Archive for the In Asia Category

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

US senator meets Myanmar’s leaders

An American politician has become the most senior Washington official to meet Myanmar’s ruling military leaders. Jim Webb, a US Democratic senator, held separate meetings on Saturday with Senior General Than Shwe, Myanmar’s military ruler,

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

American to be released from Myanmar

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The American man who swam across a lake to visit…

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Bowing to typhoon anger, Taiwan leader says sorry

LIUKUEI, Taiwan (AFP) – Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou bowed to public anger Saturday, apologising for his government's slow response to Typhoon Morakot, which devastated central and southern parts of the island.

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Sri Lanka call to free refugees

Two of Sri Lanka’s most senior Roman Catholic clergy have spoken out against the continued detention of nearly 300,000 Tamil war refugees. The Archbishop of Colombo and the Bishop of Jaffna were addressing tens of thousands of pilgrims at a shrine close to camps housing the refugees. Jaffna bishop Thomas Saundaranayagam, himself a Tamil, said the refugees were being held…

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Kabul Blast Kills 3

A suicide bomber in the Afghan capital Kabul has killed at least three people and wounded 70, including women and children. Afghan officials say the bomber’s car exploded early Saturday morning outside the entrance to NATO headquarters in one of the most heavily fortified sections..

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Japan records first death from swine flu

TOKYO (AFP) – A 57-year-old Japanese man, who suffered from a chronic ailment, has died from swine flu in the country's first death from the virus, a local government official said Saturday….

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

US senator to leave Myanmar with convicted American

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US Senator Jim Webb will fly out of Myanmar on Sunday with an American convicted to seven years imprisonment after securing his release from the military regime, Webb's office said in a statement Saturday. “I am grateful to the Myanmar government for honoring these requests,” Webb said in the statement. “It is my hope that we can take advantage of these gestures as a way to begin laying a..

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Soldiers killed in Afghan blast named

Three British soldiers killed in an explosion while on patrol in Afghanistan have been named today by the Ministry of Defence. Tributes have been paid to Daniel Wild, 19, from 2nd Battalion The Rifles, Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton, 23, from 40th Regiment Royal Artillery and Captain Mark Hale of 2nd Battalion The Rifles, who died on Thursday near the town of Sangin, outside of Kandahar, in Helmand province. The total UK death toll in the war-torn…

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Catholic leaders urge Sri Lankan Tamils’ release

MADHU, Sri Lanka—Sri…

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Cynicism and apathy mark Afghan polls

So, who is going to be the next president? The question was put to me a year ago, by a friend who is more political than most Afghans.

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Thai elephant hurt by mine gets artificial leg

LAMPANG,…

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Suicide bomb at NATO HQ in Kabul kills seven

A suicide car bomb has exploded outside the gates of the NATO headquarters in Afghanistan, killing seven and wounding almost 100. The attack in the capital city of Kabul comes just five days before the country’s presidential elections

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Deadly blast strikes Afghan capital

At least seven people are believed to have been killed and more than 85 others wounded

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

Taiwan president offers apology

Taiwan’s president has apologised for his government’s slow emergency response to

Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:16

US Senator meets Burmese leader and Suu Kyi

US Senator Jim Webb met both Burma’s top military leader Than Shwe and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi today, but it was unclear what he discussed during his separate meetings with them. Webb met Than Shwe at the country’s remote new capital of Naypyidaw on the second day of his visit and later talked with Suu Kyi for about 45 minutes at a guesthouse arranged by government officials in Yangon. A witness told Reuters the 64-year-old Nobel peace laureate was taken by car from her lakeside home, where she was put under another 18 months of house arrest this week, to a guesthouse to meet the senator