Politics | GlobalPost

Abe to meet with adviser over N. Korea trip Tues. at earliest

Kyodo News InternationalMay 20, 2013 04:15

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be briefed as early as Tuesday by Isao Iijima, his key advisor whose recent surprise visit to North Korea for talks on the long-standing abduction issue has come under the spotlight, officials said Monday. "I think we will let (Iijima) directly report (to Abe)," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference. Iijima separately told reporters that he would meet with Abe on May "21st or later."

At least 12 dead following blast at explosives factory in eastern China

The Canadian PressMay 20, 2013 03:45

BEIJING, China - A massive blast ripped through an explosives factory Monday in eastern China, killing at least 12 people and leaving others buried in the debris, state media reported. Rescuers were take care to avoid setting off additional explosions as they went through the site of the mid-morning explosion in Shandong province's Caofan township, the China News Service said. The company website said the factory, run by the Baoli group, manufactures 10,000 tons of industrial explosives annually.

China Communists must slash membership

Agence France-PresseMay 20, 2013 03:34

China's ruling Communist Party should cut its more than 80 million members by nearly half to avoid the bloat that felled the Soviet Union, a political scientist has written in a party magazine. The Communist Party of China is the world's largest political party, having recruited a wide swathe of citizens in recent years in an effort to broaden support as its original ideological underpinning has changed.

opposition party-river project

Yonhap News AgencyMay 20, 2013 03:33

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party on Monday launched a fact-finding committee to look into alleged irregularities surrounding a highly controversial government project to refurbish the nation's four major rivers. The team, headed by Rep. Lee Mi-kyung, will be tasked with preparing for a parliamentary investigation into allegations that the project was launched out of political considerations, despite strong warnings by environmentalists, party officials said.

labor minister-ordinary wage

Yonhap News AgencyMay 20, 2013 03:31

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- The labor minister proposed Monday that the management, labor and government hold a meeting to discuss a highly controversial issue of whether bonuses should be included in the "ordinary wages" of workers. Ordinary wages refer to payments in addition to one's salary that include overtime, holiday shifts, paid annual leave, severance and other allowances. Much attention has recently been given to the inclusion or exclusion of regular bonuses due to the financial impact that the definition could have on companies.

Park-ex-PM

Yonhap News AgencyMay 20, 2013 03:31

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye paid her respect Monday to late Prime Minister Nam Duck-woo who is credited with helping lead South Korea's rapid economic development in the 1970s when her father late President Park Chung-hee was in office. Nam died Saturday of complications from testicular cancer at the age of 89. He was appointed finance minister by the senior Park in 1969 and served in the job until 1974. From 1974 to 1978, Nam was deputy prime minister in charge of economic policies.

US-NK policy goal

Yonhap News AgencyMay 20, 2013 03:30

By Lee Chi-dong WASHINGTON, May 19 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. government aims to expand dialogue with North Korea in fiscal 2014 to improve the communist country's "international standing," according to the State Department's report to Congress. The policy target is seen as in line with the South Korean administration's goal of building mutual trust with the North.

In survey, economists says consumers poised to boost spending, offset government cuts

The Canadian PressMay 20, 2013 02:45

WASHINGTON - Consumer spending is likely to pick up this year, while government spending declines at a faster rate, according to a survey of business economists. The economists predict that the U.S. economy will grow 2.4 per cent this year and 3 per cent next year. That's unchanged from their forecast in February. But they are more bullish on consumer spending and housing than they were three months ago, in part because of a more positive view about unemployment.

AFP 0500 GMT News Advisory

Agence France-PresseMay 20, 2013 02:00

Duty Editor: Jitendra Joshi Tel: +852 2829 6210 -- TOP STORIES -- + Chinese premier makes fence-mending visit to India + Yahoo! set to buy blogging site Tumblr for $1.1 bn + Syrian forces launch offensive on rebel stronghold + Record $590 million lotto ticket traced to Florida India-China-diplomacy,WRAP NEW DELHI Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledges to build up trust with India and declares that ties between the Asian giants are key to world peace as he visits New Delhi only weeks after a border spat.

AFPTV Advisory 0300 GMT

Agence France-PresseMay 19, 2013 23:45

We will file the following videos: -- TOP WORLD NEWS -- + MYANMAR US VISIT Coming up: WASHINGTON: Myanmar leader Thein Sein meets President Barack Obama on historic first visit to the White House. RAW. TBA WASHINGTON: Thein Sein speaks at a gala dinner held in his honour by the US Chamber of Commerce. RAW. TBA + CHINA INDIA VISIT Coming up: NEW DELHI: Chinese premier makes fence-mending visit to India. RAW. TBA + NIGERIA Coming up: