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Dalian Wand Group to enhance UK presence with luxury hotel and yacht unit

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:45:23 -0400

LONDON - China's largest premier commercial property and entertainment conglomerate, Dalian Wanda Group Wednesday entered into 320million pounds definite acquisition deal with leading British yacht company, Sunseeker International Ltd, under which Wanda will acquire a majority shareholding of 91.81% in pre-eminent luxury motor yacht manufacturer. Under the agreement, the remaining 8.19% stake ...

North Korean leader Kim used luxury yacht to tour coast, says report

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:35:12 -0400

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has used a luxury boat to tour the country's east coast amid indications that the 90-feet-long yacht may have been smuggled into the country in defiance of UN sanctions that bans importing of luxury items to the impoverished country. A website that tracks events in the reclusive state said the yacht, a Princess 95MY made by British-based ...

Childs IQ linked to early weight gain

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:40:01 -0400

A new research in Australia has suggested how much weight a baby gains during its first month could determine its intelligence quotient (IQ). After studying 13,800 children born at full-term, researchers at the University of Adelaide, said children who gain more weight, and whose heads grow quickly, during the first month of life tend to have a higher IQ when they start school, Daily Mail ...

China to introduce death penalty for environmental polluters

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:30:06 -0400

Beijing, June 19 (Xinhua-ANI): A new judicial explanation took effect on Wednesday guaranteeing the enforcement of environment-related laws and regulations, which has long been lax and superficial in China. The country's Supreme Court and procuratorate jointly issued the new judicial explanation on Tuesday that imposes harsher punishments on polluters. In the most serious cases the death penalty ...

N. Korea threatens to kill human scum who revealed Kim Jongs distribution of Hitlers Mein Kampf to officials

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:30:03 -0400

North Korea has threatened to kill 'human scum' defectors after they published a report that leader Kim Jong-un distributed copies of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf to officials on his birthday. The report, from a news website run by North Korean defectors, said that senior officials were given the book as a gift in January. According to the BBC, news portal New Focus International had written the ...

North Korea willing to restart six-party nuclear talks

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:50:04 -0400

North Korea is willing to restart nuclear talks with international partners, China's foreign ministry has said. North Korean officials said they wanted to peacefully resolve the nuclear issue, the ministry's website said. On Sunday, Pyongyang offered to hold high-level talks on regional peace with the US, although it has reneged on deals several times in the past. The comments from North Korea ...

Channel Nine wants greater say in Oz team selection despite CA stance

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:30:02 -0400

Fresh tensions have erupted between Cricket Australia (CA) and Channel Nine after a leading Nine executive reportedly said that the network expected to have a greater say not only in scheduling but also in team selection. This comes after CA rejected suggestions that Channel Nine would influence team selection and scheduling as part of its new 450 million-dollar deal on TV rights. According to ...

US Japan South Korea urge meaningful denuclearisation

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:02 -0400

The US, Japan and South Korea Wednesday called for "meaningful" steps on denuclearisation by Pyongyang in exchange for better ties with them, Xinhua reported. After their envoys concluded a trilateral meeting here on issues related to North Korea, the three countries said: "We agreed a path is open for the DPRK (North Korea) toward improved relations with the United States, Japan and the ROK ...

Beetles Housefly Larvae Show Great Potential for Animal Feed Sector

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:15:12 -0400

PARIS French start-up company Ynsect has identified a cheap, nourishing and locally produced alternative to soybeans as a vital source of protein in animal feed. The clue is in its name. Ynsect is not alone in looking to invertebrates to meet a jump in demand for meat and fish, and so for feed, in coming decades. Black soldier flies, common housefly larvae, silkworms and yellow ...

US Congressional Human-Rights Panel Condemns Sudan

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:15:07 -0400

CAPITOL HILL Members of a U.S. Congressional human-rights panel are calling on Sudan to stop alleged state-sponsored violence and abuses against civilians. The government is fighting rebel movements in the western Darfur region and two southern states, and stands accused of a long string of rights violations, including alleged "scorched earth" tactics against villages in Blue Nile State. At a ...

American Medical Association Obesity is a Disease

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:15:06 -0400

The largest U.S. doctors' group said obesity is a disease. The decision, announced this week by the American Medical Association at its annual meeting, could lead to increased funding for obesity research and help people obtain insurance coverage for treatment for obesity. The AMA said obesity requires a range of medical interventions for treatment and prevention. Most insurance companies ...

Tourism Protests Keep New Luxor Governor Away in Egypt

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:15:05 -0400

LUXOR A hardline Islamist appointed governor of Luxor stayed away from his new office on Wednesday as protesters barred access and demanded Egypt's president revoke a nomination they fear will hurt local tourism. Adel Mohamed al-Khayat, appointed by President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, is a member of al-Gamaa al-Islamiya, the movement accused of killing 58 foreign tourists ...

Africa Must First Tackle Poverty Says Ex-Malawi President

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:15:02 -0400

Malawi's former president says democracy and independence alone are not the ultimate answer to addressing the growing poverty levels in Africa. But Bakili Muluzi also says the democratic strides Malawi has achieved will remain meaningless if citizens continue to live in abject poverty. "Independence alone is not enough. Democracy alone is not enough People don't eat democracy,rdquo; ...

President Xi Obama summit was very successful China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:30:01 -0400

The first summit between President Xi Jingping and his US counterpart Barack Obama held earlier this month proved very successful, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday. During a telephonic conversation Wednesday with US Secretary of State John Kerry, the Chinese foreign minister also said that President Xi and Obama during the summit in California agreed to build a new model of ...

One killed 150 injured in China restaurant blasts

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:40:01 -0400

A series of blasts ripped through a restaurant in China's Shanxi province Wednesday night, killing one person and injuring over 150 others, officials said. The incident took place in a two-storey building housing the restaurant in Shuozhou city, Xinhua reported. Among the 156 injured, dozens are fire fighters who were at the scene when the final blast occurred. Three fire-fighting trucks were ...

China holds talks with North Korea

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:20:01 -0400

China and North Korea Wednesday held a "strategic dialogue" on denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui met his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye Gwan, and told him that it was in the interest of all parties concerned to realise denuclearisation on the peninsula, safeguard its peace and stability and resolve all relevant issues through dialogue and ...

US women in all combat units by 2016 Pentagon

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:50:02 -0400

American women will be fully integrated into frontline and special combat roles, including elite forces such as Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, by January 2016, the Pentagon has said. More than 200,000 women are in the active-duty military, representing about 14.5 percent of the overall force, according to Pentagon figures. Most serve in the army. While air force, army, navy, Marine and special ...

Over 8000 held for food crimes in China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:20:02 -0400

More than 8,200 people have been arrested in China since a crackdown on food safety crimes was launched in January, authorities said Wednesday. The ministry of public security said police uncovered more than 4,500 cases involving food safety offences and closed about 6,300 workshops and markets that produced or sold illegal food products. Police confiscated more than 150,000 illegal products, ...

