Stigmabase | 香港

Violent thug holidays in Thailand after curfew is lifted : But the yob returned to court less than a month later and pleaded with magistrates to lift the ban so he could go on a month-long break to the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand , which he had pre-booked. The court caved into the thug's demands and dropped the ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Hong Kong Drops New Law Restricting Access to Directors' Details : Hong Kong's government dropped legislation that would restrict public access to the personal details of company directors, following opposition from unions, small businesses and journalists. The Financial Services and Treasury Bureau removed provisions ...

Taipei court to review Lai's release on bail : Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Lai Su-ju, a lawyer and former KMT spokeswoman, walks out of court early yesterday morning after she was released on bail after being questioned over accepting bribes in the bidding process for the ...

Thailand's Baht Heads for a Weekly Loss on Intervention Concern : Thailand 's baht snapped a five-week rally on concern the central bank will curb exchange-rate gains to protect exporters. Recent appreciation in the currency, which reached the strongest level since 1997 on March 20, has been “excessive,” Bank of ...

66% of Taipei residents want to stop Nuke 4: poll : TAIPEI , Taiwan -- The Taipei City Government yesterday published the city's first opinion poll on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, with 66 percent of Taipei residents wanting to halt the plant's construction, and 18 percent wanting construction to continue.

Blind Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng speaks at Princeton ... : “Mr. Chen, through all the things he's done in China to repair human rights abuses and fix the legal system, he has really done so much more than most people will in their lifetime,” Whig-Cliosophic Society president Matthew Saunders said. China has ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Taiwan president to attend pope's installation : TAIPEI , Taiwan — Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou will attend the installation Mass of Pope Francis in Vatican City, an official said Friday, in a rare European foray for the head of the diplomatically isolated island that underscores the tricky ...

Human rights activist Chen Guangcheng honored with Whig-Clio's highest award : Chen, a blind, self-taught lawyer who has worked extensively to expose his country's human rights violations, became the center of a diplomatic crisis between the United States and China after he escaped from house arrest and took refuge in the U.S. ...

Thailand, Muslim rebels agree to resume talks : Thai authorities and Muslim rebels leaders have agreed to meet again next month after a meeting in Malaysia aimed at ending nearly one decade of violence that has killed thousands of people in southern Thailand . Peace negotiators for the Thai ...

Secrets of Hong Kong cuisine revealed : HONG KONG -- Somewhere between the braised bamboo piths stuffed with bird's nest and the pigeon in Shaoxing wine sauce served with its head attached, I realize that all the Chinatown meals in the world haven't prepared me for my customized culinary ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Chinese Human Rights Advocate Arrested and Beaten : Chinese human rights activist Hu Jia was taken away from his Beijing apartment by police on Wednesday and beaten. He later uploaded a picture of his somewhat bloodied forehead to Twitter. The authorities said that Hu was guilty of “provoking quarrels ... The Epoch Times

North Korea Is Putting Its Rockets on Standby for Fire After the US ... According to Reuters, North Korea has readied its rockets to attack US military bases in South Korea and the Pacific Ocean after the US made a show of force earlier today by flying stealth bombers over South Korea. Kim Jong Un had ...

Navigating Japanese divorce law and dealing with false promises Contemporary Japanese films are often extremely violent; the lives of ordinary Japanese , much less so. According to a multinational study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Japan's homicide rate in 2009 was 0.4 per 100,000 ...

Japan police arrest siblings over skeleton 'mother' : TOKYO - Three siblings lived for up to three years with what is thought to be the skeleton of their mother, police in Japan said Thursday, with a report adding they believed she had not died but become a god. The three - two women aged 59 and 52 and ... AsiaOne

UN to investigate 'human rights violations' in DPRK : The United Nations Human Rights Council decided Thursday to establish an inquiry commission to investigate the "systematic, widespread and grave violation of human rights " in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). It will probe into "the ...

China: Alarming New Surveillance, Security in Tibet : Such patrols handle traffic and low-level street management throughout China at times of extra tension, but, according to Tibetans from Lhasa who spoke with Human Rights Watch, since May 2012 these patrols have been involved in much more intrusive ... Human Rights Watch

Ma confidante faces bribery charges : The Taipei Prosecutors' Office yesterday sought the court's permission to detain a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City councilor known for her close ties to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), on suspicion of accepting bribes in the bidding ...

South Korea's struggle to find a workable approach to North Korea Last week, a story of mine was published describing the conundrum South Korea's government faces as it decides whether to support a United Nations investigation into North Korea's human rights abuses. The issue is controversial in Seoul but ...

