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U.S.-Russia War of Words Escalates over Venezuela Situation

2019-05-02T00:56:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON, May 1-- The war of words between Washington and Moscow escalated on Wednesday over the latest situation in Venezuela.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had proclaimed himself as the interim president, reportedly called on the Venezuelan people and military to take to the streets to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which was later frustrated by security forces.

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, the White House said that the United States denounced Russia's "continued support" for the Maduro government.

The White House said that "the Trump Administration views interference from the Russian government and their support of the Maduro regime as extremely troublesome and unacceptable."

The statement read that "President Trump has made it clear to Russia that they must leave and renounce their support of the Maduro regime."

Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States will continue to raise cost for Russia over the behaviors on Venezuela-related issue.

In an interview with Fox Business Network, Pompeo said that "as the president said, they've got to go, and the Russians need to have the cost for that raised."

On the same day, Pompeo called his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss the Venezuela situation.

According to the State Department, Pompeo said during the phone call that the role of Russia in Venezuela is "destabilizing" for the nation and "for the U.S.-Russia bilateral relationship."

For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday denounced Washington's support for the Venezuelan opposition in their attempt to seize power.

In the telephone conversation with Pompeo, Lavrov noted the latest situation in Venezuela where the opposition had tried to seize power with "obvious support" from the United States, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"The Russian side stressed that Washington's interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and threat against its leadership is a gross violation of international law," the statement said.

Lavrov said that only the Venezuelan people have the right to determine their destiny and that destructive external influence has nothing to do with a democratic process.

In a televised address on Tuesday night, Maduro called on other countries "which continue to support the coup opposition" to rectify their positions.

The United States has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Venezuelan government in support of Guaido. It recognized Guaido as the nation's "interim president" on Jan. 23, days after Maduro was inaugurated for a second term.

UK Defense Secretary Fired over "Unauthorized Disclosure of Information"

2019-05-02T00:53:00.001-07:00

LONDON, May 1 -- Downing Street said Wednesday in a statement that Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson had been sacked by the Prime Minister for "unauthorized disclosure of information".

A Downing Street spokesperson said, "The Prime Minister has this evening asked Gavin Williamson to leave the Government, having lost confidence in his ability to serve in the role of Defense Secretary and as a member of her Cabinet.

"The Prime Minister's decision has been informed by his conduct surrounding an investigation into the circumstances of the unauthorized disclosure of information from a meeting of the National Security Council.

"The Prime Minister thanks all members of the National Security Council for their full cooperation and candor during the investigation and considers the matter closed."

Williamson has been defense secretary since 2017 in the wake of Michael Fallon's sudden resignation.

The British government has appointed Penny Mordaunt as new defense secretary to replace Williamson. She was previously the international development secretary.

British media said Mordaunt is the first woman to take the role of defense secretary, while Rory Stewart, current Minister of State for the Ministry of Justice, will be the new international development secretary.

Russia Slams U.S. Support for Attempted coup by Venezuelan Opposition

2019-05-02T00:51:00.004-07:00

MOSCOW, May 1 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday denounced Washington's support for the Venezuelan opposition in their attempt to seize power as an intervention in the country's internal affairs.

In a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Lavrov noted the latest situation in Venezuela where the opposition had tried to seize power with "obvious support" from the United States, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Lavrov said that only the Venezuelan people have the right to determine their destiny and that destructive external influence has nothing to do with a democratic process.

On the other hand, Pompeo criticized that Russia's role in Venezuela is "destabilizing" for the nation and urged Moscow to "cease support for Nicolas Maduro", according to the U.S. State Department.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reportedly rejected Pompeo's claim that Maduro was preparing to leave Venezuela but was talked out of it by Russia.

"Washington tried its best to demoralize the Venezuelan army and now used fakes as a part of information war," she was quoted by Tass news agency as saying.