Radioactive element found in groundwater near Japan n-plant

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:10:01 -0400

High levels of a toxic radioactive isotope have been found in groundwater near the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, the plant operator said Wednesday. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said tests showed Strontium-90 was present at 30 times the legal rate, BBC reported. The radioactive isotope tritium was also detected at elevated levels. The nuclear plant was crippled by ...

80 Sri Lankans held while trying to migrate to Australia

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:10:01 -0400

At least 80 Sri Lankans were detained by the navy Wednesday for attempting to illegally migrate to Australia, the navy said. The trawler in which the detainees were travelling was intercepted by the navy. They were handed over to police for investigation, Xinhua reported. On May 30, as many as 52 Sri Lankans were detained, and later handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department. The ...

Australian charged in attack on Indian restaurateur

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:50:01 -0400

Police in Australia charged a man Wednesday in connection with a vicious gang attack on the owner of an Indian restaurateur earlier this month. The 19-year-old man handed himself in to the police in connection with the attack on Himanshu Goyal, 22, while he was closing his restaurant in Bridge Mall at Ballarat in the Australian state of Victoria June 7, according to media reports. The eight ...

Sri Lanka calls for Tamil refugees in Australia to return

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:30:01 -0400

Sri Lankan external affairs minister has asked the Tamil refugees in Australia who fled the nation's bloody civil war to come home. The Tamils had quietly slipped into Canberra for talks on combating people smugglers. According to the Age, G.L. Peiris said Sri Lanka was now in a perfectly stable condition, with an economic boom in the once devastated northern Tamil regions. He, however, warned ...

Smith to lead Australia A in Africa

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:40:01 -0400

Cricket Australia's (CA) National Selection Panel (NSP) Wednesday named a 15-man squad for Australia A's tour to Africa in July and August. All-rounder Steve Smith will lead the side, and right-hand bat Aaron Finch has been named as his deputy. The side will play three four-day matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa A in July before the tri-series involving South Africa A and India A in ...

Now a sign-language service via iPads

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:10:02 -0400

East Japan Railway Co. has started testing a sign-language interpretation service in Tokyo on Monday using a videophone application on an Apple iPad tablet for guiding hearing-impaired people. According to the Japan Times, the company earlier used written messages for guiding such people. Through this application, passengers at information booth can use sign-language to ask their queries to a ...

Nua Nan Bank JCB LOVE TSCC Debit Card to be launched in Taiwan in August

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:50:03 -0400

The Japan Credit Bureau (JCB), in collaboration with Hua Nan Bank, has announced that it will launch the Nua Nan Bank JCB LOVE TSCC Debit Card in Taiwan in August. It is the first debit card that has an option to be equipped with TSCC, a contactless payment service which can be used as a fare card on trains and buses. The debit card will also be accepted at some shops and restaurants. In ...

Japan registers trade deficit

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:10:02 -0400

Japan registered 993.9 billion yen of goods trade deficit in May, the government said Wednesday. Exports increased 10.1 percent from a year earlier, while imports rose 10 percent, the finance ministry said in a preliminary report. The figures were calculated on a customs-cleared basis, reported ...

Sex tape official stands trial in China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:50:01 -0400

The trial of a former official embroiled in a sex tape scandal opened Wednesday in a court in southwest China's Chongqing city. The Chongqing No.1 Intermediate People's Court will hear the case of Lei Zhengfu, former secretary of Chongqing's Beibei district committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Lei, who also stands accused of accepting bribes, was dismissed from his post and placed ...

Beckham travels to China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:20:02 -0400

Retired soccer champ David Beckham is in China to build enthusiasm for the game in the world's most populous country, where fans are pretty discouraged at the moment over the poor performance of their national team. The former England international, who became a goodwill ambassador for Chinese soccer earlier this year, arrived in Beijing Monday, two days after China's national squad suffered a ...

Analysts Assess Impact of Military Attack on Iran

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:15:08 -0400

The United States and the European Union believe Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran says its program is for peaceful, civilian purposes. The international community has been trying for years to persuade Iran to end its uranium-enrichment program, but to no avail. Low-enriched uranium can be used for civilian nuclear-power plants, but highly enriched uranium is an ...

Li Na enters second round at Eastbourne

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:10:01 -0400

Second seed Li Na of China defeated French woman Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round of the Aegon International here. Li, French Open champion two years ago but beaten in the second round at Roland Garros earlier this month, will next take on former champion Marion Bartoli of France, reports Xinhua. Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki, the former World No.1, led Tamira Paszek 6-2, 2-2 ...

China Sentences Uighurs to Jail on Religious Extremism Charges

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:57:07 -0400

Chinese courts in the predominantly Muslim, northwest region of Xinjiang have sentenced 19 ethnic Uighurs to prison for inciting religious extremism and other related ...

Australia royal prank call radio tries to halt probe

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:55:31 -0400

SYDNEY (AFP) - A radio station at the centre of a prank call targeting Prince William's pregnant wife Catherine that led to a nurse's suicide is trying to block an investigation, Australia's communications watchdog said on Thursday.The Sydney broadcaster, 2Day FM, has applied to the Federal Court for an order restraining the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) from ...

Confederations Cup Italy beat Japan to book semi-final spot

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:55:12 -0400

RECIFE, Brazil // One Italian rejoiced, another lamented as the Azzurri reached the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup on Wednesday after an exhilarating 4-3 win over battling Japan. For Cesare Prandelli, there was the feeling of a job done not necessarily well in defensive terms at least, but he was sufficiently moved to praise his team's battling qualities after they came back from the ...

China Manufacturing Contraction Deepens In June

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:52:14 -0400

China's manufacturing activity contracted at a faster pace in June, reducing the prospects of a promising economic recovery, preliminary results of a survey by Markit Economics and HSBC revealed Thursday. The flash manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell to 48.3 in June from 49.2 in May. The index is now at its lowest level in nine months. Readings below 50 suggest contraction of ...

Bhagwan Marine Completes Deal to Buy Workboats Northern Australia

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:52:06 -0400

As part of a strategic plan to expand its presence into the Northern Territory and Queensland markets, leading marine services provider Bhagwan Marine (BM), have just completed a transaction to acquire Darwin based company, Workboats Northern Australia (WBNA). WBNA has a long track record as the premier marine service provider in these markets with a highly capable management team, highly ...

Newbuild Bolette Dolphin Drillship Unveils in South Korea

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:52:05 -0400

Aberdeen-based Dolphin Drilling Ltd., an independent drilling contracting companies in the North Sea, announced that it attended a naming ceremony recently to unveil the identity of a brand new state-of-the-art drillship to be operated by the company. The ceremony for the 751 feet long ultra deepwater asset - known ...

China astronaut teaches lesson from space

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:46:46 -0400

Crew members of Shenzhou-10 (back L-R) Wang Yaping, Nie Haisheng and Zhang Xiaoguang attend a press conference in Jiuquan, northwest China’s Gansu province on June 10, 2013. China is to send its second woman astronaut into orbit on its longest mission yet, space officials said on June 10, as the country works towards building a space station. AFP PHOTO BEIJING – A Chinese astronaut ...

