All posts tagged: Asia / Pacific

North Korea fumes over upcoming US-South Korea military drills | Military News

North Korea fumes over upcoming US-South Korea military drills | Military News

Published by Sam Flores

Pyongyang has accused the US of pushing the world ‘to the brink of nuclear war’. Published On 14 Aug 202614 Aug 2026 North Korea has denounced major United States-South Korea military drills set to start next week as a provocation that heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The US-Japan-South Korea military cooperation is turning into a nuclear alliance, and North Korea will respond to a new level of threat with a new level of deterrent, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday, according to Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Pyongyang routinely denounces military drills in the south as a provocation that heightens tensions. The drills – named “Ulchi Freedom Shield” – are due to start on August 17 and will last until August 27. They will incorporate exercises to counter drones, GPS disruption, and cyberattacks as the US and its allies adapt to North Korea’s evolving capabilities. “The US announced that the forthcoming exercises are quite different from the ones of the past …

Japan protests as Russia’s Putin visits disputed Kuril Islands | Vladimir Putin News

Japan protests as Russia’s Putin visits disputed Kuril Islands | Vladimir Putin News

Published by Sam Flores

Japanese PM says Putin’s visit to the Pacific island chain, seized by the Soviet Union in 1945, is ‘unacceptable’. Published On 13 Aug 202613 Aug 2026 Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has paid his first-ever visit to a Russian-administered island chain in the Pacific that is also claimed by Japan, drawing condemnation from Tokyo. Putin visited the Kuril Islands on Thursday, meeting with the regional governor and visiting a fish-processing plant, a hospital and a school on the southernmost isle of Iturup, according to Russian state media. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Japan asserts territorial rights to the four southernmost islands of the chain, which it calls the Northern Territories. The isles were seized by the Soviet Union during the second world war and have remained a source of friction between Moscow and Tokyo. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called Putin’s visit to the territory “absolutely unacceptable”, saying it “offends the sentiments of the Japanese people”. “This visit … by the sitting Russian president goes against Japan’s consistent position on the Northern Territories,” …

‘Only job I know’: Philippine sailors return to sea despite wartime risks | US-Israel war on Iran

‘Only job I know’: Philippine sailors return to sea despite wartime risks | US-Israel war on Iran

Published by Sam Flores

Despite risks in the Strait of Hormuz and Black Sea, seafarers from the Philippines are still competing for jobs. Manila, Philippines – Monsoon rains may have forced schools to shut down and suspended government services in the Philippine capital last week, but applicants at shipping companies and employment agencies still formed long lines that snaked around street corners. The rain was the least of their worries. They were taking the first step on a journey that would take them to increasingly treacherous waters – and they say they are fully aware of the risks. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Gerald, a veteran sailor, was sorting out some last-minute paperwork for his next deployment next week. He is going to board the same ship he was last on – a cargo vessel off the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The last time he was there, he was stuck for two months. He was due to return to the Philippines when the United States and Israel launched air attacks on Iran …

In Malaysia, wave of hate speech threatens Rohingya refugees

In Malaysia, wave of hate speech threatens Rohingya refugees

Published by Sam Flores

Malaysia has long been considered a safe haven for Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. As of the end of February 2026, 126,000 Rohingyas were registered with the UN refugee agency in Malaysia, out of a total of around 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers.  However, they have faced growing hostility since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, culminating in a wave of online hate and disinformation that began in April 2026. On July 27, around 1 hundred Rohingya refugees were forced to leave their homes in a fishing village after their neighbours put up signs urging them to leave. #SaveMalaysiaFromRohingya Maryam* works for the NGO Article 19, which defends freedom of expression in Malaysia and combats hate speech.  “The latest wave of anti-Rohingya rhetoric has undoubtedly been one of the most intense in terms of both scale and duration. It began towards the end of April and is still continuing today. It all started with a disinformation campaign claiming that Rohingya refugees were demanding land and special rights. In May, an online petition was …

