Sara
- World News
100 unclaimed bodies remain after India’s deadliest rail crash in decades
Indian authorities have urgently requested assistance from families to identify over 100 unclaimed bodies following the country’s deadliest rail crash in over two decades. The accident occurred near the Balasore district in the eastern state of Odisha, resulting in 275 fatalities. Despite continuous efforts to rescue survivors and repair the track, around 100 bodies remain unclaimed as of yesterday evening.…
- World News
Chinese research ship exits Vietnam’s EEZ after US-China talks
A Chinese research vessel and its escort, which had been operating in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea for nearly a month, left the area on June 5. The departure coincided with high-level talks between the US and China. The Chinese vessel Xiang Yang Hong 10 had been sailing in Vietnam’s EEZ since May 7, often…
- World News
US diplomat’s China visit stirs controversy
The US State Department reported that senior US diplomat Daniel Kritenbrink had candid and productive discussions with Chinese officials during his visit to Beijing. Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, met with Chinese foreign ministry officials Ma Zhaoxu and Yang Tao, alongside US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns and National Security Council official Sarah Beran. The…
- World News
India’s deadliest train crash sparks criminal investigation
Families of victims of India’s deadliest train crash in recent memory gathered at a hospital in Bhubaneswar city on June 5, as railway officials called for the country’s premier criminal investigation agency to probe the accident that claimed 275 lives. Relatives of passengers who perished in the crash on Friday queued outside the eastern city’s All India Institute of Medical…
- World News
US Navy condemns ‘unsafe interaction’ as Chinese warship crosses destroyer’s path
The US Navy has shared a video highlighting an “unsafe interaction” in the Taiwan Strait, as a Chinese warship crossed dangerously close to a US destroyer, raising concerns amid strained Sino-US relations. The incident occurred during a routine transit of the strait by the USS Chung-Hoon and Canada’s HSMC Montreal, with the Chinese vessel coming within 137 metres of the…
- World News
UN alarmed by Hong Kong detentions on Tiananmen Square anniversary
The United Nations expressed alarm over detentions in Hong Kong connected to the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Meanwhile, China stated that the financial hub was progressing from “chaos” to prosperity. Hong Kong police detained 23 individuals yesterday for “breaching public peace” and arrested a 53 year old woman for “obstructing police officers” on the anniversary of the…
- World News
Odisha train crash: Signal failure likely cause in India’s deadliest accident
India’s Railway Board has suggested that the Central Bureau of Investigation take over the inquiry into Friday’s train collision in Odisha, which claimed the lives of at least 275 people and injured nearly 1,200. The crash, which occurred near the Balasore district, is the deadliest in India in over two decades. As rescue operations concluded on Sunday, signal failure has…
- World News
US calls UN meeting over North Korea’s failed spy satellite launch
The United States has requested a UN Security Council meeting to address North Korea’s recent attempt to launch its first spy satellite, which ultimately ended in failure. The US condemned the launch, stating that it used ballistic missile technology in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and posed a risk to the stability of the regional security situation and…
- World News
Sizzling showdown: Heatwaves turn up the heat on China’s power grids
Southern and eastern China are bracing for ongoing heatwaves, putting pressure on power grids as air-conditioning demand skyrockets in major cities such as Shanghai. Over the next three days, most of southern China is predicted to experience temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, with some areas exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, according to national forecasters. The extremely hot weather has been affecting…
- World News
Japan on alert as Typhoon Mawar threatens floods and landslides
Torrential rains loom over Japan as Typhoon Mawar approaches, threatening to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds across the main islands. Having already caused significant damage in Guam earlier this week, Mawar has since weakened from its super typhoon status to a tropical storm. Taiwan’s coast also experienced the effects of Typhoon Mawar, with seawater flooding the streets of Suao,…
- World News
Sherpa’s high-altitude Everest rescue saves Malaysian climber’s life
A Malaysian mountaineer was saved from near death in a rare high-altitude rescue on Mount Everest. Gelje Sherpa, a 30 year old Nepali sherpa guide, was leading a Chinese client to the summit on Thursday, May 18 when he spotted the Malaysian climber clinging to a rope in the “death zone,” where temperatures can plummet to minus 30 degrees Celsius…
- World News
North Korean missile tests threaten commercial shipping safety, says UN agency
North Korean missile tests are increasingly posing a significant threat to the safety of commercial shipping in the busy northeastern Asian sea lanes, with inadequate notice given, according to a resolution adopted by over 100 countries at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) security committee. Yesterday, May 31, saw the nuclear-armed nation’s sixth satellite launch failed and prompted emergency alerts and evacuation…
- World News
Key witness in Jho Low investigation dies at 56, secrets buried
Kee Kok Thiam, a man questioned by Malaysian authorities regarding the location of fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, known as Jho Low, has died at the age of 56. Lawyers for Kee Kok Thiam and his family announced in a statement that he passed away on Monday due to a sudden massive stroke in a hospital. They urged people not…
- World News
Xiao-I, Chinese AI chatbot pioneer, targets global expansion
Yuan Hui’s company Xiao-I has come a long way since it launched its first chatbot two decades ago. Today, the Shanghai-based firm is valued at over US$400 million, listed on the Nasdaq, and aims to expand its presence in the global market. Yuan, the chairman and chief executive of Xiao-I, was inspired to develop a chatbot back in 2003 during…
- World News
Chinese fighter’s aggressive move risks collision with US aircraft
An American surveillance aircraft encountered an “unnecessarily aggressive manoeuvre” by a Chinese fighter pilot over the South China Sea last week, according to the US military. This incident, which the Pentagon claims is indicative of China’s pattern of behaviour, comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over issues such as Taiwan and an alleged Chinese spy balloon shot down…
- World News
North Korea satellite launch fails, debris recovered from sea
