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Police block Chinese court where rights lawyer to be tried

TIANJIN, China (AP) — About two dozen plainclothes police were stationed outside a courthouse in northern China on Wednesday as the trial of a prominent human rights lawyer was expected to unfold.

Reporters, foreign diplomats and supporters were prevented from approaching the municipal court in Tianjin city where lawyer Wang Quanzhang was to be tried.

Japan withdraws from International Whaling Commission

26 Dec 2018; DW: Japan will resume commercial whaling in July 2019. Tokyo has long deflected criticism for its commercial whaling activities, arguing that eating whale meat is a part of its culture.

Japan will withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), a government spokesman confirmed on Wednesday. The move sets the stage for Japan to resume commercial whaling activities next year.

Volcano-triggered tsunami kills 429, displaces thousands in western Indonesia

JAKARTA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the tsunami triggered by a volcanic eruption in Sunda Strait of western Indonesia has climbed to 429 so far, with a total of 1,459 others injured, a spokesman of the national disaster agency said on Tuesday.

The tsunami, triggered by an underwater landslide after the eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano Saturday night, destroyed 882 houses, 73 hotels and villas and scores of buildings along the coastlines, and displaced a total of 16,082 people, according to spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Japan stocks plunge, other Asia markets fall after US losses

BEIJING (AP) — Japanese stocks plunged Tuesday and other Asian markets declined following heavy Wall Street losses triggered by President Donald Trump’s attack on the U.S. central bank.

The Nikkei 225 fell by an unusually wide margin of 4.8 percent to 19,189.00. The Shanghai Composite Index lost 2.3 percent to 2,469.28. Benchmarks in Thailand and Taiwan also declined.

Markets in Hong Kong, Australia and South Korea were closed for Christmas.

Indonesia’s authorities warn of threat of high waves in many coastal areas

MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. Indonesia’s authorities have warned of the danger of high waves in many coastal areas of the country, in particular in the Java Sea and the Celebes Sea, according to a statement made by spokesman for the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) Zairo Hendrawan, which was released on Tuesday.

Death toll from Indonesia tsunami climbs to 373 as rescue efforts continue

PANDEGLANG/SERANG, Indonesia, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of a deadly tsunami hitting Sunda Strait in western Indonesia has risen to 373, with 1,459 others injured, while rescue efforts have continued amid challenges from bad weather and damaged access.

China rises to 2nd largest contributor to UN budget

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- China will become the second largest contributor to the United Nations regular budget starting next year, surpassing Japan.

China's contribution will rise to 12.01 percent in the next three years from 7.92 percent for the 2016-2018 period, according to a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on Saturday.

Japan's contribution will fall to 8.56 percent from 9.68 percent.

Assessments for member countries' contributions are made based on several elements and criteria, including estimates of gross national income.

Death toll from Indonesia tsunami rises to 281

Jakarta, Dec 24 (AFP) The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has risen to 281, with more than 1,000 people injured, the national disaster agency said Monday, as the desperate search for survivors ramped up.

"The number of victims and damage will continue to rise," said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which slammed into the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9:30 pm (1430 GMT) on Saturday after a volcano known as the "child" of Krakatoa erupted.

China launches first satellite for space-based broadband project

Beijing, Dec 22; PTI: China on Saturday launched its first communication satellite to provide broadband internet services worldwide in an apparent bid to rival Google and other international firms.

The satellite was launched from a Long March 11 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western China and is the first in the Hongyun project planned by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC).

Volcano-triggered tsunami kills 222, injures over 800 in Indonesia

PANDEGLANG, Indonesia, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia rose to 222 with at least 843 others injured, the disaster management agency said on Sunday.

The tsunami hit at 9:27 p.m. Jakarta time (1427 GMT) on Saturday, after the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano, or Child of Krakatoa volcano in English, sparked underwater landslides, leading to the rise of the sea level, according to the agency.

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