Japanese markets closed higher Wednesday, while the U.S. dollar is lower against the Japanese yen. Tokyo’s Nikkei index gained more than one-quarter of one percent to finish at 9,574. In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 80.47 yen, virtually unchanged from Tuesday. The Taipei market closed virtually unchanged at 8,831.
Thai Army Chief Issues Veiled Election Endorsement
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 2:15 am (UTC-5)
Thailand’s army chief is urging the public to elect “good people” and defend the king in next month’s national elections in what is seen as a veiled endorsement of the ruling pro-monarchy Democrat party. In a late Tuesday broadcast on military television stations, General Prayuth Chan-ocha said security services have found widespread evidence of disrespect […]
Reports: Pakistan Arrested CIA Informants After Bin Laden Raid
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 2:10 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan has arrested five Pakistanis who acted as informants for the U.S. intelligence agency ahead of the raid and killing of Osama bin Laden. Western news agencies Wednesday confirmed a story in The New York Times that Pakistan’s top military spy agency arrested the informants after the May 2 raid on bin Laden’s hideout in […]
Libyan Olympic Committee Receives Tickets to 2012 Games
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 1:50 am (UTC-5)
Organizers of the 2012 Olympic Games in London have given hundreds of tickets to the Libyan National Olympic Committee, despite Britain’s involvement in a NATO military operation against Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi. Olympic officials say they are required to give tickets to every member state recognized by the International Olympic Committee, and that the Libyan […]
Chilean Volcano Causes More Flight Disruptions
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 1:15 am (UTC-5)
A cloud of ash from a volcano in Chile is disrupting air travel for a fourth day Wednesday, forcing the cancellation of flights in South America, Australia and New Zealand. More than 60,000 passengers have already been stranded. Virgin Australia said Wednesday the ash cloud would be too low to avoid on flights to and […]
Australia, China Nearing Agreement on Prisoner Exchange Treaty
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 1:00 am (UTC-5)
A new prisoner exchange treaty between Australia and China could allow mining executive Stern Hu and dozens of other Australians imprisoned in China to serve out their sentences at home. The Chinese-born Hu, an executive at Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, was sentenced last year for stealing commercial secrets and accepting bribes. A total of […]
White House Vows Full Explanation for US Involvement in Libya
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 12:40 am (UTC-5)
In Washington, the Obama administration is vowing to soon give a full explanation and justification for the continued U.S. military involvement in the Libyan conflict. White House officials said late Tuesday they are preparing to “address a whole host of issues” about the U.S. role in NATO’s mission to support Libyan rebels as they attempt […]
Chilean Volcano Causes More Flight Disruptions
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 12:35 am (UTC-5)
A cloud of ash from a volcano in Chile is disrupting air travel for a fourth day Wednesday, forcing the cancellation of flights in South America, Australia and New Zealand. More than 60,000 passengers have been stranded have already been stranded. Virgin Australia said Wednesday the ash cloud would be too low to avoid on […]
South Korea’s Top Prosecutor Sees Progress on Grand Juries
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 12:20 am (UTC-5)
South Korea’s prosecutor general says it will likely be two to three more years before a grand jury system is introduced in the country. Kim Joon-Gyu told a small group of foreign correspondents “it takes time,” during a mostly off-the-record session at a Seoul hotel on Wednesday. Kim has been pushing for the widespread introduction […]
Study: Britain Corruption on the Rise
Posted June 15th, 2011 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
An international monitoring group says institutional corruption in Britain is a growing threat and government responses to combat the problem are inadequate. Transparency International’s two-year study finds British political parties, prisons, parliament, and professional sports are areas most susceptible to corruption. The group cites political bribery, prison smuggling, and match-fixing as particular concerns. While over […]