Trump Administration Divided over Military Option in Venezuela: Media

2019-05-02T00:50:00.002-07:00

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- U.S. media reported Wednesday that the Trump administration has not reached a consensus on whether to engage in military intervention in Venezuela to support the opposition leader Juan Guaido.

According to a report of the Washington Post, as the Maduro government remains intact after an attempted yet failed coup on Tuesday, the Trump administration has sent "mixed messages about what role, if any, the U.S. military would play in Washington's future efforts to resolve the Venezuelan crisis."

U.S. President Donald Trump has "shown little willingness to plunge into Venezuela," according to his current and former aides, the newspaper reported.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told financial news channel Fox Business on Wednesday that a peaceful solution was still desired but that "military action is possible. If that's what's required, that's what the United States will do."

The Pentagon also appeared Wednesday to downplay any active preparations to directly intervene in Venezuela but acknowledged detailed contingency planning since turmoil in the country deepens.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford said in a congressional testimony that "to date, most of our actions have been diplomatic and economic."

Moreover, as National Security Advisor John Bolton has pushed for a more aggressive policy on Venezuela, he "has angered some within and outside the White House," the Washington Post report said.

Before the coup attempt, Bolton's staff clashed with Gen. Paul Selva, Dunford's vice chairman, during a meeting to address the ongoing crisis, according to several officials with knowledge of the exchange, the report said.

In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced that he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the United States.

China, Russia Start 'Joint Sea 2019' Naval Exercise in Eastern China

2019-04-30T01:25:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, April 29 -- A joint military exercise with the Chinese and Russian navies has begun in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, marking the second time that both navies have met at the port of Qingdao since the launch of the annual drill mechanism in 2012.

The Chinese PLA Navy sent a warm welcome to the Russian fleet.

Qiu Yanpeng, deputy commander of the PLA Navy, said that through the exercise, both sides will have closer collaboration and greater proficiency in addressing all kinds of security threats.

The subject of this year's exercise is "joint maritime defensive operations." Both navies have dispatched two submarines, 13 surface vessels, multiple aircraft and some 80 marines.

Reportedly, the "Joint Sea 2019" exercise will be conducted in three phases, namely preparation, execution and summary. At least ten drills will be held by May 4.

According to a senior military official, the exercise will focus on joint submarine rescue, air defense, and anti-submarine operations.

On Monday afternoon, the navies of both sides visited each other's vessels in order to deepen mutual understanding.

"This is the second time I have come to Qingdao, and I am so happy to be back," said Alexander Averianov, a chief warrant officer from Russian cruiser Varyag.

They will soon set out to hold exercises in the sea and airspace near Qingdao.

Both navies stressed that the exercise does not target any third party. It only aims to enhance their capability to commonly address maritime security threats.

$3.5M Confiscated from Chinese Goes to Cambodian National Bank

2019-04-30T01:22:00.001-07:00

Phnom Penh , April 30 – Interior Ministry spokesperson Khieu Sopheak said Tuesday that the USD 3.5 million confiscated from three Chinese at Phnom Penh International Airport now belongs to the state-property thus preserved at the National Bank of Cambodia.

Phnom Penh municipal court investigating judge Ros Samedy, on Sunday, ordered to detain Wang Shiping, Wang Lichao, and Zhang Jian, accused of “money laundering”, a violation of law on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism.

Ministry of Interior’s immigration police, on 23 April 2019, arrested the trio for bringing USD 3.5 million into the kingdom from Hong Kong without proper financial source, according to the ministry’s press release dated Friday.

Cambodia-Myanmar Vows Stronger Ties

2019-04-30T01:20:00.004-07:00

Phnom Penh , April 30 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation, speaking in a meeting on Tuesday at the Peace Palace Phnom Penh.

Aung San Suu Kyi informed the Premier that the three-day visit to Cambodia is her first official visit since she took office as head of government in 2016, and that her visit aims to promote bilateral tie with Cambodia, Eang Sophalleth, personal secretary to the Premier, told the press after the meeting.