Celebrating 50 years of helping children in South Korea The second of three SOS Children's Village in South Korea was built in Seoul in 1982, a city of almost 10 million people. The fifteen family houses are home to 140 children and their SOS mothers. There is also a youth house for 30 boys. An SOS social ...

Rural development: Lessons from South Korea : I was elated to know that P-Noy is going to South Korea for a visit. In an article I wrote and published on July 2 last year in this same newspaper entitled “Attacking Rural Poverty ,” I suggested that P-Noy should visit South Korea to learn from them ...

PH gets $300M WB loan for poverty reduction : The World Bank has approved the extension of a $300-million loan to the Philippines to support the country's efforts to attract investments and reduce the incidence of poverty . In a statement, the World Bank said the amount, equivalent to about P12 ...

Breast Cancer Still Wreaks Havoc in Third World - No More Poverty and CES7 ... : Dr. Michael Omidi, M.D. and a team of medical professionals recently provided free medical and surgical aid to afflicted people in the Philippines . The trip was sponsored by the charities No More Poverty , co-founded by Julian Omidi and Michael Omidi, M ...

Mother gets 30 years for letting 2 kids starve to death ‹ Japan Today ... : A 25-year-old mother whose two young children starved to death surrounded by rubbish after she locked them in her apartment…

Threats of annihilation normal for South Koreans : Seoul , South Korea (CNN) -- As winter recedes, winds whip through downtown Seoul and chill the crowds of commuters on their way home. The sun is dropping and the pale golden light streams between tall buildings. A girl smiles as she chats excitedly on ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

South Korea cuts economic forecast : South Korea has cut its economic growth target for this year and announced a plan to draw up a supplementary budget to kick-start the stalled economy as the export-driven country battles the weaker yen and fragile global economic recovery. The finance ...

Student inspires class to help poor : Hsu Chun-wei, front, holds a shoebox containing stationery, toys and other gifts on Tuesday to be sent to schoolchildren in Hualien County's Jhuosi Township, his hometown, for Children's Day on Thursday next week. All his classmates have also prepared ...

Hong Kong stocks close down 0.74% : Hong Kong stocks fell 0.74 percent Thursday amid growing concerns about the eurozone, while on the mainland banks were hit by fresh moves to tighten up regulations and cut risk. The benchmark Hang Seng Index lost 165.19 points to 22,299.63 on ...

Hong Kong shares close out first quarter weaker as Chinese banks dive : HONG KONG , March 28 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares were knocked off their highest in almost two weeks on Thursday, ending the first quarter on a whimper, after the mainland's banking regulator moved to tighten regulation over wealth management ...

City poll shows 66% in favor of plant suspension : Seventy-one percent of Taipei residents will come out and vote if a national referendum on the fate of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant is held tomorrow, and 66 percent said they would vote in support of suspending construction of the plant, a survey ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

NZ, Taiwan should have direct flights resume, envoy says : New Zealand and Taiwan should resume direct flights to help revive their tourism sectors after the recent increase in the number of Taiwanese visiting New Zealand, an envoy from the South Pacific nation said. Stephen Payton, director of the New Zealand ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Minister promises probe into policing at Huaguang : Minister of the Interior Lee Hong-yuan (李鴻源) yesterday promised to launch a probe into alleged heavy-handed treatment of protesters and media by police during the forced demolition of houses in the Huaguang Community (華光) in Taipei on Wednesday.

Home care better for Chen: Veterans hospital chief : Confirming that former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has been diagnosed with cerebral atrophy, Taipei Veterans General Hospital superintendent Lin Fang-yue (林芳郁) yesterday said it would be better to have caregivers look after Chen at home rather ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Man jailed in Thailand for selling royal family videos : The videos contained a segment from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Foreign Correspondent series in 2010 that questioned the future of Thailand's monarchy. The segment included footage from a private video of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn with ... The Guardian

Thailand in Key Peace Talks with Muslim Insurgent Representatives : BANGKOK — Thailand opened informal peace talks Thursday with separatist representatives. The meeting marks a major breakthrough after nine years of sectarian violence in the largely Muslim southern provinces. Analysts and Muslim leaders hope that, ... Voice of America

'Free Economic Trade Zones' favor China, likely to increase dependence ... : Pan-green lawmakers yesterday expressed concern over the government's plan to establish “Free Economic Pilot Zones” to promote trade liberalization, saying that the zones could increase the nation's economic dependence on China and hurt Taiwan's ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

The Measured Madness of North Korea - The National Interest : You've got to hand it to North Korea's young leader Kim Jong-un: the man is a past master at panic promotion. He learned from the master, his dad, Kim “Dear Leader” Jong-il, whose tantrums, threats, and theatrics routinely rattled South Korea ...

