Reuters Asia Top

By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret HONG KONG (Reuters) – China on Thursday criticised British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and other foreign politicians for “smearing” an upcoming Hong Kong security law, as local authorities said feedback on the law had been largely positive. The law, known as Article 23, will target crimes including treason, theft …

China slams foreign criticism of upcoming Hong Kong’s Article 23 national security law Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – Australia has invited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit in the later part of March for discussions spanning trade, security and more, the South China Morning Post reported on Thursday citing sources. Talks were expected to revolve around bilateral trade, Australia’s AUKUS security alliance with the United States and Britain, a …

Australia invites China’s Wang Yi to visit next month, SCMP reports Read More »

By Sakura Murakami TOKYO (Reuters) -Fumio Kishida on Thursday became the first sitting Japanese prime minister to appear before a parliamentary ethics committee, as he sought to draw a line under a funding scandal that has hurt his popularity and may delay next year’s budget. Kishida’s attendance followed weeks of wrangling between the opposition and …

Embattled Japan PM faces ethics committee, with popularity and budget on the line Read More »

By Francesco Guarascio HANOI (Reuters) – SpaceX’s plans to provide communications services to Vietnam with its Starlink satellites have been put on hold, three sources familiar with the matter said, halting support for Vietnamese coast guard drones. The Southeast Asian nation is planning to upgrade its internet infrastructure after experiencing recent outages at its five …

Exclusive-SpaceX’s talks with Vietnam over Starlink on hold, sources say Read More »

By Kirsty Needham CANBERRA (Reuters) – Australia’s Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said there should be “no role” for China in policing the Pacific Islands, and Australia will train more local security forces to fill gaps, after Reuters reported Chinese police are working in Kiribati. The United States on Monday cautioned Pacific Islands nations against assistance …

‘No role’ for China in Pacific policing, Australian minister says Read More »

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – A Dutch court said it had charged two Pakistani nationals on Wednesday over public calls for the murder of far-right anti-Muslim leader Geert Wilders, who aims to lead a new government after his party won elections in November. In a statement on Wednesday, the court said prosecutors had asked authorities in Pakistan …

Two Pakistanis charged over calls for Dutch far-right leader’s killing Read More »

By Asif Shahzad, Ariba Shahid ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -The party of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan asked the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday to ensure an audit of the disputed Feb. 8 elections is carried out before any more bailout talks with Islamabad. Pakistan’s cash-strapped economy is struggling to stabilise after securing a $3 …

Imran Khan’s party urges IMF to ensure Pakistan election audit before bailout talks Read More »

By Fabian Hamacher and Ann Wang PINGXI, Taiwan (Reuters) – Every year on the cusp of spring, hundreds of lanterns float into the skies around a small town in northern Taiwan, a spectacular light show that is one of the island’s top tourist draws. When the flames go out though, the spent lanterns fall back …

After Taiwan’s striking lantern festival, school kids help clean up the mess Read More »