Sophalleth said both sides discussed mainly on culture, religion, education, and economy.

Prime Minister Hun Sen welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi and commended her initiative to strengthen Cambodia-Myanmar bilateral ties.

2020 will mark the the 65th anniversary of the Cambodia-Myanmar diplomatic relations. Prime Minister recommended the joint ceremony to encourage and promote tourism in both countries by hosting cultural events in Siem Reap and Bakan – provinces enriched with heritages.

Regarding religion, the Premier thanked Myanmar for allowing Cambodia to build a monastery in the province of Myanmar, and for providing training to 94 Cambodian monks. Currently, four are still studying there.

Prime Minister encouraged the exchange study between Cambodian and Myanmar students. He announced to award 10 scholarships Myanmar students to study in Cambodia for 2019-2020.

Regarding economy, Prime Minister Hun Sen considered agreement on double tax avoidance and promotion of trade volume to be larger than USD 10 million.

Myanmar and Cambodia established diplomatic relations in 1955.

WWII Bomb Defused in Germany's Cologne

2019-04-25T00:30:00.005-07:00

BERLIN, April 24 -- An unexploded World War II bomb was discovered and later defused on Wednesday in Cologne, forcing 2,500 residents to evacuate, according to the official twitter account of the city of Cologne.

The bomb was discovered Wednesday afternoon and an area of 500 meters in radius had been cordoned off. The discovery has disrupted local and long-distance traffic, including the train route from Cologne to Bonn.

The city of Cologne tweeted on Wednesday evening that the bomb was defused and residents can return home.

In the early morning of Wednesday, another bomb was defused successfully by a specialized robot in the city of Regensburg in Bavaria, forcing an evacuation of 4,500, local media said.

Decades have passed, yet World War II bombs are frequently discovered all across Germany.

Libyan PM Denies Calling for Ceasefire in Tripoli

2019-04-25T00:28:00.005-07:00

TRIPOLI, April 25 -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj denied calling for ceasefire between the government and the east-based army, as both parties continue fighting for control over the capital Tripoli, the government spokesperson said Wednesday.

"The Head of the Presidential Council of the Government (Serraj) supervises the fight against Haftar's militias (army). There will be no negotiations or dialogue until ... the aggressors are defeated. The Head of the Council strongly denies requesting or desiring ceasefire," government spokesperson Mohannad Younis said in a press release.

"The position of the Council is clear against the aggression -- returning the aggressor forces to where they came from," Younis said.

The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over western Libya, particularly Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based.

The clashes between the two sides so far killed 272 people, injured 1,282 others, and displaced more than 30,000 civilians, according to the World Health Organization.

Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.

China to Further Promote Space Cooperation for UN Sustainable Development

2019-04-25T00:27:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, April 25 -- China will further promote international space cooperation to make concrete contributions to the realization of sustainable development goals set by the United Nations, a senior official with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Wednesday.

China is to build a new type of cooperative and win-win relationship with other space agencies and international organizations around the world to jointly enhance the role of space industries in facilitating sustainable development, said CNSA deputy director Wu Yanhua at the United Nations/China Forum on Space Solutions: Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Committed to a better service for the countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, especially developing countries, China is constructing a space information corridor, and promoting the sharing of satellite resources, according to Wu.

Bringing into play the unique strength of satellites in supporting telemedicine, epidemic prevention and control, and distance education, social security services can be improved, said Wu.

Wu also mentioned that China is to undertake monitoring and research of global climate change by taking advantage of satellites, aiming to achieve the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.

16 More Nabbed in Sri Lanka over Attacks, 1 Allegedly Linked to Terror Group

2019-04-25T00:25:00.000-07:00

COLOMBO, April 25 -- Following Sunday's terror attacks in Sri Lanka, the police said 16 more suspects were arrested in special operations conducted in the early hours of Thursday and one of those taken into custody is suspected to be linked to a terrorist group.

