Asia

China urges EU to be ‘objective and fair’ on South China Sea issue

BEIJING (Reuters) – China urged the European Union to be “objective and fair” and careful with words and actions on issues in the South China Sea, after the bloc remarked on an incident that occurred over the weekend. China said it was “strongly dissatisfied” with the European Union’s “accusations” against it on the issue, a statement by the Chinese mission to the EU showed. “The European Union is not a party to the South China […]

Malacañang suspends gov’t work, classes in Metro Manila amid TS Enteng

Malacañang has announced the suspension of government work in the National Capital Region on Monday due to inclement weather brought by Tropical Storm “Enteng”. The suspension will take effect at 8:30 am, as stated in the announcement from the Office of the Executive Secretary. Private companies and offices are advised that the decision to suspend work is left to the discretion of their respective heads. Classes at all levels in Metro Manila have also been […]

India braces for another month of above-average rainfall in September

By Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI (Reuters) – India is forecast to receive above-average rainfall in September after surplus rains in August, the weather department said on Saturday. The rainfall in September is likely to be more than 109% of a 50-year average, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director-general of the India Meteorological Department, told a virtual news conference. Above-normal rainfall could damage summer-sown crops, such as rice, cotton, soybean, corn, and pulses, which are typically harvested from mid-September. Crop […]

Japan protests second territorial incursion by China in under a week

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan lodged a protest with China after one of its naval survey vessels entered Japanese waters on Saturday, the second incursion into its territory by the Chinese military in less than a week. An uptick in Chinese military activity near Japan and around Taiwan in recent years has stoked concerns in Tokyo. Japan has responded with a defence buildup that it says aims to deter Beijing from using military force to push its […]

Shanshan, downgraded from typhoon, leaves 7 dead, damage in Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) – Tropical cyclone Shanshan, downgraded from a typhoon, left seven people dead and widespread damage as it churned off the Pacific coast of central Japan on Sunday. The Japan Meteorological Agency continued to warn of landslides, floods and rising water levels in rivers in western and eastern Japan, citing increased risks due to ground loosening from record-breaking rainfall since the storm hit the southern coast on Thursday. On the Pacific side of eastern […]

China, Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships in South China Sea

By Neil Jerome Morales and Joe Cash BEIJING (Reuters) -The Philippines and China exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway. The collision near the Sabina Shoal was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, […]

Pacific leaders remove Taiwan from communique after China complaint

By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Pacific Islands Forum has removed references to Taiwan from a communique issued on Friday after the region’s annual leaders meeting, after complaints by China’s envoy. The bloc of 18 nations includes three members with diplomatic ties to Taiwan, and 15 members who recognise China, a major infrastructure lender to Pacific Islands countries where Beijing is seeking to increase its security presence. A communique released on Friday on the […]

At least 6 dead in Japan as Typhoon Shanshan grinds on

TOKYO (Reuters) – At least six people were dead as Typhoon Shanshan crept eastward through Japan on Saturday, drenching large areas with torrential rain, triggering landslide and flood warnings hundreds of kilometres from the storm’s centre. Footage on national broadcaster NHK showed homes with roofs partly sheered off while cars drove wheels-deep on flooded roads in the country’s southwest. The storm made landfall in Kyushu on Thursday, bringing record levels of rainfall. One person was […]

Singapore plans law to restrict banking transactions of scam targets

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore’s home ministry said on Friday that it will introduce a law in coming months to grant police the power to temporarily restrict the banking transactions of targets of scams who refuse to believe they are being duped. The proposed law comes as the number of scam cases involving the voluntary transfer of money by the victim to the scammer remains high, despite measures and efforts to educate the public on how […]

Hong Kong court convicts former Stand News editors of sedition

By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret HONG KONG (Reuters) -A Hong Kong court on Thursday found two editors of the now-defunct Stand News media outlet guilty of conspiring to publish seditious articles in a case that has drawn international scrutiny amid a security crackdown in the China-ruled city. The two editors, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, could be jailed for up to two years when they are sentenced on Sept. 26. Their conviction is the […]

Philippines, Vietnam boost military ties amid South China Sea tensions

By Mikhail Flores MANILA (Reuters) -Vietnam and the Philippines agreed on Friday to advance defence and military relations and deepen collaboration on maritime security, in a significant step by two countries long at odds with Beijing over its actions in the South China Sea. Vietnamese Defence Minister Phan Van Giang was in Manila for talks with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, his first visit as defence chief, and paid a courtesy call earlier in the […]

Thousands evacuated, schools shut as India, Pakistan brace for rare August cyclone

By Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam and Sumit Khanna   KARACHI/AHMEDABAD (Reuters) -Coastal towns and cities in India and Pakistan braced for a rare August cyclone on Friday, as heavy rains and winds forced authorities to close schools and evacuate thousands. India’s weather office said a deep depression had formed over land and was likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Friday evening, moving north-westwards over the Arabian Sea in the next two days. Schools in […]