Daily International News 05.11.11

Daily International News
May 11, 2011

US-China S&ED Coverage
China rejects US criticism of human rights record [BBC]
China-US make progress on trade but differences remain [BBC]
U.S., China reach ‘milestone’ agreement on security, economic policy [WaPo]
China-U.S. S&ED yields satisfactory outcome: Chinese vice premier [Xinhua]
U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue creates new opportunities [Xinhua]

Northeast Asia
China [non-S&ED]
Detained artist Ai Weiwei’s exhibits in UK [AP]
Korean Bible instructor held following China raid [AP]
Three ex-Xinhua Finance bosses face US fraud charges [BBC]
Koreas
Pro-Pyongyang newspaper reacts coldly to Lee’s invitation [Yonhap]
North Korea Readying New Surprise? [The Diplomat]
U.S. evangelist Franklin Graham in N. Korea, meets foreign minister [Kyodo]
U.S. ponders food-team trip to North [JoongAng]
Debate rages about food aid to North Korea [AP]
S. Korea, Japan Agree on 3-step Process to 6-party Talk Resumption [Arirang TV]
Satellites show more poppy fields in the North [JoongAng]
S. Korea urges North Korea to halt cyber attacks [Kyodo]
S. Korea and N. Korea invited to field joint team in table tennis [Yonhap]
Japan
Japan to set up govt-backed nuke compensation plan [AP]
Japan nuclear operator seals radioactive water leak [Reuters]
Kan orders probe into Fukushima failures [FT]
Toyota quarterly profits drop but recovery expected [BBC]

Southeast Asia/Japan
U.N. envoy arrives in Myanmar to meet gov’t officials, Suu Kyi [Kyodo]
Bangladesh rejects rights group’s criticism [AP]

South/Central Asia
U.S. granted access to speak to bin Laden’s wives [CNN]
Pakistan military aid safer than the economic aid [FP]
Senator Kerry heads to Pakistan to smooth bin Laden fury [Reuters]
Bin Laden Sons Say U.S. Broke International Law [NYT]
Taliban resistance ‘under-estimated’ by Britain [BBC]
India puts Pakistani army officers on “most wanted” list [Reuters]
India’s Supreme Court rejects harsher Bhopal charges [BBC]

Middle East
Hamas accepts 1967 borders, but will never recognize Israel, top official says [Haaretz]
Syria tanks ‘shell’ protest city of Homs [BBC]
Exclusive: Kuwait opens bid for Syrian seat on U.N. Human Rights Council [FP]
Protests bring two Yemen cities to standstill, 2 dead [Reuters]
Bahrain should set up torture investigation body – HRW [Reuters]
Iraq to discuss extension of U.S. troops this month – PM [Reuters]

Africa
Libya rebels ‘capture Misrata airport’ [BBC]
Ban Ki-Moon calls for Libya cease-fire as NATO assault intensifies [WaPo]
Sudan: UN peacekeepers attacked in Abyei [BBC]
Uganda opposition leader Kizza Besigye ‘allowed home’ [BBC]
Uganda’s anti-gay bill not on agenda after outcry [AP]

Europe
Protesters clash during Greek strike [FT]
German police raid homes of suspected extremists [AP]
Lithuania jails Soviet commando for Medininkai shooting [BBC]
Earthquake fever hits Rome as some fear “the big one” [Reuters]
Germany ‘could back Italy’s Draghi for ECB chief’ [AFP]
Clegg: Lib Dems to be ‘more muscular’ in coalition [BBC]
David Cameron’s Prime Minister’s Questions – in full [BBC]

Americas
FARC files show ties with Venezuela’s Chavez and Ecuador’s Correa [Miami Herald]
Guatemalan Court Acquits Former President of Embezzling [NYT]
Venezuela begins electricity rationing after blackouts [BBC]

Domestic
President to Renew Muslim Outreach [WSJ]
Obama administration boasting about border security [WaPo]
Five Democratic Senators to watch in Obama debt meeting [WaPo]
Gingrich is in, but can he win? [WaPo]
Romney focused on outraising — by far — Republican presidential competitors [WaPo]
Navy revokes guidance on same-sex marriages [WaPo]
Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks about separation from Maria Shriver [LAT]

Daily International News 12.14.09

Daily International News
December 14, 2009

Copenhagen
Talks Stall as Poorer Nations Threaten to Walk Out [NYT]

“Jairam Ramesh, the chief negotiator for India, said that the Group of 77 developing countries had staged the temporary walkout because their representatives had grown frustrated with how conference leaders had been conducting negotiations.”

