Asia

Iran’s Zarif: ‘no one trusts America’ anymore

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) —  Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Wednesday it was hard to imagine new talks with the US after it lost the trust of the world with its erratic decision-making. “Imagine negotiating now — how can we trust them?” Zarif told reporters on state broadcaster IRINN. “America has zig-zagged constantly, so now no one trusts them.” Zarif was speaking a day after Washington reimposed a first tranche of harsh sanctions following […]

Strong typhoon churns towards Japan

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A powerful typhoon was churning towards Japan on Wednesday, prompting the nation’s weather agency to warn of heavy rain and violent winds and airlines to cancel dozens of flights. Typhoon Shanshan was expected to make landfall about 100 kilometres (62 miles) northeast of Tokyo by early Thursday, sparking fears that the busy morning commute in the capital could be disrupted. The storm is packing maximum gusts of 180 kilometres per hour […]

More than 70,000 homeless after deadly Lombok quake

MATARAM, Indonesia (AFP) — More than 70,000 people have been left homeless in the deadly earthquake that hit Lombok island, forced to sleep in makeshift shelters and lacking food, medicine and clean water, authorities said Wednesday. The shallow 6.9-magnitude quake killed at least 105 people and triggered panic among locals and tourists on Lombok on Sunday, just a week after another tremor surged through the holiday island and killed 17. Some 236 people have been […]

First round of US tariffs on Chinese goods to hit $50 bn Aug 23: USTR

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The first round of President Donald Trump’s punitive tariffs on China will hit the full $50 billion in goods starting August 23, the government announced Tuesday. Washington already imposed 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese products on July 6. But it held off on a final $16 billion as a result of concerns raised by US companies. Although the move was expected, it cements the view that there appears to […]

Tourist exodus from Lombok as quake toll hits 105

by Kiki Siregar Agence France Presse MATARAM, Indonesia (AFP) — Terrified holidaymakers rushed for boats and planes to leave Indonesia’s Lombok island Tuesday after it suffered a second deadly quake within a week, as rescuers scrambled to reach remote areas where survivors are in urgent need of food and shelter. The shallow 6.9-magnitude quake killed at least 105 people and destroyed thousands of buildings in Lombok on Sunday, just days after another deadly tremor surged […]

Indonesia quake death toll rises to 98; more than 2,000 tourists evacuated

  by Kiki Siregar Agence France Presse MATARAM, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia Monday sent rescuers fanning out across the holiday island of Lombok and evacuated more than 2,000 tourists after a powerful earthquake killed at least 98 people and damaged thousands of buildings. The shallow 6.9-magnitude quake sparked terror among tourists and locals alike, coming just a week after another deadly tremor surged through Lombok and killed 17 people. Rescuers on Monday searched for survivors […]

Vietnam court jails 46 bankers, execs for loan scheme

  HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — A court in Vietnam convicted 46 former bankers and businessmen of corruption on Monday over a multi-million-dollar lending scam spearheaded by the once-powerful chairman of Vietnam’s Construction Bank. It is the latest in a series of major banking trials aimed at cleaning up the opaque sector long plagued by bad debts, corruption and nepotism. Vietnam’s communist leaders have vowed to target the banking business as they wage a sweeping anti-graft […]

Indonesia evacuates tourists after Lombok quake kills 91

  by Kiki Siregar Agence France-Presse MATARAM, Indonesia (AFP)–Indonesia evacuated hundreds of tourists from popular resorts and sent rescuers fanning across the holiday island of Lombok Monday after a powerful quake killed at least 91 people and reduced thousands of buildings to rubble. The shallow 6.9-magnitude quake sparked terror among tourists and locals alike, coming just a week after another deadly tremor surged through Lombok and killed 17 people. Rescuers on Monday searched for survivors […]

Japan marks 73rd anniversary of atomic attack on Hiroshima

TOKYO, Japan (AFP)–A bell tolled Monday in Hiroshima as Japan marked 73 years since the world’s first atomic bombing, with the city’s mayor warning that rising nationalism worldwide threatened peace. The skies over Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park were clear, just as they were on August 6, 1945, when an American B-29 bomber dropped its deadly payload on the port city dotted with military installations, ultimately killing 140,000 people. Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, standing at the […]

Indonesia quake kills 82, leaves hundreds wounded

  MATARAM, Indonesia (AFP) — A powerful quake which struck the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok has killed 82 people and wounded hundreds, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said early Monday, with thousands of buildings left damaged. The 6.9 magnitude tremor, which triggered panic among tourists and locals on Sunday evening, was also felt on the neighbouring island of Bali, one of Southeast Asia’s leading tourist destinations. Nugroho said an initial tsunami warning […]

Afghans bury victims of mosque attack as toll rises to 35

  KHOST, Afghanistan (AFP) — Hundreds of mourners Saturday buried the victims of a twin suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in eastern Afghanistan, as the death toll rose to 35, officials said. Two suicide bombers dressed as women struck a Shiite mosque in Gardez, capital of Paktia province, Friday as it was crowded with worshippers for weekly prayers. The burqa-clad attackers shot at the mosque’s security guards before opening fire on worshippers then detonating […]