Taiwan to shore up defenses against telecommunications attacks
Buffeted by earthquakes and the potential of conflict with China, Taiwan’s leaders want to accelerate plans to make the island more resilient to communications breakdowns and direct attacks on its…
NATO soldiers injured in Kosovo clashes with Serb protesters
Around 25 NATO peacekeeping soldiers defending three town halls in northern Kosovo were injured in clashes with Serb protesters on Monday, while Serbia’s president put the army on the highest…
Russia launched ‘largest drone attack’ on Ukrainian capital before Kyiv Day
Ukraine’s capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia’s war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday.…
Russia fights cross-border raid that Ukraine says is Russian opposition
Russia said on Monday it was battling a cross-border incursion by saboteurs who burst through the frontier from Ukraine, in what appeared to be one of the biggest attacks of…
British musician finds his forte: saving unwanted pianos
In a deserted former department store near the port of Leith in Edinburgh, Tim Vincent-Smith reaches inside a grand piano’s open top, his fingertips lightly plucking at the taut strings.…
Plane believed to be carrying Ukraine’s Zelenskyy lands in Hiroshima for G7 summit
A plane believed to be carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in Hiroshima for global diplomatic talks. Leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies have invited Zelenskyy as the…
AP report: China’s loans pushing world’s poorest countries to brink of collapse
A dozen poor countries are facing economic instability and even collapse under the weight of hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign loans, much of them from the world’s biggest…
US Republican transgender laws pile up, setting 2024 battle lines
Oklahoma’s governor has signed into law a bill making it a felony to provide gender-affirming healthcare to a minor. Indiana has enacted a law requiring teachers to tell parents when…
Traitor next door? Fear stalks Kherson after Russian occupation ends
Valentyna Haras says she isn’t a traitor. Nonetheless, her garden walls in the Ukrainian city of Kherson are covered with graffiti marking her out as a Russian collaborator. “Rashist” -…
Intrigue, uncertainty in Thailand after opposition’s election win
Thailand’s two election winning parties are working to overcome the built-in advantage for a military-backed bloc and form a government they say must reflect the will of voters who want…
China’s domestic travel recovery marred by anti-spending ‘special forces’
When graduate student Cai Zhishan decided to spend her Labour Day holidays in northern China, she wished she had enough money to hire a car for the more-than 4,000km (2,500…
The second life of Hiroshima’s origami cranes
At a hillside temple, a monk in saffron robes blows a refrain on a conch and begins chanting prayers as thousands of origami cranes donated to Hiroshima burn. For a…
California’s wet winter sparks a new gold rush
Albert Fausel has been scouring the rivers of Placerville, California for decades in search of gold. But the task has never been easier, nor the haul bigger, thanks to recent…
The G7 versus China in the battle for global clout
The tussle for global influence is about to intensify, as China, Russia, the US and its allies step up efforts to win over governments in a deepening competition for hearts…
Putin, Zelenskyy agree to meet with ‘African leaders peace mission,’ says South Africa president
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have agreed to separate meetings with a delegation of leaders from six African countries to discuss a possible plan to end…
Hong Kong leader says China’s sentencing of US citizen exposes national security threats
Hong Kong’s leader on Tuesday said the sentencing on spying charges of a U.S. citizen in China, who was also a permanent resident of the semi-autonomous city, illustrated that the…
Hainan Island: Capital of space tourism and Chinese nationalism
China’s space program is turning a rural region in to an unlikely tourist destination and the center of fervent nationalism. Eight stories above the sidewalks of Longlou, a small rural…
Abbas urges UN to suspend Israel during first commemoration of 1948 flight of the Palestinians
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged the United Nations on Monday to suspend Israel’s membership unless it implements resolutions establishing separate Jewish and Arab states and allows the return of Palestinian…
AI presents political peril for 2024 with threat to mislead voters
Computer engineers and tech-inclined political scientists have warned for years that cheap, powerful artificial intelligence tools would soon allow anyone to create fake images, video and audio that was realistic…
From pistols to cruise missiles: how the West armed Ukraine
Since Russia invaded Ukraine 15 months ago, the West has delivered ever more powerful weapons to Kyiv to help it defend its territory and recapture lost ground. AFP looks at…
Consultancy firms in China tested limits before Beijing’s crackdown
China’s clampdown on its consultancy and due diligence sector has driven companies to review their operations after some tested the limits of the laws and Beijing’s patience to meet surging…
Migrants at US-Mexico border face tight controls after Title 42 lapse
After hours of waiting on the U.S. side of the border and hoping the Texas National Guard would let them seek U.S. asylum, a group of 15 migrants crossed a…
Turkey faces runoff election with Erdogan leading
Turkey headed for a runoff vote after President Tayyip Erdogan led over his opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Sunday’s election but fell short of an outright majority to extend his…
Thailand opposition crushes military parties in election rout
Thailand’s opposition secured a stunning election win on Sunday after trouncing parties allied with the military, setting the stage for a flurry of deal-making over forming a government in a…
Audio book narrators say AI is already taking away business
As people brace for the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and everyday living, those in the world of audio books say their field is already being transformed. AI…
Thailand votes, but will the military listen?
