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/ 22 May 2008

Oil races above $135, stocks and bonds shudder

Record high oil prices at a barrel deepened worries about inflation on Thursday and weighed on some Asian stocks although Japanese shares ended slightly higher, as dealers trimmed their bets on further weakness. The dollar trudged higher against the euro after earlier hitting a one-month low after the Federal Reserve slashed its United States 2008 growth forecast

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/ 11 January 2008

Japan resumes Afghan war role

Japan is to resume its role in the war in Afghanistan after its government on Friday forced through a Bill extending a controversial refuelling mission. The move brought to an end months of political deadlock, and relieved friction with Washington over its commitment to the so-called war on terror.

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/ 17 November 2007

Japan fleet plan to hunt humpbacks draws protests

Japan’s whaling fleet is set to depart on Sunday for an annual hunt that this year for the first time will take humpback whales — a perennial favourite among whale-watchers — sparking protests from activists. Japan abandoned commercial whaling in accordance with an international moratorium in 1986, but began the next year to conduct what it calls scientific research whaling.

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/ 1 November 2007

Japan pulls out of Afghanistan coalition

Japan ordered its naval ships on Thursday to withdraw from a refuelling mission in support of United States-led operations in Afghanistan as a political deadlock kept the government from meeting a deadline to extend the activities. The Pentagon said that Japan’s withdrawal would not affect its patrolling of the Indian Ocean.

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/ 29 September 2007

Large earthquake near Guam, buildings sway

A strong earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7,1 hit near the United States Pacific territory of Guam on Sunday, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said, but island media said there were no immediate reports of injuries. Guam’s Pacific Daily News said the quake could be felt in high-rise buildings on the island.

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/ 28 August 2007

Angola demines 50-million square metres of land

Authorities in Angola have cleared about 50-million square metres of landmines under the country’s ongoing demining programme, state media reported on Tuesday. The coordinator of the executive demining commission, Joao Baptista Kussumua, made the statement at a ceremony to receive two demining machines donated by the Japanese government.