Saturday, 28 Sep 2024

Asia

Asia News – Get latest breaking news & top stories today in Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Australia/New Zealand at…

Pakistan urges Taliban to start peace talks with Afghan gov't

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Islamabad eager to see the armed group start a dialogue with Kabul. Pakistan has urged the Taliban to start talks soon with the Afghan government to end decades of conflict, telling visiting officials of the group that an intra-Afghan dialogue could help ensure regional stability. The meeting between Pakistani […]

Dollar edges higher, but stuck in range before Powell speech

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The dollar gained on Wednesday but stayed within a relatively tight range a day ahead of a highly anticipated speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Powell is scheduled to address the U.S. central bank’s policy framework review, and investors are focused on whether he will hint at shifting the Fed’s […]

Why are Thai students protesting against King Vajiralongkorn?

Young activists take on powerful monarchy and pro-army leaders in what could be a ‘new turning point’ for Thai politics. In the biggest and boldest protests since Thailand’s 2014 coup, students and young activists – intent on shaking up a stultifying political order – are taking on the country’s most powerful players: King Maha Vajiralongkorn […]

Suicide bombings in Jolo likely carried out by militants' widows: Army

The twin blasts in Jolo town in the far-flung southern part of the Philippines that killed at least 15 people on Monday could have been the work of the widows of two prominent militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a top Philippine security official said yesterday. Two suicide bombers were behind […]

China warns of 'shadow' over ties with Australia, tells it to stop whining

SYDNEY (REUTERS) – A top Chinese diplomat in Australia warned against a “shadow” over the two nations’ ties on Wednesday (Aug 26), saying that Beijing was disappointed by a Chinese firm’s failure to win Australian regulatory approval for a takeover deal. Tension between Australia and its main export market of China has risen in recent […]

Defying China, Philippines to continue patrolling Spratlys in South China Sea

MANILA – The Philippines will continue patrolling the Spratlys in the South China Sea, ignoring a warning from China to stop “illegal provocations” in waters around the disputed island chain. “We’re going to continue our patrol because it’s ours. That’s all there is to it, and then they (China) will continue to call it an […]

Mexico's economy has worst quarter since Great Depression

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s economy in the second quarter declined the most since the Great Depression, despite partially recovering from the depths in June, as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered factories, kept shoppers and tourists at home and upended trade. Gross domestic product fell 17.1% in seasonally adjusted terms in the April-June period from the […]

Evening Update: Today's headlines from The Straits Times on Aug 25

Good evening! Catch up on some of the main headlines on Tuesday, Aug 25. 7,500 jobs and 1,600 training opportunities in healthcare sector to be created by end-2021 Most of these positions are suitable for fresh graduates entering the workforce and mid-career job seekers – with or without a background in healthcare. READ MORE HERE […]

Journalist federation slams coronavirus hacking attacks on Indonesian media

JAKARTA (AFP) – Several Indonesian media outlets critical of the government’s coronavirus response have been hit by a series of computer hacking attacks that the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Tuesday (Aug 25) slammed as a threat to press freedom. At least four organisations have been targeted in an “unprecedented” series of digital attacks […]