Prosecutors seeking to detain Taipei councilor on graft allegations : Lai, a lawyer who concurrently serves as director of Kuomintang Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's office, was accused of promising to help a multinational consortium win the bid for the Taipei Twin Towers project in exchange for a kickback of NT$10 million ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

China Audits Demand Hong Kong Rigor : EY was hired by a mainland Chinese firm, Standard Water, in 2009 to audit its accounts ahead of a planned Hong Kong initial public offering. The auditor resigned a few months later after finding alleged irregularities, and Standard Water withdrew its ...

Star: 'Lost in Thailand' clicked with modern focus : HONG KONG — The director of China's biggest box-office hit says "Lost in Thailand " succeeded by showing a rarely seen subject: modern Chinese life. The historical epic, fantasy, action and thriller genres have long filled China's domestic movie screens. Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

US embassy in Seoul warns North Korea with photo: This B-2 stealth bomber is ... : Mr. Hagel spoke with his South Korean counterpart Kim Kwan Jin early Thursday Seoul time, to assure him of “the steadfast U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea,” Bloomberg News reported, citing a statement from the Pentagon. The two men ... Washington Times

North Korea drops foreigner-only 3G service, is not promised land of ... : A few weeks ago, the North Korean government announced plans to roll out uncensored 3G access to foreigners visiting the country, which was surprising because the only thing rarer in North Korea than a foreigner is a piece of uncensored ...

Prison Planet.com » North Korea 'burning with hatred' for US after ... : AFP & London Telegraph March 28, 2013. The deployment of the stealth bombers was clearly meant to deliver a potent message to Pyongyang about the US commitment to defending South Korea against any aggression as military tensions ...

3 Soldiers Killed in Attack in Southern Thailand : Suspected militants have killed three soldiers in a roadside attack in Thailand's insurgency-plagued south. The attack came just hours before peace talks between Thai officials and Muslim insurgents were to begin in neighboring Malaysia. Police Col ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Thailand and Muslim rebels begin peace talks : Thailand and a Muslim rebel group have started peace negotiations aimed at ending nearly a decade of conflict in the country's three southern most provinces. Thursday's first round of talks between Thai security officials and representatives of the ... Aljazeera.com

Hong Kong to Raise Air Quality Standards and Cut Emissions : Hong Kong will raise its air quality standards for the first time since 1987 as the former British colony targets a reduction in vehicle and vessel emissions to clear up smoggy skies. Hong Kong will use air quality standards set by the World Health ...

South Korean Politician Moves to Repeal Biased Copyright Law ... : On Friday, South Korea's National Assembly will meet with advocates for and against the country's “three strikes” law that restricts the online activities of Internet users who violate copyright regulations. On March 24, 2013, Mr. Choi Jae-Cheon, ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

N Korea border factory operating despite hotline move : North Korea continues to search for new ways to issue threats - partly in an attempt by the regime to consolidate power at home, and partly in the hope that the US cancels its exercises as President Clinton did. As Pyongyang does so, the West calls ... BBC News

Despite threats, North Korea keeps border factories open : PAJU, South Korea (Reuters) - A heavily armed border crossing between North and South Korea that allows the North access to $2 billion in trade a year, one of its few avenues to foreign currency, remained open on Thursday despite Pyongyang's move to ...

Korean border open a day after North Korea threatened to cut key hotline Business was operating normally at the Kaesong industrial complex in North Korea , despite Pyongyang's shutting down of the hotline usually used to arrange passage for workers and goods through the Demilitarized Zone. The military communication ...

Thailand to submit three-point proposal : Paradon : Thailand is to submit a three-point proposal to Muslim militant groups at tomorrow's peace dialogue demanding that they reduce daily hostile activities, stop attacks against innocent targets and cease car bomb attacks in downtown areas, National ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

A Museum With a View: Exploring Hong Kong's World of Water : HONG KONG —If you arrive at Hong Kong's international airport on Lantau island and take a cab or bus into the central district on Hong Kong island, you can't help but notice the sheer number of ships and boats in the water. The seas around Hong Kong ... New York Times (blog)

Human Rights Watch's offices in Moscow raided : MOSCOW--Russian authorities searched the Moscow offices of New-York based Human Rights Watch on Wednesday as they stepped up raids against pro-democracy groups despite growing EU concern. HRW's Europe and Central Asia department head ...

