Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is in Bangladesh for a two-day visit aimed at improving bilateral relations. Mr. Singh is holding talks with his Bangladesh counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, on a wide range of issues. Indian officials say the trip is likely to produce agreements to give India expanded access to two major Bangladeshi ports and […]
Burmese Government Establishes First Human Rights Commission
Burma’s state media say the government has established its first national human rights commission. In a brief announcement Tuesday, the official New Light of Myanmar newspaper said the 15-member commission will be charged with promoting and safeguarding fundamental rights of citizens under the country’s 2008 constitution. The panel is made up of diplomats, academics and […]
Two-Day Separatist Strike Begins in Indian Kashmir
A general strike to demand the release of political prisoners in Indian Kashmir has shut down much of the region. Separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, currently under house arrest, called for the two-day work stoppage to begin on Tuesday. Local media report businesses and public transportation were largely shut down in Srinagar, the capital of […]
Global Stock Sell-Off Continues Into Second Day
A worldwide stock sell-off continued for a second day Tuesday, driven by fears of slowing growth in the United States and the sovereign debt crisis in Europe. Japan’s closely watched Nikkei index closed down by 2.2 percent, at its lowest level since April 2009, while similar losses were recorded elsewhere in Asia, with export-oriented manufacturers […]
Mexican Authorities Discover Tunnel Under Border With U.S.
Arizona. The tunnel was dug into a storm drain that leads into the United States. Authorities believe the tunnel could have been used to smuggle drugs or people into the United States. There was no official word on whether anyone had been detained in connection with the discovery of the tunnel. The French Press Agency […]
Vietnam Police Break Up International Fraud Ring
Police in Vietnam have arrested more than 50 people and charged them with taking part in an international fraud ring targeting people of Chinese origin. Authorities in southern Phu Yen province arrested more than 25 Chinese and more than 25 Taiwan nationals, along with at least two Vietnamese, during a raid in Tuy Hoa City. […]
World Bank Chief Sees Risks But No Double-Dip
World Bank President Robert Zoellick says he believes the world will avoid sliding into a second recession. Zoellick made the remark Tuesday to reporters in Singapore, where he is attending an economic conference amid plummeting world stock prices and worries over a slowdown in U.S. economic growth. Zoellick said he believes the United States and […]
Top Seed Djokovic Moves Into US Open Quarterfinals
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic has advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open, where he will face fellow Serbian Janko Tipsarevic. Djokovic won a tiebreaker to take the first set Monday against Ukrainian Alexander Dolgopolov, and rallied to take the match 7-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Tipsarevic needed four sets to move past Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero. […]
India to Consider Land Acquisition Reform Bill
India’s parliament is set to debate legislation aimed at providing greater compensation for farmers whose land is purchased for industrial development. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh says the bill attempts to balance the need for faster urbanization with the need to protect the interest of landowners. Ramesh says the cabinet approved the land acquisition reform […]
Japan’s Nikkei Plummets
Japanese markets closed lower Tuesday, while the U.S. dollar is lower against the Japanese yen. Tokyo’s Nikkei index lost nearly two and one-quarter percent to finish at 8,591. In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 76.84 yen, a loss of a fraction of a yen from Monday. The Taipei market finished at 7,367, a […]