from Lahore to Manchester - and escorted it to Stansted Airport. Authorities said there had been "an incident" on board the plane. They said the two men were arrested on ...

Pakistan Reiterates Opposition to US Drone Strikes

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:22 -0400

Pakistan has reiterated its opposition to U.S. drone strikes on its territory, after U.S. President Barack Obama justified "constrained" drone usage to save lives. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Friday that drone strikes are counter-productive, kill innocent civilians, have human rights implications, and violate national sovereignty and international law. Pakistan said, ...

Kerry Choice of Iranian Presidential Candidates Denies Popular Will

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:22 -0400

To get best possible experience using our website we recommend that you upgrade to a newer version or other web browser. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found ...

Twitter celebrity named suspect

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:55:47 -0400

Jakarta Police have named twitter celebrity Benny Handoko as a suspect for alleged defamation on former House of Representatives legislator Muhammad Misbakhun. Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said as quoted by Tribunnews.com that an official letter had been sent to Benny requiring him to come to the police station for further questioning on Monday. Misbakhun reported Benny in ...

SBY told to receive award amidst controversies

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:55:46 -0400

Former national human rights commission chief Marzuki Darusman encouraged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to accept the religious freedom award despite the polemic. "We witnessed controversies when Obama and the EU were granted Nobel prizes. We should not make a big deal out of controversy," Marzuki, a former general attorney, said on Friday. He suggested Yudhoyono to ...

Ahmadis deplore Suryadharma’s stance

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:55:45 -0400

The Priangan Barat chapter of Jemaah Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JAI) in West Java say Minister of Religious Affairs Suryadharma Ali takes side and cheerleads intolerance. Ekky Mubariq of the chapter questioned Suryadharma's claim that 20 Ahmadi followers had quit JAI. On May 21, 2013, Suryadharma witnessed the 20 Ahmadis reciting ...

C.K. Wu throws hat in ring for IOC presidency

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:58 -0400

United Daily News Taiwan's representative on the International Olympic Committee and president of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), Wu Ching-kuo, announced his candidacy for president of the IOC May 23 in Taipei City. "I decided to announce my intentions here in Taipei, because this is where I started off," Wu said. Wu is the fourth person to announce his candidacy, ...

Taiwan expands PV inverter testing capability

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:56 -0400

Taiwan Today Taiwan will set up a testing laboratory for high-power photovoltaic inverters, the Industrial Technology Research Institute announced May 22. ITRI is creating the lab with the backing of the ROC Bureau of Energy, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, said Duan Jia-ruey, head of ITRI's Center for Measurement Standards. The new lab will test PV inverter up to 120 kilowatts in ...

HPH lauds Taiwan health promotion efforts

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:53 -0400

Chiou Shu-ti (second left), director-general of the DOH Bureau of Health Promotion, displays May 23 the agency's HPH recognition certificate. (Courtesy of Bureau of Health ...

Hutchison establishes PoP in Myanmar

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:51 -0400

Hutchison Global Communications (HGC), the fixed line division of Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings, has unveiled its first Point of Presence (PoP) in Myanmar, established in cooperation with Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), as part of a strategy to boost data and voice connectivity between Hong Kong and Myanmar, enabling international carriers and content providers from ...

TAITRA launches 2013 Taste of Taiwan Cuisine

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:51 -0400

TAITRA President and CEO Chao Yuen-Chuan (third left) and TAITRA Vice President Peter W. J. Huang (fourth left) launch 2013 Taste of Taiwan Cuisine May 23 in Taipei City. ...

Ma praises robust Taiwan-EU relations

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:49 -0400

Taiwan Today ROC President Ma Ying-jeou praised robust Taiwan-EU relations across a spectrum of areas May 23, expressing hope of taking economic exchanges to a new level. "Over the past five years, relations between Taiwan and EU members have forged steadily ahead, with the EU granting ROC citizens Schengen visa-waiver treatment and frequent visits to Taiwan by members of the European ...

