Asia

UPDATED: Indian opposition dealt major blow as parliament bars Congress leader Gandhi

Opposition accuse Modi govt of using law to stymie top leader Protest launched against Gandhi's disqualification Congress party to challenge Gandhi's conviction By Rupam Jain and Shivam Patel NEW DELHI,…

Read More Here

UPDATED: U.S. Navy says destroyer asserted navigational rights in South China Sea

BEIJING, March 24 (Reuters) - China's defence ministry said on Friday that it yet again had to monitor and drive away the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Milius that entered its…

Read More Here

North Korea tests new nuclear-capable underwater drone

By Soo-hyang Choi and Ju-min Park SEOUL, March 24 (Reuters) - North Korea has tested a new nuclear-capable underwater attack drone, state media reported on Friday, as leader Kim Jong…

Read More Here

Russia cannot meet arms delivery commitments because of war, Indian Air Force says

By Krishn Kaushik NEW DELHI, March 23 (Reuters) - Russia is unable to deliver vital defence supplies it had committed to India's military because of the war in Ukraine, the…

Read More Here

Indian court orders Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail for Modi comment

By Sumit Khanna and Shilpa Jamkhandikar AHMEDABAD, India, March 23 (Reuters) - A court in India found opposition leader Rahul Gandhi guilty of defamation on Thursday for a speech he…

Read More Here

US amphibious assault ship joins drills in South Korea

By Soo-hyang Choi BUSAN, South Korea, March 23 (Reuters) - South Korean and U.S. troops launched their largest amphibious landing drills in years involving a U.S. amphibious assault ship, officials…

Read More Here

UPDATED: China’s military says US warship illegally entered waters in South China Sea

BEIJING, March 23 (Reuters) - China's military said on Thursday it had monitored and driven away a U.S. destroyer that illegally entered waters around the Paracel Islands in the South…

Read More Here

North Korea doesn’t appear poised for imminent nuclear test, US official says

By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un does not appear poised to carry out a nuclear test during U.S.-South Korea military exercises, but the United…

Read More Here

North Korea fires multiple cruise missiles off its east coast, South Korea says

North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, the latest in a series of weapons tests as South Korean and the U.S. forces conduct joint military…

Read More Here

Xi urges Putin to work together for biggest global changes in a century

China's President Xi Jinping left Russia on Wednesday after a grandiose display of solidarity with President Vladimir Putin against the West, that ended with the two autocrats pledging to work…

Read More Here

Putin flaunts alliance with Xi as ‘dear friends’ meet in Kremlin

Vladimir Putin hosted his "dear friend" Xi Jinping for dinner in the Kremlin on Monday, showing off his relationship with his most powerful ally just days after an international court…

Read More Here

Bali loses patience with Russians, Ukrainians fleeing war

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Authorities in Indonesia's popular holiday island of Bali have asked the central immigration agency to cancel a visa-on-arrival policy for Russian and Ukrainian nationals after tourists were…

Read More Here

Thailand dissolves parliament for election

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK, March 20 (Reuters) - Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed a decree to dissolve parliament, according to an announcement in the Royal Gazette…

Read More Here

China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin publish separate articles praising each other

SINGAPORE, March 20 (Reuters) - China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin published separate articles on Monday, as Xi was due to begin a visit to Moscow, setting out their…

Read More Here

UPDATED: North Korea’s Kim oversees simulated nuclear counterattack against US, South Korea

By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL, March 20 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen drills simulating a nuclear counterattack against the U.S. and South Korea in a warning…

Read More Here

The many disputes overshadowing relations between South Korea and Japan

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's trip to Japan on Thursday was aimed at overcoming decades of disputes and mistrust between the two countries. Some issues, like…

Read More Here

Photo story: At least 19 dead in bus accident in Bangladesh

Firefighters hose a fire that after a road accident at Sibchar upazila in the Madaripur district in Bangladesh, 19 March 2023. At least 19 people died and many others were…

Read More Here

India says China situation dangerous on Himalayan front

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The situation between India and China in the western Himalayan region of Ladakh is fragile and dangerous, with military forces deployed very close to each other…

Read More Here

North Korea fires short-range ballistic missile

SEOUL, March 19 (Reuters) - North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, the South Korean military said,…

Read More Here

Time and money for love: China brainstorms ways to boost birth rate

By Farah Master HONG KONG, (Reuters) - Concerned by China’s shrinking population, political advisors to the government have come up with more than 20 recommendations to boost birth rates, though…