DPRK
U.S. envoy says no timetable yet for North Korea talks [Reuters]
“The U.S. envoy for North Korea said on Monday no timetable had been set for talks on nuclear disarmament with the isolated state to resume.”

Delegation of American Businessmen Here [KCNA]
“A delegation of U.S. businessmen headed by General Charles Boyd, president and CEO of the “BENS” (Business Executives for National Security), arrived here by air on Monday.”

Thailand to Hold Crew That Was Transporting Weapons [NYT]
“Five crew members of an aircraft carrying weapons from North Korea were denied bail here Monday and ordered held for at least 12 days while the police investigate the origin and destination of the mysterious shipment of arms.”

S. Korean nuke envoy to visit Russia this week [Yonhap]
“Wi Sung-lac, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will visit Russia from Dec. 16 till Dec. 19,” ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said.”

China
Chinese, Turkmen, Kazakh, Uzbek presidents unveil gas pipeline [China Daily]
“With their hands on wheel of valves, President Hu and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Uzbek President Islam Karimov turned on the flow of natural gas together in the gas plant on the right bank of the AmuDarya River.”

Burma
U.N. Says Opium Trade Is Expanding in Myanmar [NYT]
“The United Nations warned on Monday that drug control measures were “unraveling” in Myanmar with opium farming in the country expanding for the third consecutive year.”

AfPak
Pakistan Bars Deportation of Detained Americans [NYT]
“Five Muslim American men arrested in Pakistan last week cannot be deported to the United States until their case is reviewed, a Pakistani judge here ruled Monday.”

16 Afghan Police Killed In Taliban Attacks [Quqnoos]
“At least 16 Afghan policemen have been killed in two attacks on checkpoints in Afghanistan’s north and south.”

Middle East
Detained Americans to Be Tried in Iran: Minister [ABC]
“Three U.S. citizens detained in Iran and charged with espionage will stand trial, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday.”

Abu Dhabi rescues Dubai with $10-billion bailout [LAT]
“Abu Dhabi rescued debt-ridden Dubai today with a $10-billion bailout package that lifted world financial markets but left unclear how the glittering emirate by the sea would recover from nervous investors and a troubled real estate market.”

Taiwan probes reports of nuclear-linked sales to Iran [Reuters]
“The Economic Ministry’s Import and Export Administration pledged the investigation due in part to a report in the London Daily Telegraph that said Iran had set up a nuclear-equipment smuggling network using Taiwan companies.”

From 12/13 Washington ‘rejects Iran uranium swap offer’ [Press TV]

From 12/12 Iran offers to swap 400 kilos of LEU on Kish for atomic fuel [AFP] “We are ready to continue dialogue with the permanent-five-plus-one,” Mottaki said.”

Europe
Silvio Berlusconi recovering after Milan statue attack [Guardian]
“The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, will stay in hospital for at least one more day after being hit in the face when a statuette of Milan cathedral was thrown at him during a political rally yesterday.”

EU Calls for Tax on Global Financial Transactions [Der Spiegel]
“European Union leaders are calling for a new tax on global financial transactions as protection against a future financial crisis. But the idea has little chance against US opposition.”

Americas
Piñera Wins Plurality in Chile Vote, Will Face Frei in Runoff [Latin American Herald Tribune]
“Rightist candidate Sebastian Piñera won a plurality in the Chilean presidential election on Sunday, and now will face off in a runoff with former President Eduardo Frei.”

Domestic
Obama to take bankers to task over lending, reforms [Reuters]
“Obama, who has complained about “fat cat bankers” taking big bonuses, will use the meeting to press the firms to expand their lending to small businesses and to stop trying to thwart legislation to overhaul the financial regulatory system.”