World ‘way off track’ in halting warming, UN warns ahead of COP26
Greenhouse gas concentrations hit a record last year and the world is “way off track” in capping rising temperatures, the United Nations said on Monday...
Asia
South Korea’s real-life debt trap
Many small business owners in South Korea recognise themselves in the cash-strapped characters of the wildly popular Netflix (NFLX.O) drama ‘Squid Game’, who vie desperately...
US nuclear envoy visits S.Korea amid N.Korea missile tension, stalled talks
The U.S. envoy for North Korea arrived in South Korea on Saturday amid stalled denuclearisation talks and tension over Pyongyang’s recent missile tests. Special Representative...
Sony loses K-pop megaband BTS to Universal
South Korea’s BTS has signed a new distribution and marketing deal with Universal Music Group (UMG.AS), the world’s biggest music label, dropping Sony Music’s (6758.T)...
India floods block roads, sweep away bridges; 46 dead
Floods unleashed by days of unseasonal heavy rain have wrecked crops, blocked roads and washed away bridges in northern India, killing at least 46 people,...
N.Korea confirms submarine launch of new ballistic missile
North Korea test-fired a new, smaller ballistic missile from a submarine, state media confirmed on Wednesday, a move that analysts said could be aimed at...
N.Korea test-fires submarine-launched ballistic missile, S.Korea says
North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off its east coast on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, pulling Japan’s new prime minister off the...
US watching China’s weapons development, Austin says, after hypersonic missile report
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday Washington was closely watching China‘s development of advanced weapons systems, while declining to comment directly on a report...
More than 20 dead after floods in south India
At least 22 people were killed after heavy rains lashed the south Indian state of Kerala over the weekend, officials said. Rainfall across the state...
Deep earthquake shakes Taiwan
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck close to Taiwan’s east coast city of Hualien on Monday, the island’s weather bureau said, with no immediate reports of...
China condemns U.S., Canada for sending warships through Taiwan Strait
The Chinese military on Sunday condemned the United States and Canada for each sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait last week, saying they were...
China surprises U.S. with hypersonic missile test, FT reports
China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August, showing a capability that caught U.S. intelligence by surprise, the Financial Times reported, citing five unnamed sources. The...
China launches second crewed mission to build space station
China on Saturday launched a rocket carrying three astronauts, including one woman, to the core module of a future space station where they will live...
Blast at mosque in Afghan city of Kandahar; at least seven dead (updated)
A large explosion tore through a Shi’ite mosque in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar killing at least 35 people, the second week in a row that...
Taliban want to help Afghans who fled to Turkey to return home, Turkish minister says
Afghan Taliban leaders said they would do all they can to help Afghan migrants in Turkey wanting to return home, the Turkish foreign minister said on Thursday...
Indonesia’s Bali reopens to foreign tourists, but without flights
Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali reopened to foreign tourists after 18 months of pandemic hiatus on Thursday, but the island is lacking one crucial ingredient:...
Fire in southern Taiwan kills 46 (video)
A fire in a residential building in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung has killed 46 people and injured another 41, the government said on...
Kim Jong-un blames US, S.Korea for N.Korea’s military buildup
Standing beside North Korea’s largest missiles, leader Kim Jong Un said his country’s weapons development is necessary in the face of hostile policies from the...
Afghan minister wants good relations, needs more time on girls’ education
Afghanistan’s foreign minister appealed to the world for good relations on Monday but avoided making firm commitments on girls’ education despite international demands to allow...
China’s Xi vows ‘reunification’ with Taiwan, but holds off threatening force
Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to realise peaceful “reunification” with Taiwan, though did not directly mention the use of force after a week...