The police said 76 suspects have been taken into custody so far and several of them have been handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department.

Sri Lanka's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in a special statement said that the use of drones and unmanned aircraft within the Sri Lankan airspace had been banned from Thursday until further notice.

The CAA said the decision was taken considering the prevailing situation in the country.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's parliament late on Wednesday passed the state of emergency regulations without a vote, which provides further provisions to the armed forces to maintain peace in the country. Security was further beefed up immediately after this, with a larger army force deployed across the island country.

So far, 359 people have been killed in Sunday's explosions which ripped across several areas of Sri Lanka while over 500 have been injured.

A total of 34 foreigners were among those killed.

Australian Freighter Sunk by Japanese Submarine during WWII Found after 77 Years

2019-04-23T02:50:00.001-07:00

SYDNEY, April 23 -- For almost eight decades, the final resting place of the SS Iron Crown has remained one of the great Australian maritime mysteries.

But on Tuesday, Australia's peak science body the CSIRO, along with the Australian National Maritime Museum have finally uncovered the watery grave of the ill-fated ore ship.

Sunk by a Japanese submarine while traveling through Bass Strait during World War II, the 100-meter-long cargo ship was hit with a torpedo on June 4, 1942.

Taking just one minute for the vessel to sink, dozens of sailors were killed, making it the State of Victoria's worst-ever maritime tragedy.

"The Iron Crown is historically significant as one of only four World War II shipwrecks in Victorian waters and is the only ship to have been torpedoed by a submarine in Victorian waters," maritime archaeologist with Heritage Victoria Peter Harvey said.

"There were 43 crew from the Australian Merchant Navy on board the ship and 38 lost their lives in the attack," Harvey said.

"Locating the wreck after 77 years of not knowing its final resting place will bring closure for relatives and family of those that were lost at sea, as well as for Australia's maritime community," Harvey said.

Discovered using state-of-the-art "multibeam sonar equipment and a special drop camera" on-board the CSIRO research vessel Investigator, the lost ship was found around 100 km off the Victorian coastline, near the New South Wales State border.

"The wreck of Iron Crown appears to be relatively intact and the ship is sitting upright on the seafloor in about 700 meters of water," Voyage Chief Scientist from the Australian National Maritime Museum Emily Jateff said.

"We have mapped the site and surrounding seafloor using sonar but have also taken a lot of close-up vision of the ship structure using a drop camera," Jateff said.

"This will allow us to create a composite image of the whole site to assist in follow up surveys for its conservation and management," Jateff said.

While the discovery of the wreck is a major triumph for Australian marine researchers, Jateff said the excitement was also coupled with sadness.

"This is an important discovery for Australia and all on board feel honored to have been involved in this successful search," she said.

"The fact that so many lives were lost in the sinking of Iron Crown was something that hit home with all scientists, staff and ship crew working on board Investigator," she said.

The State of Victoria and the Australian Government are now planning a memorial service to mark the discovery of the SS Iron Crown and to honor those on-board.

Death Toll from Monday's Philippine Earthquake Rises to 16

2019-04-23T02:46:00.001-07:00

MANILA, April 23 -- The death toll from Monday's 6.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the Zambales province in the Philippine main Luzon Island has risen to 16, the government said on Tuesday.

Ricardo Jalad, the executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said 81 people were also injured and 14 others remain missing in central Luzon provinces of Pampanga and Zambales.

Of the 16, the national disaster agency said five were pulled from the collapsed four-storey supermarket building in Porac town, seven from different villages also in Porac town, two in Lubao town, one in Angeles City, in Pampanga province and one in San Marcelino town in Zambales province.

A total of 29 structures and buildings were damaged, the NDRRMC said.

