HANOI, May 8 - Vietnam's ruling Communist Party plans to revamp its propaganda efforts by drafting in social media influencers and artificial intelligence experts while adopting new formats such as podcasts and targeted content, internal documents seen by Reuters show.
SEOUL, May 8 - South Korea's martial law scandal is set to loom large over local elections in June that will test whether opposition conservatives can rein in the power of the ruling party of President Lee Jae Myung.
LILING, China, May 8 - Emblazoned on a box of Chinese fireworks is a picture of U.S. President Donald Trump raising his fist in defiance after a failed assassination bid in 2024, juxtaposed with the U.S. flag and the slogan \"Fight for America\".
SYDNEY, May 8 - Australian police said on Friday they had charged two women linked to the Islamic State extremist group with slavery offences after they returned overnight from Syria, where they had been detained in a refugee camp for more than seven years.
The pair were immediately arrested after their Qatar Airways flight landed at Melbourne International airport.
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 7 - In Tshopo, a northeastern Congolese province blanketed in rainforest, rumours rippled through villages late last year claiming a mysterious illness had caused men's genitals to atrophy.
SEOUL, May 8 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the production of new artillery with a range exceeding 60 km (37 miles) that would be deployed at the South Korean border and bolster its ability to hit Seoul and other targets, KCNA state news agency said on Friday.
An estimated 11,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Japan's largest anti-war protests in decades highlight a population divided over changes to its pacifist constitution.
Photographers are lining popular running routes to capture ordinary joggers – and sell them the images.
Young doctors in Indonesia enter housemanship with dreams of saving lives, but face exhaustion, overwork and mistreatment from seniors, sometimes putting their own lives at risk.
A long-awaited summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to take place in Beijing May 14 and 15, with both sides preparing to address a crowded agenda spanning Iranian oil, Taiwan, trade, human rights and technology controls. Beyond the
Results in the Malaysian state could be a bellwether for the national elections.
BJP now rules or is in ruling coalitions in 22 Indian states and union territories.
Beijing is ensuring the Taiwan issue isn't sidelined in what may be a deal-driven summit on trade, tech or global crises.
Wu Yize, 22, receives a rock star's welcome after becoming second-youngest player to win a world title.
Information that “Danny” sold to Beijing may have led to 2024 Sabina Shoal ramming incident.
May 7 - The U.S. on Thursday urged countries to support its United Nations resolution demanding Iran halt attacks and mining of the Strait of Hormuz, but diplomats said China and Russia are likely to veto it.
The grouping faces a dilemma over how to re-engage the country.
When we look at the military landscape today we cannot help but be impressed by the significance of drones on the battlefield. Drones represent an unexpected revolution in military affairs that has dramatically changed the balance of forces on the battlefield and beyond. The
LONDON, May 7 - Britain will summon the Chinese ambassador following the conviction of two men for spying on behalf of Hong Kong and ultimately China, Security Minister Dan Jarvis said in a statement on Thursday.
Throughout history, the empire rose and fell. But the two common factors contributing to the decline always remain: overstretching and economic stress. The factors contributing to their rise may be different. For example: the British Empire, also called Pax Britannica, was
MANILA, May 7 - The Philippine Coast Guard has accused China of conducting illegal marine scientific research near the oil and gas-rich Reed bank within Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, according to a statement on Thursday.
LONDON/ATHENS, May 7 - A Chinese-owned oil products tanker was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, Chinese media outlet Caixin reported, as President Donald Trump launched a U.S. plan that day to help stranded vessels but suspended it a day later.
LONDON, May 7 - Two men were found guilty in a London court on Thursday of spying on behalf of Hong Kong and ultimately China, targeting prominent pro-democracy dissidents now based in Britain.
In the Balikatan military exercise, taking place in the Philippines, troops from the Philippines, US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and France have been getting real combat training – and a lot of it. It’s conducted with China in mind – even if nobody will say so.
A suitcase belonging to one of the Britons was filled with the drugs, sealed in vacuum-packed wrapping.
The attack took place in the Thall area of Hangu district.
Leaders at the summit are expected to focus on the economic fallout of the Middle East conflict.
LONDON, May 7 - With the standoff over the frozen Iran war threatening a global economic meltdown, Washington and Tehran have scaled back their efforts to agree a comprehensive peace deal and now seek a limited pact putting off the harder issues.
There are political operators who rise through ideology, and there are bureaucrats who rise through obedience. Then there is Dr Khalilur Rahman, a man who appears to have risen through something far more elusive: usefulness in moments of uncertainty. In Bangladesh’s
The suspects were aged between 19 and 39, with most overstaying their visas.
The regional bloc reportedly plans to launch a contingency plan that covers emergency fuel sharing and upholds freedom of navigation.
As US and Japanese missiles roar across Philippine skies, the Southeast Asian nation is becoming a forward-deployed missile hub in the intensifying US-China rivalry in the Pacific. The US and Japan escalated their military profiles in the Philippines during this year’s
CEBU, Philippines, May 7 - Southeast Asian foreign ministers have agreed to a virtual meeting with their Myanmar counterpart, ASEAN's secretary-general said on Thursday, as the country seeks to re-engage with the regional bloc after five years on the sidelines.
LONDON, May 7 - British counter-terrorism police have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in north London last month, marking the third arrest in the investigation, the force said on Thursday.
MUMBAI, May 7 - Nightly explosions of drones and missiles terrified Indian sailor Tithi Chiranjeevi after his ship was stranded in Iran for more than a month by the Strait of Hormuz blockade caused by the Middle East conflict.
Staffing issues threaten the quality of the country’s universal free school lunch system.
MOSCOW, May 7 - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Armenia was being drawn into what it described as the European Union's \"anti‑Russian orbit\".
The punishments are believed to rank among the harshest imposed on senior Chinese military officials in decades, highlighting the severity of China's anti-corruption drive within its armed forces.
A death sentence with reprieve in China is typically commuted to life imprisonment.
When the Trump administration announced sweeping tariffs on Asian economies on April 2, 2025, the political framing was simple. The tariffs would punish Asian exporters, shrink the US trade deficit and force capital home. Asia was cast as the vulnerable party in a contest the
Myanmar has pledged to step up trade with China, reviving discussions of long-stalled projects.
TAIPEI, May 7 - Paraguay and Taiwan share a friendship based on freedom and democracy that extends beyond diplomatic formalities, Paraguayan President Santiago Pena said on Thursday, as China told him to sever ties with Taipei.
Paraguay is one of 12 countries that still maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, his daughter, said they did not talk about politics at all.
At the heart of the dispute remains Kashmir, a flashpoint that continues to hinder long-term stability and economic potential in South Asia.
