DALIAN, China — In April, on the 69th anniversary of the founding of China’s Navy, the country’s first domestically built aircraft carrier stirred from its berth in the port city of Dalian on the Bohai Sea, tethered to tugboats for a test of its seaworthiness. “China’s first homegrown aircraft carrier just moved a bit, and […]

NEAR MISCHIEF REEF, South China Sea — As the United States Navy reconnaissance plane banked low near Mischief Reef in the South China Sea early this month, a Chinese warning crackled on the radio. “U.S. military aircraft,” came the challenge, delivered in English in a harsh staccato. “You have violated our China sovereignty and infringed […]

Sacked Sri Lankan leader’s party denounces November 14 as ‘too late’ to resolve protracted crisis over rival PMs. Colombo, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered parliament to reconvene in 10 days, drawing sharp criticism from the party of the country’s sacked prime minister which decried it as “too late”. The announcement […]

SINGAPORE – A man who tried to run from the police when questioned was later found to have failed to report to his camp for national service. The Straits Times understands that police officers had been patrolling on Saturday (Nov 3) at Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange at about 7pm, and spotted the young man […]

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan-led protests take place across the country, a day after Supreme Court clears Aasia Bibi. Islamabad, Pakistan – Thousands of far-right religious demonstrators continue to block major roads across Pakistan in protest against the acquittal of a Christian woman in a high-profile blasphemy case. The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) political party, led by firebrand Muslim leader […]

Corpse of Saudi journalist was dismembered and put into five suitcases after he was strangled, Turkish daily reports. The Turkish pro-government newspaper Sabah has reported that journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s corpse was dismembered and put into five suitcases after he was strangled upon entering Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul. Citing unnamed officials, Sabah reported on Sunday […]

SEOUL (REUTERS) – The United States and South Korea will begin small-scale military drills on Monday (Nov 5) that were delayed during talks with North Korea, days after Pyongyang threatened to restart work on its nuclear programme if international pressure does not ease. The Korean Marine Exchange Programme was among the training drills that were […]

ISLAMABAD (REUTERS) – The husband of a Pakistani Christian woman acquitted after spending eight years on death row on charges of blasphemy has appealed to US President Donald Trump for refuge, citing danger to family members’ lives. Ashiq Masih, the husband of Asia Bibi, whose case has outraged Christians worldwide and been a source of […]

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (NYTIMES) – A US service member was killed and another wounded when an Afghan commando opened fire on them Saturday (Nov 3) in Kabul, Afghan and US officials said. Mr Brent Taylor, the mayor of North Ogden, Utah, was killed, according to Lt Gov Spencer Cox, who expressed shock in announcements on Twitter […]

MELBOURNE (REUTERS) – Queues formed at polling stations across New Caledonia on Sunday (Nov 4) as the French archipelago in the South Pacific voted whether to become the world’s newest state, a referendum that is the result of a 30-year long decolonisation process. It is the first auto-determination vote to be held in a French […]