Taipei, Taiwan — Din Tai Fung, a popular Michelin-starred Taiwanese restaurant known for its long lines and hot dumplings, says it is closing more than a dozen stores in China as the world’s second-largest economy loses steam and thrifty consumers seek out cheaper options for dining out. The company’s subsidiary, Beijing Hengtai Feng Catering Company, announced Monday that it plans to close all its 14 restaurants in northern China including one in Xiamen. The brand's parent company in Taipei told... Читать дальше...
Caracas, Venezuela — Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro took to the streets Wednesday in an attempt to revive protests against him as he tightens his grip on power following last month's disputed election. The demonstration in the capital, Caracas, comes exactly a month after the fraught July 28 vote in which Maduro was declared the winner despite strong evidence that opposition candidate Edmundo González won by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, which drew international condemnation that the vote lacked transparency. Читать дальше...
WASHINGTON — Journalists in Myanmar are calling for greater protections for media following the killing last week of two reporters, and the heavy sentences handed down to other media professionals since the military seized power. A journalist with the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB, and a freelancer were both killed on Aug. 21 when the military raided the home of the freelance reporter in the town of Kyaikhto, in Mon state. The killings come amid a crackdown on independent journalism, according to media watchdogs. Читать дальше...
Washington — The White House welcomed on Tuesday the rescue of an Israeli hostage abducted October 7 by Hamas and said a Gaza cease-fire deal is being finalized. But even if an agreement is reached, a truce is unlikely to extend beyond the six weeks of phase one of the three-phase deal. The next U.S. administration will still inherit the role of managing tensions in the region. Since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris has aimed to strike a balance between... Читать дальше...
sao Paolo, brazil — Some of the suspects arrested for setting fire to sugarcane fields in Sao Paulo state told police they are linked to an organized crime gang and were retaliating for anti-crime actions by the government, a senior state official said on Tuesday. The fires that started last week spread rapidly through parched fields during the weekend, at the peak of the country's dry season, and destroyed thousands of hectares of sugarcane plantations, sending up clouds of smoke that cloaked nearby cities. Читать дальше...
Abidjan, Ivory Coast — Families of Burkina Faso civilians killed in a massacre have accused the army of exposing them to their militant killers by making them leave their village to dig a trench. Armed men carried out the attack in the village of Barsalogho in north central Burkina Faso on Saturday, killing dozens of civilians and security personnel, local sources said. A group linked to al-Qaeda, known by its Arabic initials JNIM, claimed responsibility and said it had seized control of a local militia headquarters. Читать дальше...
White House officials welcomed the rescue of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas Tuesday and said they are finalizing a Gaza cease-fire deal. But even if an agreement is reached, a future U.S. administration will still inherit the problem of managing tensions in the Middle East. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara looks at potential U.S. policy under Vice President Kamala Harris should she win the November presidential election.
WASHINGTON — The United States is urging certain foreign nations not to fuel Sudan's civil war by arming fighting factions, as the country faces one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Meanwhile, Washington has also called on Sudan's warring sides to enforce a code of conduct to reduce abuses, noting that the army is considering the proposal after its rival paramilitary forces have agreed to it. More than 25 million people face acute hunger and more than 10 million have been displaced from... Читать дальше...
CARACAS — Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday made major changes to his cabinet, including leadership of the oil and finance ministries and state oil company PDVSA, after a contested election both the ruling party and the opposition claim to have won. Anabel Pereira is new finance minister, while Hector Obregon is the new president of PDVSA, replacing Pedro Tellechea, who will move to head the Industry Ministry, Maduro said on state television. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez will... Читать дальше...
