Asia Today

Today's headlines: Two Turkish cartoonists arrested for a cartoon depicting Muhammad and Moses; John Lee praises Hong Kong's “security and competitiveness” on the 28th anniversary of its handover to China; In Telangana, 39 people are killed in an explosion at Sgachi Industries; An investigation reveals sectarian massacres against Alawites by groups close to Damascus; Manila is working on a “single theatre” approach to its confrontation with Beijing in the Asia-Pacific seas.

Today's headlines: Beijing resumes imports of fish products from 10 Japanese regions; In Istanbul, dozens of activists who wanted to participate in the Pride march arrested; Prada acknowledges the “Indian roots” of its controversial new sandals; Jakarta launches a 5.9 billion megaproject for the production of electric vehicle batteries; Armenia: security agents in the patriarchate, Karekin II also questioned.

Today's news: Hong Kong's League of Social Democrats meets tomorrow to ratify its dissolution under pressure from Beijing; Hundreds of protesters take to the streets in Bangkok calling for the prime minister's resignation; At least 11 people die in flash floods in north-western Pakistan; Seoul police arrest six US citizens who wanted to smuggle rice and Bibles into North Korea.

Today's news: The United States has approves $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; Investigators have downloaded flight data from the black boxes of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner; Washington and Beijing have reached a trade agreement on Chinese rare earths; Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan: coup foiled.

Today's headlines: Thailand is criminalising the cannabis industry; Food allergies among children are on the rise in Singapore; North Korea has inaugurated the large tourist area of Wonsan Kalma on the east coast; In India, two people have died and ten are missing after a minibus carrying pilgrims fell into the Alaknanda River in Uttarakhand.

Today's news: A Burmese woman has been arrested for celebrating Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday on Facebook. In China, over 80,000 people are fleeing severe flooding in the south-west. Hanoi will abolish the death penalty for eight crimes, sparing the life of a tycoon accused of massive fraud. After 40 years, an Indian astronaut returns to space.

Today's news: India says militants involved in the Pahalgam attack were Pakistani members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group. Thailand has closed its border crossings with Cambodia. United States: $5 million for information on Afghan-American businessman held by the Taliban since 2022. Brazilian tourist missing while trekking on a volcano in Indonesia.

Today's news: while Trump evokes “regime change”, China strongly condemns US attacks on Iranian bases at the UN. South Korea will have its first non-military defence minister since 1961. In Asia, atmospheric temperatures in 2024 rose to twice the level of the rest of the world. Japan commemorates 80 years since the end of the Battle of Okinawa.

Today's news: Another night of fighting between Israel and Iran as Iran’s foreign minister meets with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul. Taekwondo diplomacy might signal the first step in easing tensions between the two Koreas. In the Philippines, the investigation into the disappearance of 34 people involved in a cockfighting racket has reached a turning point. Putin approves a Russian Starlink-like project.

Today's headlines: European governments meet with Tehran's foreign minister, while Xi also reiterates call for ceasefire between Israel and Iran; Paetongtarn Shinawatra retains narrow majority in Bangkok parliament and visits military in the north; Kuki woman killed in a new outbreak of violence in Manipur; Japanese government orders compensation to two asylum seekers for poor detention conditions.

Today's news: Paetongtarn Shinawatra's phone call to Hun Sen threatens to bring down the Thai government; Bipartisan resolution in the US Congress on Tibet on the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama; South Korea's new government launches another economic manoeuvre in Seoul; Armenians concerned about possible repercussions of the situation in Iran.

Today's news: New eruption of the Laki Laki volcano in Indonesia; India and Canada re-establish diplomatic relations after the crisis over the killing of the Sikh leader; China to set up an international operations centre for its digital currency in Shanghai; To Lam appoints his son to head a department of the Ministry of Public Security; Russian Attorney General reports sharp rise in corruption offences.