1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 38 » Taiwan's Ex-Intelligence Chief Gets 10-Year Jail Term On Graft Last Updated: Dec 4 2008 8:34AM A Taiwanese court on Thursday sentenced a former intelligence chief to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a corruption scandal implicating ex-president Chen Shui-bian. Former Bureau of Investigation director Yeh Sheng-mao was convicted of influence peddling, concealing documents and leaking secrets to Chen while he was president, said an official at the Taipei district court. Yeh was also found guilty of leaking secrets to a lawmaker in a separate case and received a combined 10-year imprisonment, the official said. The court refused Yeh bail while he decides whether or not to appeal against the ruling.   Thai King Mildly Ill, Says Crown Prince Last Updated: Dec 4 2008 8:14AM Thailand's revered king failed on Thursday to make a traditional birthday-eve speech because he is ill, his children said, ending hopes that he might offer guidance amid a long-running political crisis. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who turns 81 on Friday and is the world's longest reigning monarch, pulled out of the address to the nation at the last minute as millions of Thais tuned in their radios. The unprecedented step came a day after protesters ended an eight-day occupation of Bangkok's airports, following a court ruling that dissolved Thailand's ruling party and forced out the prime minister. "His Majesty the King is mildly sick," Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn said in brief comments as 20,000 people waited at Chitralada Villa, the king's official residence in Bangkok. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the king's daughter, said in the same broadcast that his condition was "not serious", adding that he "has a blockage in his throat and has poor appetite".   Thai Police Say Protesters Left Bombs At PM's Office Last Updated: Dec 4 2008 8:13AM Thai anti-government protesters left home-made bombs and molotov cocktails at the prime minister's office in Bangkok at the end of a three-month siege of the complex, police said on Thursday. Officials also said three cars and jewellery had disappeared from Government House during the occupation by the People's Alliance for Democracy, although one anonymous donor paid off a big water bill. PAD demonstrators took over the complex in late August and vacated it on Monday to reinforce a blockade of Bangkok's airports. They ended all protests after a court ousted Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on Tuesday. "Police found a number of molotov cocktails, homemade bombs, clubs and machetes around Government House this morning," Major General Anan Srihiran, of Bangkok Metropolitan police, said.   Bangkok Airport To Resume Normal Operations On Friday Last Updated: Dec 4 2008 8:09AM Bangkok's international airport will resume normal operations from Friday after anti-government protesters lifted a blockade, a spokeswoman said as more flights left the terminal. More than 40 flights were set to leave Suvarnabhumi Airport on Thursday morning although passengers must still check in at a downtown Bangkok conference centre for the rest of the day. The first flights for eight days took off from the airport on Wednesday after demonstrators abandoned their vigil in the wake of a court verdict that stripped the prime minister of his post and disbanded the ruling party. "We have set 11 am (0400 GMT) as the time we will return to normal operations at Suvarnabhumi," a spokeswoman for the country's airport agency told AFP. On Thursday morning Thai Airways will operate 24 international flights while private-run Bangkok Airways is sending 18 flight plans for both domestic and international routes.   Taiwan's Air Force Denies Transporting Cash For Ex-President Last Updated: Dec 3 2008 8:23AM Taiwan's air force on Wednesday denied allegations that it assisted former president Chen Shui-bian by smuggling cash, as a money laundering probe into the detained Chen's activities continued. "The air force abided by the rules strictly to operate the presidential jet and didn't do anything outside the law," it said in a statement. The comment came after fresh accusations that Chen used the presidential jet to smuggle US$5.17 million in cash to the Pacific Ocean island of Palau during a state visit there in 2006. Kuomintang lawmaker Chiu Yi, one of the first politicians to allege Chen's role in taking bribes, money laundering and embezzlement, made the claim on Taiwanese television that the money was stashed aboard the jet when it departed for the state trip. Chen's office has flatly denied the allegations and has threatened to sue political commentator Sisy Chen for making similar claims last week in a column for the Apple Daily newspaper, for what it regards as a smear against the ex-leader.   