George North fit for Lions return in first Test against Australia

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:45:46 -0400

George North, right, has recovered from injury to be part of the Lions side to face Australia in the first Test. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty ...

China astronaut No UFOs yet

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:45:18 -0400

In China's first "space class", the country's second female astronaut in space Thursday says she and her crewmates haven't seen any UFOs during the space trip.Female astronaut Wang Yaping, one of the three crew members of Shenzhou-10 spacecraft, greeted about 330 primary and middle school students at a Beijing high school, through a live video feed system, about 340 km ...

New China directive ‘Look in mirror ... take a bath’

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:41:06 -0400

BEIJING - China’s new leader Xi Jinping is commanding wayward Communist Party cadres to purify themselves of corruption, and he’s summed it up in a pithy slogan as Mao Zedong might have done: Look in the mirror, take a bath. China’s leadership wants to show a cynical public that it’s modernizing and serious about graft, but it appears to be favoring a top-down ideological ...

China factory activity hits nine-month low policy action eyed

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:28:14 -0400

By Kevin Yao BEIJING (Reuters) - China's factory activity weakened to a nine-month low in June as demand faltered, a preliminary survey showed, heightening the risk of a sharper second quarter slowdown and increasing the heat on the central bank ...

China astronauts give students lecture from space

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:24:54 -0400

China has held its first classroom lecture from its orbiting space station as part of efforts to popularize the successful manned space flight program among young people. Female astronaut Wang Yaping took questions live from among 330 elementary and middle school students at a Beijing high school during the 51-minute class from aboard the Tiangong 1 prototype space station on Thursday morning. ...

ANZ should keep jobs in Australia union

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:20:30 -0400

The ANZ bank can afford to keep every job in Australia and should provide certainty for the 600 Melbourne call centre workers whose jobs may be sent offshore.A draft proposal to senior management outlines plans to sack 340 staff at ANZ's Mulgrave call centre and a further 250 in South Melbourne, but ANZ spokesman Stephen Ries says no decision has been made.The jobs would move to the ...

China manufacturing at nine-month low in June

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:20:27 -0400

BEIJING (AFP) - China's manufacturing activity shrank again in June, HSBC said on Thursday, hitting a nine-month low and adding to concerns about the strength of the world's second biggest economy.The British banking giant said its preliminary purchasing managers' index (PMI) came in at 48.3, worse than May's final reading of 49.2 and its lowest since September.A reading below ...

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia assets hammered on China fears Fed upset

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:16:49 -0400

Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:16am EDT * MSCI Asia ex-Japan slides 3.5 pct to 9-month low * U.S. Treasury yields hit 15-mth high, underpin dollar * China "flash" PMI hits 9-month lows * Asian credit market spreads widen 23 points By Chikako Mogi and Wayne Cole TOKYO/SYDNEY, June 20 (Reuters) - Asian markets buckled badly on Thursday after the Federal Reserve heralded an eventual end to free money ...

US spying foiled attack in India during CWGThe Obama administration has claimed that more than 50 potential terrorist plots have been busted worldwide since 911 including in India thanks to US surveillance.

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:12:08 -0400

In Berlin, Obama revealed hat he came to office "with a healthy skepticism about how our various programs were structured," and maintained that he has been "able to do is examine and scrub how our intelligence services are ...

Hackers access top secret N.Korean missile technology S Korea

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:09:54 -0400

International hackers' collective Anonymous claims it has managed to access top-secret North Korean missile technology and vows to reveal the information on the internet. The "hacktivists" previously attacked pro-North Korean sites and released the personal information of subscribers, South Korean media reports on Thursday. In a statement on Youtube on Tuesday, Anonymous claimed ...

China Manufacturing Contracts to Lowest Level in 9 Months

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:58:05 -0400

HONG KONG ...

Star of Acclaimed TV Series The Sopranos Dies

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:49:50 -0400

U.S. film and television actor James Gandolfini, who portrayed an emotionally vulnerable crime boss on the groundbreaking television drama "The Sopranos," has died at the age of 51. Statements issued by the actor's managers and U.S. cable television network HBO, which aired the series from 1999 through 2007, said Gandolfini died while on vacation in Italy from a possible heart ...

Public sector cuts intensify in Australia’s largest state

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:49:44 -0400

In its annual budget announced on Tuesday, the Liberal-National government in New South Wales deepened its already severe cuts to public sector jobs and services On top of the estimated 15,000 jobs eliminated since it took office in 2011, the government in Australia's most populous state unveiled further public sector "savings" worth $18 billion over six years. These will be ...

China jails Uighurs for online extremism

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:38:50 -0400

Xinjiang have sentenced 19 ethnic Uighurs to up to six years in jail for promoting racial hatred and religious extremism online, in the latest crackdown on what China sees as violent separatists.All but one of those jailed were from the heavily Uighur southern part of Xinjiang, including eight from the old Silk Road city of Kashgar, the Justice Ministry's official newspaper Legal Daily ...

Blasts rip through restaurant in North China

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:38:44 -0400

A fire fighter searches for survivors at the blast accident scene at a restaurant in Shuozhou City, north China's Shanxi Province, June 19, 2013. Blasts ripped through a restaurant in Shuozhou Wednesday night, killing two people and injuring over 150 others. The explosion of natural gas pipes was suspected to be the cause of the accident after an initial investigation. Photo: ...

Taiwan negotiators head to mainland for cross-Straits talks

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:38:42 -0400

A Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) delegation headed by chairman Lin Join-sane left Taipei for east China's Shanghai Municipality on Thursday to attend the ninth round of cross-Strait talks.On Friday, Lin will hold talks with Chen Deming, president of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS).During the talks, the two sides will review the implementation ...

Chinas manufacturing activity at 9-month low HSBC

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:38:35 -0400

China's manufacturing activities fell to a nine-month low this month, according to a preliminary survey from HSBC.The HSBC Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for June fell to 48.3, the lowest level since October and down from 49.2 in May, according to figures released by HSBC on Thursday.An index reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 means ...

Fiji to deploy peacekeepers to Golan Heights

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:38:17 -0400

The Fijian government announced Thursday it has agreed to a request by the United Nations to deploy "blue helmet" service personnel to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Syrian Golan Heights, saying the deployment comes at a time of heightened importance of UNDOF's mandate to bring stability to the Middle East region.According to the Ministry of ...

Chinas first space class ends

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:38:12 -0400

China's first "space class" ended at about 10:51 am Thursday. The astronauts will continue to stay in the Tiangong-1 orbiter to conduct space science and technology ...

China Lending Crisis Not For New Industries Says Premier

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:37:59 -0400

Suntech power was the first Chinese corporation to ever default on its debt; this one a $531 million loan. China's solar power industry is running on overcapacity...and running on empty. Industries like this will struggle to get capital and will either merge with others or go out of business. China's Premier Li Keqiang said the government has to be mindful of lending, and where it ...

