Category Archives: Asia Pacific

US Congress committee investigating Musk-owned Starlink over Myanmar scam centres

Posted on by

Provision of internet access to scam centres being investigated as Starlink swiftly becomes Myanmar’s biggest internet service provider

A powerful bipartisan committee in the US Congress says it has begun an investigation into the involvement of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite business in providing internet access to Myanmar scam centres, blamed for swindling billions from victims across the world.

The move comes as it was revealed that large numbers of Starlink dishes began appearing on scam-centre roofs in Myanmar around the time of a crackdown in February that was supposed to eradicate the centres, according to a investigation by Agence France-Presse

Continue reading...

Student’s alleged torture death by Cambodia scammers sparks turmoil in South Korea

Posted on by

South Korean president urges ‘all-out’ efforts to protect citizens after number of kidnappings in Cambodia soars in recent months

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has called for “all-out” diplomatic efforts to protect citizens in Cambodia after a university student was lured there by a scam ring and allegedly tortured to death.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee said “protecting the lives and safety of citizens is the government’s greatest responsibility” and called for all those caught up in the scams to be “swiftly repatriated”.

Continue reading...

New Zealand accused of ‘full-blown climate denial’ over cuts to methane reduction targets

Posted on by

Farmers praised the move, but scientists and opposition parties criticised it as ‘weak’ and ‘unambitious’

Environmental campaigners have accused New Zealand’s government of “full-blown climate denial” after it slashed targets for reducing emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

New Zealand’s right-leaning coalition government outlined plans on Sunday to reduce methane emissions by between 14 and 24% by 2050, compared to 2017 levels.

Continue reading...

Record number of babies born to foreign parents in Japan amid political row over migration

Posted on by

More than 20,000 children were born to non-Japanese couples, accounting for more than 3% of all newborns

The number of babies born to foreign parents reached a record high in Japan in 2024, underlining rapid demographic changes that have propelled migration to the heart of the country’s political debate.

More than 20,000 children were born to non-Japanese couples, accounting for more than 3% of all newborns, according to the health ministry – in stark contrast to another sharp fall in the number born to Japanese parents.

Continue reading...

Jonathan Powell had no role in dropping of China spy case, senior minister says

Posted on by

Bridget Phillipson says national security adviser was not involved in discussions before CPS abandoned its prosecution

The government’s national security adviser had no involvement in the prosecution being dropped against two British men accused of spying for China, a senior cabinet minister has said.

Jonathan Powell had no connection to discussions about the “substance or the evidence” of the case, Bridget Phillipson said on Sunday, adding that Keir Starmer had full confidence in him.

Continue reading...

China warns US of retaliation over Trump’s 100% tariffs threat

Posted on by

Beijing says it will act if US president doesn’t stand down, while investors brace for trade war turmoil

Beijing has told the US it will retaliate if Donald Trump fails to back down on his threat to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese imports as investors brace for another bout of trade war turmoil.

China’s commerce ministry blamed Washington for raising trade tensions between the two countries after Trump announced on Friday that he would impose the additional tariffs on China’s exports to the US, along with new controls on critical software, by 1 November.

Continue reading...

Trump threatens 100% China tariffs as Beijing restricts rare-earth exports

Posted on by

President accuses China of ‘very hostile’ moves and says additional tariffs could come on 1 November ‘or sooner’

Donald Trump has threatened to impose additional US tariffs of 100% on China from next month, accusing Beijing of “very hostile” moves to restrict exports of rare earths needed for American industry.

Wall Street fell sharply after the US president reignited public tensions with the Chinese government, and raised the prospect of another acrimonious trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

Continue reading...

Tsunami warning for Philippines and Indonesia after 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Mindanao

Posted on by

Warnings of possible hazardous waves within 300km of the quake’s epicentre were issued after the powerful quake

A tsunami warning has been issued for the Philippines after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Mindanao region on Friday, with the local seismology office saying damage and aftershocks were expected.

The US Tsunami Warning System and Philippine seismology agency both issued tsunami warnings, saying hazardous tsunami waves were possible for coasts located within 300km (186 miles) of the earthquake’s epicentre.

Continue reading...

Seven people killed after twin earthquakes off coast of Philippines

Posted on by

Quakes of 7.4 and 6.8 magnitude trigger tsunami alerts as people living near coast advised to evacuate

Two powerful offshore earthquakes struck off the coast of the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least seven people, while towns near the epicentre faced structural damage and authorities warned of strong aftershocks.

The first quake of magnitude 7.4, in waters off the town of Manay in the province of Davao Oriental, triggered a tsunami alert for coasts within 186 miles (300km) of the epicentre, but the warnings for the Philippines and Indonesia were subsequently lifted.

Continue reading...

HSBC makes £10bn bet on Hong Kong as ‘super-connector’ for China and west

Posted on by

Deal will mean Hang Seng Bank’s shares are taken off local stock exchange as HSBC doubles down on Asian business

HSBC is shelling out £10bn to take its Hong Kong subsidiary private, in a move it said was designed to take advantage of the financial hub’s role as a “super-connector” between China and global markets.

The deal will result in Hang Seng Bank’s shares being taken off the local stock exchange as London-headquartered HSBC doubles down on its Asian business and snaps up the 36.5% of shares it does not already own.

Continue reading...

