Asia

Taiwan holds air defence drill ahead of president’s Pacific trip

Taiwan's military held an early morning air defence drill on Thursday to test its response and engagement procedures, ahead of a trip by President Lai Ching-te at the end of…

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China defence minister Dong Jun under investigation for corruption

China Defence Minister Dong Jun has been placed under investigation as part of a wide-ranging anti-corruption probe that has roiled the top ranks of the People's Liberation Army, the Financial…

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Trump team weighs direct talks with North Korea’s Kim in new diplomatic push

President-elect Donald Trump's team is discussing pursuing direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, hoping a fresh diplomatic push can lower the risks of armed conflict, according to…

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China expands visa-free access to Japan, Bulgaria and other countries

China will expand its visa-free arrangements to include Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro and other countries, effective from Nov. 30, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025, a foreign ministry spokesperson said…

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North Korea’s Kim accuses US of stoking tension, warns of nuclear war

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accused the United States of ramping up tension and provocations, saying the Korean peninsula has never faced such risks of nuclear war as…

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North Korea’s Kim urges military to prepare for war

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on his country's military for a "limitless" expansion of its nuclear program to counter US-led threats. The remarks come amid a rise in…

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China, Russia agree on need for closer coordination

China and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to closer coordination and stronger ties, aiming to support each other's development while enhancing global security and stability. This agreement was reached during…

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U.S. aircraft carrier joins military drills with South Korea and Japan

South Korea's military said it will hold a three-day joint exercise with the United States and Japan starting on Wednesday, featuring fighter jets and marine patrol aircraft as well as…

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North Korea ratifies mutual defence treaty with Russia

North Korea has ratified a mutual defence treaty with Russia signed by the two countries' leaders in June, which calls for each side to come to the other's aid in…

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Toxic smog wreathes India’s capital

A toxic smog shrouded the Indian capital on Tuesday, driving air quality in some areas into the "severe" range ahead of winter, when cold air traps pollutants and brings a…

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More than 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia for Ukraine war, says South Korea

More than 10,000 North Korean troops have arrived in Russia to support its war against Ukraine, with a "significant number" in the frontline areas including Kursk, South Korea's defence ministry…

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What is ‘Taiwan independence’ and is Taiwan already independent?

Chinese President Xi Jinping asked U.S. President Joe Biden last year to toughen the language the United States uses when discussing its position on Taiwanese independence, according to two U.S.…

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North Korea fires banned ICBM missile in longest flight yet

North Korea said it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday, upgrading what it called the "world's most powerful strategic weapon", as Seoul warned Pyongyang could get missile technology from…

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Japan’s government in flux after election gives no party majority

The make-up of Japan's future government was in flux on Monday after voters punished Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's scandal-tainted ruling coalition, leaving no party with a clear mandate to lead…

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Indonesia wants to join BRICS

Indonesia has expressed its desire to join the BRICS group of major emerging economies, which accounts for 35% of global economic output, as a means to strengthen emerging countries, its…

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US says evidence shows North Korea has troops in Russia, possibly for Ukraine war

The United States said for the first time on Wednesday that it had seen evidence that North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia for possible deployment in Ukraine, a…

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Priyanka becomes latest Gandhi to contest election to Indian parliament

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a scion of India's Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, submitted her nomination on Wednesday to contest an election to parliament, the latest candidate from a family that has dominated politics…

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Taiwan warns Chinese blockade would be act of war,

A real Chinese blockade of Taiwan would be an act of war and have far-reaching consequences for international trade, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Wednesday after drills by China…

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North Korea estimated to have sent 3,000 troops to Russia for Ukraine war

North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, South Korean lawmakers said on Wednesday after being briefed by the national intelligence agency, twice the…

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North Korea’s Kim Jong Un calls South Korea a foreign, hostile country

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has described South Korea is a foreign and hostile nation, state media KCNA reported on Friday with photos showing Kim and high-ranking military personnel…

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China building capacity to rapidly strike Taiwan

China is building its capacity to rapidly turn military drills into a full-out attack, a senior Taiwan security official said, providing the Taipei government's assessment of the strategic intent behind…

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North Korea calls South Korea ‘hostile state’ indicating constitution change

North Korea has designated South Korea a "hostile state", its state media said on Thursday, confirming that its national assembly had amended the constitution in line with their leader's vow…

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China says it will not renounce use of force over Taiwan

China will not promise to renounce the use of force over Taiwan but this is aimed at external interference and a small minority of separatists, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said…

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North Korea blows up parts of inter-Korean road on its side of border

North Korea has blown up sections of inter-Korean roads and rail lines on its side of the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas, South Korea's military said on Tuesday,…

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Taiwan details record surge in planes in China’s war games, flags risk to region

Taiwan's defence ministry said on Tuesday it had detected a record number of 153 Chinese military aircraft participating in China's war games around the island the previous day, detailing a…

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North Korea set to blow up cross-border roads with South amid drone row, Seoul says

North Korea is getting ready to blow up roads that cross the heavily militarised border with South Korea, Seoul said on Monday, amid an escalating war of words after the…

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China launches war games around Taiwan

China's military launched a new round of war games near Taiwan on Monday, saying it was a warning to the "separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces", drawing condemnation from the…

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Japanese atomic bomb survivor movement Nihon Hidankyo wins Nobel Peace Prize

Anti-nuclear weapon campaigners have been recognised by the Nobel Committee in the past. On Friday, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese group of survivors from…

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Taiwan’s president vows to resist ‘annexation’

President William Lai has vowed to uphold Taiwan’s self-governance in his most prominent public address since assuming office earlier this year. In a clear but indirect reference to China’s claims…

