Major Asian stock markets closed mixed Wednesday. Tokyo’s Nikkei index fell nearly one percent to finish at 8,383. Share prices were higher in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and Wellington, but lower in Manila, Mumbai, Seoul and Taiwan. The indexes in Hong Kong and Shanghai were closed. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar was selling […]
Panetta: Libya Mission Shows NATO Importance
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 6:20 am (UTC-5)
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the NATO mission in Libya is an example of why the alliance matters, and shows that it can mount an effective campaign with Europe playing a lead role. His comments came Wednesday in Brussels, where NATO defense ministers are gathering to discuss the situation in Libya and other operations. […]
2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded in Stockholm
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 6:15 am (UTC-5)
The 2011 Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to Israeli scientist Daniel Shechtman for the discovery of “quasicrystals.” The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Shechtman’s work has “altered how chemists conceive of solid matter.” It said Shechtman showed that the atoms in a crystal could be packed in a pattern that could not […]
Afghan President Reassures Pakistan Following India Deal
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 5:50 am (UTC-5)
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has sought to ease Pakistan’s concerns following his country’s recent partnership deal with India. Mr. Karzai described Pakistan as a “twin brother”, saying that the agreement signed with India will not affect the two countries’ relationship. Mr. Karzai spoke in New Delhi Wednesday where he is ending a two-day visit. On […]
Senior Haqqani Network Leader Killed In Afghan Airstrike
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 5:45 am (UTC-5)
The NATO-led force in Afghanistan says a senior leader from the al-Qaida linked Haqqani network was killed in an airstrike in southeastern Khost province near the border with Pakistan. The militant, known only as Dilawar, was killed Tuesday during the strike in the Musa Khel district. A statement says two of his associates were also […]
Japan Builds Up Forces Near Disputed Island Chain
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 5:35 am (UTC-5)
Japanese authorities say they have deployed a new Coast Guard vessel to help patrol a disputed island chain in the East China Sea. Officials say the 1,300-ton patrol boat arrived Tuesday at Ishigaki port in Okinawa, about 170 kilometers from the islands known in Japan as Senkaku and in China as Diaoyu. An incident near […]
Japan’s Nikkei Slump Continues
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 5:35 am (UTC-5)
Japanese markets closed lower Wednesday, while the U.S. dollar is lower against the Japanese yen. Tokyo’s Nikkei index fell nearly one percent to finish at 8,383. In currency trading, the dollar was selling at 76.70 yen, a loss of just over one-tenth of a yen from Tuesday. Gold is trading at $1,604.88 an ounce.
NATO Defense Ministers Meet on Libya, Afghanistan
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 5:25 am (UTC-5)
NATO defense ministers are meeting Wednesday in Brussels to discuss the alliance’s ongoing mission in Libya, the war in Afghanistan and efforts to acquire necessary resources as members face budget cuts. Ahead of the talks, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said NATO members must work more closely than ever, and warned it is wrong […]
Thai River Bursts Banks, Flooding Historic Temple
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
Workers in Thailand are struggling to drain and repair a 500-year-old temple that was flooded when the Chao Phraya River overflowed its banks. Two meters of water surround stupas at the Wat Chai Watthanaram temple, a World Heritage Site. The flooding has also forced hundreds of people to flee their homes in the central province […]
Chinese Commentary Proposes Small Battles Over South China Sea
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
A commentary in a Chinese Communist Party-affiliated newspaper says it is time that Beijing launched some “tiny-scale battles” in the South China Sea to deter its neighbors from stealing China’s resources. The article appears on the website of the Global Times newspaper under the headline “Time to teach those around South China Sea a lesson.” […]