Monday's earthquake also caused landslide in San Marcelino town, prompting the government to evacuate about 120 families living around the mountain.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Monday's quake was detected at a depth of 12 km, about 18 km northeast of Castillejos, a town in Zambales province in the western part of Luzon.

The quake knocked down buildings and walls, and cracked road surfaces in Pampanga province and other parts of central Luzon. A number of churches, including a century-old Roman Catholic church, were also damaged.

It also shook high-rise buildings in Metro Manila, the Philippine capital, prompting office workers to dash out of the building offices.

Schools and offices in Metro Manila and outlying provinces were closed on Tuesday to make way for inspection of the buildings.

Less than 24 hours after the 6.1-magnitude rocked the Philippines on Monday, another 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck the San Julian town in Eastern Samar province in the central Philippines at 1:37 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

No casualty has been reported except one minor injury in Tuesday's earthquake so far.

The Philippines, which lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, have numerous active faults and trenches on both sides of the archipelago. Phivolcs said several quakes rattle this archipelagic country every day, though most are not felt.

The geographic and geologic settings of the Philippines make this archipelagic country prone to earthquakes. Phivolcs records an average of 20 earthquakes a day and 100 to 150 earthquakes are felt per year.

U.S. Rocket Launched to Bring NASA Cargo to ISS

2019-04-19T01:08:00.004-07:00

WASHINGTON, April 17 -- A U.S. rocket was launched on Wednesday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore, carrying cargo with the space agency's resupply mission for the International Space Station (ISS).

The Antares rocket built by Northrop Grumman lifted off at 4:46 p.m. EDT, carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS. The spacecraft successfully separated from the rocket about nine minutes after the blastoff, flying on its way to the space station, according to NASA's live broadcast.

The spacecraft is expected to dock with the space station early Friday morning.

The spacecraft carried about 7,600 pounds (3,450 kg) of supplies and scientific experiments to the station. Some instruments it transports will examine astronauts' health in microgravity.

A Canada-made instrument will perform on-orbit detection and quantification of cell surface molecules on a per cell and assess soluble molecule concentration in a liquid sample such as blood, saliva, or urine, thus sparing sample freezing and storing, according to NASA.

Another two new experiments will scrutinize aging-like changes in many astronauts on the space station, including changes to their arteries, and examine effects of spaceflight on the function of antibody production and immune memory.

A NASA-coordinated study published on April 11 showed that long-duration spaceflight may change astronauts' gene expression and pose other health risks. NASA said it is necessary to take actions to prevent any damage to astronauts in a planned three-year space travel to Mars in 2030s.

Also on this mission, the spacecraft demonstrated for the first time its ability to load cargo 24 hours before a scheduled launch. Previously, cargo had to be put in place about four days prior to the liftoff, making some experiments challenging.

The spacecraft will remain attached to the space station for approximately two months before departing with up to 7,700 pounds (about 3,500 kg) of cargo for disposal, according to Northrop Grumman.

Nepal Says Its First Ever Satellite Launched

2019-04-19T01:06:00.003-07:00

KATHMANDU, April 18 -- Nepal's first ever satellite was launched into space on Thursday morning, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli confirmed here.

Nepali Prime Minister Oli expressed happiness over Nepal's entry into the global space age while thanking all those involved in developing the first ever Nepali satellite.

The research satellite, which has been named NepaliSat-1, was launched at 2:31 am on Thursday from the Virginia-based station of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the United States, according to authorities at the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

"Though a humble beginning, with the launching of NepaliSat-1 Nepal has entered the Space-Era. I wish to congratulate all those scientists and institutions that were involved right from the development to its launching thereby enhancing the prestige of our country," Oli said on Twitter.

The satellite was designed and built at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan by two Nepali students, a senior official of the NAST told Xinhua on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, NAST Spokesperson Suresh Dhungel said that the NAST is setting up the ground station in Nepal for receiving data sent by the satellite soon.

