India opposition name Kerala leader after rare win

Congress lawmakers chose 61-year-old veteran leader V.D. Satheesan.

Taiwan says no surprises from Trump-Xi summit, China should end military pressure

The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

Myanmar proposes death sentence for cyberscam offences

Russia says it's establishing 'full partnership' with Afghan Taliban

MOSCOW, May 14 - Russia is establishing a \"full-fledged partnership\" with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and is encouraging other countries in the region to expand cooperation with Kabul, a senior Russian security official was quoted on Thursday as saying.

China renews import permits for US beef plants as Xi, Trump meet

The permits were renewed on May 14 and are usually valid for five years.

China urges caution over British Steel nationalisation plan

Britain took operational control of British Steel from ​its Chinese owner, Jingye, in April 2025.

Iran’s cyberwar reaches the families of American troops

The reported Handala leak should not be dismissed as another routine cyber incident. It is a sign that hostile actors now see personal information as a weapon of intimidation. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Iran-linked Handala Hack Team claimed it published the names

Philippine Senate to convene as court next week for VP Duterte impeachment

MANILA, May 14 - The Philippine Senate will convene as an impeachment court on May 18 ahead of the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, its president said on Thursday, with tensions flaring as the country's most powerful political clans face off.

Beijing state banquet sets the table for Trump-Xi diplomacy

Huaiyang food, known for its mild and subtle flavours, is likely to feature at the banquet.

China's Xi lauds 'new positioning' in ties with US

BEIJING, May 14 - China's President Xi Jinping hailed on Thursday a \"new positioning\" of ties with the United States that envisages cooperation with measured competition, following his summit with President Donald Trump.

Chinese public greets Trump in Beijing with AI memes, confidence

Mr Trump’s visit to Beijing has been the top trending topic on the microblogging site Weibo in recent days.

Taiwan considers resubmitting request for rejected defence budget items

TAIPEI, May 14 - Taiwan's government said on Thursday it was considering resubmitting to parliament a request for items cut by lawmakers from a special defence budget given how crucial they are to the island's security.

Iran urges BRICS to condemn US, Israel for war, exposing bloc divisions

NEW DELHI, May 14 - Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Thursday that unimpeded maritime flows through international waters, including the Strait of Hormuz, are vital for global economic well-being.

Why did Trump visit the Temple of Heaven? Beijing’s message in the venue choice

From “Mandate of Heaven” symbolism to hopes for a “good harvest” in trade, analysts say Beijing used Trump’s Temple of Heaven visit on Thursday (May 14) to send layered diplomatic messages.

‘Vehement objection’: Malaysia's PM Anwar slams Norway’s ‘unacceptable’ move over scrapped defence deal

Signed contracts are "solemn instruments" and "not confetti to be scattered in so capricious a manner", said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Why Modi wants Indians to stop buying gold

Gold’s role as a safe-haven asset and a hedge against inflation makes it highly valuable for Indian households.

Gunfire chaos as Philippine senator resists ICC arrest: What we know so far

Gunshots rang out sparking chaos in the Senate building where Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa had sought refuge.

Asking the wrong question about Qatar

The recurring Washington argument over Qatar — is it friend or foe, ally or adversary, partner or problem? — tells us less about Doha than it does about ourselves. Specifically, it tells us that a generation after the end of the Cold War and a quarter-century into the war on

Explainer-What is 'Taiwan independence' and is Taiwan already independent?

TAIPEI, May 14 - China's Xi Jinping told President Donald Trump on Thursday that disagreement over Taiwan could send relations down a dangerous path and that \"Taiwan independence\" and cross-Taiwan Strait peace are as \"irreconcilable as fire and water\".

Xi warns Trump mishandling Taiwan issue could lead to ‘conflict’

Mr Xi called Taiwan the most important issue in China-US relations in his meeting with Mr Trump.

Nearly 90 people killed as storm lashes India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh

Television images showed trees and billboards uprooted by gusts of wind in the storm on May 13.

Nearly 90 killed as storm lashes India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh

NEW DELHI / BHUBANESWAR, May 14 - Almost 90 people were killed in a violent storm that pounded India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh with rain and hail, a state official told Reuters.

Xi says China, US agree on ‘new positioning’ in ties after talks with Trump

Mr Xi Jinping reiterated that Taiwan is the "most critical matter" in bilateral relations.

Iran war overshadows Trump's China visit as peace talks stall

BEIJING/WASHINGTON, May 14 - U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to ask China to help end the costly and unpopular Iran war in discussions with President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, with peace talks stalled and the global economic cost of the conflict increasing.