Read More Here

As wages go up, Japanese women reckon with a vast pay gap

By David Dolan and Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO, (Reuters) - As Japanese companies offer their heftiest wage raises in decades, women in the world's third-largest economy are hoping it won't take…

Read More Here

Photo Story: The Awol Erizku Art installation in Hong Kong

A woman takes a selfie in front of Ethiopian-American artist Awol Erizku's art piece 'Gravity' in Hong Kong, China. The 10-meter tall installation inspired by the funerary mask of ancient…

Read More Here

China ships assault weapons and body armor to Russia

Chinese companies, including one connected to the government in Beijing, have sent Russian entities 1,000 assault rifles and other equipment that could be used for military purposes, including drone parts…

Read More Here

South Korea and Japan hail spring thaw amid missiles and weight of history

By Sakura Murakami and Ju-min Park TOKYO/SEOUL, March 16 (Reuters) - The leaders of Japan and South Korea promised to turn the page on years of animosity at a meeting…

Read More Here

South Korea and Japan to drop trade dispute as leaders seek common ground

By Sakura Murakami TOKYO, March 16 (Reuters) - Japan and South Korea agreed to drop an almost four-year-old trade dispute on high-tech materials on Thursday, an emphatic sign they aim…

Read More Here

North Korea launches ICBM ahead of South Korea-Japan summit

By Josh Smith and Soo-hyang Choi SEOUL, March 16 (Reuters) - North Korea fired a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan on…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Pakistan police postpone arrest of ex-PM Imran Khan, easing unrest

By Mubasher Bukhari LAHORE, Pakistan, March 15 (Reuters) - A Pakistan court ordered police on Wednesday to suspend an operation to arrest former Prime Minister Imran Khan, bringing a halt…

Read More Here

South Korea’s Yoon says cooperation with Japan vital amid concerns on North Korea, supply chains

By Soo-hyang Choi and Josh Smith SEOUL, March 15 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday that cooperation with Japan is vital in confronting North Korea's…

Read More Here

Chinese consumers out of COVID gates with caution, rather than zest

Chinese consumers, unshackled from COVID-19 restrictions, are returning to hotels, restaurants and some shops, but they are choosy about what they buy, disappointing hopes for an immediate post-pandemic splurge.China's battered…

Read More Here

Eyeing China, Biden and allies unveil nuclear-powered submarine plan for Australia

The leaders of the United States, Australia and Britain on Monday unveiled details of a plan to provide Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines, a major step to counter China's ambitions…

Read More Here

Jubilation as ‘pride of Malaysia’ Yeoh wins first Oscar

By Ebrahim Harris KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Reuters) - Family and friends of Malaysia's Michelle Yeoh responded with screams, jubilation and pride on Monday at her winning the Academy Award…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Xi could visit Putin, speak to Zelenskiy next week

Chinese president's visit may come sooner than expected Xi's planned virtual meeting with Zelenskiy reported by WSJ Ukrainian commander says forces repel Bakhmut attacks Wagner chief says Russian forces are…

Read More Here

Key takeaways from China’s annual NPC parliamentary meeting

By Laurie Chen BEIJING, March 13 (Reuters) - China's rubber-stamp parliament concluded its annual meeting on Monday, during which Xi Jinping was confirmed as president for a precedent-breaking third term…

Read More Here

North Korea launches missiles from submarine as U.S.-South Korean drills begin

By Josh Smith and Hyunsu Yim SEOUL, March 13 (Reuters) - Nuclear-armed North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine on Sunday, state news agency KCNA said on…

Read More Here

Why has India’s power demand surged?

By Sarita Chaganti Singh, Sudarshan Varadhan and Carman Chew NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE, (Reuters) - Surging power demand in India poses a challenge for a country where solar power is growing rapidly…

Read More Here

Host of challenges await Xi as he clinches third term as China’s president

By Yew Lun Tian BEIJING (Reuters) - Xi Jinping secured a precedent-breaking third term as president of China on Friday during a parliamentary session in which he tightened his control…

Read More Here

Australia, India agree on strengthening economic, defence ties

By Krishn Kaushik NEW DELHI, March 10 (Reuters) - Australia and India have agreed to accelerate a broader economic partnership and to boost their defence ties, Australian Prime Minister Anthony…

Read More Here

North Korean leader Kim calls for intensified drills in case of ‘real war’

