China tells N. Korea: 'Will never allow war or chaos' on Korean Peninsula

China's vice foreign minister has told North Korea's top diplomats that Beijing "will never allow war or chaos" on the Korean Peninsula, in a clear warning against Pyongyang's defiant continuation of its nuclear programs and provocations.Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, who began a four-day visit to North Korea on Monday, made the remarks during a meeting with senior North Korean officials, including Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun, Liu's ministry said in a statement.The remarks by Liu we

Feb. 19, 2014

S. Korean tourist shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Philippines

 HANOI -- A South Korean tourist was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the northern Philippine city of Angeles, the South Korean Embassy in Manila said Wednesday.The 65-year-old South Korean man, surnamed Hur, was hit by several bullets shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle at around 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday (Philippine time), according to the embassy. He died at the scene.He was returning to a hotel with three other fellow travelers when the gunmen approached them, the embassy said. The other th

Feb. 19, 2014

Ai Weiwei says US artist wrong to smash his vase

BEIJING (AP) -- Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who helped make his name smashing a valuable vase in the name of art, said Wednesday that he was miffed about another artist destroying one of his vases in Florida.Maximo Caminero was charged with criminal mischief after destroying a vase valued at $1 million that was part of Ai's exhibit at the Perez Art Museum Miami. The Florida artist said he smashed the vase Sunday to protest the institution's lack of displays of local artists.Ai said Wedne

Feb. 19, 2014

China to build new site for burial of its war dead from S. Korea

China has agreed to build a new site at one of its state cemeteries to bury the remains of soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War that are to be repatriated from South Korea late next month, a diplomatic source said Monday.The Chinese decision, which came after a meeting in Beijing with South Korean officials last month, is aimed at avoiding a potential controversy over the planned burial at the Chinese state cemetery in the northeastern city of Shenyang. The cemetery officially describes

Feb. 17, 2014

Kerry injects some vigor into Asia 'pivot'

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has provided a much-needed boost to the Barack Obama administration's rebalancing toward Asia, as he wraps up a whistle-stop tour of three key regional countries.Some questioned his role in the U.S. policy on Asia. He spent much of his time and energy in grappling with Syria, Iran and other Middle East issues over the first 10 months as Washington's top diplomat.Throughout the five-day Asia swing, the Vietnam War veteran endeavored to show his commitment to the

Feb. 17, 2014

Silicon Valley power-grid attack 'terrorism': regulator

A former regulator says a 2013 shooting which nearly knocked out Silicon Valley's power supply was a terror attack, possibly testing for a bigger strike, but others cast doubt on the claim.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said Friday it could not rule anything out, but that the attack on an electricity substation near San Jose was more likely a criminal matter, rather than terrorism-related.Shooters using semi-automatic weapons caused extensive damage to 17 transformers in the attack in

Feb. 8, 2014

China manufacturing index at six-month low: HSBC

BEIJING (AFP) - Chinese manufacturing contracted for the first time in six months in January, HSBC confirmed Thursday, raising questions over growth prospects for the world's second-largest economy this year.The British banking giant's final reading of China's purchasing managers' index (PMI), which tracks manufacturing activity in factories and workshops, fell to 49.5 this month.It was its lowest figure since July and fractionally below the preliminary 49.6 HSBC announced last week.The index is

Jan. 30, 2014

S. Korea to donate sculpture to peace palace in Netherlands

South Korea said Thursday it plans to donate a sculpture to the Peace Palace in the Netherlands by the end of this year, a move Seoul hopes will help forge cooperative ties with the International Court of Justice.The Palace, located in The Hague, is home to the International Court of Justice, U.N.'s main judicial body, as well as the Permanent Court of Arbitration.South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it has completed consultations with the Carnegie Foundation, which owns the Palace, on the issue.