Iran war and oil dominate BRICS meet in India

India, which holds the BRICS chair in 2026, is hosting the two-day gathering of foreign ministers.

Philippine politician wanted by ICC no longer at Senate, speaker says

Earlier in the day, Philippine authorities were seeking confirmation of reports that Ronald dela Rosa had fled, a day after gunfire rang out at the Senate where he had taken refuge.

South Korea official says unlikely anyone but Iran behind Hormuz ship attack, Yonhap reports

SEOUL, May 14 - The possibility that an entity other than Iran was responsible for the attack against a South Korean cargo vessel near the Strait of Hormuz is low, a senior official in Seoul was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency on Thursday.

Philippine president calls emergency meeting after chaos and shooting at Senate

MANILA, May 14 - The Philippines president called an emergency meeting of top officials on Thursday amid widening political tensions, a day after gunfire rang out at the Senate where a lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court has been holed up fearing his arrest.

Trump lauds ‘biggest summit’ as Xi talks tackle trade, Iran

The pomp-filled summit began at Beijing’s imposing Great Hall of the People where Mr Xi greeted Mr Trump on the red carpet.

Trump-Xi summit: a new arms control era can begin in Beijing

US President Donald Trump is meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, with the arms control architecture, global and bilateral alike, in collapse. The Eleventh Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, now underway in New York, is sliding toward a third

Asia markets mixed as Trump-Xi summit, AI trade dominate

The meeting of the superpowers will likely be overshadowed by the war in the Middle East, which has seen the crucial Strait of Hormuz effectively closed - sending global energy prices soaring.

Asian stocks uneven as investors assess high-stakes Trump-Xi talks, AI rally

The meeting of the superpowers will likely be overshadowed by the war in the Middle East, which has seen the crucial Strait of Hormuz effectively closed - sending global energy prices soaring.

Indonesia to review visa waivers after foreign scammers' arrests

Authorities last week detained more than 500 people in two separate raids in Jakarta and Batam.

Indonesia prosecutors seek 18-year prison sentence for Gojek founder in graft case

If granted, the 18-year prison sentence would be one of the toughest punishments imposed on a former minister in recent years.

Trump-Xi summit: no grand bargain, only managed instability

When Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, neither side is likely to get what it wants. Trump wants Chinese help in ending the war with Iran. Xi wants the United States to ease pressure on China’s core interests, above all Taiwan. Neither outcome is likely. But that does

‘Think twice before posing with hand signs’: Experts warn of fingerprint theft

Fingerprints can be reconstructed only when conditions such as lighting and image quality are suitable.

Don’t use GDP to judge China’s strength – look at this instead

When President Donald Trump arrives in Beijing on May 14 for his summit with Xi Jinping, China will be ready with a figure – 5%. That is China’s official GDP growth rate and growth target for 2025, and it will be presented as evidence of economic resilience. The target is real.

Political tension in Philippines escalates after Senate gunfire

A lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court had sought refuge in the Senate.

Australian court finds grocery giant Coles misled shoppers over discounts

Shares in Coles fell 2.7 per cent after the decision.

Japan warns nationals not to engage in child exploitation in Indonesia

Japanese nationals who exploit minors in Indonesia will also face prosecution in Japan.

Trump and Xi agree Strait of Hormuz 'must remain open': White House

The US president was welcomed with pomp and ceremony in Beijing as he and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping kicked off a crucial series of meetings.

Uighurs hope Trump returns to first-term toughness at summit with Xi

Many Uighurs in the diaspora will be watching the summit closely.

What China’s choice of airport greeter says about Trump

In his role as Chinese vice-president, Mr Han Zheng is often sent to formal diplomatic events.

Live: Trump, Xi agree Strait of Hormuz ‘must remain open’ at summit as China warns US over Taiwan

The 2-hour meeting between the leaders also took in discussions on trade.

New York man found guilty in Chinese 'secret police station' case

NEW YORK, May 13 - A New York man was found guilty on Wednesday of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government after a trial over federal prosecutors' allegations that he operated a \"secret police station\" on behalf of Beijing in Manhattan's Chinatown

Trump, Xi set for Beijing talks with trade truce, Iran war at stake

BEIJING, May 14 - U.S. President Donald Trump heads into a series of meetings with China's Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, aiming to secure economic wins, maintain a fragile trade truce and navigate thorny issues such as the Iran war and arms sales to Taiwan.

They couldn’t vote for him, but global Tamils are celebrating actor Joseph Vijay’s victory at the polls anyway

The actor-turned-politician unexpectedly swept the Tamil Nadu elections, defeating entrenched political parties.