HSBC makes £10bn bet on Hong Kong as ‘super-connector’ for China and west

Posted on by

Deal will mean Hang Seng Bank’s shares are taken off local stock exchange as HSBC doubles down on Asian business

HSBC is shelling out £10bn to take its Hong Kong subsidiary private, in a move it said was designed to take advantage of the financial hub’s role as a “super-connector” between China and global markets.

The deal will result in Hang Seng Bank’s shares being taken off the local stock exchange as London-headquartered HSBC doubles down on its Asian business and snaps up the 36.5% of shares it does not already own.

Continue reading...

‘Humanitarian’ visa must be created for Pacific Islanders displaced by climate crisis, experts say

Posted on by

Calls for reform to allow people across the Pacific threatened by climate crisis to more easily migrate, particularly to New Zealand

Climate and migration experts are calling for urgent action to create legal pathways for people displaced by the climate crisis, as a new report highlights the scale of the problem across the Pacific.

Research by Amnesty International released on Thursday found current immigration systems are inadequate for Pacific Islanders seeking safety and stability, as rising seas threaten to make their homelands uninhabitable.

Continue reading...

UK plastic waste exports to developing countries rose 84% in a year, data shows

Posted on by

Campaigners say increase in exports mostly to Malaysia and Indonesia is ‘unethical and irresponsible waste imperialism’

Britain’s exports of plastic waste to developing countries have soared by 84% in the first half of this year compared with last year, according to an analysis of trade data carried out for the Guardian.

Campaigners described the rise in exports, mostly to Malaysia and Indonesia, as “unethical and irresponsible waste imperialism”.

Continue reading...

New Zealand oceans warming 34% faster than global average, putting homes and industry at risk, report finds

Posted on by

NZ$180bn worth of housing and $26bn of infrastructure at risk of flooding and storm damage, new government report finds

New Zealand’s oceans are warming 34% faster than the global average, with NZ$180bn (US$104bn) worth of housing at risk of flooding, a new report about the nation’s marine environment has revealed.

The ministry of the environment and Stats NZ’s three-yearly update, Our Environment 2025, collates statistics, data and research across five domains – air, atmosphere and climate, freshwater, land, and marine – to paint a picture of the state of New Zealand’s marine environment.

Continue reading...

Indonesia school collapse: search for victims ends as 67 confirmed dead

Posted on by

Grief and confusion gripped East Java last week after foundational failures caused the Al Khoziny Islamic school to collapse during afternoon prayers

Indonesian rescuers wrapped up the search on Tuesday for victims trapped under the rubble of a collapsed Islamic boarding school in the province of East Java, after retrieving more than 60 bodies, disaster authorities said.

Grief and confusion gripped the small town of Sidoarjo last week after foundational failures caused the Al Khoziny school to cave in on hundreds of people, mostly teenage boys, while they were at afternoon prayers. Most escaped.

Continue reading...

New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters’ home vandalised ‘during a protest’

Posted on by

Man charged as police allege a window was smashed in a rare act of violence targeted at a New Zealand politician’s home

A man who allegedly used a crowbar to smash in a window at the home of New Zealand’s foreign minister “during a protest” has been charged, police confirmed on Tuesday.

Winston Peters posted to social media on Monday evening saying “a disgusting coward” had smashed a window in his Auckland home and left a sign on the door.

Continue reading...

Mount Everest hikers describe ‘extreme’ conditions as huge rescue effort continues

Posted on by

At least 200 people still stranded after unseasonally heavy snowfall during China’s Golden Week holiday

Trekkers have described facing “extreme” conditions after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China’s busiest holiday weekends stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, prompting a massive rescue effort.

Chinese authorities said about 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Continue reading...

Gaza flotilla passengers allege poor conditions in detention as Israel prepares to deport dozens of activists

Posted on by

Families of some aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla say they are being held without access to clean water or legal representation

Activists from New Zealand detained in Israel after they were removed from vessels carrying aid to Gaza are being held in poor conditions without access to water and legal representation, their families have said, as dozens more passengers from the Global Sumud Flotilla were set to be deported.

Rana Hamida, Youssef Sammour and Samuel Leason were among 437 activists, parliamentarians and lawyers travelling aboard the flotilla, a coalition of more than 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid whose goal was to breach Israel’s 16-year maritime blockade of Gaza.

Continue reading...

Indonesia school collapse death toll reaches 54 as search for missing students continues

Posted on by

Excavators used to remove rubble while 14 people reportedly still unaccounted for and police allege building work was being carried out without a permit

Indonesian rescuers searching for missing students after a prayer hall at an Islamic boarding school collapsed last week recovered the bodies of dozens of students over the weekend, bringing the confirmed death toll to 54.

Using heavy excavators equipped with jackhammers, circular saws and sometimes their bare hands, rescue teams removed tons of rubble in an attempt to find the 14 students reportedly still missing. Rescuers found 35 bodies over the weekend alone, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said.

Continue reading...

Mount Everest rescue under way after snowstorm traps nearly 1,000 people

Posted on by

Hundreds of trekkers stranded by blizzard on eastern face of mountain in Tibet already guided to safety by rescuers

Rescue efforts are under way on Mount Everest after a snowstorm trapped nearly 1,000 people in campsites on the eastern side of the mountain, according to Chinese state media.

Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a blizzard near the eastern face of the mountain in Tibet were guided to safety by rescuers on Sunday, as unusually heavy precipitation including rain pummelled the Himalayas.

Continue reading...