Fire at Peru's Cajamarquilla zinc smelter under control, four workers injured

LIMA, May 13 - A fire on Wednesday at Nexa Resources' Cajamarquilla zinc smelter in Peru has been brought under control, though the blaze left several workers injured.

Families of Pakistani hostages held by Somali pirates for 23 days call for their rescue

KARACHI, May 13 - Ambreen Fatima protested in Karachi with her children on Wednesday for the release of her husband, one of ten Pakistani crew aboard an oil tanker seized by Somali pirates 23 days ago, and who is now drinking dirty tank water to survive, she said.

Gunshots fired in standoff at Philippine Senate over ICC suspect

MANILA, May 13 - Gunshots broke out in chaotic scenes at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday where troops had been deployed after a politician wanted by the International Criminal Court urged supporters to mobilise and thwart his imminent arrest.

US news reports of gloomy Iran war intel assessments anger Trump

US President Donald Trump has accused news outlets of committing “virtual treason” by reporting on classified American intelligence agency assessments showing that Iran has retained significant missile capabilities, contradicting triumphant White House claims that the Middle

The US has always been obsessed with controlling Cuba

For months, US President Donald Trump has been fixated on Cuba. He’s issued threats and imposed additional sanctions on the island. The US military has conducted dozens of intelligence-gathering flights off the coast in recent weeks, suggesting a prelude to an invasion. The

Soybeans on Beijing agenda but US farmers should temper optimism

In 2017, President Donald J. Trump’s National Security Strategy declared China a competitor, an adversary and a “revisionist power” determined to supplant the United States in Asia. In his 2025 National Security Strategy, the confrontational epithets were dropped, replaced by

Who is Ronald dela Rosa, the Philippine senator at centre of Senate shoot-out?

He is accused by the ICC of crimes against humanity related to the Philippines' war on drugs.

Explainer-Who is Ronald dela Rosa, the Philippine senator at centre of Senate shootout?

MANILA, May 13 - Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa called on the public to step in to prevent law enforcement agents from handing him over to the International Criminal Court as the sound of gunfire rattled through the Senate building on Wednesday evening.

From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social media access

GDANSK, May 13 - Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.

Ending Chinese visa-free travel may hurt Northern Marianas tourism, residents say

EVS-TAP program makes it easier for Chinese to visit the U.S. territory, but presents security risks, critics say.

Philippine Senate in lockdown after gunshots fired

Police commandos entered the building where a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court had sought refuge.

Trump arrives in Beijing for summit with Xi, after US, China trade chiefs hold last-minute talks

He was met by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng.

Gunshots fired as chaos erupts at Philippine Senate where lawmaker wanted by ICC holds out

Trump lands in China for trade summit with Xi with Iran war in limbo

It is the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade.

Gunshots fired in stand-off at Philippine Senate over politician wanted by ICC

Senator Ronald dela Rosa had earlier urged people to mobilise to prevent his arrest and handover to the ICC.

Climbers clear path to Everest summit past giant chunk of ice

Nearly 1,000 climbers will attempt to scale the peak in coming weeks and this has raised safety concerns.

Trump lands in China ahead of high-stakes summit with Xi

The Iran war is expected to dominate talks between the two leaders over the next two days, with discussions on US arms sales to Taiwan, mutual trade and artificial intelligence also expected.

Air India cuts international flights amid Middle East conflict

Thai registry listing of disputed border temples draws Cambodia ire

Cambodia has called on Thailand to withdraw its “unlawful registration” of the temples.

Gunshots fired as chaos erupts at Philippine Senate

MANILA, May 13 - Volleys of gunshots were heard at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday and people were told to run for cover, Reuters witnesses heard, as chaos mounted in anticipation of an attempt to arrest a top senator wanted by the International Criminal Court.

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

Nadiem Makarim is alleged to have been involved in improper laptop procurement during the pandemic.

Britain to legislate to tackle threats from hostile state proxies

LONDON, May 13 - Britain will legislate to strengthen its ability to deal with proxies for malign state actors, taking powers to make it possible to ban them in light of increased activity in Britain and a rise in antisemitic attacks.

Trump has actually started to decouple US from China

Donald Trump is headed to China with a whole bunch of top US CEOs in tow to talk about trade. There is probably a post to be written here about how Trump is creating a new kind of “America, Inc” centered around his own person, using a combination of tariffs, export controls,

Hormuz blockade and the fracturing of Asia’s growth narrative

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz on March 4, 2026, was not merely a localized military maneuver; it was the moment the “Asian Century” hit a wall of physical reality. With Brent Crude surging past US$120 per barrel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) spot prices in Asia jumping

Trump in China: Who’s joining him in Beijing - and who isn’t

US First Lady Melania Trump is skipping this week’s highly anticipated state trip to China but Elon Musk, Jensen Huang and other big tech names will be part of President Donald Trump’s entourage.

