News

NEW YORK (Xinhua) — An increasing number of Chinese students have put U.S. visa obstacles, along with social instability and climbing tuition fees, into perspective, and moved on to other global destinations for higher education as well as institutions at home, as industry professionals have observed while looking back at 2019.

BAGHDAD (AP) — The United States killed Iran’s top general and the architect of Tehran’s proxy wars in the Middle East in an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport early on Friday, an attack that threatens to dramatically ratchet up tensions in the region.

PARIS (AP) — With 29 straight days of walkouts, French rail strikes against government plans to reform France's retirement system marked a new milestone Thursday, surpassing even the lengths of strikes in the 1980s.

BEIJING (Xinhua) — China's aerospace industry will see a busy year in 2020, with the number of space launches expected to exceed 40, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan has earmarked a combined 1.78 billion yen ($16 million) in the state budget for boosting promotion of sake and other Japan-made alcoholic beverages abroad, especially when the country hosts the Olympics and Paralympics this year.

SYDNEY (AP) — Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee Friday before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia's already-devastating wildfires.

BANGKOK — Most retailers, except for a major convenience store chain, stopped giving out plastic bags for free at the beginning of 2020, giving Thailand a head start on green new year’s resolutions.

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Emperor Naruhito offered greetings on Thursday in his first New Year's address since taking the throne, expressing hope for a "peaceful" year without natural disasters in Japan and for the happiness of people around the world.

NEW YORK (AP) — When a machete-wielding attacker walked into a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, during Hanukkah and a gunman fired on worshippers at a Texas church 14 hours later, the two congregations in different regions of the country joined a growing list of faith communities that have come under attack in the U.S.

HONG KONG (Xinhua) — Rioters took advantage of a protest to wreak havoc again in Hong Kong on New Year's Day, trashing an HSBC branch, setting fire on streets, and spray-painting insulting words on the outer wall of the High Court.