Japan’s foreign minister on Friday said Tokyo has not yet decided on whether to cut Iranian oil imports in support of U.S. sanctions against Iran’s nuclear program. “It requires wise and thoughtful considerations, so the Japanese government will deliberate on this issue before we reach the final conclusion.” Koichiro Gemba’s comments seemed to contradict those […]
Japan ‘Considering’ Cutback on Iranian Oil: Foreign Minister
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 5:15 am (UTC-5)
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India Marks a Polio-Free Year
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 4:55 am (UTC-5)
India marked a year Friday since its last new case of polio, a major victory in the global effort to eradicate the disease. If no previously undisclosed cases are uncovered in the coming weeks, India will be removed from the list of countries where the crippling disease is endemic. Polio remains a threat in Afghanistan, […]
Prominent Dissidents Freed from Burmese Jails in Wide-Ranging Amnesty
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 3:50 am (UTC-5)
Burma on Friday freed a number of prominent political prisoners, in what many say could be the country’s most significant prisoner release in decades. Journalists, religious leaders, and a former prime minister were among the anticipated 651 prisoners that began trickling out of prisons across Burma on Friday. Among those to be released was democracy […]
Report: Iran’s Closure of Waterway Would Provoke U.S. Response
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 3:45 am (UTC-5)
The New York Times is quoting unnamed U.S. officials as saying Washington has sent a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, that closing the Strait of Hormuz would provoke a U.S. response. The report published late Thursday said the covert message was not delivered through the the Swiss government, the usual way Washington communicates […]
North Korea Conducted Missile Test: South Korea
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC-5)
South Korean officials said Friday that North Korea’s military test fired three short-range missiles into its eastern waters earlier this week. A South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson said Seoul was aware of Wednesday’s missile launch, which was originally reported in Japan’s Sankei Shimbun newspaper. The report said the missiles were believed to be KN-01 ground-to-ground […]
Apple Suspends iPhone 4S Sales in China after Scuffle
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 2:00 am (UTC-5)
Apple says it is suspending sales of its latest iPhone in China after customers waiting for the release of the new device scuffled with security guards and threw eggs at an official store in Beijing. Shoppers who had been waiting for hours outside the store to get the new iPhone 4S became enraged after being […]
Japan PM Shuffles Cabinet to Win Support for Tax Hike Proposal
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 1:05 am (UTC-5)
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his cabinet on Friday in an attempt to gain cross-party support for a controversial plan to raise the country’s sales tax. Mr. Noda replaced five government ministers but he left 12 posts unchanged, including finance minister and foreign minister. Naoki Tanaka will replace Yasuo Ichikawa as defense minister, while […]
3 Police Killed in Pakistan Ambush
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 1:00 am (UTC-5)
Police in northwest Pakistan say about 100 militants have ambushed a police station, killing at least three policemen and wounding nine security officials. Authorities say the attack happened early Friday in Peshawar. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, and has experienced numerous […]
Pakistan’s President Returns Home
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan’s president has returned home from a trip to Dubai, amid growing tensions between Pakistan’s civilian government and the military. Pakistan officials say Asif Ali Zardari returned to Islamabad early Friday. Authorities said Mr. Zardari made the one-day trip to the United Arab Emirates to attend a wedding. They said the trip was not linked […]
Burma Begins Releasing Political Prisoners
Posted January 13th, 2012 at 12:05 am (UTC-5)
Burma has begun releasing some prominent political prisoners as part of a government amnesty program, in the latest move toward political reform by the country’s military-backed government. Burmese state media said that 651 detainees were being freed under a presidential pardon in order to take part in “nation-building.” Family members said prominent democracy activist Min […]