Thais voted Sunday in an election that could see pro-democracy opposition parties oust the conservative military-backed government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha after almost a decade in power. Voters are…
Swedish singer Loreen wins Eurovision Song Contest for 2nd time at event feting Ukraine
Swedish singer Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with her power ballad “Tattoo,” at a colorful, eclectic music competition clouded for a second year running by the…
Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a ‘rout’
Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Ukraine’s battlefield city of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian offensive, in a retreat that the head of Russia’s…
Chinese money breathes new life into fading Japanese resort
A once-faded Japanese honeymoon hot spot is getting a new lease on life thanks in part to Chinese investment, as industry insiders predict that more hot spring hotels will be…
Chinese tycoons lose US$20b through quirk in company business model
A Chinese e-learning company that helped people prepare for civil servants’ tests was once worth over US$20 billion, now it’s worth less than a billion dollars, a victim of its…
Thai election may see cannabis industry snuffed out
The days of easily buying marijuana on the streets of Bangkok or Phuket may soon be over. Four years after Thailand’s Bhumjaithai party won almost four million votes on a…
Women dance to their own beat in China’s nightclubs
Tired of Shanghai club nights dominated by men, where a woman’s appearance often matters as much as her musical skills, Eloise Fan has created an underground space where women DJs…
China is scaring away investors that its cities want
China’s unpredictable policy making is deterring foreign investment that the country’s cash-strapped cities are desperate to entice. Local officials are cold calling foreign entrepreneurs and bringing roadshows overseas as they…
Top Biden aide tells Chinese diplomat that US wants to ‘move beyond’ spy balloon
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Wang Yi during talks in Vienna this week that the Biden administration is “looking to move beyond”…
With ex-PM Imran Khan in custody, Pakistan cracks down on his supporters, arresting hundreds
With former Prime Minister Imran Khan in custody, Pakistani authorities on Thursday cracked down on his supporters, arresting hundreds in overnight raids and sending troops across the country to rein…
European Parliament votes on curbs for ChatGPT and other AI
EU lawmakers hold a crucial vote Thursday towards setting restrictions on how AI such as ChatGPT can be used in the European Union. European Parliament committees will set out their…
Trump jokes about sexual abuse verdict, repeats election falsehoods
An unrepentant Donald Trump held firm to past grievances at the first televised town hall of the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Wednesday, stressing from the moment he took the…
Ukraine says it routs Russian brigade, Kremlin acknowledges ‘very difficult’ campaign
A Ukrainian unit said on Wednesday it had routed a Russian brigade near the stronghold of Bakhmut in an incident underlining the task facing the Kremlin as it carries out…
Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll, must pay her US$5m, jury says
Donald Trump must pay US$5 million in damages for sexually abusing magazine writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and then defaming her by branding her a liar, a jury…
Putin tells WWII event West is waging a ‘real war’ on Russia
President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday that the West has unleashed “a real war” against Russia, reprising a familiar refrain at scaled-down Victory Day celebrations that may reflect the toll the…
Mainland clients rush to open Hong Kong bank accounts, buy insurance
A welcome sign is emerging in Hong Kong after three years of travel restrictions: lines of mainland Chinese tourists outside the city’s bank branches. Hundreds of thousands flocked to the…
China kicks off anti-spying campaign with synchronized countrywide raids
China has launched a nationwide anti-spy crackdown on consulting firms, according to state media, as Beijing moves to tighten foreign access to sensitive information amid growing tensions with the US.…
Thai household debt in election focus as millions in ‘endless struggle’
Kavita Wongyakasem runs a small business in Bangkok, owns a two-storey house on the outskirts of the Thai capital, drives a pick-up truck, and sends her two daughters to good…
China’s return to global stage checked by national security focus