The China Dream a far cry from the American Dream - its Meng

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:34:57 -0400

The difference between what Western media thinks China dreams and what China actually says is of great significance for the future global language. China should compete for her names as she competes for everything ...

Oil slips more than $1 on weak China data Fed policy plan

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:34:43 -0400

Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:34am EDT * China June flash HSBC PMI hits 9-month low on weak demand * Bernanke says Fed likely to reduce bond buying this year * Dollar firm after posting best one-day gain in over a month * Coming Up: U.S. existing home sales May; 1400 GMT By Manash Goswami SINGAPORE, June 20 (Reuters) - Oil slipped more than $1 on Thursday, its biggest daily slide in nearly three weeks, as ...

Homesick causes Ramirez to quit Taiwan team

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:23:47 -0400

Taiwanese baseball club The Rhinos say former major league slugger Manny Ramirez is leaving the club after only 49 games because he misses his family in New York. The Rhinos said it unsuccessfully tried to keep Ramirez in Taiwan, including raising his monthly pay to almost US$60,000 from US$25,000, AP reports. Ramirez signed up to play the March to November season with the Rhinos in Kaohsiung, ...

Outside the Box Japan becoming the land of the setting sun

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:20:11 -0400

SYDNEY (MarketWatch) -- The frenetic activity of the government of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has prompted optimism that Japan can reverse its economic ...

Asia Markets Asia stocks take double hit from Fed China data

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:20:07 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Asian stocks fell Thursday as data showed Chinese manufacturing activity deteriorating further in June, adding to the selling pressure after the Federal Reserve signaled it may wind down its bond purchases if the U.S. economy continued to ...

Japan Brazil to restart talks on nuclear deal stalled since Fukushima crisis

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:18:16 -0400

Edward Snowden, the fugitive former CIA employee and NSA contractor who leaked secrets about America’s spying operations, often hung out online with foreigners in Japan who shared his interests in anime, video games, martial arts, the stock market and the expat lifestyle. Snowden, who ...

China jails 11 for inciting extremism related crimes in Muslim region before riot anniversary

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:16:52 -0400

BEIJING, China - Chinese courts have sentenced 11 people for inciting religious extremism and related crimes in the northwestern Muslim region of Xinjiang, just weeks ahead of the anniversary of bloody ethnic rioting that spread through the region four years ago. The Justice Ministry's official newspaper Legal Daily said Thursday that Aihetaimu Heli was given the harshest sentence of six ...

Speed up nod for infra projects Japan tells India

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:15:36 -0400

Foreign observers and investors continue to see India as a positive growth story, even as domestic players cower in the shadow of their own ...

North Korea on brink of producing plutonium think tank

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:04:09 -0400

North Korea may be just one or two months away from restarting a reactor to produce plutonium, potentially allowing the regime to ramp up its nuclear weapons program, a think tank said Monday. New commercial satellite imagery shows North Korea is making "important progress" in activating the five-megawatt gas-graphite reactor, which had been mothballed since 2007 under a deal with ...

Four elephants killed by speeding train in India

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:04:08 -0400

Villagers gather near the dead body of an elephant after it was hit by a train near the forests of Marghat in India's West Bengal state on Thursday. The speeding passenger train killed a total of four elephants after the driver failed to see them in time, a government minister said. Dozens of elephants have died in recent years in such accidents as trains run through national parks and ...

Chinas money rates hit record PBOC squares off with market players

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:57:56 -0400

* PBOC refuses to use reverse repos to inject money * No easing despite signs of economic slowdown * C.bank aims to force institutions to de-leverage - traders * Panic prevails among some small institutions - traders * But conditions expected to improve from mid-July By Lu Jianxin and Gabriel Wildau SHANGHAI, June 20 (Reuters) - China's interbank funding costs surged again on Thursday, with ...

S. Sudan Uganda to Step up Border Road Patrols

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:45:04 -0400

JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN -- South Sudan and Uganda have agreed to step up security patrols on their common border and on the highway linking Juba to Kampala after a spate of attacks against motorists, officials said Wednesday. "They agreed to proceed to enforce the deployment of more security forces to provide security on the border areas," South Sudan police spokesman James Monday Enocka ...

South Korea star Park Ji-Sung dating TV host

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:43:35 -0400

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea's most famous footballer Park Ji-Sung, and one of its most eligible bachelors, used a packed press conference Thursday to announce he was dating a local TV sports presenter.The 32-year-old former national captain and Manchester United star said he had been in a relationship with presenter Kim Min-Ji, 27, for several months.Park enjoys superstar status in South Korea ...

Pacific aldermen OK $10000 to study prospect of building rec center

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:41:23 -0400

oFunding was approved Tuesday night to research the prospect of building a city recreational center.The $10,000 outlay, approved by the Board of Aldermen, is included in the city's upcoming yearly budget, which kicks in July 1.Pacific Mayor Herb Adams initially said in April he would be asking for $5,000 for the study, but the figure was doubled. The study is being undertaken to consider a ...

PM dividing Australia like Hanson Abbott

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:41:15 -0400

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has likened Julia Gillard to Pauline Hanson, the anti-immigrant founder of One Nation.Mr Abbott on Thursday told parliament the prime minister of Australia should be a leader for all Australians.But he said Ms Gillard would use class, gender, and now country of birth, to score political points.Speaking in the increasingly rancorous debate on Labor's plan to ...

Hong Kong shares sink to 9-month low as Fed weak China flash PMI weigh

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:35:55 -0400

HONG KONG, June 20 | Wed Jun 19, 2013 11:35pm EDT HONG KONG, June 20 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares extended losses to a nine-month low on Thursday, with defensive counters sliding after the U.S. Federal Reserve signalled a tapering of stimulus and cyclicals hurt by a weak China factory activity. At 0330 GMT, the Hang Seng Index was down 2.5 percent at 20,443.8 points, breaking below chart ...

China Russia face sanctions in wake of US world human trafficking report

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:33:12 -0400

US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during an event releasing the Annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) Report at the State Department in Washington, DC, June 19, 2013. The United States on Wednesday downgraded China, Russia and Uzbekistan to the bottom of a US table for failing to make greater efforts to combat human trafficking, a move that may spark sanctions. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty ...

Daimler creates China sales unit at Stuttgart HQ

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:30:16 -0400

German automobile giant Daimler AG, which owns the Mercedes-Benz car brand, has established a special sales unit in its Stuttgart headquarters dedicated to growing vehicle sales in China, amid a slowdown in China's luxury car ...

Shanghai GM to build Cadillac plant in China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:30:14 -0400

Shanghai General Motors Co. will build a Cadillac plant and a pan-Asia technical automotive center in Shanghai, sources with the company said at a groundbreaking ceremony held for the plant on ...

Alpine azalea flowers seen near Segrila Mountain in Nyingchi Chinas Tibet

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:30:04 -0400

Photo taken on June 19, 2013 shows alpine azalea flowers near the Segrila Mountain in Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Alpine azalea flowers grown at an altitude between 2,500 meters and 4,000 meters have been in full bloom recently. (Xinhua/Wen ...