Malaysia Raises Doubts Over Thai Plans For Asean Summit Last Updated: Dec 3 2008 7:59AM Malaysia raised doubts Wednesday over whether crisis-hit Thailand will be able to host a Southeast Asian summit, which has already been postponed from December to March. The venue for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit had also been moved from Bangkok to the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai because anti-government protesters were occupying the capital's two airports. Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim expressed "sadness" over the turmoil in Thailand , where the ruling party has been dissolved and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat barred from politics for five years. "In terms of the next summit, which we were hoping to be held in Chiang Mai, now it is not to be," Rais told a press conference. "So we'll have to wait (to see) whether Thailand of the future will be able to furnish for us in ASEAN the commitment for the summit," he said.   Flights Resume As Thai Protesters Abandon Airports Last Updated: Dec 3 2008 7:57AM The first flight arrived at Bangkok's main airport on Wednesday after anti-government protesters packed up and left, ending a week-long siege that crippled Thailand and stranded thousands of tourists. The exodus came a day after the People's Alliance for Democracy claimed victory in its six-month campaign against Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, when a court barred him from politics and disbanded the ruling party. Hundreds of yellow-clad demonstrators streamed out of the Suvarnabhumi international and Don Mueang domestic airports in cars, taxis and buses after the royalist PAD handed over control after ending its blockade. But with the former government vowing to regroup and vote next week to choose Thailand's third premier in three months, there was little hope of long-term stability for the kingdom.   Dalai Lama Not Likely To Visit Taiwan For Now: President Ma Last Updated: Dec 3 2008 8:21AM Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou on Wednesday made it clear that Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is not likely to visit the island for now, as Taipei's ties with Beijing improve. "Religious leaders are welcome to visit Taiwan... but I think at the current moment, the timing is not appropriate for that," Ma told members of the Taipei Foreign Correspondents Club, without going into details. His remarks came after the Dalai Lama voiced his desire to visit Taiwan in a recent interview with a local newspaper in Dharamsala, the town in northern India where his exiled government had been based since a failed uprising in 1959.   Report: NKorean Leader Visits Pyongyang Zoo Last Updated: Dec 2 2008 8:33AM SEOUL, South Korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong Il went to the Pyongyang zoo and visited the tigers, bears and aquarium, state-run media said Tuesday, the latest in a spate of reports depicting Kim as fit three months after his reported stroke. During the visit, Kim praised the reconstruction of the Central Zoo at the foot of Mount Taesong, calling it a treasure of the communist nation, the Korean Central News Agency said from the capital, Pyongyang. He noted the zoo houses a variety of animals — some rare — sent as gifts from around the world, and called on zookeepers to make sure to care for them, said the report, monitored in Seoul. KCNA also released a photo showing Kim standing next to a pond, wearing a winter parka, thick gloves and sunglasses. The image shows Kim using his right hand to point to something, as a group of aides stand in a row behind him.   China's Top Political Advisor Starts Visit To Cambodia Last Updated: Dec 2 2008 8:13AM China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin arrived in Phnom Penh Tuesday, starting an official goodwill visit as guest of Cambodian Senate President Chea Sim. In a written statement delivered upon arrival at the airport, Jia said China and Cambodia are friendly neighbors and the two peoples enjoy time-honored traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Cambodia friendship has grown from strength to strength, said Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He said the two countries have carried out effective exchanges and cooperation in the political, economic and trade, cultural and other fields and maintained good coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs.   Thai Court Dissolves Ruling Party, Bans PM From Politics Last Updated: Dec 2 2008 8:08AM A Thai court on Tuesday dissolved the ruling party and banned the premier from politics, plunging the kingdom into further uncertainty as an occupation of Bangkok's airports turned increasingly bloody. Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat - the target of months of protests - will now step down after the Constitutional Court ruled that his party should be scrapped because an executive was convicted of vote buying. Somchai was banned from politics for five years, along with 36 other People Power Party executives, achieving a key goal of royalist demonstrators who have blockaded the capital's two airports for the past week. "My duty is over. I am now an ordinary citizen," Somchai, 61, told reporters in the northern city of Chiang Mai from where he has been governing since an opposition blockade of the airports began. "But it is unexpected that the decision would come out this way.   