Asia

Disneyland China falls a-fowl of huge turkey leg demand

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – Over nearly a century Disney has exported United States culture across the globe, but the company was astonished to find one slice of Americana wildly popular in China — the turkey leg. The entertainment giant opened its $5.5 billion theme park in Shanghai in June last year, expecting to shift mainly bok choy, Mickey Pork Buns and Minnie Red Bean Buns to hungry customers. “If you go to Disneyland […]

Sri Lankan navy rescues elephant washed out to sea

  by Amal Jayasinghe Agence France-Presse COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy has rescued an elephant that got into difficulties after being washed out to sea, a spokesman said Wednesday, calling it a “miraculous escape.” Chaminda Walakuluge said the Navy mounted the 12-hour rescue after spotting the elephant struggling to stay afloat around eight kilometers (five miles) off the island’s northeast coast. Divers aided by wildlife officials approached the distressed animal and tied […]

Myanmar farmers stage week-long protest over land grabs

MANDALAY, Myanmar (AFP) – Hundreds of Myanmar farmers entered the seventh day of protest over land grabs on Wednesday, demanding the government return seized fields and protect them from a surge in prosecutions over property disputes. Land ownership is one of the most contentious issues in formerly junta-run Myanmar, where the army is accused of rampantly confiscating land during its 50-year rule. Anger over land-grabs was a key factor that helped Aung San Suu Kyi’s […]

Japan baby panda healthy after 30 days

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) – A baby panda in Japan has survived its crucial first 30 days, zoo officials said Wednesday, as a fresh video showed the cub at one-month-old. The female panda was the first to be born at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo in five years. The rare birth delighted animal lovers and businesses keen to cash in on the excitement that the panda generated. Footage released by the zoo shows the cub being weighed and measured by […]

Japan floods death toll rises to 25

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The death toll from torrential rains and flooding that swept through Japan’s south has reached 25, the government said Tuesday, as rescue teams battled through thick mud to rescue more than 100 still stranded. Further downpours were predicted to pound Kyushu after swathes of the southwestern island were devastated last week by overflowing rivers — sweeping away roads, houses and schools and forcing thousands of people into makeshift shelters. But many […]

India’s illegal border crossing destroys peace, stability in China-India boundary: FM spokesman

BEIJING, China (CCTV) — China on Monday once again urged India to pull back its border troops to its own side of the border, said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing. Spokesman Geng Shuang reiterated the demand in response to quoted Indian media reports that the Indian border troops would stay on the Chinese side of the border for prolonged standoff. The spokesman said if the media reports were true to facts, they could […]

Qatar Petroleum and Total to launch joint venture

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — State-owned Qatar Petroleum and French energy giant Total will formally launch a 25-year joint venture to develop the Al Shaheen oil field this week, the companies said Monday. The North Oil Company, to be launched on Tuesday, will be made up of a 70 percent stake from QP and a 30 percent stake from Total, which is taking over operations from Maersk Oil, according to a statement released by Qatar Petroleum. […]

Torrential rain triggers building to collapse in Tibet, China

(CCTV) — The persistent torrential rain triggered a building collapse in Jomda county, Qamdo Prefecture in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region on Saturday. All residents lived in the building had been evacuated before the collapse and no casualties have been reported so far. The collapse happened in the wake of the sharply increased water level of Ziqu river in the county. The water washed away the foundation of the building and eventually caused it to collapse […]

Myanmar workers in Thailand victims of a broken system

  by Marion THIBAUT / Phyo Hein KYAW Agence France-Presse   MYAWADDY. Myanmar (AFP) – With only meager belongings stuffed into backpacks and duffel bags, tens of thousands of Myanmar migrants have streamed home across the Thai border over the past two weeks. But it is not a joyous homecoming for the truckloads of men and women, who fled Thailand in fear of a new law that hardens penalties on the millions of undocumented migrant […]

Liaoning aircraft carrier opens to Hong Kong residents

(CCTV) — Hong Kong residents Saturday started their tour of China’s first aircraft carrier Liaoning which is in the Special Administrative Region for a visit. The aircraft carrier, anchored in an open sea area outside the Victoria Harbor, is accompanied by destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan and frigate Yantai, and carrying a squadron of J-15 fighter jets and helicopters. Hong Kong residents began boarding the carrier in the morning. They were amazed by the 3,000-plus cabins […]

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile developers received a celebratory welcome on their arrival in Pyongyang

  Pyongyang, North Korea (Reuters) — North Korean developers who contributed to the test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) received a celebratory welcome on their arrival in Pyongyang on Friday (July 7). The North’s state-run television KRT broadcast a video on Saturday (July 8) showing residents waving flowers to welcome the missile developers of ICBM that an expert said could allow a weapon to hit the U.S. state of Alaska. The United States plans […]

Incredible lightning show captured in Beijing night sky

Beijing, China (CCTV) — A spectacular electrical storm illuminated the night sky of Beijing on Friday, with bright bolts of lightning producing a dramatic display. The celestial phenomenon amazed many observers as lightning crackled across the sky, turning it into stunning shades of blue and purple. The storm brought heavy rainfall, strong gusts and hail to parts of the city.