Nations across Europe, the Middle East and Asia have welcomed in the new year as celebrations unfold around the globe. Fireworks lit up the sky over dozens of cities to celebrate the arrival of 2013, including festivities in Athens, Moscow and London. Dubai marked the new year with a light show at the world’s tallest […]
New Year’s Celebrations Unfold Around the World
Posted December 31st, 2012 at 7:15 pm (UTC-5)
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China Says Japan Releases Detained Chinese Fishermen
Posted December 31st, 2012 at 1:25 pm (UTC-5)
China’s state news agency says Japan has released a Chinese fishing crew detained on Saturday for poaching in Japanese waters. Xinhua said Japanese authorities released the captain and his crew on Monday, after detaining them in waters off the southern city of Kagoshima. A Chinese foreign ministry official said Beijing sent a diplomat to a […]
Sydney Fireworks Dazzle as Asia-Pacific Greets New Year
Posted December 31st, 2012 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
A gigantic fireworks display has lit up Sydney harbor as Australia and other Asia-Pacific nations become the first to welcome the new year. An estimated 1.5 million people gathered around the Sydney harbor on a warm summer night to see the $6.9 million fireworks show, with some camping out for much of the day to […]
Sydney Fireworks Dazzle as Asia-Pacific Greets New Year
Posted December 31st, 2012 at 9:10 am (UTC-5)
A gigantic fireworks display has lit up Sydney harbor as Australia’s east coast and other Pacific nations become the first to welcome the new year. An estimated 1.5 million people gathered around the Sydney harbor to see the $6.9 million fireworks show, with some camping out for much of the day to get a good […]
Malaysia Detains Asylum Seekers from Burma
Posted December 31st, 2012 at 1:40 am (UTC-5)
Malaysian police say they have detained around 450 asylum seekers from Burma after they illegally landed in Malaysia. A police official on Malaysia’s northern Langkawi island said Rohingya Muslims arrived Sunday after nearly two weeks in a wooden boat. The official said he does not know whether the group will be allowed to stay. The […]
Japan’s New Prime Minister Signals Change in Nuclear Policy
Posted December 29th, 2012 at 5:10 am (UTC-5)
Japan’s new prime minister says the clean-up of the Fukushima power plant, where three reactors melted down after an earthquake and tsunami last year, is “an unprecedented challenge in human history.” Wearing a protective suit and facemask, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe toured the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s facility on Saturday and thanked workers for the […]
China Requires Real-Name Internet Registration
Posted December 28th, 2012 at 5:10 am (UTC-5)
China’s official news agency says the government has tightened controls on Internet users by enacting rules requiring them to register their real names. The state Xinhua news agency said lawmakers approved the measures Friday at the closing meeting of a five-day session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Beijing says the regulation […]
Tropical Storm Wukong Kills Four in Philippines
Posted December 27th, 2012 at 2:50 am (UTC-5)
Tropical storm Wukong has left at least four people dead in the Philippines, which is still recovering from a typhoon earlier this month that killed over a thousand people. Officials say three people were also missing as the storm cut through the central Philippines on Thursday, overflowing rivers, flooding towns, and making many roads impassable. […]
North Korea’s Trade with China Expanded Rapidly in 2011: Seoul
Posted December 27th, 2012 at 2:05 am (UTC-5)
A new report says North Korea’s trade with China accounted for more than 70 percent of its total commerce last year, as the isolated nation deepens its reliance on its only major ally. South Korea’s national statistics office said Thursday that Pyongyang’s bilateral trade with Beijing totaled over $5.6 billion in 2011. That is an […]
Japan’s Abe Names Cabinet Tasked with Reviving Economy
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC-5)
Japan’s new conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has named a Cabinet dominated by close allies as he returns to office pledging to revive a sluggish economy and get tough on territorial challenges from neighboring powers. Mr. Abe and his Cabinet were sworn in by Emperor Akihito on Wednesday, shortly after winning votes of confidence in […]