Thai Airport Protests Called Off Last Updated: Dec 2 2008 8:06AM Thai anti-government protesters have agreed to end their occupation of Bangkok's airports, allowing thousands of stranded tourists to leave. Passenger flights from the main international airport could resume as soon as 4 December, say correspondents. Protests had shut down Thailand's two main airports for more than a week. The deal follows a court ruling that forced Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down over election fraud and disbanded his governing party. The occupation had closed Suvarnabhumi international airport and the smaller domestic Don Mueang airport, stranding tens of thousands of foreign tourists and forcing them to scramble for alternative ways home. Thailand's important tourism industry was crippled and exports of everything from electronics to fresh food were either stopped or had to be switched to ships or transported to Malaysia to be flown out.   China’s Hu Attends the G-20, APEC, and Conducts Four State Visits Last Updated: Dec 2 2008 2:50PM Download here (.doc)   N Korea increases border controls Last Updated: Dec 1 2008 8:36AM North Korea has begun enforcing stricter border controls with South Korea, due to what it calls "relentless confrontation" from Seoul.  The western crossing at Dorasan was not completely shut under the restrictions, but it failed to open at its usual time on Monday morning.  Hundreds of South Koreans were expelled from a joint industrial zone in the North as part of the restrictions.  Tourism trips and a cargo train to North Korea were suspended last week.  South Korea's Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyeon said: "It is very regrettable that North Korea has imposed restrictions on border crossings.   'Taiwan Spy' Executed By Beijing Last Updated: Dec 1 2008 8:27AM China has executed a scientist accused of spying for Taiwan.  Wo Weihan's family had appealed for clemency, saying that the scientist was tortured into admitting that he was a spy. He was sentenced last year.  The 59-year-old man, who ran his own medical research company in Beijing, was arrested in early 2005.  Among other things, he was convicted of passing Chinese military secrets to Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province.  Court documents said he spied for an organization called The Grand Alliance for the Reunification of China under the Three Principles of the People between 1989 and 2003.   Taiwan Witness Attempts Suicide After Implicating Ex-First Lady Last Updated: Dec 1 2008 8:22AM A key witness who testified against former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian's wife in a high-profile graft scandal attempted suicide just hours later, officials said Monday.  Tu Li-ping was found to have taken a massive amount of sleeping pills and attempted to kill herself by inhaling carbon monoxide fumes from her car exhaust outside Taipei late Friday.  Tu, a Yuanta Securities board director, was questioned on oath and released on bail on Friday in a money laundering probe that has already seen the former president put behind bars.   Japan PM Support Slides, Many Want Election: Poll Last Updated: Dec 1 2008 8:16AM Support for Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has tumbled by a third to 31 percent in a poll published on Monday, as he struggles with economic woes and the fallout from a series of gaffes.  Just over half the respondents to a survey published in the Nikkei business daily said they wanted an election called by early in the New Year, rejecting Aso's argument that he should focus on battling the recession. "I think the prime minister's remarks have attracted critical attention from the people," cabinet minister Takeo Kawamura, the government's chief spokesman, told reporters on Monday.   Officials Quit Over Mumbai Attacks, Tensions Mount With Pakistan Last Updated: Dec 1 2008 8:10AM India's interior minister resigned on Sunday as anger grew over intelligence failures leading up to the devastating attacks on Mumbai, as the government mulled suspending a peace process with Pakistan.  Home Minister Shivraj Patil said he took "moral responsibility" for the assault by heavily-armed Islamic militants which left nearly at least 172 people dead and transformed parts of Mumbai into a war zone for three days.  India's powerful national security adviser M.K. Narayanan also submitted his resignation, officials said, but it was not yet clear if it had been accepted.   