Asia

Pompeo in reassurance mission to Iraq over US Syria pullout plans

by Francesco Fontemaggi Agence France Presse CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday Turkey had committed to protecting Washington’s Kurdish allies fighting jihadists, during a surprise visit to Iraq to soothe concerns over the US troop withdrawal from Syria. The remarks by US President Donald Trump’s top diplomat, on a whistle-stop tour of the Middle East, follow tensions between Washington and Ankara over the Kurds’ fate. Turkey reacted angrily to […]

Hong Kong unveils law banning insults to Chinese national anthem

  HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong unveiled a proposed law Wednesday to punish anyone who disrespects the Chinese national anthem with up to three years in jail, as Beijing ramps up pressure on the semi-autonomous city to fall into line. The bill, which will have its first reading in the city’s parliament on January 23, sets up a fresh battle between authorities and democracy activists who say the financial hub’s freedoms are being […]

Vietnam accuses Facebook of breaching new cyber law

HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — Vietnam has accused Facebook of violating a new cybersecurity law by refusing to scrub anti-government content from its site, the first reprimand since the controversial bill came into effect days ago. The law, which went live January 1 and has drawn criticism from the US, the EU and web freedom groups, requires internet companies to remove “toxic content” and hand over user data when requested by authorities. It also stipulates that […]

N. Korea’s Kim ends Beijing visit as Trump summit looms

by Laurent THOMET Agence France-Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — Kim Jong Un’s train left Beijing on Wednesday after the North Korean leader visited his key ally on a trip seen a strategy session ahead of his expected summit with Donald Trump. Kim arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for his fourth visit to Pyongyang’s sole major diplomatic friend, reportedly visiting a factory and meeting President Xi Jinping. The North Korean leader’s motorcade was spotted arriving at […]

Factory tour for N. Korea’s Kim on secretive Beijing visit

by Laurent THOMET Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly visited a pharmaceutical factory in China on Wednesday as he seeks economic support from his key ally along with diplomatic backing before his expected summit with Donald Trump. Kim arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a fourth visit to his country’s sole major diplomatic friend, a trip seen as a strategy session ahead of his possible second meeting […]

Attacker hurts 20 children in Beijing school: authorities

  Beijing, China (AFP) — Twenty children were wounded in an attack at an elementary school in Beijing Tuesday with three suffering serious injuries, local authorities said. A male suspect was brought “under control” and the wounded students were admitted to hospital, the Xicheng district government said, without elaborating on how or why the man carried out the attack. According to a tweet by nationalist tabloid Global Times, the suspect used a hammer to carry […]

One dead in oil tanker blaze off Hong Kong

HONG KONg, China (AFP) — At least one person has died after an oil tanker caught fire off Hong Kong on Tuesday, police said, sending a huge cloud of dark smoke billowing into the air. Twenty-one people have been rescued after those on the vessel either fell or jumped into the sea, according to a police spokesperson, but it is not yet clear if more people are still missing. A number of the victims had […]

Trump advisor in Turkey for talks on Syria pullout

  Ankara, Turkey (AFP) — The White House’s National Security advisor will meet with Ankara officials on Tuesday to discuss the surprise withdrawal of US troops from Syria, as the Turkish president hailed the pullout as “the right call”. As both sides prepared for the talks in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was “the only country with the power and commitment” to stabilise Syria after the US pullout, in an opinion column published in […]

N. Korea’s Kim visits China ahead of expected Trump summit

by Laurent THOMET / Eva XIAO Agence France-Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday on an unannounced visit for talks with President Xi Jinping, as preparations ramp up for an expected second summit with Donald Trump. China is the isolated, nuclear-armed North’s key diplomatic ally and main source of trade and aid, and the visit is likely to heighten speculation about the potential meeting with the […]

N. Korea’s Kim arrives at Beijing train station: Yonhap

Seoul, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived at Beijing train station Tuesday on a visit to China to meet President Xi Jinping, the South’s Yonhap news agency reported. It carried a picture of Kim’s distinctive dark green train, emblazoned with a yellow stripe, entering the station at 10:55 am local time (0255 GMT). © Agence France-Presse

Ghosn makes first public appearance since shock arrest

by Hiroshi HIYAMA Agence France-Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn appeared in public Tuesday for the first time since his arrest in November rocked the business world, as he offers his side of the story in a high-profile court hearing. The 64-year-old auto industry titan attended a hearing at the Tokyo District Court where the judge was to explain the reasons for Ghosn’s continued detention on suspicion of financial misconduct. He […]

US conducts latest South China Sea sail-by amid trade talks

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A US Navy guided-missile destroyer on Monday sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea where Beijing has built military installations, as trade talks between the two countries kicked off. The US and its allies periodically send planes and warships through the area, which is claimed by China, to signal to Beijing their right under international law to pass through the waters. The USS McCampbell sailed within 12 nautical […]