By Soo-hyang Choi SEOUL, March 10 (Reuters) - North Korea's Kim Jong Un ordered the military to intensify drills to deter and respond to a "real war" if necessary, state…

Read More Here

China’s Xi secures precedent-breaking third term as president

BEIJING, March 10 (Reuters) - Xi Jinping on Friday secured a precedent-breaking third five-year term as China's president as he tightens his grip as the country's most powerful leader since…

Read More Here

UPDATED: North Korea missile launch does not pose immediate threat to U.S., allies -U.S. military

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - North Korea's launch of a short-range ballistic missile toward the Yellow Sea, located between China and the Korean Peninsula, does not pose an immediate threat…

Read More Here

Studying Ukraine war, China’s military minds fret over US missiles, Starlink

China needs the capability to shoot down low-earth-orbit Starlink satellites and defend tanks and helicopters against shoulder-fired Javelin missiles, according to Chinese military researchers who are studying Russia's struggles in…

Read More Here

China says Ukraine crisis driven by ‘invisible hand’

The Ukraine crisis seems to be driven by an invisible hand pushing for the protraction and escalation of the conflict, China's foreign minister Qin Gang said on Tuesday. The "invisible…

Read More Here

WATCH: Japan’s new rocket fails after engine issue, in blow to space ambitions

Japan's new medium-lift rocket failed on its debut flight in space on Tuesday after the launcher's second-stage engine did not ignite as planned, in a blow to its efforts to…

Read More Here

After $15 billion award, sultan’s heirs target Malaysian properties in Paris

French bailiffs attempted to enforce a seizure order on three Paris properties owned by the Malaysian government in a case linked to a $15 billion court award to descendants of…

Read More Here

Taiwan warns of China’s ‘repeated provocations’, China tells US not to cross red line

Taiwan will not allow "repeated provocations" from China, the island's defence minister said on Tuesday, as China's foreign minister said Taiwan was the "first red line" that must not be crossed in Sino-U.S.…

Read More Here

Trudeau orders new probes into alleged election interference by China

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday he will appoint an independent special investigator to probe alleged election interference by China and also announced separate new probes into the…

Read More Here

South Korea moves to resolve historical, legal disputes with Japan

SEOUL, March 6 (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday proposed establishing a public foundation to compensate victims of wartime forced labour by Japan, to help resolve strained ties between the…

Read More Here

US flies B-52 in joint drill with S.Korea

SEOUL, March 6 (Reuters) - The United states deployed a B-52 bomber for a joint drill with its ally South Korea on Monday, in a show of force against North…

Read More Here

Pakistani police serve arrest warrants to former PM Imran Khan

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani police served arrest warrants to former prime minister Imran Khan to ensure his appearance in court on charges of misusing his office to sell state…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Public transport strike to protest phaseout of jeepney

A jeepney, or local minibus, displays signs as part of a transport strike along a main thoroughfare in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Monday 06 March 2023. At least…

Read More Here

Taiwan warns of China military’s ‘sudden entry’ close to island

TAIPEI, March 6 (Reuters) - Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng warned on Monday the island has to be on alert this year for Chinese military's "sudden entry" into areas close…

Read More Here

Nine years on, families urge new search for missing Malaysia plane MH370

KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Reuters) - Families of those on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared mysteriously nine years ago, called on the Malaysian government on Sunday to allow…

Read More Here

China leads US in global competition for key emerging technology, study says

SYDNEY (Reuters) - China has a "stunning lead" in 37 out of 44 critical and emerging technologies as Western democracies lose a global competition for research output, a security think…

Read More Here

Taiwan says China should respect Taiwan people’s commitment to democracy

TAIPEI, March 5 (Reuters) - China should respect the Taiwanese people's commitment to the core concepts of sovereignty, democracy and freedom, Taiwan's government said on Sunday. China should deal with…

Read More Here

North Korea says UN should demand end to S.Korea-US military drills

SEOUL, March 5 (Reuters) - North Korea's foreign ministry on Sunday called on the United Nations to demand an immediate halt to combined military drills by the United States and…

Read More Here

China opens parliament

By Thomas Peter and Ryan Woo BEIJING, March 5 (Reuters) - China set a modest target for economic growth this year of around 5% on Sunday as the National People's…

Read More Here

What to look for as China kicks off its annual session of parliament

By Laurie Chen BEIJING (Reuters) - China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), begins its annual session on Sunday and is expected to unveil the biggest government reshuffle in…

Read More Here