Nearly 40 Empty Planes Evacuated From Thai Airport Last Updated: Dec 1 2008 7:46AM BANGKOK: Anti-government protesters have allowed 37 empty airliners to leave Bangkok's besieged main airport after agreeing to a request by Thai authorities, officials said Monday. A total of 88 aircraft had been stranded at Suvarnabhumi international airport since demonstrators stormed the terminal and forced it to close last Tuesday, an Airports of Thailand spokeswoman said. "Thirty-seven aircraft have left Suvarnabhumi since the first aircraft of Siam GA (a regional airline) took off on Sunday evening," the spokeswoman said. "International airlines will have to contact us to take those stranded aircraft out of Suvarnabhumi." The spokeswoman said that of the original 88 planes, 29 belong to flag carrier Thai Airways, 16 to Thai AirAsia and 15 to private-run Bangkok Airways. The remaining 28 aircraft are from various other airlines, 12 of them belonging to the airlines of foreign countries.     Sultan Visits US Pacific Command HQ in Honolulu Last Updated: Nov 26 2008 8:20AM His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is in Honolulu, State of Hawaii for a two-day working visit. According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on the first day of the visit, His Majesty visited the United States Pacific Command Headquarters (USPACOM) located at Camp HM Smith, State of Hawaii. USPACOM, which was established on January 1, 1974, is the oldest and largest United States' unified command. Upon arrival at the USPACOM Headquarters, His Majesty was greeted by Lt General Douglas Fraser. His Majesty was given an overview of the PACOM mission and a tour of the Joint Operations Centre.   Philippine Congress Throws Out Impeachment Bid Against Arroyo Last Updated: Nov 26 2008 8:13AM Philippine lawmakers allied with President Gloria Arroyo on Wednesday voted to throw out an impeachment case against her for large-scale corruption. Voting 42-8, members of the House of Representatives Justice Committee said the complaint was "insufficient in substance" to impeach the president, committee chair Matias Defensor said. It was the fourth impeachment attempt against the president in the past four years. "The committee on justice, by virtue of the vote just taken has declared to dismiss the complaint against President Gloria Arroyo," Defensor said, as he declared the proceedings over.   Bangladesh To Lift Emergency Before Poll - Minister Last Updated: Nov 25 2008 8:10AM DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh's army-backed interim government will lift emergency rule before the Dec. 29 election, a government adviser (minister) said on Tuesday, but he gave no specific date. "The emergency will be lifted in phases before the election," Hossain Zillur Rahman told reporters. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia has threatened to boycott the election if the emergency is not lifted by Dec. 11. It has already forced the commission to delay the polls by 11 days from Dec. 18. Army chief General Moeen U. Ahmed said on Tuesday he would also ask the government to lift the emergency.   Philippine Leader's Foes Walk Out As Impeachment Bid Heads For Defeat Last Updated: Nov 25 2008 8:02AM Opposition congressmen walked out of an impeachment hearing against Philippine President Gloria Arroyo on Tuesday after her allies moved as expected to kill the case, witnesses said. House of Representatives minority leader Ronaldo Zamora and his allies left the justice committee hearing as a group, after pro-Arroyo lawmakers accused them of "falsification of public documents" in their impeachment complaint. Arroyo, who won a fresh six-year term in the 2004 election after replacing the disgraced incumbent Joseph Estrada in a bloodless, military-backed popular revolt in 2001, has survived two previous impeachment attempts by the opposition. "This is an insult and we will not participate in this kind of proceeding. That is why we walked out," said Congressman Teofisto Guingona as he and other critics of Arroyo got up and left the session hall.   Bangkok Airport Closed As Protests Turn Violent Last Updated: Nov 25 2008 8:00AM Rampaging anti-government protesters forced the closure of Thailand's main international airport Tuesday as a second day of demonstrations in Bangkok descended into violence with 11 injured in clashes. Thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) breached police lines and stormed Suvarnabhumi Airport, a key Asian transport hub, in their effort to pressure the premier to resign. "I decided to shut down services after the protesters broke the door on the fourth floor of the terminal and stormed into the departure lounge. I had no alternative," airport director Saereerat Prasutanont said. Flights into Suvarnabhumi -- a key Southeast Asian hub for millions of travelers and tourists -- will be diverted to the northern city of Chiang Mai or the southern island of Phuket, a spokeswoman said.   Thaksin Vows Return To Thai Politics "To Fix Turmoil" Last Updated: Nov 25 2008 7:58AM Thailand's ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra said that he plans a return to politics in his homeland and said he can fix the turmoil wracking the country, as protests by his opponents drag on. Thaksin, who had since his removal in a coup in September 2006 professed his retirement from politics, told Arabian Business magazine that Thailand was suffering after months of anti-government protests. The demonstrators accuse the government of being a front for Thaksin. "The country is going down deeply. The confidence is not there. The trust amongst foreign community is not there. The poor people in rural areas are in difficulty," he said in extracts from the interview published on the magazine's website on Sunday. "With me at the helm I can bring confidence quickly back to Thailand. We have to find a mechanism under which I can go back, that is why I must tell you that I will go back into politics."   