Japan’s fishermen feel impact of diesel supply disruption; higher fish prices expected

Japanese fishermen have reduced sailing speeds and cut back on the days they go out fishing.

Parainfluenza cases increase in China, young children most affected: China CDC

The public is advised to take personal protective measures, such as wearing masks.

High-tech push at Canton Fair highlights China’s changing export strategy

More than 32,000 companies are exhibiting this year, with around 30 per cent focused on high-tech or specialised sectors.

India’s Modi turns women’s Bill loss into campaign weapon in West Bengal

India's Prime Minister seized on the defeat to cast himself as a champion of women’s representation.

US to host further G20 talks on war's impact on food and fertilizer

WASHINGTON, April 20 - The U.S. will host further talks in coming weeks for the Group of 20 major economies on the impact of the war in the Middle East on food and fertilizer, as it continues to push for coordinated action.

INS Aridhaman: India’s sea-based nuclear deterrent just got real

The induction of INS Aridhaman, a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), marks a strategic shift in India’s undersea deterrence posture in the Indo-Pacific. This is not just another warship entering theIndianNavy’s order of battle. It signifies that India’s

China’s Xi, in call with Saudi Crown Prince, calls for Strait of Hormuz to remain open

China is concerned over renewed instability around the strategic waterway.

China's Xi, in call with Saudi crown prince, calls for Strait of Hormuz to remain open

BEIJING, April 20 - Chinese President Xi Jinping called for normal passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz to be maintained, in a phone call on Monday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held as Beijing steps up efforts to help end the Iran war.

Japan protests China’s work on new structure in East China Sea

Relations between Japan and China have been tense in recent months.

Chinese aircraft carrier sailed through Taiwan Strait, Taipei says

Column-Amid Middle East chaos, China changes tactics on Taiwan and Japan

April 17 - As U.S. Vice President JD Vance returned to Washington last weekend after unsuccessful peace talks in Pakistan over the crisis in the Gulf, China’s Foreign Ministry was preparing for a bumper slate of visitors including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the

Pakistan places $1.5 billion Sudan weapons sale on hold after Saudi objection, sources say

ISLAMABAD, April 20 - Pakistan has put a $1.5 billion deal to supply weapons and jets to Sudan on hold after Saudi Arabia asked for the agreement to be terminated and said it would not finance the purchase, two Pakistani security sources and a diplomatic source said.

Czech PM Babis criticises Senate leader's Taiwan trip for damaging China business ties

PRAGUE, April 20 - The Czech government will not make a government plane available for the Senate chief's planned trip to Taiwan and wants a more pragmatic foreign policy that does not damage business ties with China, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said.

India, South Korea aim to double trade, deepen shipbuilding ties

The two countries’ goal was to double bilateral trade to $63.6 billion by 2030.

Rebel Wilson's claims against actress are 'malicious concoctions', Australian court hears

Wilson has been accused of defaming the star of her film The Deb over an incident involving a bath in Bondi.

Bangladesh faces telecom shutdowns from Middle East fuel crisis

If the conditions persist, there is an imminent risk of large-scale telecom network shutdowns.

Villagers evacuated after bomb from Myanmar air raid lands in Thai border province

The extent of casualties and damage was not immediately known.

Philippine forces kill at least 10 Maoist rebels in raids: Army

Troops were fighting “remnants” of the New People’s Army rebel group.

Turkey says COP31 will push for more global action under its presidency

ANTALYA, Turkey, April 20 - This year’s U.N. climate summit will seek to turn past decisions into action, with financing the main focus, Turkey’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum told Reuters, as the country prepares to host and chair COP31 in November.

Busan’s AI port ambitions: Will it rival Singapore’s Tuas mega port?

Busan port is launching a major AI-driven expansion but analysts say its ambitions are unlikely to challenge Singapore.

Iran executes two accused of Israel spy links, opposition rejects claim

DUBAI, April 20 - Iran executed two men convicted of cooperating with Israel’s Mossad intelligence service and planning attacks inside the country, the judiciary's news outlet Mizan reported on Sunday, a charge denied by the opposition group they were linked to.

Philippines, US and allies start military exercises testing 'real‑world' readiness

MANILA, April 20 - Philippine and U.S. forces will carry out maritime strike drills on a remote Philippine island near Taiwan during annual exercises that started on Monday, which Manila's military chief said would test their readiness under \"real‑world conditions\".

China warns against joint US, Philippines and Japan drills eroding regional trust

BEIJING, April 20 - China on Monday warned against military cooperation that could undermine trust and deepen division in the region, as the United States and the Philippines begin annual military exercises with expanded participation from Japan.