Polluting to death China introduces execution for environmental offenders

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:25:45 -0400

Politics China has introduced "harsher punishments" for breaking the nation's environmental protection laws: reckless violators of pollution standards in the world's biggest and fastest-growing economy now face execution. A new judicial interpretation taking effect on Wednesday has tightened Chinese "lax and superficial" enforcement of environmental protection ...

Rare North Pacific right whale spotted off coast of Haida Gwaii

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:23:31 -0400

NANAIMO, B.C. -- Fisheries and Oceans Canada says biologists have spotted a rare, endangered whale in British Columbia waters for the first time in more than 60 years.North Pacific right whales were once abundant between B.C. and the Bering Sea before they were hunted to near extinction before the 20th century.They are now listed as endangered in Canada and scientists believe only a few hundred ...

Economic Report China factory activity slowing further in June

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:14:59 -0400

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- China's manufacturing sector was slowing further in June, according to HSBC's preliminary results from its monthly survey, released ...

China manufacturing shrinks

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:13:39 -0400

A SURVEY shows manufacturing in China contracted this month on weakening demand, adding to fears about the strength of the recovery in the world's second-biggest economy. HSBC on Thursday said the preliminary version of its monthly purchasing managers index fell to a nine-month low of 48.3 in June. That's down from 49.6 in May. Numbers below 50 indicate a contraction. June factory output ...

China manufacturing shrinks

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:13:39 -0400

China overnight repo rate surpasses 13 pct highest on record

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:09:31 -0400

SHANGHAI, June 20 | Wed Jun 19, 2013 11:09pm EDT SHANGHAI, June 20 (Reuters) - A key interbank lending rate in China's money market reached its highest level in at least 10 years on Thursday. The weighted-average one-day bond repurchase rate reached 13.1 percent On Thursday morning, the highest level since Reuters' historical data series began. A severe liquidity squeeze has hit ...

One killed 5 injured in helicopter crash in Nepal

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:00:42 -0400

police official said the helicopter belonging to local Fishtail Air crashed on Wednesday evening near Muchu village. That's about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north west of the capital, Katmandu. The injured were flown by a rescue helicopter to the nearest town for treatment. It was not clear why the helicopter crashed, but it had been raining in the area for the past few days and visibility ...

Syria opposition vows to fight on to topple president Bashar al-Assad

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:00:34 -0400

United Nations to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons by Assad's forces in rebel-held areas, and said it "reserves the right to use all means at its disposal" to topple Assad. "The Assad regime has continuously killed civilians using ballistic missiles, chemical weapons and warplanes. It is the only source of terrorism ...

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe says There Is No Alternative to Abenomics

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:58:10 -0400

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe picked up on one of the key economic philosophies of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher at a speech in the heart of London's financial district Wednesday night when he said "there was no alternative" to his Abenomics approach to rebuilding Japan's economy. Abe was in London as the final part of his visit to Britain for the G8 ...

N.Korea wants to resume six-party talks

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:58:10 -0400

A senior North Korean official says his country is prepared to resume the six-party talks or any kind of dialogue to peacefully resolve its nuclear issue. North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan made the remark when he met his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui in Beijing on Wednesday. China's Foreign Ministry says Zhang told Kim China wants an early resumption of the talks on ...

Yau Yau Ready for Peace Talks Murle Delegation

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:38:24 -0400

United Nations troops protect civilians in Jonglei state, where David Yau Yau's rebels have finally called for peace talks with the South Sudanese ...

US Scrambles to Salvage Afghan Peace Talks

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:38:24 -0400

Top U.S. diplomats scrambled Wednesday to salvage plans for preliminary peace talks with the Taliban, after Afghan President Hamid Karzai refused to participate in the U.S.-led talks in Qatar. Mr. Karzai, apparently irked by the opening of a Taliban political office in Doha, Qatar, also canceled negotiations with Washington on a troop pact governing U.S. presence in the country after NATO ...

China The Dark Side of Growth

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:35:41 -0400

Emerging from the ranks of one of the world's poorest nations to second only to the United States, China is destined for a place in history books. But history may also record the heavy price paid by Chinese people and will continue to pay for years to come. China's steady rise against the backdrop of a sluggish global economy has emboldened Chinese leaders to claim firm confidence in ...

Chinas largest search-and-rescue ship to visit Sydney

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:28 -0400

China's largest search and rescue vessel will visit Australia this week on its first international voyage.The MV Haixun 01 will arrive at Sydney's Garden Island port on Saturday, where it will remain till June 28.The ship will then head north to Australia's tropical paradise Cairns, which it will call home for four days during the Asia- Pacific Heads of Maritime Safety Agencies ...

Sovereignty of countries should be respected in using resources China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:27 -0400

A Chinese diplomat on Wednesday said that all countries have indisputable sovereignty over the resources within their territory, stressing the importance of the relationship between natural resources and prevention of conflicts.Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks at a Security Council meeting on conflict prevention and natural resources."Natural ...

Speeding blamed for Taiwan road accident

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:25 -0400

Speeding caused a road accident that occurred around 2 pm Wednesday in Taiwan, leading to one local tour guide killed and seven mainland visitors injured, said local road authorities.The excessive speed caused the bus skid and hit side slope after veering off the road in southwestern Taiwan's Chiayi County. The event date recorder on the bus revealed that the speed at the time of the ...

Xi China Vietnam should follow path of friendly cooperation

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:22 -0400

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang wave during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, June 19, 2013. Photo: XinhuaChinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged China and Vietnam to "unswervingly march together along the path of friendly cooperation" despite distractions.Xi made the comments during his three-hour-long talks with ...

Chinas interbank rates swing back to high level

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:18 -0400

Borrowing costs between Chinese banks soared Wednesday after a brief retreat from high levels, suggesting the market remains concerned of a liquidity shortage.Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate (SHIBOR) overnight rate surged 216.9 base points to 7.66 percent, reversing from downwards in the last two days. The SHIBOR overnight rate hit a record high at 9.58 percent last week before plunging to 4.81 ...

Australian entrepreneurs eager to benefit from Chinas booming demand

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:16 -0400

Around 100 Australian entrepreneurs gathered in Melbourne Wednesday to find out how to seize the golden opportunities emerging from China's booming economy and demand, especially during Beijing's 12th five-year plan.The Australia-China Business Week forum, also attended by officials from the Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne and government of the Victoria State, as well as some ...

Italy edge spirited Japan to seal final-four spot

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:07 -0400

Second-half substitute Sebastian Giovinco scored a dramatic 86th-minute winner on Wednesday as Italy defeated Japan 4-3 in a pulsating Confederations Cup Group A match.The result secured Italy and Brazil a place in the semifinals while eliminating Japan and Mexico from the tournament, considered a warmup event for next year's World Cup.CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda and Manchester ...