Taiwan wins Ireland backing for greater global role

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:46 -0400

Taiwan Today By Meg Chang Taiwan's bid for meaningful participation in international organizations and activities received strong legislative support from the Irish Senate May 22 in Dublin, according to the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Seanad Eireann passed the Ireland-Taiwan Relations Motion to support Paragraph 96 of the European Parliament Resolution of Sept. 12 2012 in the ...

Bomb kills five rangers in Thailands restive south

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:53:54 -0400

Thai rangers stand next to the wreckage of a pickup truck that carried patrolling soldiers after it was hit by a roadside bomb detonated by suspected Muslim insurgents in Saiburi district of Pattani province, Southern Thailand, on Friday, May 24, 2013. Five paramilitary rangers were killed and one other wounded in an ambush when suspected rebels detonated a bomb buried in a road in ...

2 on Diverted Pakistani Plane Made Threats They Called Jokes

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:53:18 -0400

LONDON ...

Asian Stocks End Mixed Nikkei Rises After Turbulent Trading

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:52:15 -0400

Asian stocks traded mixed on Friday, with extreme volatility in Japanese shares keeping investors nervous. Japan's Nikkei index swung over 1,000 points for a second day in a row before ending notably higher on optimism over earnings growth and ...

Korean and Pakistani presidents congratulate Azerbaijani leader

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:21 -0400

Korean and Pakistani presidents congratulate Azerbaijani leader The letters had in it good wishes addressed to President Ilham Aliyev, as well as the Government and the people of ...

Two men arrested on suspicion of endangerment of aircraft after incident on Pakistan-UK flight

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:15 -0400

LONDON - Two men have been arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft after an incident on a plane flying from Pakistan to Britain, officials said, rattling the U.K. just days a British soldier was killed on a London street in a suspected terror attack.A fighter jet was launched to divert the Pakistan International Airlines plane carrying nearly 300 passengers to Britain's Stansted ...

2 Men Arrested After Pakistani Jet Is Diverted Over U.K.

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:06 -0400

Two men were arrested and removed from a Pakistan International Airlines passenger jet Friday. It had been on its way from Lahore, Pakistan, to Manchester, England, when something that happened aboard led authorities to scramble Royal Air Force fighter jets and divert the passenger plane ...

2 held after Pakistan-UK flight diverted

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:47:59 -0400

Police arrested two men Friday on suspicion of endangering an aircraft after a flight from Pakistan to the United Kingdom was diverted to Stansted Airport, outside of ...

Pakistan aircraft incident rattles U.K.

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:35:15 -0400

Passengers disembark from a Pakistan International Airlines flightbound for Manchester from Lahore, Pakistan, after it was diverted to Stansted Airport, north of London Friday. Chris Radburn/AP ...

Britain scrambles fighter jets as Pakistani airliner diverted 2 arrested

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:31:44 -0400

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft after a plane carrying more than 300 people from Pakistan to Britain was diverted from its original course on Friday, officials said. The incident further rattled the U.K. just days after a British soldier was brutally killed on a London street in a suspected terror attack.A British security official said the situation involving ...

Threats made aboard diverted Pakistan plane passenger

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:31:04 -0400

London: A passenger aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane flying from Lahore to Manchester that was diverted under military jet escort to Stansted, northeast of London on Friday said someone had made threats against its crew."We landed safely and then he (the pilot) announced that they had had some kind of threat from someone and that's why he landed the plane," the ...

American killed in 2011 drone strike was jailed by Pakistan

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:26:18 -0400

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN - An American citizen killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan in 2011 was arrested by Pakistani authorities three years earlier but escaped after being released on bail, officials said Thursday. The Obama administration revealed Wednesday that Jude Kenan Mohammad died in a drone strike in Pakistan’s tribal region, making him the fourth American citizen killed by ...

Pakistan should consider IMF deal after reforms in place adviser

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:26:16 -0400

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's new leadership expects first results of its planned steps to shore up its finances and ease a power crisis in two or three months and only then should decide whether and on what terms to seek an IMF bailout, a senior policy adviser said on ...