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(Reuters) Hundreds of protesters rallied on Sunday against Hong Kong’s disqualification of six candidates from legislative elections, the latest outpouring of anger at a perceived tightening grip on the city’s freedoms by China. The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under an agreement that gave ultimate control to Communist Party rulers in Beijing while promising Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy. But Beijing’s refusal to grant full democracy, which […]
(REUTERS) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte railed against the United Nations on Sunday after it called for an end to the wave of killings unleashed by his war on drugs, saying he might leave the organization and invite China and others to form a new one. Two U.N. human rights experts last week urged Manila to stop the extra-judicial executions and killings that have escalated since Duterte won the presidency on a promise to wipe […]
(UNITED NATIONS) New findings by the economic and social development arm of the United Nations in the Asia-Pacific have revealed that nearly 75 per cent of the region’s broadband capabilities and access are concentrated in countries in East and North-East Asia while the Pacific subregion accounts for a mere 1.93 per cent. “As a result of this digital divide, millions of people are shut out from transformative digital opportunities in education, health, business and […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan was hit by a strong earthquake for the second straight day on Saturday, though there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, officials said. A shallow magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan Saturday, 167 kilometres (103 miles) from Miyako city, the US Geological Survey said. There was no threat of a tsunami following quake which had a depth of 10 kilometres, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. […]
ALEPPO, Syria (AFP) — The Aleppo Media Center published a video showing a child that it said had been rescued after strikes on a area in rebel-held eastern Aleppo. The images of the child covered in dust and blood in the ambulance have brought the spotlight on the plight of civilians in Syria’s conflict-hit second city.
by Karam al-Masri A shocked Syrian boy pictured sitting in an ambulance covered in blood and dust after an air strike has become a symbol of civilian suffering in Aleppo, drawing worldwide attention. As international concern mounted, President Bashar al-Assad’s key ally Russia said it was ready to halt fire in the battleground northern city for 48-hour “humanitarian pauses” from next week. The announcement Thursday followed pleas from the United Nations and the European Union […]
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The Philippines received the first of ten coast guard vessels from Japan Thursday, the coastguard said, as the two countries boost security ties in the face of their separate maritime disputes with China. The 44 metre (144 foot) BRP Tubbataha has arrived in Manila, the Philippinescoast guard said in a statement, adding that it will be used for search and rescue, law-enforcement and transport purposes. They did not specify where it […]
by Park Chan-Kyong SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — One year after North and South Korea vowed to resume a constructive dialogue, they have instead resurrected a spirit of Cold War-era antagonism, complete with cross-border propaganda shouting matches, spy messaging and defection dramas. Official contact between the two Koreas has never been easy, but the current situation, with all official lines of communication severed and a host of flash-point issues raising tensions, appears to be particularly […]
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Filipino and Saudi officials are working together to help thousands of stranded workers under a directive from King Salman, a diplomat said Wednesday as the Philippines labor secretary visited. The roughly 11,000 Filipinos are among tens of thousands of workers affected by financial troubles at the kingdom’s major construction firms. “Their salaries have not been paid, some of them for as long as eight months,” Iric Arribas, charge d’affaires at […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan lodged a fresh diplomatic protest with China on Wednesday, accusing the country of again sending its coast guard ships into waters surrounding contested islands in the East China Sea. The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over the uninhabited islets and tensions over them have been a frequent irritant between the countries. Tokyo has lodged at least 32 protests through diplomatic channels since August 5 over what it […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A tropical storm dumped rain on Japan’s northeast coast Wednesday, prompting cancellations of flights and train services as officials warned of possible landslides and flooding. Tropical Storm Chanthu, packing gusts up to 126 kilometres (78 miles) per hour, was travelling along Japan’s Pacific coast, bringing heavy rains, strong winds and high waves to the northeastern region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. “Due to continued heavy rain, risks of landslides are increasing,” […]
by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Tuesday its warplanes flew out of an Iranian airbase for the first time to bomb jihadist groups in Syria, as fighting raged for control of the ravaged city of Aleppo. The United States said the Russian move made the Syrian crisis even more difficult, but it credited Moscow with having given it a brief advance warning. The defense ministry in Moscow said long-range warplanes took off […]
