Category Archives: Asia-Pacific
Historic Pride march in Moldova should be ‘first of many
The Moldovan authorities must ensure that yesterday’s historic Pride march in the capital Chisinau is the “first of many” and is followed up by other steps to combat homophobic discrimination, Amnesty International
Australian jailed over Indian student murder
An Australian man who raped and strangled his Indian student neighbour and threw her body into a canal in a suitcase has been jailed for 45 years for the murder. Daniel Stani-Reginald,
North Korea blocks S Korea from joint zone
North Korea has banned the entry of South Koreans to a joint industrial complex in a rare move amid high tensions on the Korean peninsula, the South’s Unification Ministry said. Wednesday’s move
US vows to defend South amid N Korea threats
In a show of solidarity, standing side-by-side with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se after talks in Washington, Kerry denounced “unacceptable rhetoric from the North Korean government in the past days”. The
Al-Qaida-linked gunmen free 2 Filipino hostages in Philippines but still hold foreign captives
Abu Sayyaf gunmen have freed two Filipino crewmen of a Jordanian TV journalist who were kidnapped last year but the al-Qaida-linked militants continued to hold the reporter and four other foreigners in
World welcomes 2013 with wave of fireworks
Spectacular fireworks exploded over Sydney in a blaze of light and colour on Tuesday to ring in the New Year, as the city kicked off a wave of global celebrations from Dubai
Australia ends hunt for asylum seekers
Australian officials have given up hope of finding survivors after nearly 100 asylum seekers vanished in choppy seas off Indonesia when their overcrowded vessel sank en route to Australia. The Australian Maritime
Japan says Fukushima disaster was ‘man-made’
The nuclear accident at Fukushima last year was a “man-made disaster” and not only due to the tsunami, a Japanese parliamentary panel said in its final report on the catastrophe. “Governments, regulatory
Defiant South Korea vows ‘scientific’ whaling
South Korea says it will start whaling under a loophole in a global moratorium that allows scientific research, outraging conservationist nations by using the same tactic as Japan. At sometimes heated talks
Top UN envoy in unrest-hit western Myanmar
A top United Nations envoy is in western Myanmar following an outbreak of religious violence that has left dozens dead. Vijay Nambiar, UN chief Ban Ki-moon’s special adviser on Myanmar, flew into
Pakistani singer Mehdi Hassan dies
Ustad Mehdi Hassan, Pakistan’s legendary classical singer who captivated millions of music fans across South Asia, has died. He was 84. Hassan, known as Shahenshah-e-Ghazal, or the king of classical singing among
Suu Kyi leaves Myanmar on Europe trip
Opposition politician and former political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi has left Myanmar on her first trip to Europe since 1988 to formally accept the Nobel prize that thrust her into the
Deadly blast hits bus in Pakistan
At least six bus passengers were killed and dozens more injured when a bomb planted on a parked motorbike exploded in Pakistan’s province of Baluchistan, officials said. The motorbike fitted with explosives
Lady Gaga calls off Indonesia concert
A show by pop diva Lady Gaga in Indonesia has been cancelled after religious conservatives threatened “chaos” if she entered the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. “Lady Gaga’s management has considered the
Suu Kyi set for historic trip outside Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi will be visiting Thailand next week on her first trip abroad in more than two decades, her party has said. “She will go to the World Economic Forum
Philippine judge testifies at own graft trial
A senior Philippine judge accused of protecting former President Gloria Arroyo from prosecution on corruption charges has testified at his impeachment trial. Renato Corona, the chief justice who is also accused of
Malaysia’s Anwar charged over elections rally
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been charged for his part in a rally for fair elections last month, in a case he denounced as another government attempt to remove him from
China’s economy slows down further
China’s economy is slowing down further, national figures suggest, with data for April showing sharper than expected declines in investment and industrial production. A reading of the latest data released by the
Al Jazeera English forced out of China
The channel expressed its disappointment at the situation and said it would continue to request a presence in China. It has been requesting additional visas for correspondents for some time through the
Clinton faces human rights showdown in China
Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, has arrived in Beijing for talks with Chinese leaders that risk being overshadowed by the case of an activist said to be under US protection.
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi sworn in to parliament
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader, has taken the oath of office to become a member of Myanmar’s parliament during a swearing-in ceremony in the capital, Naypyidaw. Wednesday’s event marks a
Workers around the world mark May Day
By Hamid Khastan Tens of thousands of people have descended on streets across the world to mark International Workers’ Day. Colourful protests organised by trades unions and left-wing parties across Asia shared
Suu Kyi to swear Myanmar parliament oath
Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar’s opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), says that a dispute over the wording of the country’s parliamentary oath of office has been resolved. Suu
Suu Kyi set for first trip abroad in 24 years
Myanmar’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate and pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is set to travel outside the country for the first time in 24 years. The party of the newly elected
Matan Ruak set to become East Timor president
The former guerilla leader Taur Matan Ruak is set to replace Jose Ramos-Horta as East Timor’s president. Provisional results on Tuesday from Monday’s election gave the former armed forces chief 61 per
Chinese fishing boats end Philippine standoff
Talks between the Philippines and China over a fishing dispute in the South China Sea remain deadlocked despite an apparent end to a standoff between Chinese fishing boats and Philippine naval vessels,
UK’s Cameron in landmark Myanmar visit
David Cameron, the British prime minster, has arrived in Myanmar on the first visit to the once-isolated country by a Western leader since the end of direct military rule in 2010. Cameron
North Korea admits failed rocket launch
A North Korean rocket launch has been confirmed as a failure by the country’s official news agency after officials in other countries said that the suspected long-range missile had crashed into the
