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Top Asian News at 5:30 a.m. GMT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Australian leader warns of planned random attackSYDNEY (AP) — Counterterrorism raids in Sydney on Thursday were sparked by security intelligence that the Islamic State movement was planning a random, violent attack in Australia as a demonstration of its reach, the prime minister said. Australian police detained 15 people and raided more than a dozen properties across Sydney in the country's largest counterterrorism operation, saying intelligence indicated an attack was being planned on Australian soil. Senate: China hacked military contractor networksWASHINGTON (AP) — China's military hacked into computer networks of civilian transportation companies hired by the Pentagon at least nine times, breaking into computers aboard a commercial ship, targeting logistics companies and uploading malicious software onto an airline's computers, Senate investigators said Wednesday. A yearlong investigation announced by the Senate Armed Services Committee identified at least 20 break-ins or other unspecified cyber events targeting companies, including nine successful break-ins of contractor networks. It blamed China's government for all the most sophisticated intrusions, although it did not provide any detailed evidence. Fiji's military ruler headed for big election winSUVA, Fiji (AP) — Fiji's military ruler for the past eight years appeared to be headed to a decisive victory Thursday to become the South Pacific nation's elected leader. With votes from three-fifths of polling stations counted, Voreqe Bainimarama's Fiji First party was winning 60 percent of the vote, while its closest rival, the Sodelpa party, was trailing with 27 percent. The margin will ensure Fiji First will be able to rule outright in the Parliament under the country's proportional system. Minority scholar denies separatism at China trialURUMQI, China (AP) — A Muslim Uighur scholar accused of separatism sought to show Thursday that his writings and classroom lectures, including rhetoric saying Chinese are dragons and Uighurs are wolves, were not a campaign to split his native Xinjiang region from China. Frequent government critic and former Beijing economics professor Ilham Tohti is accused of fomenting ethnic hatred and unrest to overthrow Chinese rule in Xinjiang, which has seen an uptick of violent over the past 18 months that authorities blame on terrorist cells seeking a separate state. North Korea powerful temptation for some AmericansSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — One shouted about God's love as he crossed a frozen river, clutching a Bible. Another swam, drunk and naked. Several U.S. soldiers dashed around land mines. Time and again, Americans over the years have slipped illegally into poor, deeply suspicious, fervently anti-American North Korea, even as it has become increasingly easy to enter legally as a tourist. It's incomprehensible to many, especially since tens of thousands of desperate North Koreans have crossed in the opposite direction, at great risk. NKorea rejects US offer to send high-level envoyWASHINGTON (AP) — North Korea is not accepting American offers to send a high-level envoy to seek the release of three detained Americans, a senior U.S. official said. Robert King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that freeing the detainees could provide a diplomatic opening in ties, also snared by Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons. But he said that Washington would not give into attempts to "extort" political gain from the detentions. Japan, neighbors agree to moves to protect eelsTOKYO (AP) — Japan has agreed to cut purchases of eel fry from neighboring East Asian countries by 20 percent as part of moves to protect the endangered species. The agriculture ministry said the agreement with China, South Korea and Taiwan, reached Wednesday, calls for reducing eel hauls by 20 percent for one year, beginning in November. Thailand says no DNA match yet for slain BritonsBANGKOK (AP) — Police in Thailand said Wednesday that DNA samples from the bodies of two British tourists found bludgeoned on a resort island did not match any collected from 12 people who were among those in the area. Police also conducted autopsies which showed that 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge died from head wounds while 24-year-old David Miller suffered severe blows to the head and drowned in the surf, said Maj. Gen. Pornchai Suteerakune, the country's forensics police chief. Japan logs trade deficit for 26th month in a rowTOKYO (AP) — Japan logged a 948.5 billion yen ($8.7 billion) trade deficit in August, the 26th straight month of red ink, as slack demand from China and the U.S. stymied exports, the Finance Ministry said Thursday. Exports fell 1.3 percent from a year earlier to 5.71 trillion yen ($53.3 billion) while imports dropped 1.5 percent to 6.65 trillion yen ($62.1 billion), resulting in a 948.5 billion yen ($8.8 billion) deficit, according to preliminary data. Japan posted a 971.4 billion yen deficit in August 2013. Bangladesh empowers parliament to impeach judgesDHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh's parliament now has the authority to impeach Supreme Court judges after lawmakers late Wednesday voted to approve a much-debated amendment to the constitution. The amendment passed unanimously in a voice vote of 327-0, with support coming from the ruling Awami League. US man held for alleged attempt to swim to N KoreaSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean border guards arrested an American man who they believe was attempting to swim across a river to rival North Korea, a South Korean defense official said Wednesday. The man was apprehended Tuesday night while lying on a bank of the Han River in a restricted military area near the border, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to office policy. Bangladesh court reduces sentence of IslamistDHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh's Supreme Court commuted on Wednesday the death sentence of an Islamist political leader whose conviction last year for war crimes during the nation's 1971 war for independence sparked deadly protests. Delwar Hossain Sayedee, one of the top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, must remain in prison "for the rest of his natural life," Chief Justice Muzammel Hossain said. Pakistan airstrikes kill 40 militants, army saysISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's military launched airstrikes on five militant hideouts in a troubled tribal region near the border with Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing 40 suspected fighters as part of a massive operation that began this summer. In a statement, the military said "precise" air strikes were carried out in Datta Khel, a Taliban stronghold in North Waziristan, where Pakistan launched a long-awaited offensive on June 15. The region has long been home to local and foreign militants who carry out attacks in Pakistan and against NATO forces in Afghanistan. Sony forecasts $2B loss as smartphones lagTOKYO (AP) — Sony expects its annual loss to swell to $2 billion and has canceled dividends for the first time in more than half a century after writing down the value of its troubled smartphone business. Citing intense competition, especially from Chinese rivals, Sony said Wednesday it anticipates a net loss of 230 billion yen ($2.15 billion) for the fiscal year that ends March 31, 2015. Its previous forecast was for a 50 billion yen ($466 million) net loss. Japan seeks backing for whaling despite UN rulingPORTOROZ, Slovenia (AP) — Japan sought international backing Wednesday for its highly criticized plan to resume whale hunting in the Antarctic next year, despite a ruling against it by the top U.N. court. Japan negotiated at the International Whaling Commission conference in Portoroz, Slovenia, to amend a resolution about global whaling criteria so that it would allow Japan to engage in "scientific whaling." Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |