Asia

North Korea’s next spy satellite launch attempt may come in October – KINU think tank

By Hyunsu Yim SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea will try this month to launch a spy satellite, a Seoul-based think tank said, the third attempt after two previous launches failed…

Read More Here

Afghanistan earthquakes kill 2,053, Taliban says, as death toll spikes

By Mohammad Yunus Yawar KABUL, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Powerful earthquakes in Afghanistan have killed more than 2,000 people and injured more than 9,000, the Taliban administration said on Sunday, in the deadliest tremors…

Read More Here

Buildup of train traffic on Russia-North Korea border

Train traffic between North Korea and Russia has dramatically increased after the recent following summit between leaders Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin, indicating a “likely” transfer of arms, according to…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Powerful earthquakes strike Papua New Guinea and Afghanistan;

KABUL, Oct 7 (Reuters) - At least 15 people were killed and 40 injured after multiple earthquakes struck western Afghanistan on Saturday, a disaster management official told Reuters. The quake…

Read More Here

Indian rescuers struggle to reach flood-hit areas where over 100 are missing

KOLKATA, India Oct 7 (Reuters) - Indian rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach flood-hit areas in the north-eastern state of Sikkim where more than 140 people are missing…

Read More Here

China warns of big waves, wind and rain as Typhoon Koinu approaches

SHANGHAI, Oct 7 (Reuters) - China warned on Saturday of big waves, heavy rain and strong wind as Typhoon Koinu approaches the southern province of Guangdong and Hainan island. Waves…

Read More Here

Pakistani minister defends decision to expel all illegal immigrants

BEIJING, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Pakistan's foreign minister defended an order that all illegal immigrants, including 1.73 million Afghans, must leave, saying no other country allows illegal immigrants and the…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Philippine bomb warnings ‘most likely a hoax’ – aviation police

MANILA, Oct 6 (Reuters) - An anonymous warning that bombs could go off on planes headed out of the airport in the Philippine capital Manila was "most likely a hoax,"…

Read More Here

Himalayan lake flooding kills 14, more than 100 missing in India

By Subrata Nag Choudhury and Jatindra Dash NEW DELHI/KOLKATA, Oct 5 (Reuters) - At least 14 people were killed and 102 were missing on Thursday after heavy rains caused a…

Read More Here

North Korea halts nuclear reactor, likely to extract bomb fuel

SEOUL, Oct 5 (Reuters) - North Korea has halted the nuclear reactor at its main atomic complex, probably to extract plutonium that could be used for weapons by reprocessing spent…

Read More Here

Tepco starts releasing second batch of treated radioactive water from Fukushima nuclear plant

TOKYO, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power Company 9501.T (Tepco) started releasing more treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on Thursday morning, continuing a…

Read More Here

Japan issues tsunami advisory for islands in eastern Japan

TOKYO, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Japan issued an advisory for a tsunami of 1 metre for the islands off of Izu peninsula on the eastern coast of the country. The…

Read More Here

Thailand aims to restore tourist confidence after mall shooting

By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Thailand will restore confidence in its critical tourism sector, officials said on Wednesday, a day after a shooting spree…

Read More Here

In Singapore, a certificate to own a car now costs $106,000

By Xinghui Kok SINGAPORE, Oct 4 (Reuters) - To own a car in Singapore, a buyer must bid for a certificate that now costs $106,000, equivalent to four Toyota Camry…

Read More Here

One killed in landslide after earthquakes rattle Nepal

By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Rescue workers in Nepal dug with shovels and their bare hands on Wednesday as they searched for a woman killed the previous…

Read More Here

Pakistan orders illegal immigrants, including 1.73 mln Afghans, to leave

By Asif Shahzad Over 4.4 mln Afghan refugees in Pakistan - minister Afghan nationals involved in 14 of 24 suicide bombings this year Crackdown to follow expiry of deadline ISLAMABAD,…

Read More Here

Suspected Thai mall shooter modified handgun designed to fire blanks – police

BANGKOK, Oct 4 (Reuters) - A Thai teenager suspected of killing two foreigners in a Bangkok mall shooting had suffered a psychological breakdown and had modified a handgun designed to…

Read More Here

Singapore’s population grows 5% as foreign workers return post-pandemic

SINGAPORE, (Reuters) - Singapore's population grew 5% in a year as foreign workers returned to the city-state following the pandemic, data showed. There were 5.9 million people in Singapore as…

Read More Here

Philippines, allies kick off naval drills amid Asia-Pacific tension

MANILA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Forces from Manila, Britain, Canada, Japan and the United States kicked off on Monday two weeks of joint naval exercises in Philippine waters as a…

Read More Here

Maldives opposition candidate Muizzu wins presidential vote

By Mohamed Junayd MALE, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu has won the Maldives presidential election, beating incumbent President Ibrahim Solih in a second-round runoff that could herald…

Read More Here

Beijing wants more openness and less China bashing from Europe: envoy

BERLIN, Sept 29 (Reuters) - China's ambassador to Germany called for Europe to be more open to Chinese investment, urging deeper cooperation in areas such as electric cars and 5G…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Blasts rip through two mosques in Pakistan, killing at least 57

By Saleem Ahmed QUETTA, Pakistan, Sept 29 (Reuters) - A suicide bombing and another blast ripped through two mosques in Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 57 people and injuring…

Read More Here

Taiwan reveals first homegrown submarine in defence milestone

By Carlos Garcia, Walid Berrazeg and Sarah Wu KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Taiwan unveiled its first domestically developed submarine on Thursday, a major step in a project aimed at strengthening…

Read More Here

North Korea amends constitution on nuclear policy, cites US ‘provocations’

By Soo-hyang Choi and Hyonhee Shin SEOUL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - North Korea has adopted a constitutional amendment to enshrine its policy on nuclear force, state media reported on Thursday,…

Read More Here

Indonesia bans e-commerce transactions on social media

By Dewi Kurniawati and Stanley Widianto JAKARTA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Indonesia has banned e-commerce transactions on social media platforms, the trade minister said on Wednesday, in a move intended…

Read More Here

North Korea to expel US soldier Travis King

SEOUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) - North Korea has decided to expel American soldier Travis King who it said has admitted to illegal intrusion into the country and was "disillusioned about…

Read More Here

China says aim of its drills near Taiwan is to combat ‘arrogance’ of separatists

BEIJING, Sept 27 (Reuters) - China's recent drills near Taiwan are aimed at combating the "arrogance" of separatist forces, the Chinese government said on Wednesday, after Taipei reported a rise…

Read More Here

EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Shanghai, China

An aerial photo shows Luijazui, the main financial district, in Shanghai, China. Photo: EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

Read More Here

Head of Hong Kong journalists’ group sentenced to jail for obstructing police

The head of Hong Kong's leading journalists group was sentenced on Monday to five days jail for obstructing police officers in September last year after a case seen by some critics as…

Read More Here

China could do ‘a lot’ to reduce EU perception of risk – EU trade chief

The European Union has no intention of cutting ties with China even as the bloc takes steps to lower economic dependencies and de-risk, but China "could do a lot" to help reduce the perception…

Read More Here

China climate envoy says phasing out fossil fuels ‘unrealistic’

By David Stanway SINGAPORE, (Reuters) - The complete phasing-out of fossil fuels is not realistic, China's top climate official said, adding that these climate-warming fuels must continue to play a…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Bali to implement 10 USD tourist tax in 2024

Foreign tourists sit at Kuta beach in Bali, Indonesia, 23 September 2023. Starting February 2024, the Provincial Government of Bali will implement a 10 USD tourist tax for every foreign…

Read More Here

Taiwan raises concerns about situation ‘getting out of hand’ with China drills

TAIPEI, Sept 23 (Reuters) - The increased frequency of China's military activities around Taiwan recently has raised the risk of events "getting out of hand" and sparking an accidental clash,…

Read More Here

India stops new visas for Canadians, asks Ottawa to downsize missions as spat worsens

India cites security threats in suspending new visas Asks Canada to downsize diplomatic presence Canada says evidence India involved in murder of Sikh separatist New Delhi says Canada has not…

Read More Here

Taiwan says Chinese movements ‘abnormal’, flags amphibious drills

TAIPEI, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Recent Chinese movements around Taiwan were "abnormal", the island's defence minister said on Friday, flagging amphibious exercises in addition to drills Taipei has observed in…

Read More Here

Philippine issues health warning as volcano brings smog to capital, nearby provinces

MANILA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - A small but restive volcano near the Philippine capital Manila spewed above average sulfur dioxide and volcanic smog on Friday, prompting authorities to closes schools…

Read More Here

Pakistan to hold national election in January, not November

ISLAMABAD, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday announced that the national election will be held in last week on January, 2024 instead of in November. The…

