Japanese markets closed higher Wednesday, while the U.S. dollar is lower against the Japanese yen. Tokyo’s Nikkei index gained more than one percent to finish at 10,082. In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 80.89 yen, a loss of nearly one-quarter of a yen from Tuesday. The Taipei market closed at 8,824, a gain […]
Chinese Aircraft Carrier Said Not Yet Ready for Launch
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 2:25 am (UTC-5)
China’s state media say construction equipment, cranes and shipping containers still litter the deck of the country’s first aircraft carrier, indicating the vessel is far from ready for launch. The Communist Party-controlled Global Times newspaper reports on its website Wednesday that naval enthusiasts were disappointed when the ship failed to to begin sea trials on […]
Cargo Plane Crashes North of Afghan Capital
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 2:15 am (UTC-5)
Officials in Afghanistan say a cargo plane has crashed into a mountain in eastern Afghanistan. The crash happened late Tuesday in the Sayagred area of Parwan province, north of the capital, Kabul. There was no immediate word on casualties, and officials said rescue teams have been sent to the site. A NATO spokesman said the […]
China Promises to “Properly Follow Up” Adverse WTO Decision
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 1:50 am (UTC-5)
Chinese officials said Wednesday they will “properly follow up” a World Trade Organization finding that the country broke global trade rules by limiting exports of raw materials needed to make products ranging from steel to electronics. The WTO panel Tuesday rejected Beijing’s argument that the curbs were needed to protect China’s environment, ruling instead in […]
UN Chief Names New Afghan Mission Official
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 1:45 am (UTC-5)
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Britain’s Michael Keating as his new Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. In a statement Wednesday, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said Keating brings extensive experience in managing humanitarian emergencies and post-conflict recovery programs in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. He replaces Robert Watkins of Canada, who has […]
Disease Forces Closure of Jamaican Citrus Farms
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 1:25 am (UTC-5)
The Jamaican government has shut down the nation’s citrus nurseries in an effort to contain a dangerous disease that threatens the island’s valuable citrus industry. Jamaica’s ministry of agriculture said Tuesday that it ordered the closure of the nurseries and banned the sale of all citrus plants in order to protect the $43 million industry […]
Australian Parliament Gets World’s Toughest Anti-Tobacco Bill
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 1:20 am (UTC-5)
Australia’s government has formally introduced to parliament what it says are the world’s toughest laws on cigarette packaging. Health Minister Nicola Roxon introduced the legislation Wednesday, saying the government will not be deterred by the threat of legal action from major tobacco companies. She said the laws are designed to remove “the last vestige of […]
Japan to Run Stress Tests on Nuclear Power Plants
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 1:05 am (UTC-5)
The Japanese government says it will conduct stress tests on all the country’s nuclear reactors to determine whether they can withstand a natural disaster. Trade Minister Banri Kaieda told reporters Wednesday that tests will be conducted on all 54 operational reactors to ensure there will be no problems with power supplies. The decision follows a […]
Chinese Firms Demands CNN Apology for Century Egg Slur
Posted July 6th, 2011 at 12:35 am (UTC-5)
China’s largest egg processing company says it is demanding an apology from a U.S.-based television network for describing a traditional Chinese dish as the world’s most disgusting food. Chinese broadcast and print media said Wednesday the demand was issued by the chairman of the Hubei Shendan Healthy Food Company on behalf of his 3,000 workers. […]
France, Germany and Poland Form EU Combat Group
Posted July 5th, 2011 at 11:35 pm (UTC-5)
France, Germany and Poland say they have joined forces to form a joint European Union combat group. The agreement was signed Tuesday in Brussels, four days after Poland assumed the rotating EU presidency. The EU maintains a rotation of rapid reaction forces, known as battle groups, to be deployed in cases of emergency, although they […]
