Asia

Trump oversees truce signing and trade deal flurry on first Asian stop

U.S. President Donald Trump hit the ground running on the first leg of his Asian tour on Sunday, announcing a slew of trade agreements in Malaysia and joining the signing…

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Japan’s Sanae Takaichi elected as country’s first female prime minister

Japan’s parliament on Tuesday elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister, a historic first that comes one day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal…

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Japan’s Ishin party joins political establishment it vowed to fight

Formed in 2010 to shake up Japan's political establishment and loosen Tokyo's administrative stranglehold, the Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin, will now help the ruling Liberal Democratic Party extend…

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India contradicts Trump on Russian oil pledge

A senior Indian official has challenged President Donald Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi phoned him to announce India would stop buying Russian oil. Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s…

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Trump Says Modi Pledged to Stop Buying Russian Oil, Eyes China Next

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to halt India’s purchases of Russian oil, as Washington steps up efforts to cut Moscow’s…

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Powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake strikes off southern Philippines, tsunami warnings issued

An earthquake of magnitude 7.5 struck offshore in the southern Philippines on Friday morning, the country's seismology agency said, with tsunami warnings issued in several countries and people in nearby…

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Officials Confirm Rising Fatalities Following Philippines Quake

The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines has risen to 69, a disaster official said on Wednesday as the government mobilised agencies to search for…

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Internet blackout hits Afghanistan as Taliban enforce morality crackdown

Afghanistan's Islamist Taliban authorities have ordered a nationwide shutdown of the country's fiber optic internet "until further notice," according to a government source who spoke with French news agency AFP…

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North Korea tells UN: We will never give up nuclear program

North Korea will never give up its nuclear program, the country's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong told the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, describing it as "tantamount to…

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Deadly cyclone makes landfall in China after devastating Hong Kong, Taiwan and Philippines

Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, made landfall on Wednesday in Yangjiang, a city in China’s southern Guangdong province, according to the National Meteorological Centre. The…

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ICC charges Former Philippine president Duterte with crimes against humanity

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The 80-year-old is accused of being criminally responsible for dozens of murders…

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North Korea’s Kim says he is open to talks if US drops denuclearisation demand

North Korea's Kim Jong Un said there was no reason to avoid talks with the U.S. if Washington stopped insisting his country give up nuclear weapons, but he would never…

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Surge in deadly ‘brain-eating’ amoeba cases causes alarm in India’s Kerala state

An increase in cases of a rare but fatal form of encephalitis has put authorities in India's southern state of Kerala on alert, forcing them to step up testing to…

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North Korea says its nuclear weapons state is irreversible

The permanent mission of North Korea to the United Nations said the country's position as a nuclear weapons state was irreversible, denouncing U.S. "anachronistic" claims for denuclearisation, state media KCNA…

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China’s Xi convenes ‘Axis of Upheaval’ in Beijing, sidelining Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping convened a landmark summit in Beijing on Tuesday, hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in what analysts have dubbed an…

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More than 600 killed in Afghanistan quake, Taliban interior ministry says

A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving more than 600 people dead and over 1,500 injured, according to figures released by the Taliban interior ministry. The hardest-hit province…

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Putin and Modi join Xi at landmark Summit in China

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among the leaders attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China – the largest gathering since the…

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Taiwan has right to be free and ‘preserve self-determination’, senior US senator says

Taiwan has the right to remain free and uphold its self-determination, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a staunch supporter of Taiwan in Congress,…

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Japan plans stricter terms for visas to foreign entrepreneurs

Japan plans tougher requirements for visas to foreign entrepreneurs, with a six-fold increase in minimum capital to 30 million yen ($204,000) and full-time employment of at least one person in…

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North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to join Putin at China military parade

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in Beijing next week alongside Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's foreign ministry has said, in what will be a landmark…

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North Korea’s Kim calls for rapid nuclear buildup

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country needed to rapidly expand its nuclear armament and called U.S.-South Korea military exercises an "obvious expression of their will to provoke…

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China accuses Philippines of ‘playing with fire’ on Taiwan

China accused the Philippines on Friday of "playing with fire" after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the Southeast Asian nation would be drawn into any conflict between China and the…

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South Korea, US to conduct major joint military drills starting August 18

South Korea and the United States will conduct major joint military drills starting on August 18, officials said, although they will delay parts of the annual exercises that have been…

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Russian and Chinese navies practice destroying ‘enemy submarine’, days after Trump move

The Russian and Chinese navies have practiced hunting and destroying an enemy submarine in the Sea of Japan, Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday, days after U.S. President Donald Trump…

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Hiroshima warns against nuclear weapons as it marks 80 years since A-bomb

Exactly 80 years since an atomic bomb was used in war for the first time, thousands bowed their heads in prayer in Hiroshima on Wednesday, as the city's mayor warned…

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Cambodia to nominate Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

Cambodia will nominate U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, its deputy prime minister said on Friday, following his direct intervention in halting the Southeast Asian country's recent…

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Japan and South Korea reel from record-breaking heat

Authorities in Japan and South Korea have urged people to take precautions to prevent heatstroke, as the region reels from record-breaking temperatures and pressure on hospitals. On Thursday, South Korea’s…

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Global hunger declines, but rises in Africa and western Asia: UN report

About 8.2% of the world’s population—roughly 673 million people—experienced hunger in 2024, down from 8.5% in 2023, according to the UN’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World…

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Cambodia and Thailand agree to ‘immediate and unconditional ceasefire’

