News

Taiwan president urges democratic allies for protection from China

Amber Want, Agence France-Presse
Jan 05 05:39 PM

Tsai Ing-wen called on allies to help defend its sovereignty, accusing China of waging a "deliberate campaign" to undermine the island's democracy. Read more »

Floods, blackouts after Thai storm, but tourist islands spared

Lillian Suwanrumpha and Sippachai Kunnuwong, Agence France-Presse
Jan 05 05:13 PM

Tropical Storm Pabuk left nearly 30,000 people in evacuation shelters across southern Thailand Saturday, as tourists stranded on islands further north were spared the worst. Read more »

Taiwan president calls for international support to defend democracy

Reuters
Jan 05 01:06 PM

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen called on Saturday for international support to defend the self-ruled island's democracy and way of life in the face of renewed threats from China. Read more »

Tuna sells for record $3M in auction at Tokyo's new fish market

Angie Teo, Reuters
Jan 05 12:27 PM

The owner of a Japanese sushi restaurant chain on Saturday set a record by paying more than $3 million for a bluefin tuna in the year's first auction at Tokyo's new fish market, exceeding his own record price of 2013. Read more »

China's Xi calls on army to be battle-ready

Reuters
Jan 05 11:30 AM

China's armed forces must strengthen their sense of urgency and do everything they can to prepare for battle, President Xi Jinping told a meeting of top brass on Friday. Read more »

5 teens dead in Polish 'escape room' fire

Agence France-Presse
Jan 05 06:10 AM

WARSAW, Poland - Five teenage girls died and 1 man was seriously injured on Friday after a fire broke out in a room where they were playing an escape game in the northern Polish city of Koszalin, officials said.    Read more »

Democratic lawmaker makes profanity-laced vow to impeach Trump

Agence France-Presse
Jan 05 03:13 AM

As a clip of Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib's animated comments circulated widely on social media, Trump tartly dismissed the threat of impeachment. Read more »

Trump, Democrats dig in over ending government shutdown

Richard Cowan and Susan Heavey, Reuters
Jan 05 03:07 AM

All parties were entrenched over Trump's demand for $5 billion to build a wall on the border with Mexico. Read more »

China tests its own ‘Mother Of All Bombs’

Agence France-Presse
Jan 05 12:25 AM

The bomb, whose strength is only second to that of a nuclear weapon, according to Chinese state media, was dropped by a Chinese H-6K bomber. Read more »

Tourists hunker down as storm Pabuk dumps heavy rains on Thailand

Lillian Suwanrumpha and Sippachai Kunnuwong, Agence France-Presse
Jan 04 11:43 PM

Boats were recalled to shore across the Gulf of Thailand, while three key southern airports were shut until Saturday. Read more »

Massive data leak targets German officials including Merkel

Deborah Cole, Agence France-Presse
Jan 04 09:49 PM

Private data stolen from hundreds of German politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, have been released online, Berlin said Friday. Read more »

US warns citizens of arbitrary action in China

Agence France-Presse
Jan 04 09:05 PM

The State Department maintained its previous guidance that Americans should "exercise increased caution" in China but stopped short of discouraging visits. Read more »

Praying for good business

Kim Kyung-Hoon, Reuters
Jan 04 06:07 PM

People offer prayers on the first business day of the year at the Kanda Myojin shrine, which is known to be frequented by worshippers seeking good luck and prosperous business, in Tokyo, Japan, Friday.  Read more »

Croatia threatens to axe plans to buy F-16 jets from Israel

Agence France-Presse
Jan 04 12:25 PM

ZAGREB - Croatia threatened to cancel its purchase of F-16 fighter jets from Israel on Thursday after months of stalling due to a lack of US approval. Read more »

Tourists hunker down as Storm Pabuk has Thailand in its sights

Agence France-Presse
Jan 04 12:20 PM

SURAT THANI, Thailand - Tourists marooned on Thai islands hunkered down Friday as Tropical Storm Pabuk edged closer, forcing airports and ferries to close and bringing downpours and massive sea swells hours before its expected landfall. Read more »

Canada says 13 citizens detained in China since Huawei CFO arrest

Reuters
Jan 04 11:40 AM

Canada said on Thursday that 13 of its citizens have been detained in China since Huawei Technologies Co Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested last month in Vancouver at the request of the United States. Read more »

U.S. House passes bills that would end gov't shutdown, without wall funds

Reuters
Jan 04 11:33 AM | Updated Jan 04 12:03 PM

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives, where Democrats now hold a majority, approved legislation on Thursday to end a partial government shutdown that began nearly two weeks ago at several federal agencies and fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8. Read more »

US gov't shutdown leaves would-be newlyweds standing at the altar

Charlotte Plantive, Agence France-Presse
Jan 04 11:19 AM | Updated Jan 04 12:15 PM

WASHINGTON - When Dan Pollock and his bride arrived at the marriage bureau in the US capital Washington to pick up their marriage certificate, they were surprised to find it was closed because of the government shutdown. Read more »

US issues China travel advisory amid increased tensions

Reuters
Jan 04 05:28 AM

WASHINGTON - The US State Department on Thursday renewed its warning for US citizens traveling in China to exercise increased caution due to "arbitrary enforcement of local laws" amid heightened diplomatic tensions over the arrest in Canada of a Chinese technology company executive. Read more »

Pope Francis criticizes US bishops over abuse scandal, demands unity

Crispian Balmer, Reuters
Jan 04 05:20 AM

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis accused US bishops on Thursday of failing to show unity in the face of a sexual abuse crisis, saying internal bickering had to end over a scandal that has shredded the Church's credibility. Read more »

U.S. Democrats push plan to end shutdown but Republicans oppose it

Ginger Gibson and Amanda Becker, Reuters
Jan 04 01:19 AM

WASHINGTON - Democrats wasted no time flexing their new power in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday as they maneuvered to pass legislation that would end a 13-day partial government shutdown while ignoring President Donald Trump's demand for $5 billion for a border wall. Read more »

Russian gas explosion toll hits 39 as rescue operation ends

Michael Mainville, Agence France-Presse
Jan 04 12:53 AM

MOSCOW - The number of dead from a New Year's Eve gas explosion in a Russian apartment block jumped to 39 on Thursday as rescuers finished searching for bodies in the rubble of the partially collapsed building. Read more »

Saudi prosecutor seeks death sentences as Khashoggi murder trial opens

Agence France-Presse
Jan 03 07:22 PM

Khashoggi, a contributor to the Washington Post, was murdered on October 2 in what Riyadh called a "rogue" operation. Read more »

China's population shrinks despite two-child policy: experts

Poornima Weerasekara, Agence France-Presse
Jan 03 07:16 PM

China's population shrank in 2018 for the first time in 70 years, experts said, warning of a "demographic crisis" that puts pressure on the country's slowing economy. Read more »

China says detained Canadians ‘without a doubt’ violated the law

Reuters
Jan 03 06:37 PM | Updated Jan 03 07:32 PM

Authorities in Beijing had previously said Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, and businessman Michael Spavor were suspected of endangering state security. Read more »