Foreign
ASEAN workshop on fighting fake news opens in Bangkok
March 21, 2019, 10:31 am
BANGKOK -- Journalists from member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered here to further strengthen the fight against the prevalence of fake news and disinformation. The workshop, “Maintaining Credibility and Trust in Journalism”, being held at the Amari… Read More
Death toll in Indonesia flash flood rises to 104
March 20, 2019, 1:38 pm
JAYAPURA -- The death toll from a flash flood in Jayapura district in the easternmost Indonesian province of Papua rose to 104 as of Tuesday night, a spokesman said. The number may increase, as the search for other bodies is still ongoing, chief of the Cenderawasih Regional Military Command Col.… Read More
Andrei Stenin Contest 2019 sets new record
March 19, 2019, 5:50 pm
MOSCOW, Russia – Young professional photographers from a record-setting 80 countries across five continents have submitted applications to participate in the Andrei Stenin Contest 2019. The number of applications has more than doubled since the contest was established in 2014. In the year of… Read More
Tokyo's National Museum of Modern Art launches 'Let's Talk Art!'
March 19, 2019, 1:29 pm
TOKYO -- The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo, Japan's first national art museum situated near the Imperial Palace, will launch Let's Talk Art! -- an English program enabling international participants to enjoy appreciating masterpieces of Japanese art since the 20th century -- this coming… Read More
China adopts new Foreign Investment Law
March 16, 2019, 3:17 pm
BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China further eased its policies to attract foreign investments to the country. In a press conference Friday, Li said the National People’s Congress (NPC) -- China’s top legislation body -- has passed the Foreign Investment Law during the second… Read More
Death toll in New Zealand mosque attacks climbs to 49
March 15, 2019, 6:29 pm
MOSCOW -- A total of 49 people have been killed in attacks on mosques in the city of Christchurch in New Zealand, New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush said on Friday at a news conference that was broadcast on the website of The New Zealand Herald. Armed people entered the Al Noor and Linwood… Read More
At least 27 dead in New Zealand multiple shootings
March 15, 2019, 2:19 pm
CHRISTCHURCH -- At least 27 people were killed in multiple shootings in the two mosques of New Zealand's Christchurch on Friday afternoon. No less than two gunmen opened fire at two separate mosques in Christchurch, according to local media. Witnesses described that there was much blood and… Read More
Rescuers scramble to save building collapse survivors in Nigeria
March 14, 2019, 2:36 pm
LAGOS -- Hundreds of rescuers have been struggling to search and rescue victims of the collapsed building housing a school in Ita Faji area of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial hub, which reportedly killed at least nine people. Soldiers, police personnel, and staff of the disaster management agency… Read More
Brazil school shooting leaves 10 dead
March 14, 2019, 12:58 pm
SÃO PAULO -- At least 10 people were killed and many more were injured in a school shooting in Brazil's largest city, São Paulo, on Wednesday. Among the dead were seven students, a woman and the two shooters, who killed themselves at the scene, authorities said. The shocking attack took place at… Read More
‘No basis’ to ground Boeing 737 Max despite crashes
March 13, 2019, 2:31 pm
WASHINGTON -- US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday said it saw "no basis" to ground Boeing 737 Max planes, despite two recent similar crashes involving aircraft in the series. "Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the… Read More
British PM's Brexit deal rejected by parliament anew
March 13, 2019, 2:29 pm
LONDON -- British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal was rejected again on Tuesday by MPs in the second meaningful vote in the parliament since January, increasing uncertainty about how the country will leave the European Union. MPs voted against May's revised EU withdrawal agreement by 391… Read More
Singapore suspends Boeing 737 Max flights after Ethiopia crash
March 12, 2019, 12:47 pm
SINGAPORE -- Singapore's aviation regulator on Tuesday ordered the temporary suspension of Boeing 737 Max flights in its airspace days after the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 people aboard. "The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is temporarily suspending operation of all… Read More
Ethiopian Airlines' crash leaves 157 dead
March 11, 2019, 11:43 am
ADDIS ABABA -- All 157 people aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight were confirmed dead as Africa's fastest growing airline witnessed the worst-ever incident in its history. Prior to the latest deadly incident, an Ethiopian Airlines flight had also encountered similar catastrophe in 2010, when a jet… Read More
Bigger Belt and Road Forum expected in April: Chinese FM
March 8, 2019, 5:22 pm
BEIJING -- The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) next month will be bigger than the forum’s launch in 2017, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday. In a press conference here, Wang said more than a thousand participants from more than 100 countries… Read More
China eyes completion of SCS Code of Conduct by 2021
March 8, 2019, 3:13 pm
BEIJING -- China offered to conclude negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea by 2021. In a press conference here Friday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said more member states of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) support their… Read More
China earmarks largest budget for defense in 2019
March 7, 2019, 10:00 pm
BEIJING – Defense sector is the top priority of the Chinese government in terms of spending this year, as it gets the lion’s share of the central government budget in 2019. In its draft central and local budgets for 2019 released by the Ministry of Finance Thursday, defense expenditure… Read More
London patient becomes 2nd known man cleared of AIDS virus
March 5, 2019, 7:50 pm
LONDON -- A London patient has become the second known man worldwide to be cleared of AIDS virus after receiving a bone marrow transplant from an HIV resistant donor, according to his doctor. The patient has shown no trace of previous HIV infection since he underwent the transplant operation three… Read More
China cuts 2019 defense budget hike by 0.6%
March 5, 2019, 7:02 pm
BEIJING – Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced Tuesday that the government lowered its defense budget growth rate to 7.5 percent this year. Li made the announcement during the opening of the second session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People here in… Read More
Chinese gov’t says it won’t use firms to gather intelligence
March 4, 2019, 8:01 pm
BEIJING – Chinese government is not using its homegrown companies to gather military or political information of other countries, National People’s Congress (NPC) spokesperson Zhang Yesui said on Monday. Talking to local and foreign media at the Great Hall of the People here, Zhang said the… Read More
China’s rising defense budget not a threat to neighbors
March 4, 2019, 3:31 pm
BEIJING -- The National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s national legislature, said Monday that its rising defense budget should not be treated as a military threat by other nations. In a press conference before the opening of NPC’s annual session, NPC spokesperson Zhang Yesui said the hike… Read More