Liquidity crunch to plague China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:48 -0400

BEIJING - The recent interest rate increases in China's inter-bank market have raised concerns over a liquidity crunch, but experts have viewed it in the context of weak economic recovery and argued that liquidity is ...

Most costly takeover boosts Chinas dairy restructuring

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:46 -0400

Yashili milk formula products at an expo in Beijing in July. Yashili was ranked eighth in China's milk formula market and had a growth rate of 35.8 percent last year. [Photo / Provided to China ...

US Japan ROK urge denuclearization steps by DPRK

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:28 -0400

/enpproperty--> WASHINGTON - The United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea on Wednesday called for "meaningful" steps on denuclearization by Pyongyang in exchange for better ties with them. "We agreed a path is open for ...

Fishing boat capsizes off Taiwan 6 rescued

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:26 -0400

/enpproperty--> TAIPEI - Six crew members have been rescued after their fishing boat capsized off the coast in northern Taiwan's Keelung city on Wednesday, according to local cost guard authorities. The accident happened after the Yilan-registered ...

1 dead 8 injured in Taiwan road accident

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:25 -0400

/enpproperty--> TAIPEI - One person died and eight others were injured in a road accident that occurred Wednesday in central Taiwan's Alishan Scenic Area, a local travel agency said. A bus fell off a roadside mountain slope at 2 pm, killing a tour guide and injuring eight tourists from the Chinese mainland, the agency said. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, according to the ...

Coming soon Chinas first space lecture

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:19 -0400

Wang Yaping, the female crew member among three ';taikonauts,'; will broadcast a lecture to students throughout China about physics from a space ...

Netizens divided over China dog meat festival

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:14 -0400

An animal rights group has failed to stop a festival in southern China dedicated to dog meat, which has garnered much media attention and divided China's internet community in recent ...

Philippines mending ties with Taiwan

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:22:30 -0400

After the outburst of public anger, amplified by official outrage orchestrated by an unpopular government, Taiwan is sounding less bellicose these days. Perhaps President Ma Ying-Jeou and his advisers think they have forced the Philippines into a corner. They would be wrong. After the shooting death of Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-chen on May 9, in Philippine waters, it was incumbent on the ...

China maintains cautious monetary stance

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:22:27 -0400

The Chinese central government said on Wednesday it will continue its prudent monetary stance while the world's second-largest economy slows down, with the market seeing its worst cash crunch in at least seven years. In a statement after a meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, the State Council, China's cabinet, said the economy is generally stable. The prudent monetary stance should ...

Labor bill in South Australia seeks to legalise gay marriage

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:21:18 -0400

SA Labor backbencher Susan Close has introduced a bill to the South Australian Parliament seeking to allow same-sex marriage.Dr Close said the traditional rules of marriage between a man and a woman were too narrow and it was time for change.Her brother is gay and she said it was unfair he was unable to share the same rights as her to marry a partner."I've always found it quite ...

Protesters out again in Brazilian citiesScattered street demonstrations popped up around Brazil Wednesday as protesters continued their collective cry against the low-quality public services they receive in exchange for high taxes and rising prices.

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:55:23 -0400

SAO PAULO: Scattered street demonstrations popped up around Brazil Wednesday as protesters continued their collective cry against the low-quality public services they receive in exchange for high taxes and rising prices. In one of several protests, about 200 people blocked ...

Obama wants to cut nuclear armsPresident Barack Obama wants to reduce deployed nuclear weapons by up to a third and revive negotiations with Russia to move beyond Cold War nuclear postures he said in a speech on Wednesday in Berlin.

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:55:23 -0400

nuclear weapons by up to a third and revive negotiations with Russia to "move beyond Cold War nuclear postures", he said in a speech on Wednesday in Berlin. "After a comprehensive review I have determined that we can ensure the security of America and our allies, and maintain a strong and credible strategic deterrent, while reducing our deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to ...

UK deputy speaker held again over new gay rape charges

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:55:18 -0400

Nigel Evans , already under arrest for alleged rape and sex assault, has been held on suspicion of three more counts of indecent assault on young men. The 55-year-old MP answered bail on Wednesday at Preston police station in the north-west of England following his arrest in May on suspicion of rape and sexual assault and was told that he faced the additional allegations. All the claims involve ...

Chinese military under pressure after Xis cleansing drive

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:55:14 -0400

People's Liberation Army and armed police has come under pressure in China to curb extravagant lifestyles and corrupt practices of some officers following a diktat issued by the country's ...

11-yr-old fathers child with 36-yr-old woman

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:55:09 -0400

MELBOURNE: An 11-year-old boy in New Zealand has become a father after conceiving a child with the 36-year-old mother of a school friend. The woman coerced the boy, from Auckland, into repeated sexual encounters over a period of time before becoming pregnant, the New Zealand Herald daily reported. The woman gave the boy beer to drink and then later took part in a sexual encounter with him, the ...

Philippines sends fresh troops to Renai Reef

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:52:59 -0400

The Philippines has deployed a fresh batch of marines and supplies to Ren'ai Reef in South China Sea, the Philippine defense secretary said Wednesday. Philippine defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin said he had discussed the fresh Philippine deployment with Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing recently. Gazmin said that he discussed the issue with Ma to prevent a possible confrontation between Chinese ...

Japan urged to return to dialogue on Diaoyu Islands

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:52:57 -0400

A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry Tuesday expressed China's demand that Japan return to the track of managing and resolving disputes over the Diaoyu Islands at an early date. It is an historical fact that China and Japan had reached important understanding and consensus on shelving the issue of the Diaoyu Islands for a future resolution, spokesman Hong Lei told a regular press ...

China S Korea hold high-level strategic dialogue

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:52:57 -0400

China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) held the sixth high-level strategic dialogue between their foreign ministries in Beijing on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Tuesday. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui and ROK's First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun attended the talks, Hong said at a press briefing. Hong quoted Zhang as saying that China attaches great ...

Italy Overhaul Japan to Reach Confederation Cup Semis

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:41:32 -0400

RECIFE, Brazil ...

Sopranos Actor James Gandolfini Dead at 51

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:32:45 -0400

LOS ANGELES -- James Gandolfini, the burly actor best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of a conflicted New Jersey mob boss in the acclaimed HBO cable television series "The Sopranos," died on Wednesday while vacationing in Rome, the network said. Gandolfini, 51, who began his career in theater in New York, making his Broadway debut in a 1992 revival of "A Streetcar Named ...

Human Rights Film Fest Highlights Abuses Conflicts in US and Abroad

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:32:43 -0400

NEW YORK -- Ninety-nine Percent--The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film, a portrait of the protest movement that began in 2011 in New York’s financial district, is one of the more unusual of 20 new offerings at this year’s Human Rights Watch Film Festival in New York. It was shot by teams around the United States, and anyone who wanted to participate could do so. "We thought ...