Apple Expands Program to Recycle Old iPhones

2019-04-19T01:03:00.001-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO, April 18 -- Apple said Thursday that it will quadruple the number of outlets in the United States where customers can send their iPhone to be disassembled by its recycling robot, Daisy.

As part of expanded recycling programs, Apple will increase the number of the locations, including Best Buy stores throughout the country, to help U.S. customers drop their old iPhones for recycling.

Daisy will disassemble used iPhones returned to the Best Buy stores or KPN retailers in the Netherlands, and the customers can also turn in their mobile devices at any Apple Store or through apple.com as part of the Apple Trade-In program, said the company.

About 1 million old iPhones have been returned through Apple programs and each Daisy can disassemble 1.2 million devices per year, Apple said.

The Cupertino, California-based company refurbished more than 7.8 million Apple devices and helped divert over 48,000 metric tons of electronic waste from landfills in 2018.

Daisy is able to disassemble 15 different iPhone models at the rate of 200 per hour, Apple said.

Meanwhile, Apple also launched a new, 9,000-square-foot (about 836 square meters) Material Recovery Lab based in Austin, Texas, to explore future recycling processes.

The lab will look for innovative solutions involving robotics and machine learning to improve on traditional methods like targeted disassembly, sorting and shredding, said Apple.

The U.S. tech giant is investing actively in recycling programs to push for an environmentally-friendly and sustainable industry.

Apple said it is using 100 percent recycled tin in a key component of the main logic boards of 11 different products at its manufacturing plants, and the production of its new MacBook Air and Mac mini has halved the emissions of carbon dioxide due to the adoption of recycled aluminum.

"Advanced recycling must become an important part of the electronics supply chain, and Apple is pioneering a new path to help push our industry forward," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives.

Also on Thursday, Apple released its 2019 Environment Report that outlines its climate change solutions ahead of the Earth Day, which falls on April 22.

Apple said 44 of its suppliers have committed to 100 percent renewable energy for their production of Apple products.

Police Arrests Six More Protestors, Block National Road

2019-04-19T00:58:00.001-07:00

Sihanoukville, April 19 – Police arrested six more protestors among 100 for leading violent protests and blocking National Road 4, Sihanoukville police chief Choun Narin told Fresh News on Friday.

It was the second day of roadblock that caused gridlock on National Road 4. The violent protest injured four police officers and two other commune security and damaged three vehicles, according to the police chief.

On Thursday, police arrested Khlot Tosita, 39, female, temporarily settling at the site above; and the other man, Keo Sang, 53, a fisherman in Prey Nup district of Sihanoukville.

Tosita was throwing stone at and using a cane to attack authorities during a raid on 600 anarchic houses build on a legal private land located in Sihanoukville's Prey Nup district, whereas Keo Sang led a group to block the national road.

Sihanoukville administration issued a press release dated 18 April 2019 underlining the commitment to protect public and private assets by taking necessary measures against anarchic activities and violent protest that led to public disorder.

Sihanoukville authority also urged people not to trust the propaganda of some groups that promised the allotted piece of land or lands sold under special price.

Hong Kong-bound Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Kaohsiung after Engine Smoke

2019-04-08T01:49:00.003-07:00

TAIPEI, April 8 -- A Cathay Dragon plane carrying 317 passengers bound for Hong Kong had to make an emergency landing in Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan Monday morning after one of its engines started spewing smoke over suspected collision with birds.

Cathay Dragon flight KA451 made an emergency landing at the Kaohsiung International Airport at 8:31 a.m. after pilots reported smoke coming from one of the jet's engines, the airport's control tower said.

The plane, an Airbus 330, took off at Kaohsiung at 8:02 a.m. Monday and shortly reported the right engine was emitting smoke over suspected collision with a flock of birds, according to the control tower. The jet circled back toward Kaohsiung and dumped fuel before its successful emergency landing at 8:31 a.m.

After the plane landed, airport and city fire fighters stood by, but luckily no fire or injuries were reported.

