Japan PM rushes home to lead hostage crisis response
Tokyo (AFP) Jan 21, 2015 -
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was rushing home from the Middle East Wednesday to take charge of Tokyo's response after Islamic militants threatened to kill two nationals unless he pays a $200 million ransom.
A defiant Abe vowed he would not bow to "terrorism" as Japan was thrust abruptly into the conflict gripping Syria and Iraq, where jihadists have seized control of large areas.
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Woman guarded rice supply with machine gun
Washington DC (UPI) Jan 19, 2015 -
A 40-year-old woman, who was a former professional athlete, shares her experiences as an agriculture employee in North Korea and why that was such an important job. She fled on her own in 2006.
Q: Can you share with us a bit about your life prior to leaving North Korea?
When I was young, I was a professional athlete in the traditional sport of jeon goo, which is similar to tenni ...
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China 'never paid businessman' who bought aircraft carrier: report
Beijing (AFP) Jan 20, 2015 -
The Chinese businessman who bought an unfinished Soviet-era vessel that became his country's first aircraft carrier was quoted Tuesday as saying that Beijing never repaid the $120 million it cost him.
Entrepreneur Xu Zengping paid Ukraine a $20 million fee for the Varyag, which was eventually commissioned into the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy as the Liaoning. But the price ballooned o ...
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Swedes, Dutch partner for future submarine work
Linkoping, Sweden (UPI) Jan 20, 2015 -
Saab and Damen Shipyards Group have partnered in pursuit of a Walrus-class submarine replacement program contract from the Netherlands.
The Swedish and Dutch companies said they also intend to jointly explore other submarine program opportunities around the world.
"We are convinced that with Saab we have found the ideal partner to realize a successor to the present Walrus class, ...
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