A failed satellite launch by North Korea on May 31 resulted in the booster and payload crashing into the sea, according to the state’s news agency KCNA. The incident led to emergency alerts and temporary evacuation warnings in parts of South Korea and Japan. South Korea’s military has since recovered parts of the launch vehicle from the sea. The “Chollima-1”…
- World News
China’s durian imports surge as Vietnam challenges Thai dominance
Beijing’s decision to allow fresh durian imports from Vietnam has led to a surge in demand for the fruit in China, with importers like Bob Wang, founder of TWT Supply China, securing deals with Vietnamese durian farms. Despite the pandemic-related import restrictions, China saw a fourfold increase in durian imports in 2022 compared to 2017, reaching a total value of…
- World News
Indonesia probes potential leak of election system verdict
Indonesia‘s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security, Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin, has called for an investigation into a potential leak involving a Constitutional Court verdict that could alter the country’s parliamentary election system. This comes after former deputy justice minister, Denny Indrayana, claimed that the court had repealed the current “open-list proportional representation” system for Indonesia’s parliamentary elections. Indrayana stated…
- World News
Typhoon Mawar lashes Taiwan’s coast, heads towards southern Japan
Typhoon Mawar battered Taiwan’s eastern coast with strong winds, heavy rains, and large waves today, causing residents in the fishing town of Yilan to secure their boats and homes. Despite losing some of its strength since hitting Guam last week, the slow-moving typhoon remained dangerous with maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 190…
- Politics News
China snubs US invitation for defence meeting in Singapore
China rejected a US proposal for a meeting in Singapore between Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu, according to the Pentagon. The refusal to engage in military-to-military discussions raised concerns but the US Department of Defence remains committed to pursuing open lines of communication with the People’s Liberation Army. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said……
- World News
North Korea to launch military satellite amid US-South Korea drills
North Korea is set to launch its first military reconnaissance satellite in June, aiming to monitor US military activities in real-time, according to state media KCNA. Ri Pyong Chol, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party, criticised joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea, describing them as displays of “reckless ambition for…
- World News
Singapore’s private home prices soar to US$1.2 million, topping Asia Pacific cities
The median price of a private home in Singapore reached US$1.2 million in 2022, making it the highest among Asia Pacific cities, according to a report by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific Centre for Housing. Singapore is also ranked as the most expensive city in the region for renting a private home. The median private home price in…
- World News
Japan prime minister’s son to resign amid scandal of staged news conference photos
The son of Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Shotaro Kishida, will resign as his father’s aide following a scandal involving photographs of him and other family members pretending to hold a news conference at the official residence. The prime minister announced the decision, stating that his son’s behaviour was “inappropriate” for someone in an official position. Last week, a weekly…
- World News
South Korea hosts first summit with Pacific islands amid geopolitical rivalry
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to initiate the country’s first summit with Pacific island leaders today, as Seoul aims to expand its influence in a region that has become a focal point for intense geopolitical rivalry. President Yoon unveiled his administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy last year, committing to promote a “free, peaceful and prosperous” region based on a…
- World News
4 killed in Japan gun and knife attack, suspect detained
Japanese police have detained a suspect who had been hiding in a building after allegedly killing four people, including two police officers, in a gun and knife attack near the city of Nakano in Nagano region. The man was taken into custody outside the farm property, with a fourth fatality confirmed overnight—an elderly woman who was found injured at the…
- World News
Singapore at high risk of technical recession amid external challenges
Singapore is facing a heightened risk of entering a technical recession in the second quarter as external challenges continue to impact the economy. The city-state saw a 0.4% decline in the economy during the first quarter compared to the previous three months, marking a reversal from the 0.1% growth in the fourth quarter of 2022. Singapore last experienced a technical…
- World News
Chinese hackers target US critical infrastructure in massive cyber-espionage campaign
Chinese hackers have been spying on a wide range of critical infrastructure organisations in the US, including telecommunications and transportation hubs, according to intelligence agencies and Microsoft. The espionage also targeted the US island territory of Guam, which houses strategically important American military bases. Analysts consider this one of the largest known Chinese cyber-espionage campaigns against American critical infrastructure. Microsoft’s…
- World News
UN urges Myanmar to allow life-saving aid after deadly Cyclone Mocha
The United Nations has urged Myanmar to allow life-saving aid to reach areas affected by the devastating Cyclone Mocha. UN rights chief Volker Turk called on the country’s military rulers to permit needs assessments and ensure access to essential aid and services. The cyclone brought torrential rain and 195km per hour winds to Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh on May 14,…
- World News
Indonesia adopts cool roofs to combat heatwaves and reduce energy costs
A low-cost, sustainable solution to the increasing heatwaves in Southeast Asia is being implemented in Indonesia through the use of “cool” roofs. These roofs have a special coating applied to them that reflects sunlight and reduces the amount of heat absorbed by a building, resulting in lower indoor temperatures. In Indonesia, the Cool Roofs project, led by architecture lecturer Beta…
- World News
Cathay Pacific fires staff amid discrimination row and foreigner worship claims
Cathay Pacific Airways today dismissed three flight attendants following allegations of discrimination against non-English speakers. The incident occurred on flight CX987 from Chengdu to Hong Kong and led to widespread concern, prompting the airline to issue a sincere apology. Cathay Pacific CEO Ronald Lam announced the staff dismissals after an internal investigation and reiterated the company’s zero-tolerance approach to serious violations…
