BBC News: A Thai man has been jailed for two years for selling calendars which featured satirical comments and rubber ducks in royal regalia, which prosecutors said defamed the monarchy. Narathorn Chotmankongsin, 26, has been convicted of insulting the Thai king. He is among about 200 people who have been arrested under lese-majeste laws since […]
ABC News: On the sidelines of China‘s annual National People’s Congress this week, both Chinese President Xi Jinping and newly promoted Foreign Minister Qin Gang aired their respective frustrations at the United States. In a closed-door session with delegates from China’s private sector Monday, Xi made a rare direct reference to the United States when […]
ABC News: DHAKA, Bangladesh — An explosion in a seven-story commercial building in Bangladesh’s capital on Tuesday killed at least 17 people and injured dozens, officials said. The explosion occurred in Gulistan area, a busy commercial area of Dhaka, fire department official Rashed bin Khaled said by phone. The building contained several stores selling plumbing […]
ABC News: SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean and U.S. militaries said Friday they’ll go ahead with large-scale annual military drills later this month despite North Korea’s threats to take “unprecedently” strong action against such training. It’s likely that North Korea will respond to the upcoming South Korean-U.S. exercises with provocative missile tests and […]
Reuters: TAIPEI, March 3 – Taiwan’s government believes China is set to renew a charm offensive targeting “opinion leaders” to win hearts and minds as the island gears up for a presidential election in less than a year, a security agency said in an internal report. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own, […]
Reuters: KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 – A Malaysian court on Friday acquitted former Prime Minister Najib Razak and the former chief executive of scandal-linked state fund 1MDB of corruption charges linked to a 2016 government audit into the fund, their lawyers said. The acquittal comes amid renewed scrutiny on government corruption with Prime Minister Anwar […]
BBC News: A teenager has been bitten by a crocodile while being evacuated from floods in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT). The 17-year-old boy was bitten “on the back of the leg” while leaving a remote community, a resident told ABC radio. He was taken to a local clinic for treatment, the BBC understands. The Australian […]
BBC News: Flights at Dublin Airport were suspended for about 30 minutes on Thursday evening after a confirmed drone sighting. Three flights were diverted – two to Shannon Airport and one to Belfast International – as a result of the activity, the airport said. Operations were suspended from 18:27 local time and resumed at about […]
BBC News: Tensions over Russia’s war in Ukraine have dominated G20 talks in Delhi, even after India’s PM urged foreign ministers to put aside their divisions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the meeting was marred by Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustified war”. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of “burying” a deal […]
BBC News: Protests have erupted in Greece over the rail crash which killed 43 people, with many seeing it as an accident that had been waiting to happen. Rioters clashed with police outside the headquarters of Hellenic Train in Athens – the company responsible for maintaining Greece’s railways. Protests were also held in Thessaloniki and […]