Australia shares drop as Fed comments hit global equities

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:27:53 -0400

Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:27pm EDT (Adds details, comments, stocks on the move) SYDNEY, June 20 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell 1.2 percent on Thursday, its largest one-day drop in two-weeks, as global equities tumbled after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed fears the U.S. central bank could begin to scale back its stimulus measures later this year. "What caught the market off guard ...

Pro-Pac Packaging buys Eco Food Pack Australia

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:24:08 -0400

National packaging group, Pro-Pac Packaging, has acquired Eco Food Pack Australia, which develops and sells food packaging trays for fresh meat, seafood and ...

Chinas Li Na reaches last eight without play

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:57 -0400

China's Li Na advanced to the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne International tennis tournament on Wednesday as her French opponent Marion Bartoli pulled out due to a viral infection.Li, the second seed, was told by her coach 10 minutes before the match kicked off.Bartoli, ranked 15th in the world and the 2011 champion, said in a statement, "I'm really disappointed to have to ...

China beat Australia 69-64 in womens basketball friendly

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:56 -0400

Chinese women's basketball team resisted the challenge from their Australian counterpart to hold off the latter 69-64 in Game 1 of Sino- Australian Women's International Basketball Challenge here on Wednesday.About 2,000 fans crowded into Wuyang Coal Mine Sports Center to support Chinese girls. After almost-one-month training in Europe, Chinese team coach Tom Maher called 29-year-old ...

China launches Wushu Carnival for diplomats

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:55 -0400

Wushu has opened its arms to the foreign diplomats as the Wushu Carnival with the Diplomatic Corp in China kicked off here at the China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) on Wednesday.Ambassadors, officials and staffs at the foreign embassies in Beijing may join the Wushu class every Sunday afternoon at CFAU, learning Tai-chi, Bagua, Shaolin...etc.The three-month Wushu Carnival will end on late ...

Sudanese president receives Chinas representative on African

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:45 -0400

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday received the Chinese government's representative on African affairs Zhong Jianhua.According to a statement by the Chinese embassy in Khartoum, during the talks, the two sides exchanged view points on bilateral relations and the situations between Sudan and South Sudan.Also on Wednesday, Zhong held talks with Sudanese Presidential Assistant Nafie ...

Virgin Australia new route airport agreement

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:19:29 -0400

Virgin Australia has announced a new service between Melbourne and Hamilton Island, while partnering with Brisbane Airport to support the development of necessary infrastructure. Virgin Australia will operate its Boeing 737-800 aircraft between Melbourne and Hamilton Island from 15 August 2013; the first airline to offer business class on this route since 2004. "Melbourne to Hamilton ...

China Vietnam establish fishery hotline

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:17:15 -0400

Agricultural authorities from Beijing and Hanoi agreed on Wednesday to establish a fishery emergency hotline, as the leaders of the two countries vowed to prevent disputes from derailing ties. On his first official trip to China, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and President Xi Jinping also witnessed the signing of another nine agreements in areas including defence, economy and public ...

DHL setting its sights on Chinas western regions

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:16:06 -0400

tsche Post DHL, one of the first foreign courier companies to enter China, will tailor its services for the country's booming western regions, a top company executive said on Tuesday. A growing number of enterprises are relocating to these regions to better manage costs and increase efficiency. The company, with headquarters in Bonn, Germany, will provide a range of solutions, including ...

Brazil middle-class anger turns to Fifa cups

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:15:22 -0400

Fifa boss Joseph Blatter is the most hated person in Brazil today. With his caustic comments on the ongoing protests in several cities across the country, Blatter has provoked young demonstrators and might have added to the problems of Brazilian governors and federal government. On Tuesday, as thousands of people were rallying here against the bus fare hikes and public spending on 2014 World Cup ...

Dolce and Gabbana get jail for $268m tax dodge

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:15:20 -0400

ROME: An Italian court on Wednesday sentenced fashion house duo Dolce & Gabbana to one year and eight months in prison for tax evasion of 200 million ($268 million). They were also ordered by the court in Milan to pay a fine of 500,000 to Italy's national tax agency. Lawyers for Dolce and Gabbana, whose celebrity clients include Beyonce and Madonna, immediately said they will appeal, and ...

Ghost tale becomes best seller in atheist China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:15:16 -0400

BEIJING: A novel with a ghost as the narrator has become a best seller in China, attracting orders of nearly a million within days of its release. The popularity of the novel, 'The Seventh Day', is surprising because China's Communists have battled superstitious beliefs in ghosts and afterlife for over five decades. It is becoming popular become the novel taps into public anger ...

World Briefing | Asia Muslim Women Sentenced to Hard Labor in Myanmar

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:12:43 -0400

A court in Myanmar has found two Muslim women guilty of setting off a recent outbreak of sectarian violence, one of them by bumping into a Buddhist novice monk. Myint Thein of the pro-government National Unity Party, who attended their trial, said Wednesday that the two women in the central township of Okkan were convicted of ...

Japanese exports rise to US and China as the currency tumbles

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:12:42 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "shock and awe" tactics to revive the world's third biggest economy paid off in May with the biggest rise in exports since ...

Italy rallies to beat Japan advances to semis

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:11:57 -0400

Italy rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Japan and countryman Alberto Zaccheroni 4-3 Wednesday, earning a spot in the Confederations Cup semifinals. First-half substitute Sebastian Giovinco scored the winner in the 86th minute of an entertaining match at the Arena Pernambuco, pounding home a cross from Claudio Marchisio. After a dismal start for the Azzurri that saw Japan score twice in ...

PRESS DIGEST - China - June 20

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:10:33 -0400

SHANGHAI, June 20 | Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:10pm EDT SHANGHAI, June 20 (Reuters) - Chinese newspapers available in Beijing and Shanghai carried the following stories on Thursday. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. CHINA SECURITIES JOURNAL - China Securities Regulatory Commission will introduce new policies to simplify administrative approvals for ...

Australia stocks hit as Fed talks slower stimulus

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:04:18 -0400

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks fell early Thursday, declining after Wall Street slid following indication from the U.S. Federal Reserve ...

Japan stocks drop after Fed some auto shares rise

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:04:17 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks fell early Thursday after the Federal Reserve signaled an intention to scale down its bond purchases, although a weakened yen helped support the market. The Nikkei Stock ...

Kobe Bryant Statue in China Sets Twitter Abuzz

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:03:01 -0400

L.A. Lakers Player Beats Strange Defamation Claim Over TMZ-Related Tweet Outside the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts' Sculpture Museum stands the seemingly misplaced statue of Bryant, dressed in his Lakers uniform with a basketball under his ...

Asian mkts fall on Bernanke comments China data eyed

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:59:29 -0400

US stocks tumbled more than 1 per cent on Wednesday and benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield surged 17 basis points to 2.355 per cent, its highest in 15 months, while the dollar advanced broadly on the back of rising yields. Bernanke said on Wednesday the US economy is expanding strongly enough for the Fed to begin slowing the pace of its $85 billion monthly purchases of Treasuries and ...

Op-Ed Contributor Why India Trails China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:52:55 -0400

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. ...