China’s increasing focus on its own security and intensifying rivalry with the United States threatens to turn its re-engagement with the world after years of COVID curbs into a new…
Russia rains missiles across Ukraine ahead of May 9 Victory Day holiday
Russia launched its biggest wave of drone strikes on Ukraine for months on Monday, escalating attacks in the run-up to its May 9 Victory Day holiday celebrating the defeat of…
‘My career of 280 years’: Biden jokes off 2024 age concerns
Joe Biden served in the Senate for 270 years. He used to be three years older than his sister Valerie, but now has 20 years on her. And the fourth…
Hong Kong’s bamboo scaffolders preserve ancient technique
Mo Jia Yu wraps his legs around a pole to balance high above the ground and secure a joint, a skill he must master to become a bamboo scaffolder in…
Freedom to paint: Pakistani Gitmo prisoner finds release in art
When Ahmed Rabbani ran out of paint to satisfy his artistic yearnings during 20 years of incarceration at Guantanamo Bay, he turned to whatever came to hand — dirt, coffee…
King Charles III crowned at Westminster Abbey
King Charles III was crowned on Saturday in Britain’s biggest ceremonial event for seven decades, a sumptuous display of pageantry dating back 1,000 years. In front of a congregation of…
Group led by China, Russia criticizes global institutions
Foreign ministers from a group of nations led by China and Russia criticized on Friday the ability of world institutions to resolve geopolitical problems, including the coronavirus pandemic, and said…
Chinese fast fashion giant Shein denies low prices due to forced labor
Chinese cut-price fast-fashion giant Shein defended its business model in an interview with AFP, saying demand-based production accounted for its low prices and not forced or cheap labor. Founded in…
Fewer luxury shoppers but bigger spenders as Chinese return to Europe
China’s five-day Labour Day holiday in early May was once a good excuse for a quick European jaunt – with a side of luxury shopping on the agenda. But with…
China’s aircraft carriers play ‘theatrical’ role but pose little threat yet
When China sailed one of its two active aircraft carriers, the Shandong, east of Taiwan last month as part of military drills surrounding the island, it was showcasing a capability…
WHO downgrades Covid pandemic, says it’s no longer emergency
The World Health Organization said Friday that Covid-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies…
Europeans drain billions from banks, fed up with shrinking savings
European savers are pulling more of their money from banks, looking for a better deal as lenders resist paying up to hold on to deposits some feel they can currently…
Taiwan trade chief warns against ‘unnecessary fear’ of China
Taiwan’s chief trade representative says his country’s semiconductor makers will expand production in the U.S. as much as they can afford to do so, but he insists Taiwan remains an…
Nine dead, seven wounded in Belgrade school shooting
Eight students and a security guard were killed during a school shooting in Belgrade on Wednesday, officials said, with police accusing the detained 13-year-old suspect of plotting the attack for…
China’s AI industry barely slowed by US chip export rules
U.S. microchip export controls imposed last year to freeze China’s development of supercomputers used to develop nuclear weapons and artificial-intelligence systems like ChatGPT are having only minimal effects on China’s…
Last of the big spenders; China’s shoppers stay home
China’s big-spending shoppers are back, to the relief of the global luxury industry. But in a pandemic-era shift, they’re doing more of their spending at home, even with mainland borders…
Chinese electric vehicle brands expand to global markets
Osamu Furukawa has driven lots of Japanese cars for his business converting classic gasoline-powered models to electric. But his favorite ride is an import: A battery-powered SUV from China’s BYD…
Normalising China-Australia trade will take more than a political fix
More than three years since China first blocked a range of Australian imports in a political dispute, restrictions are easing, but reviving trade is proving more challenging than stopping it…
Biden, Marcos discuss securing tense South China Sea
Responding to Beijing’s aggressive expansion into the trade routes and strategic islands of the South China Sea headlined talks Monday between President Joe Biden and his Philippines counterpart Ferdinand Marcos…
Big May Day events in Asia call for better labor conditions
A large number of workers and activists in Asian countries are set to mark May Day on Monday with protests calling for higher salaries and better working conditions, among other…
