American rock climber Alex Honnold begins his ascent of the Taipei 101 skyscraper

Final phase of Myanmar's election underway, military-backed party set to win

Despite widespread criticism that the polls are a sham to perpetuate the military's hold, the ruling junta has vowed it will transfer power to a new government, likely in April.

Final round of Myanmar vote set to seal junta ally’s victory

Analysts say the military is stage-managing the poll to give its rule a veneer of civilian legitimacy.

Canada’s Mark Carney to visit Australia in March

Mr Carney will give an address at the Australian Parliament.

Russia captures another village in northeastern Ukraine, Defence Ministry says

MOSCOW, Jan 24 - The Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday its forces had completed the takeover of the village of Starytsya in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.

‘No absolute relationships’: What makes China’s probe of top general Zhang Youxia ‘unusual’ and ‘remarkable’?

China said on Saturday (Jan 24) that Zhang Youxia, top-ranked vice-chair of the Central Military Commission, is under investigation alongside fellow member Liu Zhenli. Analysts say it underscores how no one is immune in President Xi Jinping’s remaking of the military.

Built on hills and mountains, this '8D city' in China offers a lifestyle between levels

Steep terrain has turned elevation into a fact of everyday life in Chongqing. Beyond the viral images of its dizzying cityscape, CNA traces a quieter human story of adaptation, loss and resilience across generations.

Iraq's Shi'ite alliance nominates Nouri al-Maliki for prime minister

BAGHDAD, Jan 24 - The alliance of Shi'ite political blocs that holds a majority in Iraq's parliament has picked former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki as its nominee for the post, it said on Saturday.

Trump praises UK troops as brave warriors after widespread condemnation

LONDON, Jan 24 - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday praised \"brave\" British soldiers, calling them warriors, a day after remarks he made about NATO troops in Afghanistan were described as \"insulting and appalling\" by Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Trump threatens Canada with 100% tariff over pending trade deal with China

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would impose a 100% tariff on Canada if it follows through on a trade deal with China and warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that a deal would endanger his country.

Pakistan sentences human rights activist to 17 years over anti-state posts

Imaan Mazari is a vocal critic of Pakistan’s powerful military.

Trump threatens Canada with 100% tariff over possible deal with China

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would impose a 100% tariff on Canada if it makes a trade deal with China and warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that a deal would endanger his country.

Climber delays rope-free skyscraper challenge over rain

Alex Honnold is attempting to scale one of the world's tallest buildings, Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

Buddha statue built in place of Hindu one on disputed Thai-Cambodian border

This comes after Thai forces destroyed a likeness of the Hindu deity Vishnu in a border region known to Thais as An Ma and to Cambodians as An Ses.

Snow, heavy rain kill 61 in three days in Afghanistan

The heavy snow and rain also destroyed shops and killed livestock in different parts of the country.

Buddha statue built in place of Hindu one on disputed Thai-Cambodia border

The Thai army on Jan 24 accused Cambodia of “distortions”.

China places highest-ranking general under investigation

President Xi has been accused of using investigations to purge political rivals.

Access road to Chile's Escondida, Zaldivar mines remains blocked amid contractor strike, sources say

SANTIAGO, Jan 24 - Striking contract workers employed by machinery contractor Finning resumed on Saturday a blockade of the access road to Chile's Escondida and Zaldivar copper mines, according to industry sources.

Heavy snow continues to fall on Sea of Japan coast; public warned of traffic disruptions

Some areas of Japan have already seen twice as much snow as it usually gets at this time of the year.

Three men in UK court accused of targeting opponents of Pakistan's government

LONDON, Jan 24 - Three men appeared in a London court on Saturday accused of being part of a conspiracy to target two opponents of the Pakistani government living in Britain and attack them on Christmas Eve last year.

Xi’s top general under probe in China’s deepest military purge yet

General Zhang Youxia and PLA chief of joint staff Liu Zhenli are suspected of “serious violations of discipline and laws”.

Pentagon foresees 'more limited' role in deterring North Korea

A key Pentagon document says the aim is to shift more responsibility to South Korea.