Philippine Senator says arrest imminent, urges public to block ICC transfer

Dela Rosa was the chief enforcer in former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs.

Hidden danger behind beauty: Why Indonesia’s volcano safety measures are uneven

With 130 active volcanoes across the archipelago, the challenge is ensuring that warnings are enforced on the ground.

UK naval initiative targets Russia in Arctic and Baltic seas

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, head of the British Royal Navy, announced that his counterparts from the 10-nation Joint Expeditionary Taskforce comprised of the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Netherlands agreed to create “a family

Indonesia to review visa waivers after foreign scammers’ arrests

Indonesian authorities last week detained more than 500 people in two separate raids.

Trump says no need for China's help on Iran as shippers seek way through Hormuz

WASHINGTON/DUBAI, May 13 - U.S. President Donald Trump has said he does not expect to need China's help to end the war in Iran and ease Tehran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, in remarks made before he arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a summit with President Xi Jinping.

Why Trump will ‘limp’ into China and likely leave empty-handed

TOKYO — Since 2013, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been looking for a strategy to make Asia’s biggest economy great again. Little did he know it would be Donald Trump’s presidency. Fifteen months ago, as Trump 2.0 got underway, the White House radiated confidence. Trump advisers

Alleged scammer extradited after hacking attempt on BTS star Jungkook

The suspect allegedly tried to transfer millions of dollars worth of shares from the K-pop singer's account.

Turkey and Armenia move closer to direct trade links in sign of warming ties

ANKARA/LONDON, May 13 - Turkey lifted some customs restrictions on Armenia on Wednesday, paving the way for direct trade links between the two countries in a further sign of normalising ties after over 30 years of strained relations.

Australian developer says ‘toxic’ Trump hotel plan scrapped

The developer said the project was scrapped because the Trump brand was “toxic to Australians”.

India PM Modi cuts size of his motorcade to save fuel, says source

The Indian leader was known to have about a dozen vehicles in his motorcade before the reduction.

Japan 'robot wolves' in high demand to scare off bears

The “Monster Wolf” is an animatronic scarecrow with flashing red eyes that howls and growls to scare away wild animals.

Taiwan ruling party nominates lawmaker sanctioned by China for Taipei mayor

He will face current Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an from Taiwan’s main opposition party the Kuomintang.

Duterte v Marcos: Inside the impeachment shaking that is Philippine politics

Ms Sara Duterte was accused of plotting the assassination of Mr Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

From health emergency to financial trouble: Measles’ unseen toll on Bangladesh’s poor

For poor households, the health emergency quickly turns into financial trouble.

Hand, foot and mouth disease, dengue cases spike in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City

HFMD cases in the city surged in April, with 5,243 inpatient and outpatient cases recorded.

MSCI stock deletions put Indonesia’s reform credibility on trial

When a private index provider understands a country’s governance gaps better than its own regulators do, something structurally significant has already occurred. Indonesia confronted that reality on May 13, when MSCI announced removing 18 stocks and adding none. The Financial

Seoul to roll out agricultural product subsidy for pregnant women, including foreigners

Starting on July 1, the subsidy will be provided to 29,200 women.

Iran war to cast a shadow on BRICS foreign ministers meeting in Delhi

NEW DELHI, May 13 - The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is set to cast a shadow over a two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of the BRICS grouping that kicks off in New Delhi on Thursday, testing the bloc's ability to reach a unified position and produce a joint statement.

Trump and Xi: a path to US-China rivalry without war

US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this week may ease tensions at the margins of the US-China rivalry. But it will not change a central fact: neither side can escape the rivalry, and neither side can decisively win it. The biggest challenge for Trump and Chinese

Air India to suspend several international flights from June as Middle East crisis fuels oil shock

Reports suggest that nearly 100 daily flights have been reduced overall.

South Korea weighs phased Hormuz role after US talks, minister says

SEOUL, May 13 - South Korea is reviewing a phased contribution to efforts to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Wednesday, signaling support steps short of military participation.

Philippine senator seeks military support to block ICC arrest over Duterte drug war

Ronald dela Rosa is accused of the crime against humanity of murder.

Albanese takes a gamble on Australia’s housing obsession by cutting investor tax breaks

SYDNEY, May 13 - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s move to wind back tax breaks for property investors has been welcomed by would-be homebuyers but criticised by investors, in what could be the defining policy of his second term as electoral power shifts to younger