Vanuatu Parliamentary Vote Of No Confidence Defeated Last Updated: Nov 25 2008 7:57AM A parliamentary motion of no confidence in the prime minister has been defeated in Vanuatu. Prime Minister Edward Natapei faced his third motion of no confidence, this time, filed by five of his backbenchers. Mr Natapei was elected prime minister on September 22 in a landslide victory over Maxime Carlot Korman. The motion was defeated 26 to 24, with one abstention.   Bangladesh Election Is Deferred Last Updated: Nov 24 2008 7:44AM Bangladesh's Election Commission has set a new date of 29 December for general elections. The polls were earlier planned for 18 December but one of the country's two main parties had refused to participate saying that it needed more time. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former prime minister Khaleda Zia wanted the elections to be deferred to the month of January. Its main rival, the Awami League Party, said any delay would be unfair. So the decision to push the date of the general elections back by only 11 days is a compromise. 'Festive mood. The country's military-backed interim government hopes it will ensure that both main parties participate. The government's promise to organise the fairest and most peaceful election in Bangladesh's history would have been hard if one of the main parties refused to take part.   Malaysia's Future PM Sees "Tough" Challenge Ahead Last Updated: Nov 24 2008 7:33AM Malaysia's future prime minister Najib Razak vowed to sharpen the country's competitive edge and regain the ruling party's two-thirds majority in parliament when he takes the helm, even as financial turmoil takes a toll on the resource-rich nation. The country faces lower revenues due to plummeting prices for its petroleum and palm oil as well as a drop in its overall exports and foreign investments that have been driving moderately high economic growth, said Najib, set to be in the saddle in March. "It is going to be tough. I've got my hands full," the current deputy prime minister told AFP in an interview on the sidelines   Troubled Indonesian Tycoon To Drop Cabinet Post Last Updated: Nov 21 2008 8:11AM Indonesia's billionaire Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie will leave the Cabinet next year, a spokesman said Friday, as the global economic crisis continued to batter his business empire. "He has no interest in returning as a minister for the term 2009-2014," Bakrie's spokesman Lalu Mara Satriawangsa said. The tycoon and political powerbroker would however "continue to be a member" of the Golkar party, the main party in the ruling coalition under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, he said. Bakrie denied reports that he was interested in taking over from Vice President Jusuf Kalla as head of Golkar ahead of elections next year.   Arroyo Husband Falls Ill On Plane Last Updated: Nov 21 2008 8:07AM The husband of Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has fallen ill during a flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing, say officials. Jose Miguel Arroyo, known as Mike, was accompanying Ms Arroyo as she travelled to a summit in Lima, Peru. The plane made an emergency landing at Kansai airport in Osaka, Japan, where doctors were reported to be on standby. The nature of Mr. Arroyo's illness is not clear but he has previously had treatment for a heart condition. He underwent heart surgery at a Manila hospital last year.   Indian PM Appeals Against Caste, Religious Divisions Last Updated: Nov 21 2008 8:05AM Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged Indians on Friday to reject centuries of ethnic and religious divisions, warning that they would be manipulated by politicians to fracture the country. His comments follow the recent arrests of Hindu leaders with links to right wing outfits in connection with a bomb blast which was earlier suspected to be the work of Muslim militants. "Competitive politics must not be allowed to divide our people on the basis of religion, caste or region," Singh told a gathering of prominent Indians in New Delhi. "Stop identifying yourself in terms of how the past has shaped you," the prime minister said.   