Ho Chi Minh City to allow electric motorbike battery-swopping on pavements

Battery-swopping cabinets must be designed and appraised by qualified units.

‘I still have no idea how to carry on’: Myanmar quake victims continue to struggle nearly a year on

The quake in March 2025 affected about 1.7 million people, according to the UN.

Teenager in Vietnam loses most of left hand in improvised firework explosion

The entire palm and wrist area sustained devastating damage.

HK has another hit movie. Can such flicks save the industry from terminal decline?

At least 10 cinemas have shut since 2024 as operators struggle to stay afloat.

Suicide bombing at Pakistan wedding kills 7, police say

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, Jan 24 - The death toll from a suicide bombing at a wedding near the Afghan border rose to seven on Saturday, police said, as Pakistan struggles to deal with a rising wave of militant attacks.

‘We have drones around the apartment’: India’s elderly falling prey to ‘digital arrest’ cases

Police in several states now go door to door to warn people about this new scam tactic.

China says senior military officials Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli under investigation

This marks the latest push in a sweeping drive to root out graft at all levels of the party.

China probes deputy military chief Zhang Youxia, general Liu Zhenli over 'serious violations of discipline'

Zhang, 74, and Liu, 61, are the vice-chairman and member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) respectively.

China probes deputy military chief Zhang Youxia, general Liu Zhenli over 'serious violations of discipline and law'

Zhang, 75, and Liu, 61, are the vice-chairman and member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) respectively.

The real winner behind Myanmar’s junta-held elections could be China

After an initial period of wariness, China has thrown its backing behind the junta.

Indonesia landslide kills eight, more than 80 missing

The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, struck a village in the region of West Bandung.

False posts target Japan PM Takaichi’s grandfather on Taiwan social media

Some posts identified her grandfather as holding the rank of major in the former Japanese military.

Vietnam’s Politburo signals key winners after party congress

The make-up of the Politburo signals who is in line for the other top posts.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Shanghai amid China regulatory headwinds

He visited China at least three times in 2025 and in July met China’s commerce minister.

Vietnam now a party of one under To Lam

As the curtain fell on the Vietnamese Communist Party’s five-yearly 14th National Congress, international observers focused on the headlines: General To Lam’s unanimous re-election as general secretary and his ambitious 10% GDP growth target. The surface narrative was of

New Zealand calls off rescue efforts for six missing after landslide

Police say they are not expecting to find any more survivors from the landslide, with six people still unaccounted for.

2 foreign litterbugs first to be charged under Malaysia's new law

Both offenders - an Indonesian woman and a Bangladeshi man - had committed the offences in Johor Bahru on Jan 1.

Karachi mall inferno came after ignored warnings, delayed response

KARACHI, Jan 24 - Muhammad Imran did not take the fire seriously at first, thinking it was another small spark at the Karachi mall that would be quickly extinguished by fellow shop owners.

12-year-old Australian boy bitten by shark in Sydney Harbour dies

Nico Antic was a 12 year old; the country's east coast saw 4 shark attacks in 2 days this week.

Australia shouldn’t join Trump’s board of appeasers

Donald Trump clearly doesn’t do irony. How else can we describe inviting Vladimir Putin to join his so-called “Board of Peace”? At least “mad Vlad” will be in good company. It’s not clear if Ukraine’s nemesis will take part, but plenty of other aspiring despots, authoritarians

Australian boy dies after shark attack in Sydney Harbour

SYDNEY, Jan 24 - An Australian boy had died in hospital after being bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour, his family said on Saturday after a series of shark attacks along the country's east coast.

Seven dead, 82 missing in Indonesian landslide, disaster agency says

The landslide struck a village in West Bandung region.

Boy, 12, dies from injuries after Sydney shark attack

Nico Antic was swimming in Sydney Harbour when he was attacked last Sunday.

How Mark Carney left Donald Trump in the dust in Davos

The meeting and venue were the same, but the style and tone of the two most anticipated keynote speeches at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss town of Davos could not have been more different. On Tuesday, January 20, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney addressed the