China is denying charges that its border guards have turned back hundreds of refugees who are fleeing a Burmese government assault on ethnic rebels in northern Burma. More than 1,000 Kachin villagers have massed near the Chinese border seeking to escape from the fighting, which began late last week. A witness tells VOA that most […]
China Denies Blocking Refugees From Burmese Fighting
Major Losses on Japan’s Nikkei
Japanese markets closed lower Thursday, while the U.S. dollar is lower against the Japanese yen. Tokyo’s Nikkei index plunged nearly one and three-quarters percent to finish at 9,411. In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 80.65, a loss of more than one-quarter of a yen from Wednesday. Gold is trading at $1,524.80 an ounce.
EU, China Hold Annual Human Rights Dialogue
Diplomats from the European Union are holding annual talks with their Chinese counterparts in Beijing Thursday on China’s human rights record. The EU delegates are likely to bring up the government’s recent crackdown on dissidents and activists, including artist Ai Weiwei and Liu Xia, the wife of jailed dissident and Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo. […]
Rights Group Reports New Rioting in Eastern China
A Hong Kong-based rights group says thousands of security forces have been deployed to put down unrest in China’s eastern Zhejiang province, the latest in a series of recent disturbances across the country. The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said Thursday that residents have been rioting since Tuesday in Taizhou City after a […]
Greek PM to Form New Cabinet to Deal with Economic Crisis
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou says he will form a new government Thursday to help push forward austerity measures tied to an international bailout. Mr. Papandreou says he will then ask for a vote of confidence in parliament, after coalition talks with the opposition fell apart. Mr. Papandreou made his announcement on television Wednesday following […]
Blast Kills 4 in Southern Afghanistan
(Updates 6/15 story with new info grafs 1-2)) A roadside bomb has killed four people in southern Afghanistan. Provincial officials say the bomb detonated when a tractor ran over it in Maruf district, Kandahar province. The Associated Press reports the victims were three women and one man. On Wednesday, suicide bombers killed at least 10 […]
Asian Stocks Lower
Asian stock markets closed lower Thursday. Tokyo’s Nikkei index plunged nearly one and three-quarters percent to finish at 9,411. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost nearly one and three-quarters percent to finish the day’s trading at 21,957. Share prices were also lower in Manila, Shanghai, Sydney, Taipei and Wellington. In currency trading, the dollar was […]
Al-Qaida Picks Zawahri as Bin Laden Successor
Al-Qaida says it has picked Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahri to succeed Osama bin Laden as head of the terror network. Al-Qaida posted the announcement on an Islamist website. The group vowed to immediately continue its pursuit of jihad, or holy war, against the United States and Israel and called them “apostate invaders.” Al-Qaida said it would […]
Hackers Claim CIA Website Breach
A group of hackers say they breached the Central Intelligence Agency’s website after it went down on Wednesday evening. The group, known as Lulz Security, claimed credit in a Twitter message that said “Tango down – cia.gov.” The CIA’s public website experienced problems throughout the evening on Wednesday. Lulz Security only made claims that it […]
Australian Parliament Condemns Planned Refugee Swap
Australia’s parliament has voted narrowly to condemn a planned refugee swap with Malaysia, raising doubts whether the government will be able to carry through with the controversial plan. The left-wing Greens party joined the conservative opposition to criticize the scheme, which would send 800 undocumented asylum seekers to be detained in Malaysia while their requests […]