By Kathleen Magramo, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — Maritime disputes across the vast South China Sea have ratcheted up in recent years as an increasingly assertive China militarizes disputed islands and confronts its regional rivals over their competing claims in the strategically important and resource-rich waterway. Bracketed by China and several Southeast Asian nations, parts
Continue ReadingBy Ivan Watson, Rebecca Wright, Helen Regan, Kathleen Magramo and Yasmin Coles, CNN Manila, Philippines (CNN) — China is behaving like a schoolyard bully toward smaller countries, the Philippine defense secretary told CNN Friday during an exclusive interview in which he warned his nation, and the wider world, had to stand up to Beijing’s territorial
Continue ReadingBy DENG MACHOL Associated Press JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — Visiting South Sudan President Salva Kiir has agreed in a meeting with Russia’s president to expand their relationship in energy, trade and other areas, notably oil. Kiir and President Vladimir Putin also discussed political and security matters in South Sudan, which is preparing for its
Continue ReadingBy ZEN SOO Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Many millions of Chinese tourists are expected to travel within their country, splurging on hotels, tours, attractions and meals in a boost to the economy during the 8-day autumn holiday period that began Friday. This year’s holiday began with the Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday and also
Continue ReadingBy Simone McCarthy (CNN) — Shipping containers from China are “piling up” in Russia amid a surge of Chinese goods flowing into the country as trade soars, a new analysis has found. Russia has an extra 150,000 shipping containers that importers are scrambling to return to China, logistics platform Container xChange said in a report
Continue ReadingBy Heather Chen and Akanksha Sharma, CNN (CNN) — The US State Department has condemned the jailing of one of Vietnam’s most prominent environmental activists for tax fraud in a ruling human rights activists claimed was a “total sham.” Hoang Thi Minh Hong, 51, who has led environmental campaigns in the communist country for at
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The Small Forestland Grant Program has received $2.5 million through House Bill 5020 to help reduce wildfire risks for owners of small forestland acreage, and people can now apply for the grants, the Oregon Department of Forestry said Thursday.
Continue ReadingÁngela Reyes Haczek (CNN) — Las playas doradas, los distritos comerciales y los templos ornamentados de Tailandia vuelven a llenarse de turistas, y los chinos reciben una bienvenida especialmente VIP gracias a un nuevo plan de exención de visados. Con la promesa de reactivar la economía del país, el recién nombrado primer ministro Srettha Thavisin
Continue ReadingBy ED WHITE Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — A teenager who killed four fellow students at Michigan’s Oxford High School is eligible for life in prison with no chance for parole, a judge ruled Friday, finding only a “slim” chance for rehabilitation after the 2021 attack. Judge Kwamé Rowe announced the decision over video conference,
Continue ReadingBy Rhea Mogul, CNN (CNN) — India’s anti-terror agency has raided 53 sites across seven states and union territories in a crackdown on what it says are “terrorists” and “gangsters,” some of whom it alleges have links to Sikh separatist groups. The National Investigative Agency (NIA) said Wednesday it had seized pistols, ammunition and a
Continue ReadingBy KANIS LEUNG Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — In the last few years, China’s government has promoted increasingly conservative social values, encouraging women to focus on raising children. It has cracked down on civil society movements and made laws to drive out foreign influence. So a 75-year-old Japanese feminist scholar who’s not married and
Continue ReadingBy STEVE PEOPLES and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is set to address presidential primary voters in New Hampshire on Saturday. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is working to strengthen Democratic parties across the Midwest. And California Gov. Gavin Newsom was the Biden campaign’s surrogate during the second Republican
Continue ReadingBy STEVE PEOPLES and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A new generation of Democratic presidential prospects is taking steps to strengthen their national profiles as they fan out across the country to help President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. That’s just as the 80-year-old president faces questions about his political strength and his age.
Continue ReadingBy TARA COPP Associated Press STE MERE EGLISE, France (AP) — The soldier had target fixation. He had three beers in hand, a full day of leave and a group of young women waiting. But a crowd of Army uniforms also gathered for this French village’s D-Day celebrations stood in the way. The soldier navigated
Continue ReadingBy BASSEM MROUE Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — The swift fall of the Armenian-majority enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani troops and the exodus of much of its population has stunned the large Armenian diaspora around the world. Traumatized by a widely acknowledged genocide a century ago, they fear the erasure of what they consider a
Continue ReadingALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria is among many countries in Africa to take steps to transition parts of its education system away from French and toward English. Students returning to the third and fourth grade this week will participate in English classes twice a week as the country expands a pilot program launched last year.
Continue ReadingBy DIANE JEANTET Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A doctor says that Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is recovering in a hospital following successful hip replacement surgery. The operation is likely to put a temporary halt to Lula’s frequent international trips but otherwise not disrupt his activities. Dr Roberto Kalil says
Continue ReadingBRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia holds an early parliamentary election on Saturday that pits populist former Prime Minister Robert Fico, who campaigned on a clear pro-Russia and anti-American message, against a liberal pro-West newcomer. Fico and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party vowed to reverse Slovakia’s military support for neighboring Ukraine in Russia’s war, if
Continue ReadingBy Eric Zerkel, Mary Gilbert and Aya Elamroussi, CNN (CNN) — Record-setting rain overwhelmed New York City’s sewer system Friday, sending a surge of floodwater coursing through streets and into basements, schools, subways and vehicles throughout the nation’s most populous city. The water rose fast and furious, catching some commuters off guard as they slogged
Continue ReadingBy STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — With little time left to prevent a government shutdown, the House is in a familiar position: effectively paralyzed as conservatives feud with Speaker Kevin McCarthy over matters large and small. McCarthy has pushed the Republican conference to embrace a short-term funding plan that would include a sweeping
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