Asia News

London says bomb tests on pigs saved lives in war

AFP - Wednesday, February 10

LONDON (AFP) - - London has defended the use of more than 100 pigs in military explosives tests in the past five years, saying the experiments had saved lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. More »

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Court martial for Sri Lanka vote loser, assembly sacked
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
COLOMBO (AFP) - - Sri Lanka said Tuesday it would court martial ex-army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka for conspiring against the government and sacked parliament to make way for snap polls.
US Marines gear up for major Afghan assault
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
TOOR GHAR, Afghanistan (AFP) - - US Marines on Tuesday stepped up preparations for a major assault on a key Taliban bastion in southern Afghanistan hailed by officers as the biggest offensive of the eight-year war.
Too early for decision on Myanmar election, says Suu Kyi
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
YANGON (AFP) - - Detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi believes it is too early for her party to decide whether to take part in Myanmar's national elections this year, her lawyer said Tuesday.
China calls for new checks amid milk scare
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
BEIJING (AFP) - - China warned Tuesday of a continued "grim" food safety outlook following the re-emergence of a tainted milk scandal and called for strengthened efforts nationwide to contain the threat.
Taiwan insists submarines, jets still on arms agenda
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan on Tuesday dismissed a report saying the island has dropped a request for US submarines, saying the vessels and fighter jets remained on the island's arms procurement agenda.
Colourful Philippine election season kicks off
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
MANILA (AFP) - - The Philippine election season kicked off on Tuesday with the world's best boxer and the defiant wife of a dead dictator among the dizzying array of characters hoping to grab a share of power.
Toyota announces mass hybrid vehicle recall
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
TOKYO (AFP) - - Toyota said Tuesday it was recalling hundreds of thousands of hybrid vehicles globally, including its best-selling Prius, plunging it deeper into crisis as lawsuits in the United States piled up.
Afghan avalanches kill 24, up to 40 missing: govt
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
KABUL (AFP) - - Avalanches triggered by heavy snow killed at least 24 people on a treacherous mountain pass in northern Afghanistan, injured dozens and left up to another 40 people missing, officials said.
Sri Lanka president sacks parliament: spokesman
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) - - Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday sacked the national parliament and cleared the way for a national election two months ahead of schedule, his spokesman said.
Afghan avalanche kills 28: govt
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
KABUL (AFP) - - An avalanche following heavy snowfalls in northern Afghanistan killed at least 28 people and left another 70 injured, defence ministry officials said.
China quake activist jailed for subversion: lawyer
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
BEIJING (AFP) - - A Chinese activist who was investigating whether shoddy construction caused school collapses in the massive 2008 Sichuan earthquake was jailed Tuesday for five years for subversion, his lawyer said.
Malaysia calls on Myanmar to free Suu Kyi ahead of polls
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - - Malaysia Tuesday called on military-run Myanmar to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi ahead of national elections it expects to be held around October.
Race motive 'clear' in some Indian attacks: Australian FM
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
SYDNEY (AFP) - - Australia's foreign minister Tuesday told parliament some of the recent violence against Indian students had clearly been racially motivated and had "considerably damaged" the nation's reputation.
UN envoy arrives in N.Korea
AFP - Wednesday, February 10
BEIJING (AFP) - - UN envoy Lynn Pascoe arrived in North Korea on Tuesday, China's state Xinhua news agency reported, on a mission to try to revive long-stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
Imprisoned Vietnam priest in worsening health: sister
AFP - Tuesday, February 9
HANOI (AFP) - - An imprisoned Vietnamese Catholic priest, whose release has been sought by US legislators, is in worsening health, his sister said Tuesday.
Activists ambush Japanese whalers in Antarctic seas
AFP - Tuesday, February 9
SYDNEY (AFP) - - Anti-whaling activists said Tuesday they had exchanged water cannon fire with Japanese fishermen after ambushing them in Antarctic waters.
Ex-army chief to face Sri Lanka court martial
AFP - Tuesday, February 9
COLOMBO (AFP) - - Sri Lanka's former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka will face a court martial for "military offences", an official said Tuesday.
Wildlife group, stars urge Indians to save the tiger
AFP - Tuesday, February 9
MUMBAI (AFP) - - As China prepares to usher in the Year of the Tiger next week, a massive publicity drive has begun in neighbouring India, where the big cat is the national animal, to save it from extinction.
Korea should be nuclear-free, Kim tells China envoy
AFP - Tuesday, February 9
BEIJING (AFP) - - North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il restated Pyongyang's goal of ridding the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons when he met a visiting senior Chinese envoy, Chinese state media reported Tuesday.