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News at a Glance September 29 - October 7
Headlines by country from around Asia
Somali pirates make out like bandits
The release of the 65 crew members of two Malaysian tankers after a standoff with Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden was a "gift from God to us," Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told the Bernama news agency. But what an expensive gift it was. The Malaysian government had sent three warships to "the pirate-infested waters" after the Malaysian International Shipping Corp vessels were seized in mid-August, and eventually paid $4 million in ransom for the crew members' release.
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Nuclear protesters
Nuclear protesters - About 500 demonstrators protested the arrival of the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that will be permanently based at Yokosuka Naval Base near Tokyo. Protesters are worried about the possibility of a nuclear accident on the ship and say the carrier could make the area a target if the US ever goes to war with another country.
Read ArticlePyongyang’s building boom
North Korea's capital, a city "frozen in time," featuring "Stalinist slabs of concrete" and omnipresent monuments glorifying its leaders, is experiencing something of a revival, writes Barbara Demick. Pink high-rise apartments are being built, theatres and hotels are being renovated, and streets repaved and painted. Construction cranes are becoming a feature of the city skyline.
Read ArticleFormer president under the spotlight
Authorities listed former president Chen Shui-bian and his family as suspects in an investigation into money laundering, as his son and daughter-in-law returned from the US proclaiming their innocence. Taiwan's ex-intelligence chief Yeh Sheng-mao was indicted for allegedly covering up for Chen. Chen has admitted that he broke the law by not fully declaring campaign donations.
Read ArticlePro-democracy Legislative Council member Leung Kwok-hung denied permission to visit China’s Sichuan earthquake site
Pro-democracy Legislative Council member Leung Kwok-hung was denied permission to visit China’s Sichuan earthquake site as part of a Hong Kong delegation. Authorities claimed to have seen Internet reports saying “Leung planned to do something which is not relevant to the purpose of the trip.” “People said the Olympic Games will make China more open,” Leung said.
Read ArticleAnti-government protests continue
Riot police surrounded and threatened to forcibly move thousands of demonstrators occupying the prime minister's compound in Bangkok calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The protest was led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, which claims the government is under the control of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister currently in exile in Britain.
Read ArticleVietnam warns Catholic Church
The government has accused four Catholic priests and the Archbishop of Hanoi, at odds with the government over a land dispute, of "stirring the population" and encouraging illegal religious activity. The government wants to transform the disputed land into a park, but the Church argues that the land is sacred.
Read ArticleBombers target airport
Bombers target airport - A bomb exploded near an airport built by a US gold mining giant in Papua Province. No one was injured in the attack which occurred two days after unknown militants set off two small bombs on a road leading up to the mine operated by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold.
Read ArticleVenezuela signs energy deal with China
Oil deal signed - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez hailed his country's growing energy cooperation with China during a visit to Beijing. Venezuela plans to export one million barrels of oil a day to China by 2012, up from the current 330,000 barrels per day.
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