Divisions Cloud Meeting Of Nepal's Ruling Maoists Last Updated: Nov 21 2008 8:01AM Nepal's ruling Maoists began a national meeting on Friday to hammer out their political future, with leftist hardliners arguing for greater state control in all sectors. The Maoists are now Nepal's largest party, after winning polls earlier this year, but ideological rifts have emerged between factions headed by Prime Minister Prachanda – whose nom-de-guerre means "the fierce one" – and senior ideologue Mohan Baidya. The Maoists battled Nepal's security forces to a standstill over a decade of bloody civil war launched in 1996 to topple the monarchy and establish a communist state. Since the peace deal that saw them place their fighters and weapons under United Nations monitoring, they have pushed through the end of the unpopular monarchy and embraced multi-party democracy. But the transition from feared guerrillas to Nepal's strongest political force has been tainted by persistent opposition accusations of violence and intimidation.   Strike Shuts Down Kathmandu After Alleged Maoist Murders Last Updated: Nov 20 2008 8:08AM KATHMANDU : Protestors shut down the Nepalese capital Kathmandu with a strike Thursday over the abduction and murder of two men, allegedly by the youth wing of the country's ruling Maoists. The one-day strike was called by relatives of the murdered men and supported by opposition parties and student organizations. Shops and schools across Kathmandu were closed and there was no public transport, as protesters blocked major junctions and smashed the windows of the few private cars that ventured onto the roads. Nepal's former rebel Maoists came to power after winning elections in May. Their youth wing, the Young Communist League (YCL), has faced persistent accusations of violence and intimidation.   Bangladesh Says No Delay To Dec. 18 Election Last Updated: Nov 19 2008 8:44AM DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh's army-backed interim government on Wednesday refused a demand by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to put off the Dec. 18 parliamentary election, saying other political parties did not agree. The BNP led by former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia had asked the government to lift the state of emergency it imposed in January 2007 and suggested the vote be delayed until a decision was made. The BNP also asked the government to scrap the Election Commission's power to cancel flawed nomination papers and to delay rural elections by one month. "The parliamentary election and rural elections will be held on Dec. 18 and Dec. 28 respectively as per previously set schedules," government adviser (minister) Hossain Zillur Rahman told reporters.   Indonesia Exploring Possibility Of Closer Cooperation With Mongolia Last Updated: Nov 19 2008 8:30AM Indonesia is currently exploring the possibility of cooperating in various fields with Mongolia in an effort to strengthen its relations with the north Asian country, Indonesia`s chief diplomat here said. "We are currently exploring the possibility of establishing cooperation in various fields with Mongolia to strengthen our bilateral relations," Indonesian Ambassador to China and Mongolia Sudrajat said when contacted in Ulanbator over the telephone on Wednesday. Sudrajat and a number of his staffers are making a working visit in Ulanbator from November 18-21 to meet with the Mongolian president, foreign minister, energy minister, and education minister. He said Indonesia would like to establish bilateral cooperation with Mongolia in several fields such as energy, education, trade, social and culture.   New Zealand Government Sworn In After Election Victory Last Updated: Nov 19 2008 8:21AM John Key took power as New Zealand's 38th prime minister Wednesday when his new government was sworn in following the victory of his centre-right National Party in an election earlier this month. Key and 27 ministers formally took office when they were sworn in by New Zealand's Governor-General Anand Satyanand at a ceremony at parliament in Wellington. Satyanand, who is the representative of head of state Queen Elizabeth II, asked Key to confirm he could form a government before taking the oath of office. The 47-year-old multi-millionaire former investment banker is one of New Zealand's youngest and politically least experienced prime ministers, after entering parliament in 2002.   Supporters Protest Taiwanese Ex-President's Detention Last Updated: Nov 18 2008 8:04AM Around 100 supporters of Taiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian protested outside the hospital where he is on hunger strike Tuesday, criticizing his ongoing detention as political persecution. Chen was rushed to hospital on Sunday suffering from dehydration, four days after refusing to eat in protest at what he says are politically-motivated corruption allegations against him. The protesters, who came from the former leader's hometown in the south of the island, shouted "unfair justice" and "political persecution." Doctors said Tuesday that Chen's condition had improved but it was not clear if doctors would discharge him and return the former leader to the detention centre where a judge ordered him to be locked up last week.   