Asia Today

Today's news: Malaysia and Sinngapore agree on shared Special Economic Zone in Johor; The Lebanese army deploys in Naqoura with the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers; Indonesian President Prabowo's free meal plan kicks off; Kirill addresses the Orthodox of Ukraine in his Christmas message.

Today's news: Skirmishes over the list of hostages to be freed, while deaths continue in Gaza and the West Bank; North Korea's missile test during Blinken's trip (and political crisis) to Seoul; Indian journalist exposing corruption found dead in Chhattisgarh; Japanese chain Lawson hires workers in Europe to manage night shifts in its convenience stores in Japan through an avatar.

Today's headlines: In South Korea, births increase for the first time in many years. The Japanese company Nippon Steel is planning legal action against Biden's veto on buying United States Steel. Art Spiegelman, a cartoonist who depicted the Holocaust, will work on a graphic novel on Gaza. In Russia, additional powers are given to police to monitor migrants.

Today's news: Former US Vice President Mike Pence to visit Hong Kong in mid-January; Laos asks China to close a mine over environmental damage; European diplomats in Syria; Kyrgyzstan wants to raise the minimum age for marriage to 18.

Today's news: Data from South Korean Jeju Air plane crash black boxes extracted; Number of Japanese teachers taking leave for mental stress increases; Iran executes 72 Afghan citizens in 2024; Assam chief minister accuses Indian factory owners of aiding illegal immigration.

Today's headlines: WHO director-general calls on Israel to stop attacks on Gaza hospitals. New board game simulates Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Taliban leader bans windows (and imposes the closure of existing ones) on the upper floors of buildings overlooking courtyards or areas used by women. Cambodia pardons and sends home 13 Philippine women jailed for illegal trafficking of surrogate mothers.

Today's news: Israeli army evacuated Kamal Adwan hospital, arresting the director; Azerbaijan claims ‘external interference’ the cause of plane crash in Chechnya skies, blocking flights to some Russian cities; Death sentence for man who ploughed through the crowd in Zhuhai killing 35 people; Thai influencer dies after drinking a whole bottle of whisky in a social challenge.

Today's news: Christmas Mass in a grotto for Kayah Christians who escaped Burmese junta raids;. Israel attacks Houthi in Yemen, six dead; WHO director general involved in airport raid; Christmas trees and decorations return (with caution) in China, but ‘pressure’ remains on Christians; Military court in Pakistan sentences 60 civilians for pro-Imran Khan protests; Social (and military) spending on the rise in Japan's ‘record’ budget.

Today's headlines: At least 46 people killed in a Pakistani air strike in Afghanistan. Dozens of passengers escape alive from a plane crash fire in Kazakhstan. Israel threatens more attacks as Houthi launch new drones from Yemen. In Taiwan, Taipei’s former mayor Ko Wen-je is indicted for corruption. The trial against Caritas gets underway in Belarus.

Today's news: Hong Kong cancels passports of seven exiled activists, crackdown on dissent continues; Thousands of Syrians take to the streets in the Kurdish north-east to call for respect for women's rights; Dhaka asks Delhi to repatriate former premier Hasina for ‘legal proceedings’. At Christmas, the law requiring identity verification on social media goes into effect in Vietnam.

Today's news: Xi Jinping's ‘war’ on corruption hits record number of senior officials in 2024. After years of delays, the first underground opens in Ho Chi Minh City. Mass flight of health workers since the rise of the Taliban, millions of Afghans without medical care. Taiwan government against opposition-voted rule cutting spending, including defence resources.

Today's headlines: Ukraine’s military drops leaflets in Korean on North Korean soldiers fighting in Russia. In Myanmar, the Arakan Army seized another important outpost. Cracks appear in Afghanistan’s Taliban over media repression. Central Asian countries repatriate their own citizens jailed in Syria.