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Most Taiwanese believe China unlikely to invade in coming five years

Most Taiwanese believe China is unlikely to invade in the coming five years but do see Beijing as a serious threat to the democratic island, a poll by Taiwan's top…

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North Korea Army says to completely cut road and rail links to South Korea

North Korea's Army said it will completely cut off roads and railways connected to South Korea starting from Wednesday, and fortify the areas on its side of the border, state…

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Karachi Terror Attack: Chinese Nationals Targeted

Two Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion near the international airport of the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Sunday night, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan said, in what…

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North Korea leader Kim threatens nuclear response if sovereignty breached

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country would not hesitate to use all available offensive forces including nuclear weapons if the enemy attempted to use force to encroach…

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Japan’s Strategy to Increase Outbound Tourism: Free Passports Proposal

In a bid to boost overseas travel among young Japanese, the head of a leading travel industry organization has proposed that the government offer free passports to 18-year-olds. Hiroyuki Takahashi,…

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South Korea’s New Visa for High-Tech Workers

South Korea will create a new visa program to attract foreign workers specializing in high-tech industries, the government said this week, as the country prepares for a society with a…

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Ishiba to be Japan’s next prime minister

Former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to become Japan's prime minister after winning a closely fought contest on Friday in his fifth and what he called final attempt to…

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South Korea to criminalise watching or possessing sexually explicit deepfakes

South Korean lawmakers on Thursday passed a bill that criminalises possessing or watching sexually explicit deepfake images and videos, with penalties set to include prison terms and fines. There has…

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Japan destroyer passes through Taiwan Strait for first time

Japan's Self Defense Force patrolled the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday for the first time in an attempt to send a message to China, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing multiple government…

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Taiwan reports surge of Chinese warplanes off its coast

Taiwan's defence ministry said on Thursday it had detected a surge of Chinese warplanes flying off its east, west and south coasts in what a security source said was China…

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North Korea leader’s sister says US is increasing threats with nuclear submarine

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticised the presence of a U.S. nuclear submarine in the South Korean port of Busan, state media…

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India reports first case of mpox from new, fast-spreading clade 1b variety

India said on Monday that an mpox case involving a traveller in the southern state of Kerala was from the fast-spreading clade 1b variety, marking the country's first recorded case…

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Japan says Russian patrol aircraft violated its airspace

A Russian military patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace near Hokkaido's Rebun Island on three separate occasions on Monday, prompting Japan's Self-Defense Force to dispatch aircraft in an emergency response and…

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Sri Lankans elect Marxist-leaning Dissanayake as president

Sri Lankans elected Marxist-leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake as new president on Sunday, putting faith in his pledge to fight corruption and bolster a fragile economic recovery following the South Asian…

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Sri Lankans to vote for president in tight election

Sri Lankans will vote for a new president in a tightly contested election on Saturday, with the outcome expected to determine the fate of fragile economic recovery led by incumbent…

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US keeps missile system in Philippines as China tensions rise

The United States has no immediate plans to withdraw a mid-range missile system deployed in the Philippines, despite Chinese demands, and is testing the feasibility of its use in a…

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More Indians than ever are going on holiday abroad – so where are they heading and why?

Travel is on the rise again. According to the UN’s tourism agency, international travel for all purposes reached 97% of its pre-pandemic level in the first quarter of 2024. In…

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Pope Francis leaves for Rome after 12-day Asia trip

Pope Francis left Singapore for Rome on Friday, after a demanding trip across Southeast Asia and Oceania in which he urged action on climate change, pressed for interfaith dialogue, and…

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Economic relationship with China “unfair”, “imbalanced”, India foreign minister says

India's economic relationship with neighbour China has been very "unfair" and "imbalanced", Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Thursday. Jaishankar, speaking at an event in Geneva, also said about…

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Pope Francis, in Singapore, urges fair wages for migrant workers

Pope Francis on Thursday urged political leaders in Singapore, a leading global financial hub, to seek fair wages for the country's million-plus lower-paid foreign workers. In likely the last major…

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North Korea’s Kim Jong Un says country to increase number of nuclear weapons

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country is now implementing a nuclear force construction policy to increase the number of nuclear weapons "exponentially," state media KCNA said on…

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China announces joint naval and air drills with Russia

China’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday that joint naval and air drills with Russia will begin this month, emphasizing the growing military ties between the two nations as Russia continues…

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Bali to ban building of some hotels to tackle over-development

Indonesia has agreed to set a moratorium on the construction of hotels, villas and nightclubs in some areas on the tourist resort island of Bali, as it grapples with the…

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China stops foreign adoptions of its children

China will no longer send children overseas for adoption, the government said, overturning a more than three-decade rule that was rooted in its once strict one-child policy. More than 160,000…

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Pope Francis, in Muslim-majority Indonesia, warns against religious extremism

Pope Francis on Wednesday urged political leaders in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, to guard against religious extremism, which he said distorted people's religious beliefs through "deception and…

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Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia to begin ambitious Asia-Pacific tour

Pope Francis arrived on Tuesday in Indonesia, the first leg of an ambitious four-country Asia-Pacific tour in which he is expected to urge global action on climate change. The 87-year-old…

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China’s major public airlines report losses

China's leading state-owned airlines reported losses in the first half of the year, affected by a slower-than-expected recovery in international travel, an oversupply in the domestic market, and increased global…

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China decides not to impose tariffs on EU brandy

Beijing said on Thursday it would not impose provisional tariffs on brandy imported from the European Union despite finding it had been sold in China below market prices, giving both…

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