BEIJING, March 19 - China has arrested seven people and subjected 12 more to \"criminal compulsory measures\" in a campaign targeting traffickers in fentanyl precursor chemicals, state media said on Thursday, a move long urged by the United States.
China may be preparing to take Taiwan, but not through a near-term invasion, as new US intelligence suggests it is prioritizing coercion, pressure and political absorption over outright war. The March report, entitled 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of US Intelligence Community,
It comes days after Trump criticised Japan for not answering his demands for help in the Strait of Hormuz.
A Mandalay People’s Defence Force spokesman suggested the event was propaganda.
The primary danger in the escalating Iran war is no longer the risk of expansion but a complete collapse of restraint. The conflict has surged past a contained bilateral US-Israel versus Iran exchange and become a wider regional crisis fueled by a dangerous conviction that
MOSCOW, March 19 - Russian officials promised compensation to farmers in the Novosibirsk region on Thursday, where authorities have ordered thousands of cattle to be culled, sparking Russia's largest non-political protests since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Clean water is a privilege in the country of 1.4 billion people.
35 per cent of those tested contained substances at levels up to 200 times over the safety standard.
DUBAI, March 19 - Iran is considering a proposal to levy transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a lawmaker said on Thursday, a potential bid to monetise Tehran's newfound grip over the critical waterway through which a fifth of global oil and liquefied
The number of marriages had fallen for 11 consecutive years from 2012 before turning upward in 2023.
Entry will be restricted to designated pathways, while ID and bag checks may be conducted.
He died in Singapore on March 19, according to the corporate secretary of one of his companies.
"We have always opposed the use of force in international relations," said a foreign ministry spokesman.
Fiscal strain on the economy is set to mount rapidly, especially since fuel at pump stations is government-subsidised.
Japan may seek to purchase oil from non-Gulf destinations, including the US.
Taxis have gradually begun suspending services, especially for long-distance trips.
The educators exploited pupils, sharing illicit images in a wider ring.
Local diesel prices more than doubled after global oil prices surged because of the Iran war.
Punch became an internet sensation after clips of him clinging to a plush orang utan toy for comfort were shared.
Manufacturers stopped operations after supplies of propane and natural gas reduced sharply in recent days.
Blossoms will be in full bloom in about a week if warm temperatures continue.
KATHMANDU, March 19 - Nepal is investigating how some copies of a book authored by Chinese President Xi Jinping were burned at a university in the east of the country after the Chinese embassy expressed concern over the incident, officials said on Thursday.
BEIJING, March 19 - China, home to the world's biggest oil refining sector, said it was ready to work with Southeast Asia in addressing energy problems stemming from the war in Iran and called on the parties involved to immediately cease military operations.
China had previously banned exports of Chinese fuels following the Middle East war.
Various observers are emphasizing that the US-Israeli war against Iran is either hurting or helping China. Some argue that “China has a lot to lose,” that the war is “unsettling China and its ambitions,” or that “Xi Jinping’s geopolitical chessboard is starting to collapse.”
Diesel stocks are down to 30 days, said Australia's Energy Minister.
The Japanese prime minister will be the first major ally to hold face-to-face talks with United States President Donald Trump since he urged several countries to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
The airport has deployed extra staff and expanded passport control capacity ahead of the expected surge.
The operation is aimed at reducing road accidents and fatalities during the busy travel period.
Taiwan's government referred to China's offer as "cognitive warfare".
The man was charged with reckless driving, causing injury, and failing to stop to provide assistance.
The post was criticised for being "deeply offensive" by a victims' rights commissioner.
HONG KONG, March 19 - Human factors rendered ineffective almost all the fire safety measures at the site of a Hong Kong blaze that killed 168 people in November, the lead lawyer for a panel led by a judge that is investigating the inferno said on Thursday.
The South Korean landmark, built in 1395, has weathered centuries of destruction and restoration.
The tour will be held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through Dec 22.
Andrie Yunus, who criticised the army's role in government, suffered burns to 20% of his body.
The judge-led committee will investigate whether fire safety standards were inadequate.
Airport employees have returned the animal to its rightful place in the great outdoors.
LONDON, March 19 - Voters grappling with unprecedented turmoil head to the polls in more than 50 countries this year, with the opportunity to make clear their views on their governments' strategies for wars, tariffs and economic strife.
WASHINGTON, March 19 - President Donald Trump may use a White House meeting with Japan’s prime minister on Thursday to press for help in the war on Iran, placing Sanae Takaichi in an awkward position as Tokyo weighs how much support it can provide.
The mysterious free model, Hunter Alpha, surfaced on the AI gateway platform OpenRouter on March 11.
Passengers discovered a real possum nestled among other native Australian toy animals at Hobart Airport, Tasmania.
As conflict in the Middle East drives up global fuel prices, Hong Kong drivers are looking north for relief - but will the savings add up?
On his first visit to Japan as Singapore's prime minister, Mr Wong spoke about the importance of maintaining strong relationships with other countries amid a more complex geopolitical environment.
You’re late for an important appointment. Just as you are leaving your house, you realize your phone is flat. Imagine you could charge it almost instantly by exploiting the strange rules of quantum physics. That’s the promise of quantum batteries. My colleagues and I at CSIRO
Indonesia is often seen as one of Asia’s great demographic opportunities. With a population of more than 275 million and a still-expanding working-age cohort, it has long been expected to ride the same labour-driven growth wave that powered East Asia’s rise. But that window is
PM Sanae Takaichi has maintained that her stance was consistent with longstanding Japanese policy.
TOKYO, March 19 - Japan has not changed its position on how it determines an existential threat, its top government spokesperson said on Friday, rejecting an assessment by U.S. intelligence agencies of a \"significant shift\" in its stance on Taiwan.
In the early hours of a quiet morning in March 2026, a tightly guarded military convoy moved through Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan. Its destination was Camp Kengun, a base operated by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The vehicles carried launch units of the upgraded