By Kate Abnett, Alexander Cornwell and Elizabeth Piper DUBAI (Reuters) -Azerbaijan is tipped to host next year’s U.N. climate summit, after striking a late deal with longtime adversary Armenia over its bid. While some diplomats said other countries including Russia – which has blocked other host candidates – were expected to back Baku’s bid, there …
By Soo-hyang Choi SEONGNAM, South Korea (Reuters) – Against the backdrop of Christmas songs, 100 South Korean men and women gathered at a hotel near Seoul dressed in their best with name tags hanging on their clothes, hoping to find love. The government hopes they make babies. They were participants at a mass blind-dating event …
South Korean city turns to matchmaking to boost low birth rates Read More »
By Praveen Paramasivam CHENNAI (Reuters) -Volunteers waded through stagnant water to hand out food and supplies, and some manufacturing plants remained shut in India’s southern tech-and-auto hub district of Chennai on Friday, four days after cyclone Michaung lashed the coast. At least 14 people, most of them in Chennai and its state of Tamil Nadu, …
Hundreds still stranded, plants closed in India’s flood-hit Chennai Read More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia strongly suspects human trafficking is behind a recent increase in arrivals of Rohingya Muslims on its territory, its president said on Friday, promising to work with international groups to deal with the issue. More than 1,200 Rohingya people, a persecuted minority from Myanmar, have landed ashore in Indonesia since November, according …
Indonesia president suspects human trafficking behind increased Rohingya arrivals Read More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will spur domestic demand and consolidate and enhance the economic recovery in 2024, the Politburo, a top decision-making body of the ruling Communist Party, was quoted by state media as saying on Friday. The government has in recent months unveiled a flurry of measures to shore up a feeble post-pandemic economic …
China’s leaders pledge to spur domestic demand, economic recovery in 2024 Read More »
(This Dec. 6 story has been corrected to change the timing and reason for NuScale’s plant termination in paragraph 5) By Colleen Howe BEIJING (Reuters) – China has started commercial operations at a new generation nuclear reactor that is the first of its kind in the world, state media said on Wednesday. Compared with previous …
China starts up world’s first fourth-generation nuclear reactor Read More »
SEOUL (Reuters) -The national security advisers of the United States, South Korea and Japan are meeting in Seoul on Friday and Saturday to discuss North Korea and other global issues as they step up trilateral cooperation, South Korea’s presidential office said. Seoul’s national security adviser, Cho Tae-yong, held bilateral talks with Japan’s Takeo Akiba and …
US, South Korean, Japanese security advisers meet to discuss North Korea Read More »
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s foreign minister on Friday said Guatemala’s incoming government had “reassured” that it intends to maintain formal ties with the island, as China gradually whittles away at Taipei’s remaining allies. Only 13 countries now officially recognise Chinese-claimed Taiwan, most of those in Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. New governments are …
Taiwan ‘reassured’ on formal ties with Guatemala under incoming president Read More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Friday cut visa fees by 25% for travellers from countries including Thailand, Japan, Mexico, Vietnam, and the Philippines from Dec. 11 2023 to Dec. 31 2024, according to statements from the Chinese foreign ministry and embassies. The policy so far covers hundreds of millions of travellers from over a dozen …
China cuts visa fees by 25% for travellers from many countries Read More »
By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) – Senior Chinese leaders held a meeting in early December to “coordinate” government efforts to sway upcoming elections in Taiwan, according to intelligence gathered on the island, part of a campaign Taiwan officials see as voting interference. Taiwan officials have warned that Beijing is trying to nudge voters toward candidates …
Taiwan intelligence says China leadership discussed election interference -sources Read More »