China Development sets up a private equity fund : China Development Financial Holding Corp (中華開發金控) said yesterday it recently set up a private equity fund that aims to invest in unlisted companies in the local creative industries, in line with a strategy shift to focus on asset management ...

Seoul-foreign tourists accommodations : SEOUL , March 27 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it plans to make 350 more lodging establishments available for international tourists this year as part of efforts to boost convenience and attract more visitors from overseas ...

North Korea to cut all channels with South as "war may break out any time" : North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) visits a long-range artillery sub-unit of the Korean People's Army Unit 641, whose mission is to strike Baengnyeong Island of South Korea in the western sector of the front line March 11, 2013 in this picture ...

North Korea Computer PHOTO: Western Media Trolls Pyongyang : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) looks at the latest combat and technical equipments, made by unit 1501 of the Korean People's Army, during his visit to the unit March 24, 2013 in this picture released by the North's official KCNA news agency in ...

Seoul to seek family reunion talks with Pyongyang this year : SEOUL , March 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will seek to hold talks with North Korea this year to help arrange reunions of separated families and try to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the Ministry of Unification said Wednesday. In its 2013 policy ... Yonhap News

Brazil shows how to fight poverty : More than 20 percent people on Earth live in extreme poverty and are enduring inhuman sufferings, according to the World Bank. Combating extreme poverty is the aim of the entire development community, and the same goal has been embraced by many ...

The Hong Kong Maritime Museum has reopened - NYTimes.com : The Hong Kong Maritime Museum has reopened after a move, and its new central pier location and high-tech displays are a refreshing introduction to the region's maritime culture. Read more…

Consumer confidence continues to rebound: report : The consumer confidence index rebounded for the third consecutive month this month, mainly driven by the public's rising interest in purchasing durable goods, a National Central University survey showed yesterday. The index rose to 76.01 this month, ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Thailand set for peace talks with rebels : The run-up to talks between Thai officials and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) rebel group, to be held in a safehouse in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, has been overshadowed by ongoing violence in Thailand's southernmost provinces.

Thailand set for peace talks with rebels : BANGKOK: Thailand and a key rebel group operating in the insurgency-wracked south are set to begin landmark peace talks Thursday aimed at curbing violence that has killed more than 5,500 people in nine years. The run-up to talks between Thai officials ... The News International

Strong quake shakes buildings in Taipei : quake TAIPEI : A strong earthquake shook buildings in the Taiwanese capital Taipei on Wednesday, injuring at least four people and sparking a fire, emergency officials and reports said. The US Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 6.0 and ... Business Recorder (blog)

Now China Seems to be Targeting Human Rights Activists with Android Spyware : Security researchers at Kaspersky say they've found a targeted malware attack on Android phones that seems to come from China . It seeks to steal information like contacts, call logs, and SMS of people who work in the field of human rights , especially ... Tech in Asia

PM asks Germany to join megaprojects : The premier said this in her speech on “European Investments in Thailand and the Kingdom's Future Strategies towards AEC 2015”, presented to the annual meeting of the Thai-German Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) held at a Bangkok hotel. The Thai ...

Why France Wants Hong Kong's Business : There are an estimated 16,000 French citizens living in Hong Kong , a number that has doubled since 2006. Arnaud Barthelemy of the French Consul in Hong Kong and Macau talks to the WSJ's Wei Gu about why the country wants to expand its economic ...

Economy still sluggish: CEPD : An index of economic monitoring indicators rose 1 point last month to 20, flashing another “yellow-blue” light, as the economy remained stagnant, the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) said yesterday. The council uses a five-color ...

North Korea cuts off military hotline with South : North Korea has cut off a key military hotline with South Korea that allows cross-border travel to a jointly run industrial complex in the North, a move that ratchets up tension and puts the last major symbol of inter-Korean co-operation in jeopardy ... The Guardian

Wistron's board approves cash and stock dividends : Wistron Corp (緯創), the world's third-biggest contract notebook maker, said its board yesterday approved a proposal to distribute cash dividends of NT$1.5 and a stock dividend of 5 percent. The dividend payout was based on the company's earnings of ...

NKorean defector groups report computer attacks : SEOUL , South Korea — Websites and organizations run by North Korean defectors in South Korea say they have suffered cyberattacks, one week after computer systems at some South Korean banks and TV networks were widely disrupted. Daily NK, which ...