Jan. 30, 2014

UN warns of humanitarian 'catastrophe' in DR Congo's Katanga

KINSHASA (AFP) - A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in DR Congo's Katanga province, where rebel violence has destroyed 600 homes over the past three months and displaced 400,000 people, the UN said Wednesday.The head of the world body's MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo admitted that the huge southeastern province had been neglected in recent months."It's a humanitarian catastrophe," Martin Kobler told reporters in Kinshasa, referring to the situation in Katanga, where vio

Jan. 30, 2014

Obama repels new Iran sanctions push, for now

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama appears to have prevailed, for now, in a campaign to stop Congress from passing new sanctions on Iran he fears could derail nuclear diplomacy.Several Democratic senators who previously backed a bipartisan sanctions bill publicly stepped back after Obama threatened a veto during his State of the Union address on Tuesday.Several sources familiar with behind-the-scenes maneuvering on the bill say a number of other Democratic senators signed up for more sanc

Jan. 30, 2014

China, Japan spar at UN over Abe shrine visit

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - China and Japan accused each other of threatening stability Wednesday as a diplomatic battle over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to a contested war shrine reached the UN Security Council.China's UN ambassador, Liu Jieyi, seized upon a debate on the lessons of conflict to slam Abe for going to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors war criminals among the country's war dead.Attempts to change history "destabilize regional peace and pose a serious challenge to the pea

Jan. 30, 2014

Three U.S. lawmakers urge Kerry to address 'comfort women' issue

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) – Riding on a legislative document on Korean and other Asian women forced to serve in sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II, three U.S. congressmen sent a letter Wednesday to Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to address the issue.They are Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Adam Schiff (D-CA).The lawmakers said the letter is aimed at bringing the secretary's attention to the historic document attached to a spending bill for fiscal year 2014.

Jan. 30, 2014

Koreas accuse Japan of history distortion at U.N.

NEW YORK (Yonhap) – South and North Korea displayed rare unity on the U.N. Security Council Wednesday, as they fiercely condemned Japan for history "distortions."The two Koreas, backed by China, said that Japan's conservative leadership is fully responsible for escalating tensions in Northeast Asia over history and territorial issues.Amb. Oh Joon, South Korea's permanent representative to the U.N., accused Japanese leaders of having a "distorted view of what happened during the time of imperiali

Jan. 30, 2014

China slams Japan's reported plan to invite journalists over territorial claims

China criticized Japan Wednesday for reportedly planning to invite foreign correspondents stationed in Beijing and Seoul to promote Tokyo's stance on territorial issues, urging Japan not to "waste time to make vain efforts." China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks when asked about a Japanese media report that the Japanese foreign ministry would invite more than 100 U.S. and European correspondents in Beijing and Seoul early this year to brief them on territorial issues

Jan. 8, 2014

Iraq readying 'major attack' to retake Fallujah

FALLUJAH, Iraq (AFP) - Iraq is preparing a "major attack" to retake militant-held Fallujah, a senior official said on Sunday, spelling a new assault for the western city where U.S. forces repeatedly battled insurgents.Washington said it would help Baghdad in its battle against Al-Qaeda-linked militants but that there would be no return of U.S. troops.The takeover of Fallujah and parts of provincial capital Ramadi farther west is the first time that militants have exercised such open control in m

Jan. 5, 2014

Pope announces first visit to Holy Land, May 24-26

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Francis said Sunday he will make his first trip to the Holy Land, visiting Amman, Bethlehem and Jerusalem from May 24 to 26."In the climate of joy typical of this Christmas period, I would like to announce that from May 24 to 26, God willing, I will carry out a pilgrimage to the Holy Land," Francis told crowds gathered in St Peter's Square for the traditional Angelus prayer.Francis said the date of the announcement -- January 5 -- was significant because it "commemorate

Jan. 5, 2014

India set for landmark cryogenic rocket launch

BANGALORE, India (AFP) – India was set for the launch of its first domestically-powered cryogenic rocket Sunday, as Delhi bids to join an elite club of countries with the technology after a crash and a fuel leak on previous attempts.Scientists were making final preparations for the launch of the rocket using a complex technology mastered by just a handful of countries, a top Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) official said.The 415-ton rocket carrying a two-ton advanced communications sate

Jan. 5, 2014