A woman has been charged after a “complex” investigation into an Australian strawberry scare where needles were found stuck into the fruit, police said Sunday, in a crisis that sparked nationwide panic. Queensland state authorities offered a large reward and the national government raised jail terms for such crimes after sewing needles were found in plastic boxes of the fruit… Read more »
According to a report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit, China is the most optimistic country in the world. 91.4% of China’s citizens believe their country will become a better place in the next decade. This report indicated a more positive sentiment in the emerging markets of Asia and Africa. Over 70% of respondents in Indonesia and Vietnam believe their… Read more »
GENEVA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) — China has made real progress in the field of human rights promotion and the human rights development path with Chinese characteristics is completely correct, a senior Chinese official said here on Friday. Zhang Jun, deputy head of the Chinese government delegation and China’s assistant foreign minister, said in an interview that China’s human rights development… Read more »
BEIJING, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) — Senior Chinese officials met with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas over bilateral relations in Beijing on Monday. When meeting with Maas, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said that since China and Germany launched an all-dimensional strategic partnership in 2014, the two countries have seen frequent high-level exchanges, and significantly enhanced political mutual trust. Liu, also… Read more »
CHANGCHUN, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) — The ruins of a Bronze Age site have been discovered in northeast China’s Jilin Province. The site was found at a hill near the village of Fenghuangdian in Dunhua by research fellows at the Jilin Provincial Research Institute of Culture and History. A pickaxe, a half-finished arrowhead and a gallet, all made out of stone,… Read more »
LONDON, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) — China is the most optimistic country in the world, with 91.4 percent of its citizens believing their country will become better a place in the next decade, according to a report released Monday. The report, “Priorities of Progress: Understanding Citizens’ Voices,” released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on Monday, is based on a global… Read more »
Myanmar, a country that has recently changed its form of government from a strong militaristic type to a more modern democracy in the past couple years. With its new form of democratic government the country has now shifted their economic way from a central, controlled economy to a now market oriented one. This new market change has increased the economic… Read more »
Yesterday Scott Morrison unveiled his pivot to the Pacific. Key points: A $2 billion infrastructure bank for Pacific nations is the centrepiece of the plan Until now, Australia has largely funnelled aid into health, education and governance projects Pacific leaders welcomed the announcement but want Australia to focus more on climate The plan was ambitious, and the list of… Read more »
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam and the United States have finished the cleanup of dioxin contamination at Danang airport caused by the transport and storage of the herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The 30 hectares (74 acres) of land cleansed of the toxic chemical were handed over to Vietnam at a ceremony Wednesday where Vice Defense Minister Nguyen… Read more »
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The U.N.’s specially appointed researcher on human rights in Cambodia expressed concern Thursday over the country’s use of pre-trial detention and its failure to conduct trials speedily. Speaking at a news conference at the end of an 11-day mission, Rhona Smith specifically expressed concern about people arrested in politically linked cases, including Kem Sokha, the former… Read more »