Asia News

When US President Barack Obama beamed in Beijing, the Chinese managed tight-lipped smiles. When he spoke haltingly with none of his usual confidence, about Tibet, Iran or the Chinese currency, they ignored him, served chicken soup with bean curd and sent him to climb the Great Wall.

General Sarath Fonseka?s candidature for presidency as a consensus opposition contender from the newly United National Front (UNF) was subject to his accepting a 10-point policy statement of the Front, opposition leader and former prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe has said.

Leaders of the three major political parties in Nepal met on Wednesday to find a way out of the ongoing political deadlock in the Himalayan nation.

Ever since they came here for the event, they have been seriously handicapped. But North Korea, despite being a player short, defeated India 3-1 in the First Division team championship final of the 19th Asian Table Tennis Championship here on Tuesday.

US President Barack Obama ended his state visit to China with a call for fresh talks between Beijing and the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Iran has said that it is still keen for India to join the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, but has hinted that New Delhi should hurry up and resolve matters as the 'structure' of the project can change in the future.

Colombo, Nov. 17 -- Two generals occupied the headlines in Colombo last week. General Sarath Fonseka's resignation and political ambitions naturally made it to the top of discussions everywhere from kitchens to 'kottu' corners. The visit of shadowy and reclusive Myanmar junta leader general Than Shwe was one of its kind too. A Myanmar leader was visiting Sri Lanka in 43 years.

With less than four days remaining for the deadline given by Maoists to the Nepal government to end, political parties in the Himalayan nation have stepped up efforts to end the ongoing political impasse.

General Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka?s first chief of defence staff, vacated his office on Monday after taking farewell salute from the three forces in absence of their commanders.

Politely but firmly pressing for greater freedoms on China?s own turf, President Barack Obama spoke against censorship on Monday, saying tough criticisms of political leaders should be allowed and the free flow of information on the Internet ?should be encouraged.?

US President Barack?s Obama first visit to China will undoubtedly be marked by difficult talks on trade and climate change, but another thorny issue has emerged: how to write ?Obama? in Mandarin.

A post-conflict Sri Lanka has the opportunity to usher in permanent peace and stability for all its communities by ensuring that minorities enjoy the same rights and privileges as enjoyed by the majority community, union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Colombo on Friday.

A post-conflict Sri Lanka has the opportunity to usher in permanent peace and stability for all its communities by ensuring that minorities enjoy the same rights and privileges as enjoyed by the majority community, union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Colombo on Friday.

US President Barack Obama used a meeting on Sunday with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to urge pariah state Myanmar to free pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has approved grants worth US$2.4 billion over two years. With this grant, the Global Fund has approved US$18.4 billion for 144 countries since it was created in 2002 to fight infectious diseases in developing countries.

Give up agitation: Koirala to Maoists
Kathmandu: In an emotional appeal, ailing former Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has asked the Maoists to withdraw their anti-government agitation for the sake of "national unity" and work for taking the peace process to its logical conclusion.

The Nepal Police have issued an arrest warrant against a woman minister in the Madhav Kumar Nepal government for allegedly slapping a senior official earlier this week.

The agitating Maoists in Nepal on Friday gave a week's ultimatum to the government to address their demands or else face a more aggressive (read violent) agitation.

The Maoists in Nepal on Friday gave a week?s ultimatum to the government to address their demands or face a more aggressive ? read violent ? agitation.

Pakistan today dismissed a media report about Beijing providing it with weapons-grade uranium and a blueprint for an atomic bomb and described it as an effort to divert attention from support being extended by 'some states' to India's nuclear programme.