Asia

Thai army tells TV stations run by rival political groups to shut down

Thai military ordered 10 satellite television channels, including stations run by pro- and anti-government groups, to stop broadcasting to “preserve peace and order” on Tuesday (May 20). Thailand‘s army declared martial law in the early hours of Tuesday to restore order after six months of street protests that have left the country without a proper functioning government, but denied that it was staging a military coup. “In order to broadcast correct information, without any distortion […]

Thai army stops both pro- and anti-government protesters from marching

Thailand‘s army announced on Tuesday (May 20) that both pro- and anti-government protesters were to remain where they are and not march anywhere, in order to prevent clashes. “All political groups must stop moving from place to place, ” said a statement being read on Thai televisions. The army declared martial law nationwide on Tuesday to restore order after six months of street protests that have left the country without a proper functioning government, but […]

China summons U.S. ambassador over cyber-spying accusations: Xinhua

(Reuters) – China’s Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador to China on Tuesday and urged him to cancel charges against five Chinese military officers accused of hacking into American companies to steal trade secrets, state news agency Xinhua said. In a separate statement, China’s defense ministry said the government and the military have never engaged in cyberspying on businesses. It called on the United States to immediately stop spying on China, saying that the charges […]

‘This is not a coup’ says Thai army, as martial law declared

(Reuters) – Thailand’s army declared martial law nationwide on Tuesday to restore order after six months of street protests that have left the country without a proper functioning government, but denied that it was staging a military coup. While troops patrolled the streets of Bangkok, the caretaker government led by supporters of self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra was still in office, military and government officials said. Ministers were not informed of the army’s plans before […]

Thai PM rules out resigning as protesters move to oust him

(Reuters) – Thailand’s acting prime minister on Monday ruled out resigning as a way out of a protracted political crisis that is stunting economic growth, as anti-government protesters stepped up pressure to remove him and install a new administration. Thailand is stuck in political limbo following the dismissal of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and nine of her ministers on May 7 after a court found them guilty of abuse of power. Six months of turmoil that […]

Violence abates in Vietnam as U.S. warns China for ‘provocation’

(Reuters) – Anti-China violence subsided in Vietnam on Friday after the prime minister called for calm, but the United States said China’s “provocative” actions in maritime disputes were dangerous and had to stop. Thousands of people attacked businesses and factories in Vietnam’s industrial parks earlier in the week, targeting Chinese workers and Chinese-owned businesses after Beijing parked an oil rig in a part of the South China Sea claimed by Hanoi. Many Taiwanese-owned firms bore the brunt […]