India’s truckers brace themselves for first diesel price hike in four years

The Indian government has been shielding consumers and state-run refiners have been absorbing losses.

‘Friendship to all’ no longer good enough for Bangladesh

Non-alignment once carried enormous moral prestige. For newly independent states emerging from colonial rule, it was not just a foreign policy, but a fierce declaration of identity. However, the international system has fractured. Global politics is no longer divided into Cold

Consensus shifting on China-style industrial policy

I’ve long been an industrial policy enthusiast. My favorite popular nonfiction book is Joe Studwell’s “How Asia Works”, a synthesis of decades of research about the economic miracles in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. I wrote a whole series of posts examining the successes and

Cambodian king has ‘successful’ surgery after cancer diagnosis

He had surgery at a Beijing hospital on April 20, the royal palace in Phnom Penh said.

South Korea targets syringe hoarding as war rattles supply chain

Syringes are the latest everyday item in South Korea to be hit by spillover from the Iran war.

Eight taken to hospital after South Korea marathon held in 30 deg C

Twelve runners fell ill, including suffering convulsions, dizziness and hyperventilation, officials said.

Terminator now: Robots just seized a Russian position in Ukraine

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky recently announced that ground robots (also known as unmanned ground vehicles) had captured a Russian position. Zelenskyy said it was the first time in the Ukraine war that an enemy position had been taken exclusively by robots. Ukraine’s

China voices concern over US seizure of Iranian cargo ship, urges further talks

The US said earlier it fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to ‌run its blockade of Iranian ports.

Japan warns of ‘huge’ earthquake after 7.7-magnitude tremor strikes north-eastern coast

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of a tsunami as high as 3m in Iwate prefecture and parts of Hokkaido.

Major 7.5-magnitude quake hits off northern Japan, tsunami warning issued

The tremor was strong enough to shake large buildings as far as Tokyo.

Japan warns of potential mega-quake on northern coast after 7.7-magnitude temblor

Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures were under tsunami warnings for several hours.

Min Aung Hlaing’s PR pardon a script written in Beijing

On April 17, the first day of the Myanmar New Year, Win Myint walked out of Taungoo Prison. He had been arrested in the small hours of February 1, 2021, the morning the military seized power from the government he led. He is Myanmar’s last democratically elected president.

Most South Koreans want to die at home but few do due to legal risks, medical support gaps

Critics say patients spending their final days in shared hospital wards alongside others nearing death face emotional strain.

Russia detains German citizen for 'terrorist' plot, Russian media report

MOSCOW, April 20 - A German citizen has been detained in Russia's Stavropol region for planning a \"terrorist attack\" at a law enforcement facility, Russian media reported on Monday.

Iran's president stresses importance of diplomacy while noting distrust of U.S

DUBAI, April 20 - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that every rational and diplomatic path should be used to reduce tensions with the U.S., but added that vigilance and distrust in interactions with Washington were an \"undeniable necessity\", according to the

South Korea's Lee in India for talks on shipping, AI

Sri Lanka Easter bombings victims still seek justice seven years on

No one has been convicted since the attack, which killed 279 people.

US warship passes through Malacca Strait, Indonesian Navy says

The transit through the major sea route was in accordance with international law.

Anxiety lingers in divided Kashmir a year after shooting attack

The conflict in 2025 between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan was their worst in decades.

Gulf poised to move closer to China after the war

The Iran war has delivered a profound and systemic shock to the Gulf, fundamentally challenging two assumptions that have underpinned regional stability for the better part of a century. For decades, the Gulf’s economic model thrived on a perception of stability, reinforced by

Farmer remanded for seven days over fatal shooting that killed three in Johor

The suspect was handcuffed as he was brought in by police officers to a court complex.

Indonesia says 15 killed during military operation in Papua

It was not immediately clear whether the civilians were killed by Indonesian or rebel fire, or both.

Indonesia rights body criticises military after 12 civilians killed in Papua

JAKARTA, April 20 - Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission strongly criticised the military on Monday as it investigated the killing of 12 civilians last week during an operation against rebels in Papua province.

Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Tuapse port kills one

MOSCOW, April 20 - A major Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Black Sea port of Tuapse sparked a fire and killed at least one person, Russian officials said on Monday, just hours after a blaze was doused in the wake of a similar attack on April 16.

Baby America’s hegemony is no match for old worlds

When US President Donald Trump said, “A Whole Civilization Will Die Tonight,” he hardly knew the profundity of his words. Iran, formerly Persia, has a history that goes back at least 7,000 years, and has a long list of great contributions to the world. Among these