Myanmar
Economists welcome U.S. decision
Myanmar economists and businessmen on Thursday welcomed President Barack Obama’s announcement that the U.S. will lift economic sanctions and restore long-lost trade benefits to the Southeast Asian country as it emerges from half a century of oppressive military rule. “There will be more trading and investment as the result of lifting sanctions on our country. It will really benefit the citizens of this country and be a great hope for Myanmar’s economic development,” said Khin Maung Nyo, a Myanmar economist. The United States first imposed sanctions on Myanmar in 1997, when the military junta ruled.
CANADA
Man returns after arrest in China
A Canadian citizen who was detained in China for two years over accusations of spying has been freed and has returned to Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he’s delighted Kevin Garratt is back in Canada with his family. His return comes just over a week after Trudeau visited China in a bid to improve relations. Garratt had been indicted by prosecutors in Dandong, a city on the North Korean border where he and his wife ran a popular coffee shop and conducted Christian aid work for North Koreans.
CHINA
Nation launches second space station
China has launched its second space station in a sign of the growing sophistication of its military-backed program that intends to send a mission to Mars in coming years. The Tiangong 2 was carried into space Thursday night atop a Long March 7 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert. Plans call for the launch next month of the Shenzhou 11 spaceship with two astronauts to dock with the station.
TURKEY
8,000-year-old figurine uncovered
Archaeologists have uncovered a rare stone figurine of a woman dating back 8,000 years at a dig in Turkey’s central province of Konya. Stanford University Professor Ian Hodder told the Associated Press in an email that the 7-inch figurine, found at the Catalhoyuk site, is unique because it is carved from stone, unlike most which are made from clay. Its excellent condition and craftsmanship also set it apart, he said.
Compiled from wire reports