By ROB GILLIES Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — At a time when bigotry seems on the rise around the world and doors are being shut, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has become known as a champion of diversity. Now, amid his bid for re-election, that reputation is under attack in a furor triggered by a […]
A panda is the mascot for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics
By SHANSHAN WANG Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — A smiling panda and a walking Chinese lantern will be the mascots for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing. The mascots were revealed on Sept. 17 at a ceremony at the Shougang Ice Hockey Arena in the Chinese capital. Beijing Mayor Chen Jining described them […]
North Korean-themed restaurant in Seoul removes Kim images
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — You can sell North Korean food in South Korea. But you’ll get into trouble if you decorate your restaurant with something deemed praising North Korea. Authorities say the owner of a Seoul restaurant under construction removed signs with the portrait of North Korean leaders and the image of a North […]
Popularity of NBA in China seems to create endless options
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer BEIJING (AP) — Kobe Bryant went to China for the first time in 1998, making the trip to Beijing to help operate an instructional basketball clinic for about a dozen kids. The local coaches working with him didn’t know a lot about the game. Barely anyone noticed that an […]
Gates Foundation to honor India’s Modi despite outrage
By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation isn’t backing down from honoring India Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite concerns about human rights abuses in the disputed Kashmir region. A dozen people, some wearing “Free Kashmir” T-shirts, with the Justice For All coalition delivered 100,000 petition signatures, many from people of South […]
Alibaba founder Jack Ma steps down as chairman
By ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma, who helped launch China’s online retailing boom, stepped down as chairman of the world’s biggest e-commerce company on Sept. 10 at a time when its fast-changing industry faces uncertainty amid a U.S.-Chinese tariff war. Ma, one of China’s wealthiest and best-known entrepreneurs, gave up […]
Japan urges nuke plants to prepare for decommissioning era
By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s nuclear policy-setting body adopted a report on Sept. 2 saying the country is entering an era of massive nuclear plant decommissioning, urging plant operators to plan ahead to lower safety risks and costs requiring decades and billions of dollars. Twenty-four commercial reactors—or 40 percent of Japan’s […]
Citizenship list in Indian state leaves out almost 2 million
By SHEIKH SAALIQ Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — Nearly 2 million people from the east Indian state of Assam were excluded on Aug. 31 from a final citizenship list that is intended to identify legal residents and weed out illegal immigrants, amid fears they could be rendered stateless. A total of 31.1 million people […]
Toyota, Suzuki partnering in self-driving car technology
By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s top automaker, Toyota, and smaller rival Suzuki are partnering in the development of self-driving car technology, as manufacturers around the world grapple with innovations in the industry. Under the deal, announced on Aug. 28, Toyota will take a 4.9 percent stake in Suzuki Motor Corp. […]
Man arrested at Singapore airport
A man has been arrested at Singapore’s Changi Airport for misusing a boarding pass. He bought a plane ticket just so he could accompany his wife to the gate and wave goodbye to her as she boarded her flight. Singapore Police said the man, 27, had a boarding pass that allowed him access to the […]