Cambodia and Thailand have reached an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" following high-level peace talks aimed at halting escalating border violence that has killed at least 33 people and displaced thousands…

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US, China hold new talks on tariff truce, easing path for Trump-Xi meeting

Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials held over five hours of talks in Stockholm on Monday, aiming to resolve key trade disputes and extend a temporary truce by three months.…

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North Korea has no interest in any policy or proposals for reconciliation from South Korea

North Korea has no interest in any policy or proposals for reconciliation from South Korea, the powerful sister of its leader Kim Jong Un said on Monday in the first…

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Thailand, Cambodia exchange heavy artillery fire as fighting rages for second day

Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery fire on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, despite calls from the region and beyond…

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Thailand F-16 jet deployed against Cambodian forces as border clash escalates

A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed targets in Cambodia on Thursday, both sides said, as weeks of tension over a border dispute escalated into clashes that have killed at least…

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Japan’s PM Ishiba denies he has decided to quit

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba denied on Wednesday he had decided to quit after a source and media reports said he planned to announce his resignation to take responsibility for…

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Japan’s shaky government loses upper house control

Japan's ruling coalition lost control of the upper house in an election on Sunday, further weakening Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power even as he vowed to remain party…

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Taiwan says it will not provoke confrontation with China

Taiwan does not seek conflict with China and will not provoke confrontation, but Beijing's "aggressive" military posturing is counterproductive, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said on Friday. China considers democratic Taiwan…

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Air India cockpit recording suggests captain cut fuel to engines before crash

A cockpit recording of dialogue between the two pilots of the Air India flight that crashed last month supports the view that the captain cut the flow of fuel to…

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As theories swirl about Air India crash, key details remain unknown

While the preliminary report into what caused the loss of Air India Flight 171 last month has provided some answers, it has also prompted a wave of speculation about its…

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Magnitude 5.8 earthquake strikes Luzon, Philippines,

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 struck Luzon in the Philippines on Tuesday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ)said. The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles),…

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Piracy in Asia surged 83% in early 2023, particularly in Malacca and Singapore Straits

There were 95 piracy and armed robberies against ships in Asia from January to June this year, an 83% increase compared to the same period last year, according to data…

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China appoints ethnic affairs head as Xinjiang Communist Party chief

China’s ruling Communist Party has named Chen Xiaojiang as the new party secretary for Xinjiang, according to state news agency Xinhua. Chen currently heads an ethnic affairs panel and has…

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Dalai Lama set to reveal succession plan as China watches

The Dalai Lama will address a major three-day gathering of Buddhist religious figures this week ahead of his 90th birthday, as his followers wait for the Tibetan spiritual leader to…

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Taiwan says it is determined to defend itself as China vows to boost combat readiness

Taiwan is determined to defend itself and protect its free way of life, the island's defence minister said on Thursday discussing next month's annual exercises, as China's military vowed to…

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Thailand moves to make recreational cannabis illegal again

Thailand is set to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic only three years after the country became one of Asia's first to decriminalize its recreational use. Coming in the wake of…

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Thailand closes border crossings with Cambodia

Thailand's military has closed border crossings into Cambodia to almost all travellers, including tourists and traders, citing security concerns as tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbours remain escalated over…

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China angered by British warship sailing as Taiwan raises alert level

China's military criticised on Friday the sailing of a British warship through the Taiwan Strait as a deliberate attempt to "cause trouble", while Taiwan's president ordered monitoring stepped up in…

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How the Air India crash investigation is unfolding

Air India Flight 171 crashed just 40 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad, plunging into a crowded neighbourhood and killing all 242 people on board. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for…

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China Offers to Mediate in Escalating Israel-Iran Conflict

China has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the growing conflict between Israel and Iran, although signs of willingness to de-escalate remain limited—particularly on the Israeli side. The ongoing…

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UPDATED: Major disaster as London-bound passenger plane carrying more than 240 people crashes after take-off in India

An Air India plane headed to London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, the airline and police said,…

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Two Chinese aircraft carriers seen in Pacific for first time

Two Chinese aircraft carriers were spotted conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Tuesday. Japan's Defence Ministry has confirmed the…

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Thai Military Poised for Major Action Amid Cambodia Border Tensions

Tension has been rising between Thailand and Cambodia following the killing of a Cambodian soldier in May during a brief exchange of gunfire at a disputed border area between the…

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South Korea elects liberal Lee Jae-myung after months of political turmoil

Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea's main liberal party, has won the country's presidential election, following months of political turmoil after the last president was impeached. Election officials have yet…

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India and Pakistan Enter Drone Arms Race After Border Clashes

Just after 8:00 p.m. on May 8, red flares lit up the skies over Jammu in northern India as Indian air defences fired on drones launched from Pakistan. The skirmishes…

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Japan introduces rules to block strange baby names

Parents in Japan will no longer have free rein over the names they give their children, after the introduction this week of new rules on the pronunciation of kanji characters.…

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Thailand vows tighter controls of cannabis as smuggling cases among tourists soar

Officials in Thailand have said they plan to tighten regulations on cannabis sales after cases of tourists attempting to smuggle the drug out of the country soared in recent months.…

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Controversy over ‘Napalm Girl’ photo

The World Press Photo group has suspended the attribution of authorship for one on the most famous press photographs ever taken, after a new documentary challenged 50 years of accepted…

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Taiwan wants peace and talks with China

Taiwan wants peace and dialogue with China as war has no winners, but the government must continue to strengthen the island's defences, President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday as he…

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