More From Mad Mad World

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:50:35 -0400

"Happy Birthday to You," the ditty sung around the world in tribute to everyone from toddlers to centenarians, belongs to the public, according to a lawsuit filed ...

U.S. Scrambles to Save Taliban Talks After Afghan Backlash

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:44:07 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan ...

Former Investigators Want New Probe of 1996 TWA Crash

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:27:12 -0400

Six former investigators want the U.S. government to reopen its probe of the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800. The plane went down shortly after takeoff from New York City, killing all 230 people on ...

US Criticizes China Russia in Fight Against Human Trafficking

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:27:11 -0400

The United States has declared China and Russia among the worst countries in fighting human trafficking, a designation that could lead to sanctions against both nations. In its annual report on human trafficking released Wednesday, the U.S. State Department downgraded China and Russia, along with Uzbekistan, to the lowest possible U.S. rating, known as Tier Three. Iran, North Korea, Cuba, ...

Numbers at 18-Year High as UN Observes World Refugee Day

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:27:11 -0400

LONDON -- Thursday is World Refugee Day - and the United Nations says the number of refugees worldwide is at its highest in 18 years, at over 45 million people. The Syrian conflict is a major driver behind the increase. Four-year-old Shahad laughs and jokes with her older sister in their makeshift home. She appears a happy, young girl; but the scars and burn marks on her smiling face tell the ...

Protests Continue in Turkey But Methods Changing

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:27:11 -0400

ISTANBUL -- Anti-government protests continue in Turkey, but the methods have changed. The two weeks of clashes in which four people died and about 5,000 were injured drew increasing numbers of supporters. Istanbul's Taksim Square. These "standing man" protests, as they are called, began Monday after the government quashed mass demonstrations, which it said were fomenting ...

NY City University Immigration Program a Success

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:27:10 -0400

NEW YORK -- While the United States Congress continues to wrestle with an immigration reform bill, every day more people become American citizens. In fact, last year the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service swore in almost 700,000 new citizens, including 84,000 in New York State. The immigration bill is the big issue on the minds of those seeking information about citizenship. The ...

Former Hungarian PM Who Breached Iron Curtain Dies at 80

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:27:10 -0400

Former Hungarian prime minister Gyula Horn, who played a key role in ending communism in eastern Europe, has died in Budapest after a long illness. He was ...

Chinese students eye Australia to learn

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:23:20 -0400

Educators in Australia can expect a surge of Chinese students over the next decade, a new survey has found.An HSBC survey conducted by Nielson found that although only 10 per cent of Chinese respondents are studying abroad today, this is expected to jump to 68 per cent in the next five to 10 years.The survey of 1000 mainland Chinese respondents showed that of those with overseas education ...

Japan May Trade Deficit Y993.9 Billion

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:22:07 -0400

Japan posted a merchandise trade deficit of 993.916 billion yen in May, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday - slipping into the red for the 10th consecutive month.The headline figure beat forecasts for a shortfall of 1.22 trillion yen following the downwardly revised deficit of 881.9 billion yen (originally 879.9 trillion yen) in April.Exports surged 10.1 percent on year to 5.767 trillion ...

Photos Stan Lees comic book convention and new superheroes for China India

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:18:25 -0400

Jamaal Hardy, left, and Gus Hardy pose with characters Ross Johnson, dressed as Wolverine, and Daniel Castro, dressed as Iron Man, at the Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con at the South Point Saturday, June 15, ...

Japan watchdog formally OKs new safety requirements at nuke plants paves way for resumption

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:16:35 -0400

Japan’s nuclear watchdog has formally approved new safety requirements for atomic plants, paving the way for the reopening of facilities shut down since the Fukushima disaster. The new requirements approved Wednesday by the Nuclear Regulation Authority will take effect on July 8, when operators will be able to apply for inspections. If plants pass inspection, they can reopen. All but ...

Italy edge Japan in thriller to reach semis

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:15:02 -0400

Italy started the second half as they ended the first. Giaccherini did well to keep the ball in on the byline, to the left, and fired the ball across goal towards Balotelli. It did not reach the AC Milan forward ...

Pumping up power of consumption Chinas solution or pitfall

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:13:17 -0400

Top economist sounds alert on overspending, report Andrew Moody and Lyu Chang in Beijing. Does China need to consume more? Despite the Chinese being famous across the world for snapping up luxury goods, household consumption as a share of GDP was 37.7 percent in 2011, according to the latest World Bank figures. That is far below the 65 to 75 percent in European countries and the United States. ...

China seeks to boost share of satellite market

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:12:51 -0400

/enpproperty--> China is actively exploring commercial opportunities to boost its share of the global satellite-launching market, in an attempt to challenge US and European dominance of this field. China Great Wall Industry Corp, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, is using this year's Paris Air Show to showcase its next generation of heavy-lifting rocket, the ...

Iran cancels local drilling rigs deal to buy from China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:11:14 -0400

The North Drilling Company of Iran has cancelled contracts with local manufacturers and signed a contract with Chinese manufacturers to build 14 onshore and offshore drilling rigs, Mehr news has reported. Chinese financiers will secure 80% of the required fund for manufacturing the rigs, said NDC managing director Hedayatollah Khademi. The rigs are expected to be delivered within the next two ...

Unwanted visitor from west hops into South Australia

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:10:52 -0400

Streaky Bay 5680 An unwanted visitor from the west has prompted environmental concern on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.Authorities believe spotted-thighed frogs reached SA by road, in someone's vehicle.They are becoming established in the Streaky Bay area and a recent sighting was reported at Port Lincoln.Ecologist Greg Kerr said there was a danger the frogs might displace other ...

U.S. Accuses 3 Countries of Abetting Human Trafficking

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:10:34 -0400

WASHINGTON ...

James Gandolfini star of The Sopranos dead in Italy

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:10:02 -0400

Actor James Gandolfini, best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of a conflicted New Jersey mob boss in the acclaimed HBO cable television series "The Sopranos," has died while vacationing in Rome, the network said on ...

Australia’s dreaded cost of living – manacle or myth | George Negus

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:58:35 -0400

Tony Abbott is keen to lower the cost of living faced by ordinary families. But there is a significant difference between cost of living and cost of ...

4 shot 3 dead at condominium shooting in Louisville Kentucky no ages or other details

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:56:21 -0400

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Gunfire erupted Wednesday in a Louisville condominium building, leaving three people dead and a fourth person seriously injured, authorities said. The fourth person was hospitalized with what appeared to be life-threatening injuries after the shootings, reported shortly before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, police spokesman Dwight Mitchell said. Mitchell said officers believed everyone ...

China and Russia’s Human Trafficking Leads to Sanctions

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:20:06 -0400

Playing cards showing details of missing children are displayed in 2007 in Beijing, China. The cards showing photographs and information of 27 missing children were created by Shen Hao, the founder of a missing persons website to be handed out in areas notorious for child trafficking. China has just been put on a list of countries of serious concern for human trafficking. (China Photos/Getty ...