Tag Archives: Asia

  At least 20 people have died after a strong earthquake struck Ambon city in Indonesia’s Maluku islands, destroying homes and triggering landslides that buried at least one of the victims.

At least 11 people have been killed and six are missing after the western Indian city of Pune and its neighboring areas were hit by heavy rain and flash floods, a government official said on Wednesday. More than 28,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and the local administration …

Hundreds of Afghans marched on Tuesday (September 24) in protest against the deaths of at least 40 wedding party guests who were caught in the crossfire of a clash between Afghan government forces and Taliban. With presidential elections due this coming Saturday (September 28), the killings and the many more …

Moscow has launched a large-scale military exercise alongside China and India, with maneuvers spanning from the Caspian Sea to Central Asia. The Tsentr-2019 (Center-2019) drill, which kicked off on Monday, amasses around 128,000 troops, with more than 20,000 pieces of hardware, conducting maneuvers in southern Russia and Central Asia. Russian …

China is poised to open a new mega-airport to the south of Beijing, already home to the world’s second-busiest aviation hub, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic. Beijing Daxing International Airport will see its first commercial flight take off around September 20, according to Chinese state media, …

Taliban suicide bombers killed 48 people in two separate attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday, the deadliest taking place near an election rally by President Ashraf Ghani, though he was unhurt. The attacks happened 11 days before Afghanistan’s presidential election, which Taliban commanders have vowed to violently disrupt, and follow collapsed …

There were multiple violent clashes between police and protesters across Hong Kong throughout the weekend, but one shocking incident, in which a middle-aged man was beaten unconscious, has since become viral. Though there were sporadic outbursts of violence reported in the region, one, in particular, saw a group of purported …

After months of peaceful marches and clashes, Hong Kong protesters have begun staging a different type of demonstration – mass singalongs of a new song called Glory to Hong Kong.

A U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Friday, the U.S. military said, a move likely to anger Beijing. The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-Chinese relationship, which include an escalating trade war, American sanctions …

Thousands of Indonesians prayed for rain in haze-hit towns on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo on Wednesday, as forest fires raged at the height of the dry season, the state Antara news agency reported. Fires have burnt through parts of Sumatra and Borneo island for more than a month …

At least 18 people were injured at a religious procession in Kotte, Sri Lanka when two elephants ran amok, according to local reports. Footage captured by a local news outlet showed one of the elephants running down a street.  

Typhoon Lingling killed five people and injured three after making landfall in North Korea on Saturday, state news agency KCNA reports, while 46,200 hectares of farmland and crops were impacted by the storm. The outlet also reported that NK leader Kim Jong-un berated senior officials over their lax attitude and …

India lost contact with a spacecraft it was trying to land on the moon on Saturday, its space agency said, in a setback for the nation’s ambitious plans to become the first country to probe the unexplored lunar south pole. The lander of the Chandrayaan-2 moon mission was attempting a …

Hong Kong authorities mounted a security blitz at and near the airport on Saturday, averting a second straight weekend of disruptions by pro-democracy activists who have refused to yield even after gaining a concession from the government this week. Police mounted road checks and inspected passengers on trains and buses …

Pakistani and Indian officials are meeting on Wednesday to finalize a draft agreement for the opening of a border crossing to allow Sikh pilgrims from India to cross easily into Pakistan and visit a shrine there, AP reported. The meeting on the Indian side of the land border at the …

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Wednesday withdrew an extradition bill that triggered months of often violent protests so the Chinese-ruled city can move forward from a “highly vulnerable and dangerous” place and find solutions. Her televised announcement came after Reuters reports on Friday and Monday revealing that Beijing had …

A towering inferno has erupted at a state-run ONGC oil and gas processing plant at Uran, outside Mumbai, reportedly killing five people and injuring at least 11 more while forcing the evacuation of area residents. The fire broke out in a stormwater drainage system around 7 am local time on …

A major Taliban suicide attack on an affluent area of Kabul has killed at least 16 people and injured more than 100 others. The attack came just hours after the US said it had agreed on a deal “in principle” with the Taliban for the withdrawal of around 5,000 troops …

Seven people were killed when a small plane crashed in a resort area near the Philippines’ capital Manila, authorities say. The crash sparked a fire and sent people fleeing and firefighters scrambling to control it. The Philippines Civil Aviation Authority said that the light plane, which was on a medical …

Hong Kong police have used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse crowds as tens of thousands marched in the city, defying a ban. Demonstrators lit fires, threw petrol bombs at riot police and attacked the parliament building. An event to mark five years since Beijing ruled out …