Members of the U.N. Security Council on Monday (December 22) voted to override China’s objections and formally add the situation in North Korea, including allegations of grave human rights abuses, to the council’s agenda. There were 11 votes in favor, two against and two abstentions. Veto powers Russia and China voted against the inclusion of North Korea on the council’s agenda, but as there are no vetoes in procedural votes of the council, the Chinese […]
Asia
Japan Condemns Sony Hacking
Japan on Monday (December 22) strongly condemned a cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment that the United States has blamed on North Korea, and said it was maintaining close contact with Washington on the matter. Japan’s top government spokesman Cabinet Secretary General Yoshihide Suga told reporters in a news conference that they would “coordinate closely with the United States on this incident.” He also expressed Japan’s support for measures being undertaken by the United States. […]
China to strengthen maritime power
A report from a major Chinese daily said that Beijing will set up a comprehensive maritime observation system including radar and weather stations to strengthen its maritime power, a move that may exacerbate the tension in the region.
U.S. Marine in Philippine murder case makes first court appearance
A United States Marine accused of killing a transgender Filipino appeared in a Philippine court for the first time on Friday, as his lawyers sought the suspension of the trial, in a case that could test the strength of security ties between the two allies. The Marine, Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is being held at a U.S. facility at the main Philippine army base, was charged with the murder of Jeffrey Laude, who was found […]
Eight children killed in reported mass stabbing in Australia, woman injured
Eight children have been killed and a woman injured, police said on Friday (December 19), during what media outlets reported was a mass stabbing in Australia’s tropical northern city of Cairns. Queensland state police said in a statement they were called to a house in the Cairns suburb of Manoora just before midday after reports of a woman with serious injuries on the premises. Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar of Queensland Police addressed reporters at the […]
Three dead in Japan as weather dumps snow, triggers tidal surges
Japan’s Meteorological Agency called on people to exercise more caution after three people died across the nation, as a low pressure system dumped heavy snows in some parts of Japan and triggered a tidal surge flood in others. At least two people died while shovelling heavy snow, one in Niigata prefecture and another in Akita prefecture, according to Kyodo News Agency. Another died in a pile up caused by snow on the road. In Niigata prefecture, a full metre (3.2 feet) of snow […]
132 students, 9 staffers killed in Taliban attack on Pakistan school
(Reuters) — At least 132 students and nine staff members were killed on Tuesday (December16) when Taliban gunmen broke into a school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar and opened fire, an army spokesman said, in the bloodiest massacre the country has seen for years. “In the rescue operation today, around 960 children and staff members were rescued from here. I have given you the casualty figures, but I will repeat it again for your knowledge that 132 children and nine […]
Japan orders culling of 4,000 chickens after bird flu outbreak
The Japanese government on Tuesday (December 16) ordered the culling of roughly 4,000 poultry at a farm in western Japan after bird flu was detected in three of the chickens there, Japan’s Kyodo News reported. Health authorities said three chickens from a farm in Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture, tested positive for a highly pathogenic H5 strain of avian influenza, Kyodo News said. Local government on Tuesday began slaughtering all of the roughly 4,000 birds raised at the farm. Officials said they will […]
Abe coalition secures big Japan election win with record low turnout
(Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s coalition has cruised to a big election win, ensuring he will stick to reflationary economic policies and a muscular security stance, but record low turnout pointed to broad dissatisfaction with his performance. Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner, the Komeito party, won 326 seats in Sunday’s election, more than the 317 seats in the 475-member lower house required to maintain a two-thirds “super-majority” that smoothes […]
Hostages held in Sydney cafe, forced to hold Islamic flag in window
An armed assailant was holding an unknown number of hostages inside a central Sydney cafe on Monday, police said, with local television showing some being forced to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing in the window. Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has warned of militant plans to strike Australian targets, said there were indications the hostage situation at the Lindt Cafe was politically motivated. “This is a very disturbing incident. I can […]
HK police to clear out last protest camp in Causeway Bay today
The Hong Kong Police Force has vowed to clear out the last protest camp on Monday morning (December 15) as scheduled, putting an end to demonstrations that have blocked traffic in the city’s streets for 10 weeks. The clearance of the protest area in the retail hub of Causeway Bay, which is the smallest and the last remaining site occupied by the student-led demonstrators, will start at about 09:30 on Monday, according to Reuters. It quoted police authorities […]
Hong Kong police begins clearing barricades
Hong Kong police started clearing barricades in the main protest site in the Admiralty district when a court order was issued in favor of a bus company claiming that the protests disrupted its business.
