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Top Asian News at 12:30 p.m. GMT
(AP Online Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Suspected US missile strike kills 20 in PakistanDERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) _ Militants on Saturday buried the bodies of Arab comrades who were among at least 20 people killed when suspected U.S. missiles hit a house near the Afghan border, Pakistani officials said. The United States has launched a flurry of strikes in recent weeks against suspected al-Qaida and Taliban targets in northwestern Pakistan, straining ties between the two anti-terror allies.
Rice lauds nuclear deal as key to US-India futureNEW DELHI (AP) _ U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Indian capital Saturday to commemorate _ but not sign _ a historic deal that opens up U.S. nuclear trade with the Asian giant. A signing ceremony that had been scheduled was dropped because, according to U.S. officials, a series of administrative steps have yet to be taken in Washington following Senate approval of authorizing legislation on Wednesday. Rice was meeting in New Delhi with top government officials, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and political opposition leaders.
Taiwan welcomes US$6.5 billion US arms packageTAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) _ Taiwan's president on Saturday welcomed a U.S. decision to sell the island up to US$6.5 billion in advanced weaponry, while China said it strongly opposed the move. The U.S. government announced the package, which includes Apache helicopters and Patriot III missiles, in a notification to Congress on Friday. The State Department said the deal would proceed if no lawmaker voices any objection within 30 days.
Miner rescued after 11 days in Philippine mineMANILA, Philippines (AP) _ The last of 16 miners trapped in a flooded gold mine in the northern Philippines was rescued after 11 days _ and then arrested by police. George Baywong, a Mines and Geosciences Bureau officer who supervised the rescue efforts, said on Saturday that Joseph Anayasan was pulled out of the mine in Itogon township in Benguet province late Friday.
US nuclear envoy holds NKorea talks in BeijingBEIJING (AP) _ The chief U.S. negotiator in nuclear talks with North Korea met Saturday with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing after failing to convince the North to stop restoring its atomic facilities during a trip to its capital, officials said. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill met with Chinese nuclear negotiator Wu Dawei for about one hour and briefed him on his three-day visit this past week to North Korea, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Buangan said.
Cambodia warns Thailand of full-scale hostilitiesPHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) _ The Cambodian government accused Thailand on Saturday of trying to provoke "full-scale armed hostilities" between the two neighbors after a cross-border gunfight. Thai soldiers stationed in a disputed border area were engaged in a brief clash that wounded one Cambodian and two Thai troops on Friday several miles (kilometers) west of Cambodia's ancient Preah Vihear temple.
South Korea finds 4 more melamine-tainted productsSEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ South Korea's food watchdog has ordered four more Chinese-made food products to be destroyed after they were found to contain the industrial chemical melamine. Melamine was found in Snickers Peanut Funsize and M&Ms chocolate milk made by Mars, as well as KitKat wafers made by Nestle and a biscuit manufactured by Lotte Confectionery Co., the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement Saturday.
Cambodian prince steps down as party leaderPHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) _ Prince Norodom Ranariddh, a key leader in post-civil war Cambodia, has resigned as his party's chief and also quit politics just days after returning home from 18 months in exile, his party said Saturday. The prince handed in his resignation on Friday evening, a party statement said, without giving a reason.
Pakistan official says country at warISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) _ Pakistan's war against Islamic extremists will go on until the country is "terrorism-free," a senior official said after mounting violence prompted the U.N. to raise its security stance. Pakistan is under intense U.S. pressure to combat militants responsible for rising attacks at home and in neighboring Afghanistan.
UN raises Pakistan security after hotel bombingISLAMABAD, Pakistan _ The U.N. has declared the Pakistani capital unsafe for the children of its international staff and ordered them out, putting the once tranquil city on par with Kabul and Somalia. Underlining Pakistan's crumbling security situation, a suicide bomber on Thursday failed in an attempt to assassinate a prominent anti-Taliban politician, and troops reportedly killed 27 militants in the restive northwest.
Philippines finds melamine in Chinese milkMANILA, Philippines (AP) _ Philippine health officials have found melamine in two out of 30 milk products from China that have been tested for the industrial chemical at the center of China's latest food-safety scandal. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III identified the brands Friday as Mengniu and Yili, which have already been found to be contaminated in tests in China.
Thai importer will return powdered milk to ChinaBANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ A Thai dairy company plans to return 122 tons of milk powder imported from China because of contamination concerns, highlighting the continued spread of the tainted dairy product crisis. Dutch Mill Group announced the move Thursday even though Thailand's food inspection authorities said they had not found dangerous amounts of the industrial chemical melamine in any foods tested.
Ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers tried for murder of BritonPHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) _ Five former Khmer Rouge soldiers accused of killing a British mine-clearing expert 12 years ago testified Friday that another soldier shot the man in the head as he sat in the dark at their remote base, illuminated only by car headlights. Christopher Howes, 37 at the time of his death, was abducted in March 1996 by the Khmer Rouge along with Cambodian co-workers while clearing mines near Angkor Wat, the famed 12th century temple complex in the country's northwest.
Thai police arrest anti-government protest leaderBANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Thai police detained an anti-government protest leader on insurrection charges Friday in the first arrest since demonstrators stormed and began occupying the grounds of the prime minister's office in late August. Police arrested Chaiwat Sinsuwongse when his car stopped at a highway toll booth, police spokesman Surapol Tuantong said. Police have not attempted to enter Government House, the prime minister's compound, to make arrests there.
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