All posts tagged: Asia / Pacific

Strong 7.5 earthquake hits off Japan, tsunami warning issued

Strong 7.5 earthquake hits off Japan, tsunami warning issued

Published by Sam Flores

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan Monday, Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) said, issuing a tsunami warning for waves up to three metres (10 feet). The quake, which hit at 4:53pm (0753 GMT) in Pacific waters off northern Iwate prefecture, was strong enough to shake large buildings as far as Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres away. Around 40 minutes later, an 80-centimetre (31-inch) tsunami wave hit a port in Kuji in Iwate, according to the JMA. “Evacuate immediately from coastal regions and riverside areas to a safer place such as high ground or an evacuation building,” it said, warning that damage due to tsunami waves was expected. “Tsunami waves are expected to hit repeatedly. Do not leave safe ground until the warning is lifted,” it said. Footage from national broadcaster NHK did not show any immediate visible damage around several ports in Iwate. The JMA warned that more quakes could strike the area, at magnitude 8.0 or stronger. “The likelihood of a new, huge earthquake occurring is relatively higher than during normal times,” it said in a statement. …

Fire razes 200 homes in Sabah, leaving hundreds homeless | News

Fire razes 200 homes in Sabah, leaving hundreds homeless | News

Published by Sam Flores

Sabah fire displaces 445 people as relief efforts focus on safety and immediate aid for victims in affected areas. Published On 19 Apr 202619 Apr 2026 Hundreds of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed about 200 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia’s Sabah state, the state news agency Bernama reported. Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at ⁠about 1.32am on Sunday (17:32 GMT, Saturday), the district’s fire and rescue chief, Jimmy Lagung, was quoted as saying. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “Strong winds and the close proximity ‌of the houses caused the fire to spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open water source,” Bernama quoted Lagung as saying. The fire broke out in one of Sabah’s water villages, ⁠which feature wooden houses built on ⁠stilts and are home to some of the country’s poorest communities, including many stateless and indigenous groups. About 445 people have ⁠been displaced so far, Bernama said, citing unofficial figures of people ⁠registered at a …

‘They are stealing the election’: How Armenia became the next Russia-EU battlefield

‘They are stealing the election’: How Armenia became the next Russia-EU battlefield

Published by Sam Flores

The European Union breathed a sigh of relief last week when Hungary voted out Prime Minister Viktor Orban in favour of Peter Magyar.  Like Moldova’s election last year, the vote was seen as an ideological battleground between the Kremlin and Brussels.  Orban, a long-standing ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will be replaced by Magyar, who said he wants to repair ties with the EU. “Hungary has chosen Europe,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after the results were announced. Read moreOrban ousted: What Magyar’s victory means for Hungary and the EU Now the bloc’s attention is shifting further east towards another former Soviet Union country seen to be making a similar choice: Armenia.   But this could have long-lasting consequences for the Armenian people, according to some observers.  A step towards Europe  The June 7 parliamentary elections in Armenia matter for Europe, as public opinion in the country – long aligned with Russia – is now turning toward Brussels. While campaigning officially begins 30 days before the election, candidates have already hit the trail.  …

North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles in latest weapons tests

North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles in latest weapons tests

Published by Sam Flores

North Korea test-fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, South Korea’s military said, the latest in a recent flurry of launches by the nuclear-armed state. The Sunday launches add to a series of weapons tests Pyongyang has carried out in recent weeks, including ballistic missiles, anti-warship cruise missiles and cluster munitions. Read moreNorth Korea tests nuclear-capable rocket launchers amid US-South Korea military drills “Our military detected several short-range ballistic missiles fired into the East Sea from the Sinpo area of North Korea at around 6:10am (GMT 21:10),” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to a body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. “The missiles flew approximately 140 kilometres (86.9 miles), and South Korean and US intelligence authorities are conducting a detailed analysis of their exact specifications,” it added.  Seoul is maintaining a “firm combined defence posture” with the United States – a security ally that stations about 28,000 troops in the South to help it defend against military threats from the North – and will “respond overwhelmingly to any provocation”, …

North Korea launches ballistic missiles towards sea off its east coast | Kim Jong Un News

North Korea launches ballistic missiles towards sea off its east coast | Kim Jong Un News