Should school use ‘Warrior’ nickname? Tribe to have last say
The profile of a Native American man, a braid trailing down and feather jutting up, is tiled into a high school hallway, dyed into the weight room carpet and laid…
Indian cough syrup: mystery middleman may be new clue
An unnamed middleman in Mumbai provided a crucial raw material used in Indian-made cough syrups that have been linked to the deaths of more than 70 children in Gambia, a…
China weighs giving single women IVF access to stem population decline
Concerned about China’s first population drop in six decades and its rapid ageing, the government’s political advisers proposed in March that single and unmarried women should have access to egg…
Hello Hong Kong, and goodbye: The city is recovering but some things will never be the same again
Like most people in Hong Kong, taxi driver Leung Tat-chong says it feels like the city is recovering after years of protests, crackdowns, and pandemic restrictions, while it also has…
China rebuilds Australia ties after failing to press economy
Australia’s economic and diplomatic relations with China are in recovery mode, with tensions over issues ranging from foreign investment to security receding as Beijing tamps down its punitive efforts to…
China rehabilitation scheme makes morticians of murderers
Once jailed for murder, Cao Yongsheng now makes a living caring for the dead, benefitting from a bold rehabilitation scheme that’s giving some of China’s most serious criminals a second…
World’s apparel, sneakers hub Vietnam struggles as US ban on Xinjiang cotton bites
Tighter U.S. rules to ban imports from China’s Xinjiang are compounding pressure on Vietnam’s apparel and footwear makers, hitting a sector that has already shed nearly 90,000 jobs since October…
Analysis: China’s Ukraine plan mixes peace, self-interest
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s plan to send an envoy to Ukraine allows his government to deflect criticism of its support for Moscow and pursue a bigger role as a diplomatic…
Music robots and motorhomes: China’s tourism upgrades amid accelerated recovery
Robots performing kung fu, interactive murals and deluxe camps — tourists returning to Chinese scenic spots this year may find many new services on offer. Chinese tourists are coming back…
China pushes largest-ever expansion of nuclear arsenal
China is pushing ahead with the largest-ever expansion of its nuclear arsenal, modernising the atomic deterrent with an eye on any future conflicts with the United States, experts say. The…
Coronation gives tourism boost, but UK economy still reeling
The coronation is luring royal enthusiasts fascinated by the ceremonial spectacle — and drama — of the monarchy and far-flung visitors eager to experience a piece of British history. Kelly…
Signs of hope for China property market, but boom is over: analysts
Pummelled by a housing crisis that caused a record-breaking slump last year, some Chinese property developers are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, but analysts warn…
Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr holiday with feasts, prayers
The holiday of Eid al-Fitr ushered in a day of prayers and joy for Muslims around the world on Friday. The celebration was marred by tragedy amid the explosion of…
Chinese EV dominance hastens end of petrol engine era
This year’s Shanghai Auto Show signalled the end of the petrol engine era in China, as domestic electric vehicle brands drive change across the sector and leave foreign companies in…
Fighting in Sudan enters a second week as truce breaks
Fighting in Sudan’s capital entered a second week Saturday as crackling gunfire shattered a temporary truce, the latest battles between forces of rival generals that have already left hundreds dead…
CERN takes first small steps towards new giant particle accelerator
Europe’s CERN laboratory has taken its first steps towards building a huge new particle accelerator that would eclipse its Large Hadron Collider — and hopes to see light at the…
Elon Musk’s Starship explodes minutes after first test flight’s liftoff
SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft exploded minutes after liftoff in an uncrewed test flight from South Texas on Thursday, cutting short a key step in Elon Musk’s development of a rocket…
Credit Suisse faulted over probe of Nazi-linked accounts
U.S. lawmakers have accused embattled Swiss bank Credit Suisse of limiting the scope of an internal investigation into Nazi clients and Nazi-linked accounts, including some that were open until just…
Pentagon cites China’s military threat as Beijing declines dialogue
Senior US defense officials warned lawmakers about the growing risks of Chinese military power and the need to accelerate US development of hypersonic weapons. Admiral John Aquilino, the head of…