Read More Here

India tells citizens in Canada to exercise caution as ties worsen

By YP Rajesh NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (Reuters) - India urged caution on Wednesday by its nationals in Canada, and those planning to visit, as relations deteriorated after each nation…

Read More Here

India’s Sonia Gandhi supports bill to reserve third of parliament seats for women

By Rupam Jain NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (Reuters) - India's opposition Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday offered unequivocal support to a bill reserving a third of seats in the…

Read More Here

Rifle, fur hat, drones: North Korea’s Kim returns with gifts from Russia

SEOUL, Sept 18 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is heading home on Monday, most likely with gifts from his Russian hosts including a rifle, a cosmonaut's glove,…

Read More Here

Taiwan urges China to stop ‘destructive’ military activities

By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee TAIPEI, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry on Monday urged China to stop "destructive, unilateral action" after reporting a sharp rise in Chinese…

Read More Here

China, Malta to work together to promote China-EU ties; China’s Wang Yi heads to Russia

BEIJING, Sept 18 (Reuters) - China and Malta have agreed to work together to promote China-European Union cooperation, Chinese state media said on Monday. China hopes Malta would continue to…

Read More Here

Japan says swarms of tourists defiling sacred Mt Fuji

By Mariko Katsumura FUJIYOSHIDA, Japan (Reuters) - On a grey, rainy Saturday a steady stream of tour buses arrive at a base station of Japan's Mount Fuji depositing dozens of…

Read More Here

WHO chief pushes China for ‘full access’ to determine COVID’s origins – FT

Sept 17 (Reuters) - The chief of the World Health Organization urged Beijing to offer more information on the origins of COVID-19 and is ready to send a second team…

Read More Here

UPDATED: North Korea’s Kim heads home from Russia’s Far East

Sept 17 (Reuters) - The train with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on board has left the railway station in Russian Far Eastern city of Artyom, wrapping up his…

Read More Here

China to manage monkeypox as disease on par with COVID-19

BEIJING, Sept 15 (Reuters) - China plans to manage monkeypox in the same way it handles infectious diseases such as COVID-19 starting from Sept. 20, health authorities said on Friday,…

Read More Here

UPDATED: China defence minister under investigation, being removed from post

By Yew Lun Tian and Yukiko Toyoda BEIJING/TOKYO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Suspicion over the unexplained weeks-long absence of Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu deepened on Friday, as some media…

Read More Here

Thai PM: ‘I don’t agree with recreational use’ of cannabis

BANGKOK, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Thailand's new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Friday spoke out against the recreational use of cannabis, but said his administration would continue the policies supporting…

Read More Here

Over 700 people tested for Nipah virus after two deaths in India’s Kerala state

By Rupam Jain India's Kerala state on alert after Nipah virus deaths Transmitted to humans from animals like pigs, fruit bats High mortality rate among those who contract the virus…

Read More Here

India’s Kerala shuts schools and offices to curb deadly Nipah virus

By Rupam Jain NEW DELHI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - India's southern state of Kerala shut some schools, offices and public transport on Wednesday in a race to stop the spread…

Read More Here

China says it has not banned purchase, use of foreign phone brands

BEIJING, Sept 13 (Reuters) - China has not issued a ban on the purchase and use of foreign phone brands, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday, in response to…

Read More Here

Japan has five women in new govt line-up but still misses G7 average

By Kiyoshi Takenaka TOKYO, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled a fresh cabinet line-up on Wednesday that features five women, but falls short of female representation…

Read More Here

China confirms Papal envoy’s visit for Ukraine talks

The Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi will visit China for talks on resolving the conflict in Ukraine, despite the lack of formal bilateral…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Putin and North Korea’s Kim discuss military matters, Ukraine war and satellites

Kim, Putin meet at Russia's new space launch station Putin says offers help on satellites Russia discussed military matters at talks U.S. and South Korea suspect arms deal for Russia…

Read More Here

Taiwan reports 28 Chinese air force planes in its air defence zone

By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard TAIPEI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said it spotted 28 Chinese air force planes in its air defence zone on Wednesday morning,…

Read More Here

UK, Japanese, Italian partners agree next steps for fighter jet

Britain's BAE Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Italy's Leonardo have agreed the next steps to deliver the concept phase of a next-generation combat aircraft, BAE Systems said on Tuesday.…

Read More Here

North Korea’s Kim en route to Russia for talks with Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has set off for Russia aboard a special train, a South Korean source said, as Pyongyang and Moscow on Monday confirmed a summit with…

Read More Here