Published by Sam Flores

Multiple ballistic missiles fired from eastern Sinpo area in seventh such test this year. Published On 19 Apr 202619 Apr 2026 North Korea has launched multiple ballistic missiles towards the sea off its eastern coast, according to South Korea and Japan. The incident on Sunday marked North Korea’s seventh ⁠ballistic missile launch this year and its fourth in April. The missiles were fired near the city of Sinpo on North Korea’s east coast at about 6:10am on Sunday (21:10 GMT, Saturday), South Korea’s military said in a statement. It added that South Korea had bolstered its surveillance posture and was closely exchanging information with the United States and Japan. Japan’s ⁠government posted on social media that the ballistic missiles were believed to have fallen near the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. No incursion into Japan’s exclusive economic zone was confirmed. South Korea’s presidential office said it has held an emergency security meeting, according to media reports. Such tests violate United Nations Security Council resolutions against North Korea’s missile programme. The diplomatically isolated country rejects …

China steps out of the shadows in Iran war – Access Asia

China steps out of the shadows in Iran war – Access Asia

Published by Sam Flores

China’s President Xi Jinping has broken a six-week silence about the war in Iran, vowing to take a “constructive” role in efforts to end the conflict. Beijing is wary of being drawn into a war it took no part in, and faces a delicate balancing act between its long-term partnership with Iran and its strategic interests in the Middle East and beyond. Yuka Royer speaks with Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, about what’s behind Beijing’s calculations.  Also on the show: India has embarked on a costly and long-overdue project to update its official population count. The year-long census involves multiple phases, with millions of officials carrying out door-to-door surveys. Last tallied in 2011, the new nationwide survey could redefine welfare programmes and redraw political representations in the world’s most populous nation.  Finally, one of Bollywood’s most iconic voices, singer Asha Bhosle, has passed away at the age of 92. Celebrated for mixing traditional, religious and Western melodies in her songs, Bhosle dominated the Indian music industry for over …

China’s Xi meets Russian FM Lavrov, calls relations with Moscow ‘precious’ | Xi Jinping News

China’s Xi meets Russian FM Lavrov, calls relations with Moscow ‘precious’ | Xi Jinping News

Published by Sam Flores

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with top Chinese leadership to discuss the Iran war and other concerns. Published On 15 Apr 202615 Apr 2026 Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and pressed for “closer and stronger strategic coordination” between Beijing and Moscow, according to state media. Xi met with Lavrov in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, according to China’s Xinhua news agency, where he urged Russia and China to “firmly defend their legitimate interests and safeguard the unity of Global South countries”. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The Chinese leader also said the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations were particularly “precious” in an international landscape marked by change and chaos, The Associated Press news agency reported. While a Chinese readout of Xi’s remarks to the Russian minister did not explicitly mention the US-Israel war on Iran, his comments did appear to reference growing fears that the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global food crisis as …

India hit by Middle East war: Millions face gas shortages – Focus

India hit by Middle East war: Millions face gas shortages – Focus

Published by Sam Flores

To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again FOCUS © FRANCE 24 Issued on: 09/04/2026 – 16:12Modified: 09/04/2026 – 16:18 05:52 min From the show Reading time 1 min In the weeks leading up to the ceasefire, the impact of the war in the Middle East was felt far beyond the region, reaching countries such as India. The nation of nearly 1.5 billion people relies heavily on imports of cooking gas, or LPG, much of it sourced from the Middle East. When Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz – a critical global shipping route – supplies were severely disrupted. Long queues formed outside distribution centres in major cities, forcing many to turn to the black market. The conflict has also put at risk the lives of nearly ten million Indians living and working in Gulf countries. At …

Australian and IPL cricket great David Warner charged with drink-driving | Cricket News

Australian and IPL cricket great David Warner charged with drink-driving | Cricket News

Published by Sam Flores

The 39-year-old, who retired from international cricket in 2024, still features in T20 franchise cricket. Published On 7 Apr 20267 Apr 2026 Former international cricketer David Warner has been charged with drink-driving after he was pulled over in Sydney during the weekend, according to reports in his native Australia. The 39-year-old, who still plays Twenty20 cricket for franchises around the world, was allegedly at the wheel of a van that stopped and parked short of a random testing site on Sunday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Australian national broadcaster ABC reported on Tuesday that officers approached the vehicle and breath-tested Warner, who returned a positive result. He was arrested and taken to a local police station, where he was charged with mid-range drink-driving, ABC and other local media reported. He is due to appear in court on May 7. In a statement, police outlined the incident but did not name the former Australian opener, who retired from international cricket in 2024 after racking up 8,786 runs across his 112 Tests. Most recently, …