CAIRO — A Liberia-flagged tanker was struck twice with missiles and drones in the Red Sea on Thursday morning, in an attack claimed by Iran-aligned Houthi militants. The Olympic Spirit was hit about 135 kilometers southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, British maritime security firm Ambrey said. The tanker, en route from Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah to Muscat in Oman, was struck on its starboard side. …
Turkey evacuates upwards of 900 people from Lebanon via naval ships
BEIRUT / ISTANBUL — Hundreds of Turkish citizens seeking refuge from Israel’s attacks on the armed group Hezbollah were evacuated from Lebanon Thursday on board two Turkish naval ships. The two vessels — the TCG Sancaktar and TCG Bayraktar — also delivered 300 tons of humanitarian aid, including food, blankets and tents, upon arrival at Beirut’s port on Wednesday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the ships …
Indonesia arrests suspect wanted by China for running $14 billion investment scam
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s immigration officers on the tourist island of Bali have arrested a Chinese suspect sought by Beijing for helping run over $14 billion investment scam to clients in China, officials said Thursday. The 39-year-old man, identified only by his initial, LQ, was arrested on October 1, when an immigration auto-gate in Bali’s Ngurah Rai international airport denied him departure for Singapore. The biometric …
China to lift 4-year ban on Australian lobster imports, Australia’s prime minister says
MELBOURNE, Australia — China will resume importing Australian live lobsters by the end of the year, removing the final major obstacle to bilateral trade that once cost Australian exporters more than 20 billion Australian dollars ($13 billion) a year, Australia’s prime minister said Thursday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement after meeting Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit in Vientiane, …
Blinken builds ties with Thailand, Malaysia after turbulence
VIENTIANE, LAOS — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced hope Thursday for cooperation with Thailand and Malaysia after recent turbulence as he met their prime ministers at an Asia summit. In a shift of focus after exhaustive diplomacy on the Middle East crisis, Blinken is representing the United States in Laos at the annual East Asia Summit, which President Joe Biden is skipping for the …
China defiant over South China Sea skirmishes in ASEAN talks, blames meddling by foreign forces
Vientiane, Laos — Southeast Asian leaders stepped up pressure on China to respect international law following clashes in the disputed South China Sea during annual summit talks on Thursday, but Chinese Premier Li Qiang was defiant as he blamed “external forces” for interfering in regional affairs. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ meeting with Li followed recent violent confrontations at sea this year between China …
Hong Kong court rejects activist Jimmy Lai’s bid to have a jury trial for libel case
HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court rejected jailed publisher Jimmy Lai ‘s request to have a jury trial for his libel case against a pro-Beijing newspaper Thursday, the latest setback for the activist who suffered multiple blows in other legal battles. Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, is one of the city’s leading activists who was prosecuted under a sweeping national security …
Taiwan celebrates National Day holiday against background of Chinese threats
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan celebrated its National Day holiday Thursday against the background of threats from China, which claims the self-governing island republic as its own territory. The celebration marks the establishment of the Republic of China, which overthrew the Qing Dynasty in 1911 and fled to Taiwan as Mao Zedong’s Communists swept to power on the mainland during a civil war in 1949. Taiwan was …
China tries to silence critics in Japan, new report finds
taipei, taiwan — China has used transnational harassment and intimidation to prevent Chinese people living in Japan from engaging in protests and activism, a new report by Human Rights Watch said. Most of the 25 Chinese people interviewed by Human Rights Watch, including ethnic minorities from Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia, said Chinese police have warned them, sometimes through their relatives in China, against taking part …
Observers: Chinese-made fighter jets play key role in deadly airstrikes in Myanmar
Washington — Local media in Myanmar are reporting that six FTC-2000G fighter jets purchased from China have arrived, and observers are concerned that Chinese military support for the Myanmar military is prolonging the conflict and worsening civilian suffering. China’s supply of fighter jets, such as the FTC-2000G, has helped the junta maintain air superiority, and that has caused widespread casualties across Myanmar. According to media reports, …
Syrian refugees flee Lebanon, head back to Syria
The United Nations says a quarter million people have fled Israeli attacks in Lebanon over the past two weeks for the relative safety of Syria. Most of them are Syrians who went to Lebanon to escape their country’s civil war but are now back home with no place to stay. VOA’s Heather Murdock has more from Istanbul with Yan Boechat and Diego Baravelli in Hasakah, …
Expansion of ASEAN-China free-trade pact questioned amid summit
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — As Laos hosts this year’s summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Beijing is calling for additions to its free-trade agreement with the regional forum that focus on smart cities, 5G, artificial intelligence and e-commerce. Ahead of the ASEAN summit, which began Sunday and ends Friday, Chinese state media have stepped up efforts to promote the benefits of what they call an …
China says Taiwan president increasing ‘hostility’
BEIJING — China has accused Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te of escalating “hostility” and pursuing independence, as the self-ruled island prepared to celebrate its National Day. China, which split with Taiwan at the end of a civil war in 1949, regards the island as part of its territory that must eventually be reunified, by force if necessary. Lai, who took power in May after his Democratic Progressive …
ASEAN holds summit in Laos as Thailand floats new plan for Myanmar
Vientiane, Laos — Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit expected to find ways of tackling a worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand set to propose a new path for a political solution after a regional peace effort made scant progress. Chaos has prevailed in Myanmar since a 2021 military coup sparked a nationwide rebellion and a civil war that has …
Daughter of Singapore’s founding father dies at 69
SINGAPORE — The estranged sister of Singapore’s former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong died on Wednesday at 69, after being diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy in 2020. The death of Lee Wei Ling, a doctor, was announced by her younger brother Lee Hsien Yang on Facebook. The siblings are the children of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and have been embroiled in a public …
US stresses desire for peaceful resolution of Taiwan disputes
WASHINGTON — A top U.S. official said the United States expects differences across the Taiwan Strait to be resolved peacefully and opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo as Taiwan prepares to celebrate the founding of the Republic of China on Thursday. The People’s Republic of China, or PRC, celebrates its national day on October 1, marking the founding of the country in 1949. Taiwan …
Jailed Chinese businessman’s daughter asks Xi Jinping to release her father
Washington — The daughter of imprisoned Chinese real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang has issued a public appeal to China’s leader, Xi Jinping, asking him to allow her father to seek medical care he needs after his health reportedly deteriorated during his time in jail. Ren, 73, is a former member of the Chinese Communist Party and chairman of the state-owned Huayuan real estate group. He was …