The Republican party has adopted a platform that is strongly critical of China, even as Chinese state media slammed the party’s presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, for having what it termed a “Cold War mentality.” The Republican platform, approved Tuesday at the party’s national convention in Tampa, promises to get tough on China for the alleged […]
Japan, North Korea Meet for First Time in 4 Years
Posted August 29th, 2012 at 3:30 am (UTC-5)
Officials from Japan and North Korea are holding their first government-level talks in four years. The meetings Wednesday at the Japanese embassy in Beijing are being described as preliminary discussions between the two sides, which do not have formal diplomatic relations. Japan and North Korea last met in 2008. Their relationship has long been strained […]
Burma’s President Pardons 2 UN Staff, 3rd Aid Worker
Posted August 28th, 2012 at 3:20 pm (UTC-5)
Burmese President Thein Sein has pardoned two U.N. personnel and a third aid worker who were sentenced to prison last week for alleged involvement in a deadly outbreak of Buddhist-Muslim violence in June. The Burmese presidential office said Tuesday Mr. Thein Sein granted the pardon to the three aid workers employed by the U.N.’s World […]
China Offers Bank Credit, Police Cars to Egypt’s President
Posted August 28th, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
China has made several gestures to Egypt’s visiting president to help him boost the ailing Egyptian economy, offering credit to a major Egyptian bank and providing police cars for the country’s security forces. Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi secured the Chinese pledges of support on Tuesday, after arriving in Beijing on his first visit outside the […]
Report: Burmese Army Continues Rights Violations in Karen
Posted August 28th, 2012 at 6:40 am (UTC-5)
As Burma’s government and ethnic Karen rebel groups continue peace talks to end one of the world’s longest running conflicts, there are renewed reports of human rights violations by the Burmese army in the volatile state. A new report by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) found that a third of the families in the region […]
Typhoon Bolaven Lashes Korean Peninsula
Posted August 28th, 2012 at 6:20 am (UTC-5)
A powerful typhoon is bringing strong winds and heavy rain to North and South Korea, leaving at least eight people dead and thousands without power. Typhoon Bolaven churned up rough seas as it slid up the coast of South Korea Tuesday before making landfall in already flood-ravaged North Korea. Five fisherman died after their Chinese […]
Report: Burmese Army Continues Rights Violations in Karen
Posted August 28th, 2012 at 5:20 am (UTC-5)
As Burma’s government and ethnic Karen rebel groups continue peace talks to end one of the world’s longest running conflicts, there are renewed reports of human rights violations by the Burmese army in the volatile state. A new report by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) found that a third of the families in the region […]
Burma Removes 2,000 from Government Blacklist
Posted August 28th, 2012 at 1:50 am (UTC-5)
Burma has removed over 2,000 citizens from a government blacklist long used to keep exiled critics of the country’s former military rulers from returning to their homeland. The New Light of Myanmar hailed the move as a continuation of Burma’s recent political and economic reforms. The state-controlled paper did not discuss the status of over […]
Typhoon Bolaven Lashes Korean Peninsula
Posted August 28th, 2012 at 1:50 am (UTC-5)
A powerful typhoon is bringing heavy wind and rains to South Korea as it skirts up the coast, leaving at least four Chinese fisherman dead after their vessels slammed into rocks. Officials say nearly 200,000 households have lost power after Typhoon Bolaven knocked over street lights, ripped away signs and toppled a church spire. South […]
Burma President Promotes Reformers In New Government
Posted August 27th, 2012 at 6:10 pm (UTC-5)
Burma’s president has reshuffled his cabinet, promoting allies who back his reformist agenda. In the long-awaited shake-up, President Thein Sein Monday awarded several of his key ministers additional posts in the Office of the President. They include the ministers of Finance, Rail Transportation, and National Planning and Economic Development. The ministers are seen as allies […]