Watch your tongue, North Korea warns South's new leader : South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye speaks in front of photographs of sailors who died, during an event marking the third anniversary of the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel by what Seoul insists was a North Korean submarine, at the national ...

Seoul shares gain on strong US economic data : SEOUL , March 27 (Reuters) - South Korean shares rose on Wednesday, tracing Wall Street's gains as investment sentiment was supported by optimism from upbeat U.S. home price and manufacturing orders data. Heavyweight Samsung Electronics edged ...

Is North Korea serious about war? Following a threat to launch a nuclear attack on the United States, North Korea's state news arm, the Korean Central News Agency (also known as KCNA) released dozens of photos that show the country's army and navy performing military drills, many of ...

Half a century of major North Korean provocations : 17,1968: A unit of the North Korean army disguised as South Korean soldiers crosses the DMZ in an attempt to kill South Korean President Park Chung Hee. The assassins make it to Blue House, the official residence of the president, but are stopped in a ...

Thailand seizes 104 smuggled endangered pangolins | The Raw Story : Thailand , seen as a hub for traffickers of all endangered species, came under pressure over the rampant smuggling of ivory through its territory during Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) talks in Bangkok this ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

CNBLUE's Hong Kong show sells out in 5 minutes + to hold concert in Malaysia : The boys completely sold out their Taiwan, Hong Kong , and Singapore shows. The Hong Kong show was especially popular, selling out all 7,000 seats in just 5 minutes. Because of the high demand for another concert, it has been decided that another date ... allkpop (blog)

Feitsui Reservoir to supplement New Taipei water supply: Taipei mayor : Hau said, however, that there should be strict controls on the supply of water from Feitsui Reservoir and that the Taipei City government, under whose administration it falls, should seize every possible chance to increase the water storage and work ... Australia-Malaysia | 中国 | 日本 | 한국 | ราชอาณาจักรไทย | Tiếng Việt | Stigmabase | eGAYlity

Thailand ETF Hits Roadblock on Infrastructure Spending : The exchange traded fund that tracks Thailand's stock exchange, iShares MSCI Thailand Capped Investable Market Index Fund (NYSEArca: THD), has dropped about 6% after hitting a resistance line that has been in place since 2010. The $68 billion ... ETF Trends

North Korea Calls Hawaii and US Mainland Targets : SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea's military said it put all its missile and artillery units on “the highest alert” on Tuesday, ordering them to be ready to hit South Korea, as well as the United States and its military installations in Hawaii and Guam. New York Times

South Korea, China and Japan get serious about free trade zone : Seoul played host Tuesday to the first preliminary talks on creating a free trade zone between China, Japan and South Korea . The idea of setting up such a zone is about 15 years old, but has only now received fresh impetus through Chinese initiatives.

Eliminating soldiers' bad behavior in S. Korea aim of cultural awareness classes SEOUL — U.S. and South Korean officials have agreed on the content for new cultural awareness programs for 2nd Infantry Division soldiers, hoping it will help eliminate the misbehavior that has been generating national headlines here. Maj. Gen. Edward ...

Clerical error stymies push to end Philippine poverty : News of Pope Francis' election came just days before Philippine bishops stymied Aquino's bid to curb the overpopulation that perpetuates poverty , pressuring the Supreme Court to reject the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, which ...

Hong Kong's Future Leader Must 'Love China' : This weekend, Qiao Xiaoyang, chairman of the National People's Congress Law Committee, told a group of pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmakers at a forum in Shenzhen, just across the border in mainland China, that any chief executive candidate would have to ... Wall Street Journal- India (blog)

More than just hot air : This conviction was supported by Chen Shu-hui (陳淑慧), head of the Tourism Department (觀光旅遊處) of the Taitung County Government in a telephone interview with Taipei Times. She said that the county currently had five trained pilots, but only two ...

Vice minister discusses costs of TPP : Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Bill Cho, left, speaks during a legislative committee meeting in Taipei yesterday about the potential costs and benefits for Taiwan if it is able to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Photo: CNA. Vice Minister of ...

Cypriot banks stay locked down : Cypriots woke yesterday to find banks under lockdown for an 11th day after authorities reversed course and kept them closed to prevent a run on deposits following the island's bailout. All lenders except the debt-hit Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank had ...

Hong Kong rules against residency for foreign domestic helpers : Foreigners who cook, clean houses and care for children in Hong Kong will not be eligible to become permanent residents like other workers from abroad, a final appeals court ruled Monday. The unanimous ruling disappointed the Filipino workers who ...