Russia worried too reliant on Chinese tech: memo
Senior Russian officials privately raised concerns some 10 months ago about the risks of becoming too dependent on Chinese technologies after sanctions by the US and the European Union shut…
Porn on Amazon’s Kindle app prompts warnings from Apple, Alphabet
Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc have raised concerns with Amazon.com Inc after learning that sexually explicit photographs could be accessed by children on the popular Kindle app and called on…
Young Thais who questioned monarchy look to win seats in parliament
Chonthicha “Lookkate” Jangrew is going door-to-door asking people to vote for her in Thailand’s May 14 election even though she faces possible jail time on charges of sedition and defaming…
Protester breaks silence on China’s crackdown on Covid demonstrators
Months after the “white paper movement” protests, most participants who weren’t picked up by the Public Security Bureau remain silent, in hiding, but one young Chinese man is speaking out…
Chinese millennials are looking beyond property to build wealth
Having missed the property train, China’s millennials – with few options – think outside the box to create wealth. Like millions of other young Chinese, Byron Zhang thinks he’s missed…
Clinton, Blair marking Northern Ireland peace milestone
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and past leaders of the U.K. and Ireland gathered in Belfast on Monday, 25 years after their charm, clout and determination helped Northern Ireland strike…
Aroma of Chinese Lamian noodles wafts to Belt and Road countries
Lamian noodles, or hand-pulled noodles, is a traditional Chinese dish. It has a variety of appetizing flavors such as Qinghai Lamian noodles and Lanzhou beef Lamian noodles. In recent years,…
US, allies conduct more drills in face of N. Korean threat
The United States, South Korea and Japan conducted a joint missile defense exercise Monday in waters near the Korean Peninsula as they expand military training to counter the growing threats…
Sudan’s army pounds paramilitary bases with air strikes in power struggle
Sudan’s army appeared to gain the upper hand on Sunday in a bloody power struggle with rival paramilitary forces, pounding their bases with air strikes, said witnesses. At least 97…
China’s economy expected to rebound as zero-Covid era fades
China is expected to announce an economic rebound on Tuesday, when Beijing releases its first quarterly GDP figures since abolishing growth-sapping Covid restrictions late last year. The Asian giant’s virus…
Japan PM urges better security after blast targets speech
Japan needs to increase security as Group of Seven officials visit, the country’s prime minister said Sunday, a day after an explosive was thrown at him during a campaign event.…
WTA return shows China key to women’s tennis on and off court
The WTA’s decision this week to return to China, despite unresolved questions around the safety of player Peng Shuai, betrays the financial and strategic importance of the country to the…
China’s Korea envoy accuses US of ‘using’ tensions
China’s ambassador for the Korean peninsula on Friday accused the US of “using” regional tensions to reinforce an anti-Beijing alliance, after weeks of mounting rhetoric and missile tests by Pyongyang.…
Rich feel the pinch as property slump hurts Chinese consumers, clouding recovery
Liu Baoxiang, who runs a mahjong parlor in a city on China’s rust belt, no longer splurges on extravagant fashion items after seeing the two flats he owns lose roughly…
Germany FM urges China to tell Russia to stop war
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged Beijing Friday to ask “the Russian aggressor to stop the war” in Ukraine, saying “no other country has more influence on Russia than China”.…
US arrests 21-year-old National Guardsman for online intelligence leaks
The FBI on Thursday arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the U.S. Air National Guard, over the leaks online of classified documents that embarrassed Washington with allies around…
North Korea says it tested new solid-fuel long-range missile
North Korea said Friday it flight-tested a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time, a possible breakthrough in its efforts to acquire a more powerful, harder-to-detect weapon targeting the…
Last-ditch protests in France over Macron’s pension reform
Hundreds of thousands of people are set to take to the streets across France again on Thursday to protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms, in a final day of…
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