Former Taiwan Leader Moved To New Hospital, Say Doctors Last Updated: Nov 17 2008 9:08AM TAIPEI: Taiwan authorities moved former president Chen Shui-bian, in the midst of a hunger strike in protest at his detention on corruption allegations, to a new hospital, medical officials said on Monday. Local media have been providing almost hour-by-hour coverage in the case of Chen, who stopped eating on Wednesday after a court ordered him held on suspicion of embezzlement and other fiscal wrongdoing. Chen was rushed to hospital on Sunday and found to be dehydrated. Under tight security, he was moved to Taipei County Hospital on Monday morning. "The check-up showed the former president's blood pressure appeared stable after he was sent to the hospital this morning. His heart beat has also slowed down a little bit," hospital vice president Yang Chang-pin told reporters.   Deposed Thai PM Thaksin Now In Dubai Last Updated: Nov 17 2008 8:53AM Thailand's ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is staying in Dubai as he seeks a new home after his British visa was revoked earlier this month, an aide said Monday. Billionaire Thaksin -- who was toppled in a coup in 2006 and has been living in exile since August to avoid jail sentences at home -- also plans to address supporters in Thailand by telephone next month, said the aide. Since Britain cancelled Thaksin's visa on November 7, he has travelled to several cities around the world including Beijing and Hong Kong -- where he divorced his wife in a surprise move late last week. "He is in Dubai, I don't know how long he will be there," Jatuporn Prompan, a key leader for a Thaksin supporters group, told AFP in Bangkok.   NZ Prime Minister-Elect Names Cabinet Last Updated: Nov 17 2008 8:51AM New Zealand's prime minister-elect John Key has unveiled his cabinet of 28 ministers in his administration. It includes 20 National Party ministers in cabinet and eight ministers outside cabinet, including five from the three allied minor parties. Mr. Key's deputy leader, Bill English, will be finance minister and veteran Murray McCully will become New Zealand foreign minister. Because the ministers from the Act party, United Future and the Maori Party will not sit in cabinet, they will be free to oppose government policy outside their own portfolios. The new government will be sworn in on Wednesday, allowing Mr. Key to leave on Thursday to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru.   US Freezes Assets Of Alleged Myanmar Drug Traffickers Last Updated: Nov 14 2008 8:46AM The US authorities said on Thursday it had frozen the assets of 26 individuals and 17 firms tied to drug trafficking in Myanmar and prohibited US citizens from dealing with them. Targeted were those linked to the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the most powerful drug trafficking organisation in southeast Asia, and Wei Hsueh Kang, a senior UWSA commander, the Treasury Department said in a statement. They were named "Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers" by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The Treasury said its "action freezes any assets the 43 designees may have under US jurisdiction and prohibits US persons from conducting transactions or dealings in the property interests of the designated individuals and entities."   Nine Monks Jailed In Myanmar Last Updated: Nov 14 2008 8:44AM Nine Buddhist monks were jailed for between six and eight years by courts in Myanmar this week for taking part in last year's anti-government protests, an opposition party spokesman said Friday. At least 14 members of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party (NLD) were also given prison sentences of four to 10 years, said party spokesman Nyan Win. Rights groups say Myanmar has intensified efforts to curb dissent ahead of elections in 2010 with a string of heavy sentences handed down to activists this week over the demonstrations in August and September 2007. "Four monks were sentenced to eight years imprisonment each" at court hearings on Thursday, Nyan Win told AFP, without giving further details.   Philippine Bishops Attack Family Planning Bill Last Updated: Nov 14 2008 8:39AM The Philippines' influential Catholic bishops on Friday attacked a new a bill promoting family planning in the Philippines, calling for drastic changes before it is passed into law. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is still willing to discuss the provisions of the Reproductive Health Care Act with its proponents in the legislature, said their spokesman Bishop Socorro Villegas. However in a pastoral statement, the CBCP said the bill needed to be re-written to guarantee "the sacredness of life from conception." They also objected to provisions for sex education in schools, saying it would "violate the consciences of educators who refuse to teach forms of family planning that violate their religious traditions."   Vietnam To Allow Dual Nationality Last Updated: Nov 14 2008 8:34AM Vietnam has amended its nationality law to legalize dual citizenship, a change that could affect many in the Vietnamese diaspora of more than three million people, officials said Friday. The legislature of the communist country on Thursday passed a revised law that maintains Vietnam's long standing single-nationality principle but, for the first time, allows for a number of exceptions. The change means that many post-war refugees and other overseas Vietnamese who have become citizens of second countries can officially reclaim their lapsed Vietnamese nationality without losing their new citizenship. "Those who apply to regain Vietnamese nationality can retain their foreign citizenship if they have justified cause and with permission from the state president," reported the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA).   