Airline worker reunites lost camera with owner : A camera that drifted 8,000km across the Pacific Ocean for five-and-a-half years before washing ashore on Taiwan's east coast is to be reunited with its owner, thanks to the persistent efforts of the man who found it. Douglas Cheng (陳鵬宇), who works ...

Hong Kong court denies foreign maids permanent residency : In a unanimous ruling, Hong Kong's top court sided with the government's position that tight restrictions on domestic helpers mean they don't have the same status as other foreign residents, who can apply to settle permanently after seven years. CBC.ca

Hong Kong court rejects Filipino maids' plea for residency : The verdict deals a blow to a huge contingent of Filipino maids and nannies – estimated at some 300,000 females, usually unmarried and under 35 – who make up a diaspora in Hong Kong . The domestic workers are increasingly seen as an indispensable ... Christian Science Monitor

Thailand urged to use 700 MHz spectrum for mobile : Thailand's telecommunications regulator has been warned that failure to comply with international spectrum standards could cause interference problems along its borders. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) plans to ...

Fresh North Korean Threat to Attack America, South Korea : The command issued to the rocket units comes days after the U.S. air force flew B-52 sorties over the peninsula as part of an annual joint drill with South Korean forces. And it comes just hours after South Korean President Park Geun-hye said it is ... Voice of America

Petitioners Unite Against Illegal Detention Centers : ( Human Rights Campaign in China ). Human rights activists in Shandong Province have determined that there are more than 100 “black jails” in Wuxi City, where local authorities illegally hold petitioners who have traveled to the capital to seek redress ... The Epoch Times

NKorea puts artillery forces at top combat posture : SEOUL , South Korea — North Korea's military warned Tuesday that its artillery and rocket forces are at their highest-level combat posture in the latest in a string of bellicose threats aimed at South Korea and the United States. The announcement came ... The Idaho Statesman

Japan, Australia to sanction North Korean bank as part of US-led crackdown : TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Japan and Australia plan to sanction North Korea's Foreign Trade Bank as part of U.S.-led efforts targeting Pyongyang's main foreign exchange bank for the role Washington says it has in funding the country's nuclear ...

North Korea's public relations man is a Spaniard with a tough job ... : While news reports, defectors, and human rights organizations are in close agreement on the harsh evidence of poverty, famine, and torture in secretive North Korea , Alejandro Cao de Benós paints a very different picture.

North Korea Threatens To Attack US, South Korean Bases : KCNA said Pyongyang's forces had been "assigned to strike bases of the U.S. imperialist aggressor troops in the U.S. mainland and on Hawaii and Guam and other operational zones in the Pacific as well as all the enemy targets in South Korea and its ... NPR (blog)

Many poverty-stricken students lack shoes - survey : Many students in poverty -stricken counties lack shoes throughout the year, even becoming frostbite victims, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday citing a survey by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. China Philanthropy Advisors, an advisory ...

North Korea: A Neglected Human Rights Crisis : North Korea has been making headlines for its threats of preemptive nuclear attacks on the United States. In addition to North Korea's belligerent military actions, the international community cannot turn a blind eye to the regime's appalling record of ... Heritage.org (blog)

Deadlock over Taipower resolution : Democratic Progressive Party legislators hold a press conference in Taipei yesterday, calling attention to a partisan squabble over a resolution passed during a committee meeting on Thursday last week, effectively scrapping Taiwan Power Co's annual ...

Jiang, mayors discuss nuclear plant : Struggling to win support from fellow Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) members for the continued construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, Premier Jiang Yi-huan (江宜樺) last night invited mayors of cities in the “evacuation zone” around the ...

Prince Alwaleed receives Taipei Cultural and Economic Representative : HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) received at his office, HE Mr. Lin Jinn-Jong, Taipei Cultural and Economic Representative in Saudi Arabia who was accompanied by Mr. Hsiao Feng-yu ... AME Info (press release)

Hong Kong Court Denies Foreign Domestic Helpers Right to Permanent ... HONG KONG — Hong Kong's highest court ruled unanimously Monday that a woman from the Philippines who had lived and worked here for nearly 27 years as a domestic helper was not entitled to permanent residency, ending an acrimonious legal fight ...

TSU files lawsuit over referendum : The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday filed an administrative lawsuit over the rejection by government agencies of its application to hold a referendum on a cross-strait trade pact, saying that the government's current referendum proposal on a ...