Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader returns into isolation with resolve, charisma intactBANGKOK — Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is back where the ruling generals want her: inside a crumbling mansion, lonely and isolated from the world. Arrest of new Tamil Tiger leader a major blow to beleaguered Sri Lankan rebelsCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The arrest of the Tamil Tigers’ new leader has dealt a major blow to the rebels’ efforts to regroup and push on with their separatist struggle after being routed by Sri Lankan forces, the government said Friday. Tamil Tigers say new leader was captured in Malaysia, sent to Sri Lanka for interrogationCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan authorities questioned the new leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels Friday after he was arrested in Southeast Asia and flown to this island nation. Attention airport shoppers: Duty-free stores in Thailand can be pricier than plannedBANGKOK — Travelers to Thailand have braved a variety of hazards in recent years but foreign governments are now warning about a new and different one: duty-free shopping at the airport. Plane skids off runway, crashes into control tower on Thai island of Samui; pilot killedBANGKOK — A passenger plane skidded off the runway and crashed into a building after landing on the Thai resort island of Samui on Tuesday, killing the chief pilot and injuring at least seven people including foreign tourists. World attempt at record scream draws loudmouths to compete in ThailandPATTAYA, Thailand — Short shrieks, high-pitched yelps, and drawn-out wails rang out in Thailand at an international competition aimed at setting a new record for the loudest scream. American who swam to Suu Kyi’s defense is unlikely star of her latest battle with dictatorshipBANGKOK — He has been called a fool and a madman, an American innocent abroad who swam a lake to meet Myanmar’s most famous dissident and barged into the midst of her 20-year struggle of wills with the country’s military dictatorship. Auburn University veterinary student studying in Japan vanishes during trip to ThailandAUBURN, Ala. — An Auburn University veterinary student has vanished during a sightseeing trip to Thailand, and officials from the Alabama school are in Tokyo trying to find him. Clinton, North Korea exchange barbs after North refuses to give up nukesPHUKET, Thailand — Hillary Rodham Clinton and North Korea exchanged pointed barbs Thursday, with Clinton declaring North Korea “has no friends left” and the communist regime calling the U.S. secretary of state a “schoolgirl.” Clinton acknowledges N. Korea refusal to give up nukes, insists UN sanctions will go forwardPHUKET, Thailand — Faced with a fresh refusal by North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday the communist regime has “no friends left” to shield it from punishing U.N. penalties. Australia FM meets with Chinese counterpart over Rio Tinto spying case, fails to resolve issuePHUKET, Thailand — Australia’s Foreign Minister Stephen Smith met with his Chinese counterpart Thursday over the case of a Rio Tinto Ltd. manager accused of espionage in China but made no progress resolving the issue. Action against Lashkar only if proof is found: PakistanPHUKET - Pakistan will take action against the Lashkar-e-Taiba if proof was found of its involvement in the Mumbai terrorist attacks, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said here Thursday. Even after refusal of any negotiation, Clinton to keep pressurizing NKorea
Krishna, Qureshi say hello in Phuket, talks only in New YorkPHUKET - Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi were in this Thai island resort for Asias security forum meeting, but they just exchanged greetings and left bilateral talks for their interaction on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September. Krishna focuses on ‘terror-infested neighbourhood’ at ARF meetPHUKET - Without naming Pakistan, India’s Minister for External Affairs S.M. Krishna Thursday drew the attention of Asian countries to “India’s terror-infested neighbourhood” and called for quicker intelligence sharing and effective cooperation to combat the network of terrorists in the region. North Korea says it will not re-enter six-party talks to end its nuclear weapons programPHUKET, Thailand — North Korea says it will not re-enter six-party talks to end its nuclear weapons program, citing the “deep-rooted anti-North Korean policy” of the United States. Clinton to lead talks with Asian partners on possible incentives for North Korea to end nukesPHUKET, Thailand — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged Asian nations Thursday to vigorously enforce the latest U.N. sanctions against North Korea. She said Washington would pursue “every avenue” to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. Clinton to lead talks with Asian partners on possible incentives for NKorea to end nukesPHUKET, Thailand — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged Asian nations Thursday to vigorously enforce the latest U.N. sanctions against North Korea. She said Washington would pursue “every avenue” to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. Thai security destroy motorcycle believed armed with explosives near security conferencePHUKET, Thailand — Security forces guarding an Asian security conference on this resort island Thursday destroyed a motorcycle they suspected was loaded with explosives. It was later determined that the bike was not armed, an army official said. Longest total solar eclipse of the century blankets parts of Asia in darknessTOKYO — From the Ganges River in India to remote islands of the Pacific, the sun rose Wednesday only to vanish again, allowing the stars to twinkle into view in the longest total solar eclipse this century will see — a celestial show that inspired awe and fear in millions across Asia. US is back in southeast Asia: ClintonPHUKET - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Wednesday signed Southeast Asia’s main friendship and security treaty in a gesture signalling America’s return to the region. Clinton to offer North Korea normal relations, economic aid if it completely scraps nukesPHUKET, Thailand — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to tell North Korea that it can avoid “unrelenting” sanctions and win normalized relations with the U.S. by completely scrapping its nuclear program. Kabul embassy attack will not deter India: KrishnaPHUKET - Reiterating its commitment to fight extremism of all kinds, India Wednesday said the despicable attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul last year will not deter it from continuing with reconstruction of the violence-torn Afghanistan. India presses for anti-terror convention, to sign ASEAN FTA in October (Roundup)PHUKET - At the meeting of foreign ministers of the ASEAN and East Asia region here Wednesday, India reminded the world of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the recent Jakarta bombings, as it pressed for greater intelligence sharing and an early adoption of a UN convention on international terrorism to defeat the scourge. India, ASEAN set to sign FTA at Thailand October summitPHUKET - India Wednesday made a strong pitch for a pan-Asian response to global challenges like financial meltdown and terrorism as it gets ready to sign a free trade area (FTA) agreement in goods at its next summit with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Thailand in October. Tamils’ resettlement within six months, Sri Lanka tells India (Second Lead)PHUKET - Sri Lanka Wednesday assured India that it has begun resettling over 300,000 civilians displaced by the military conflict and hoped it would be able to complete the process within six months. Ahead of Krishna’s visit, Australia assures safety of Indian studentsPHUKET - Ahead of Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna’s visit to Australia Aug 5, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Wednesday assured him that his government was doing everything possible to ensure the safety of nearly 100,000 Indian students in that country. Russia seeks cooperation with India over AfghanistanPHUKET - With Russia backing the US military offensive in Afghanistan, Moscow Wednesday sought security cooperation with New Delhi to fight the growing regional threat from the Taliban and allied Islamic militants when External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov here. Clinton says allies agree on need for North Korea’s ‘irreversible denuclearization’PHUKET, Thailand — North Korea must completely and irreversibly end its nuclear weapons program or face further isolation and “the unrelenting pressure” of international sanctions, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday. Australian FM says detention of Rio Tinto employees in China will not be resolved quicklyPHUKET, Thailand — Australia pressed China again Wednesday for a quick resolution to the case of a Rio Tinto manager accused of espionage while acknowledging it will not be settled with one meeting of the two sides. |