East Timor Budget Ruled Unconstitutional Last Updated: Nov 14 2008 8:32AM East Timor's Court of Appeal has ruled that the country's $US400 million midyear budget is unconstitutional. The court says the budget was seeking $US290 million more from the nation's petroleum fund than it considered to be sustainable. The main opposition Fretilin party has called on the government to reassess its spending for the rest of the year. Our reporter in East Timor's capital Dili, Stephanie March says according to East Timor's constitution, revenue from the nation's natural resources should be "used in a fair and equitable manner in accordance with national interests." In August this year, the government drew wide criticism when it increased the budget by 126 per cent to $US788 million. This was based on funds derived from the nation's petroleum fund. The opposition said the budget plan to allocate $US240 million for an Economic Stabilization Fund to subsidies rice, fuel and construction materials was excessive and could lead the country down the same path as resource cursed Nauru.   Marshalls Landowners Could Lose Millions In US Missile Base Row Last Updated: Nov 14 2008 8:30AM Traditional landowners at a US missile base in the Marshall Islands stand to lose nearly 21 million dollars if a stalemate over a new lease is not broken by December 17. Landowners at the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll in the western Pacific state are locked in a rent row with the US and have refused to accept a US-Marshall Islands government deal to extend the lease for the atoll to 2066. Rental payments in excess of the existing lease provisions have been placed in an account that has grown to 20.7 million dollars since the new deal was signed in 2004. The US Congress set a five-year deadline for the Marshall Islands government to secure landowners' backing for the new agreement and this will expire on December 17.   State Polls Offer Litmus Test For Indian Government Last Updated: Nov 13 2008 8:07AM India kicks off a round of crucial state polls on Friday, seen as a mini-referendum on the ruling Congress Party ahead of a general election expected in early 2009. Six states will vote before the end of the year against a backdrop of rising food prices and growing concerns over the impact of the global financial crisis on India's economy. Maoist rebel-hit Chattisgarh will hold its two-part assembly polls starting Friday, followed by central Madhya Pradesh, the capital Delhi, tiny Mizoram in the northeast and the western desert state of Rajasthan.   Former Bangladesh PMs Due To Meet Last Updated: Nov 13 2008 7:55AM The former Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, say that they are ready for a rare meeting ahead of December's elections. The two women lead the country's two main parties and are bitter rivals. They are believed to have barely spoken since the early 1990s. Correspondents say that their intense personal animosity has paralyzed Bangladeshi politics. The interim government has repeatedly called on the pair to hold talks. 'Ready for talks.' Bangladeshi newspapers have reported that Sheikh Hasina wants an agenda for the discussions, while Khaleda Zia says the talks should not be confined to specific subjects. "I'm always ready for dialogue, but that ought to be based on an agenda.   Samoans Angry Over Cabinet Minister's US Arrest Last Updated: Nov 13 2008 7:50AM The arrest of Samoa's Associate Trade Minister Joe Keil on immigration charges in the United States has lead to a protest in Samoa's capital Apia. Richard Keil one of the minister's brothers organized the demonstration last week and delivered a petition to the US Consular Office in Apia condemning the treatment of his brother. Joe Keil in a letter to the Samoa Observer newspaper says when he was arrested in the United States he wasn't advised of his rights and his hands and feet were handcuffed before he was transported to jail. He says he spent the night in a crowded cell before facing court the next day. Mr Keil says he has been charged with posing as a United States citizen and obtaining a passport through illegal means.   Comment by U.S. Ambassador Irks Fiji’s Human Rights Chair Last Updated: Nov 13 2008 7:46AM Comments by the U.S. Ambassador to Fiji to ensure that Pacific Islanders respect human rights has irritated Fiji Human Rights Commission chairperson Dr. Shaista Shameem, reports the Fiji Times. U.S. Ambassador Steven McGann had said that the American government's focus in the Pacific, under Barack Obama's presidency would, among other things, ensure Pacific Islanders' respect for human rights.   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 38 »