Israeli premier Sharon hospitalized due to mild stroke
December 18, 2005Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was taken to hospital in Jerusalem on Sunday due to a mild stroke, but his condition is improving, the premier's office said. Sharon, 77, is in stable condition and there is no threat to his life, hospital officials said.
Pakistan Army begins operation against Baluch separatists
December 18, 2005Pakistan Army and paramilitary troops began an operation Sunday using helicopter gunships against separatist elements in Baluchistan province, administration and army officials said. The action came after rockets were fired during President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's visit to the province in mid-December, the officials said.
Abe, actor Kaneshiro among Newsweek's picks for top newsmakers of 2006
December 18, 2005Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe and actor Takeshi Kaneshiro were among those who will make headlines in 2006 in politics, business, science and the arts, Newsweek magazine said Sunday in its annual ''Who's Next.'' Also named the up-and-comers in those fields in the magazine's Dec. 26-Jan. 2 issue were Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown and Chilean presidential candidate Michelle Bachelet.
Japan to give duty-free access for 98% of poor countries' goods
December 18, 2005Japan on Sunday night pledged to offer duty-free, quota-free market access for about 98 percent of products originating from least developed countries based on the number of items, in line with a just-struck accord at the World Trade Organization meeting. ''At present, we offer such treatment to some 86 percent of LDC imports, but we will raise the percentage to about 98 percent by implementing our development package,'' Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said.
Gist of WTO ministerial declaration in Hong Kong talks
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U.S. beef shipment to mark restart of import arrives in Japan
December 18, 2005About 130 kilograms of beef delivered by the U.S. Meat Export Federation to commemorate the resumption of beef imports by Japan arrived at Narita International Airport Sunday. The meat will be served at a lunch on Wednesday in Tokyo hosted by the federation's Japan office, where both Japanese and U.S. government officials as well as beef industry officials will gather.
Bhutan's king announces national election in 2008, abdication
December 18, 2005The king of Bhutan has announced that the country will hold its first national elections to establish parliamentary democracy in 2008 and that he will step down from the throne at that time, a state-owned newspaper reported Sunday. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck said in a national address Saturday that the country will hold its first national election in 2008 to complete the process of democracy now underway and will hand over power to his son, Crown Prince Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Kuensel reported in its online edition.
Street campaign staged against politicians' gift giving to voters
December 18, 2005Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Heizo Takenaka took to the streets in Tokyo on Sunday to promote a government campaign against the practice of politicians giving gifts to voters. The one-month campaign, which started Dec. 10, is intended at raising public awareness of the Public Offices Election Law, which bans elected officials from sending New Year greeting cards and giving gifts to members of their constituencies or entertaining them.