Cathay Dragon said it would arrange alternative flights for passengers as soon as possible and apologized for the delay.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Trump: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Leaving Position

2019-04-08T01:47:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who oversaw President Donald Trump's bitterly contested immigration policies during her tumultuous 16-month tenure, resigned on Sunday amid a surge in the number of migrants at the border with Mexico.

A senior administration official said Trump asked for Nielsen's resignation and she gave it. Trump, who has recently expressed growing anger about the situation at the border, said on Twitter: "Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will be leaving her position, and I would like to thank her for her service."

In another tweet, Trump said Kevin McAleenan, the current U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, would become acting DHS secretary.

Nielsen, 46, held the position since December 2017. As it includes immigration and customs enforcement, her department is responsible for carrying out some of Trump's most contentious policies as he has sought to cut back on the number of Mexicans and Central Americans entering the U.S. without proper documentation.

Repeatedly subjected to tough questioning by Democrats in Congress, Nielsen has overseen Trump plans such as his effort to build a wall on the border with Mexico and the separation of migrant children from their families.

In her resignation letter, Nielsen asked for more from Congress and the courts, which have opposed such Trump administration initiatives as his effort to limit immigration from Muslim nations and the border wall.

"I hope that the next Secretary will have the support of Congress and the courts in fixing the laws which have impeded our ability to fully secure America's borders and which have contributed to discord in our nation's discourse," she wrote to Trump.

Trump has made a clampdown on illegal immigration a centerpiece of his two-year-old presidency, leading chants of "Build that wall" at his rallies as he has sought to cut back on the number of newcomers entering the U.S. without proper documentation.

He insists that the arrival of immigrants across the southern U.S. border constitutes a national emergency. He recently threatened to close the border, or parts of it, if Congress did not change U.S. laws to fix what he called immigration "loopholes."

Nielsen's resignation was the latest high-profile departure from the Trump administration, and leaves just four women in his Cabinet. Among others, Trump currently lacks a permanent secretary of defense or chief of staff.

Police Officer Killed, 7 Injured in Eastern Afghan City Explosion

2019-04-08T01:44:00.004-07:00

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, April 8 -- One police officer was killed and seven people were wounded in a bomb attack in Jalalabad, a city in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, a local source said.

"An improvised explosive device (IED) struck a police van running near the provincial Women Affairs Department and private Ariana University in Police District 3 roughly at 6:46 a.m. local time," the security source told Xinhua anonymously.

An investigation has been underway and further details will be shared with the media later in the day, he said. Among the wounded were six civilian and the injured were shifted to a regional government hospital in the city.

He blamed enemies of peace, referring to the Taliban militant group, for the attack.

Taliban militants, who ruled the country before being ousted in late 2001, have renewed armed insurgency in the country in recent years, killing government troops as well as civilians.

The city has been hit by serial bomb attacks within last week, in which four were killed, including a 22-year-old woman and two traffic police officers, and 31 others injured.

200 Gold Bars Seized in Southeast Bangladesh Airport

2019-04-08T01:42:00.004-07:00

DHAKA, April 8 -- Customs officials at Bangladesh's second largest airport in the seaport city of Chattogram on Monday morning seized 200 gold bars weighing over 23 kilograms, an official said.

The Customs Intelligence Department official who preferred to be unnamed told Xinhua that "We've found 200 gold bars abandoned at a toilet in flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines."

The flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines arrived in Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, from Dubai at about 6:00 a.m. local time.

According to the official, the gold bars worth about 100 million taka (around 1.43 million U.S. dollars).

No one was arrested in connection with the seizure.

South Korea's Korean Air Chairman Dies of Chronic Illness at 70

2019-04-08T01:40:00.000-07:00

SEOUL, April 8 -- Cho Yang-ho, chairman of South Korea's biggest air carrier Korean Air, died Monday of a chronic illness at the age of 70.

Cho passed away early Monday morning (South Korea time) at a hospital in the United States, after suffering from a lung disease. He stayed in Los Angeles for the treatment since December last year, according to local media reports.

The eldest son of Cho Choong-hoon, the founder of Hanjin Group, served as chairman of the Korean Air since 1999 and chairman of the Hanjin Group since 2003.

The Hanjin Group is the country's 14th-biggest conglomerate that has Korean Air, budget carrier Jin Air, Hanjin KAL and other companies under its wing.

Malaysia Sells Scandal-linked Yatch for 126 mln USD

2019-04-03T01:01:00.004-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 -- Malaysian government said Wednesday that it will sell the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)-linked superyacht Equanimity to Genting Malaysia at the price of 126 million U.S. dollars.

Malaysia's Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said in a statement that the payment will be received by the end of April, as the highest recovery to date for the government of Malaysia from the 1MDB scandal.

According to the attorney-general, the offer price was the highest when the Equanimity was put up for sale over the five months from October last year.

Although the yacht was sold lower than the market price of 130 million U.S. dollars, he still considered the net returns to the government is "as good if not more, than envisaged", noting that Genting's offer was negotiated directly with Malaysian government, thus saving the commission.

The Equanimity is one of the assets seized by Malaysian government under the 1MDB probe. The luxury yatch was once held by Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, who is wanted by the Malaysian government for the 1MDB case.

Trial on Former Malaysian PM Najib's Corruption Charges Begins after Delays

2019-04-03T00:58:00.004-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 -- A Malaysian court started hearings Wednesday on the corruption charges against former Prime Minister Najib Razak after previous delays.

Najib showed up at the high court in Kuala Lumpur for the hearings on the seven charges, including criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving 42 million ringgit (10.3 million U.S. dollars) deposited into his personal bank account from SRC International, a former unit of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

A small number of Najib's supporters, including some from his constituency in Pekan town of Pahang state, were present outside the court building, but they were dwarfed by members of the press and the police contingent of around 60 who were present to provide security and crowd control.

The trial date was set following the decision by the Federal Court last week to lift the stay of proceedings order granted by the Court of Appeal to Najib, which he filed on in February.

The trial proceeded despite his legal team filing an application for a judicial review against the Federal Court's decision to lift the stay of proceedings order on Tuesday.

The trial of the SRC case was initially slated to start in February but was put on hold after the Court of Appeal granted a stay of proceedings pending related appeals.

Najib has been slapped with a total of more than 40 charges related to corruption involving billions of dollars after his Barisan Nasional coalition lost the general elections last May.

China Develops New Rice Strain with High Yield, Disease Resistance

2019-04-02T01:16:00.004-07:00

NANJING, April 1 -- Chinese scientists have bred a new strain of rice with both high disease resistance and high yield, Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) announced.

A research team led by Professor Yang Donglei of the State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement and NAU in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, utilized a high-yield gene, coded Ideal Plant Architecture1 (IPA1), to enhance the plant's disease resistance against the bacterial blight of rice without undermining yields.

Yang's team found that downregulation of miR-156 and overexpression of IPA1, a target gene of microRNA-156 (miR-156) that has access to the regulation of multiple processes in the grain's growth and development, would improve disease resistance but reduce rice yield.

To find a way out of the dilemma, researchers set an "alarm" on the novel strain of rice to signal bacterial blight invasion and thus raised expression of IPA1 to enhance disease resistance.

"We call the new strain of rice 'HIP,'" Yang said, noting that the team has identified miR-156-IPA1 as a regulator of the crosstalk between growth and defense and bred the new strain of rice.

Further research showed that without pathogenic infection, IPA1 expression of the new plant strain only increases slightly, which enhances yield-related traits including fewer tiller buds, larger spikes and thick stems.

The research findings were published in the latest issue of Nature Plants, one of the top international academic journals on plant biology.