Indonesia closes national park in East Java as wildfire expands | News

Indonesia closes national park in East Java as wildfire expands | News

Published by Sam Flores

Firefighters struggle to battle the growing blaze near Mount Bromo in thick forest and steep terrain. Published On 9 Aug 20269 Aug 2026 Indonesian authorities have closed off all access to Mount Bromo national park in East Java province as a fast-moving wildfire has nearly tripled in size. The park operator announced on Saturday that it has barred visitors from Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, located near an active volcano that regularly draws crowds of tourists. Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, the park chief, said the closure would remain in effect until further notice. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “This closure is a crucial step to maintain safety of visitors, staff and people in the surrounding areas,” the park operator said on its Instagram page, noting that those who have already bought an entrance ticket during the closure may seek a refund. Indonesia mobilised hundreds of firefighters, disaster management personnel, police, soldiers, park rangers and volunteers on Sunday to contain the blaze, which has consumed roughly 176 hectares (435 acres) of Mount Bromo since …

Nagasaki mayor says ‘humanity and nuclear weapons cannot coexist’ | History News

Nagasaki mayor says ‘humanity and nuclear weapons cannot coexist’ | History News

Published by Sam Flores

NewsFeed Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki says ‘humanity and nuclear weapons cannot coexist’ as Japan marks the anniversary of the US atomic bombing. A memorial ceremony has been held in Nagasaki Peace Park, with ultraconservative prime minister Sanae Takaichi in attendance. Published On 9 Aug 20269 Aug 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Source link

Massive Attack says members held after pro-Palestine display in Singapore | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Massive Attack says members held after pro-Palestine display in Singapore | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Published by Sam Flores

Music group says it is ‘proud’ to have made ‘impromptu expression’ of support for Palestine by unfurling flag during concert. Published On 3 Aug 20263 Aug 2026 British trip-hop band Massive Attack has said its members were detained by police in Singapore after a concert last week, during which a Palestinian flag was unfurled on stage. In a statement published on Instagram on Monday, the group said large sections of the crowd chanted “Free Palestine” before and at the end of its performance at the Star Theatre on July 29. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “We did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign ⁠state recognised by 157 countries would violate any law,” Massive Attack’s statement said, adding that the band was “proud” to have made an “impromptu expression” with their fans “who clearly felt a moral imperative to show solidarity with the people of Palestine”. After the performance, the statement continued, “we were surprised and disappointed that our entire band was detained by the police, isolated and …

Japan and US confirm rare joint intervention to prop up yen | Business and Economy News

Japan and US confirm rare joint intervention to prop up yen | Business and Economy News

Published by Sam Flores

Published On 3 Aug 20263 Aug 2026 Japan and the United States have confirmed a rare, coordinated yen-buying intervention to halt the Japanese currency’s slide to 40-year lows, with Tokyo signalling it is willing to take further action if needed. The Japanese Ministry of Finance confirmed the joint intervention after a statement by US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that Washington was helping to prop up the yen as a sign of friendship and to support the global economy. “They have a weakening yen, and they wanted a little bit of help. And we’re always there for Japan,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s query about why the US is helping to support the currency. The yen leapt after the announcement, leaving traders on high alert for further intervention from authorities. The Japanese currency gained as much as 1.4 percent to hit a nearly three-month high of 155.20 per US dollar, compounding a 3.8 percent surge over the previous two sessions. The yen also advanced broadly against other major currencies, including the euro …

‘A giant of the industry, Purja leaves behind a legacy that inspired a generation to climb higher’

‘A giant of the industry, Purja leaves behind a legacy that inspired a generation to climb higher’

Published by Sam Flores

Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja and his nine climbing companions were killed by an avalanche in Pakistan during an ascent of one of the world’s highest mountains, his expedition company said on Saturday, as rescuers tackled treacherous conditions to recover their bodies. A giant of the industry, Purja leaves behind a legacy that inspired a generation to climb higher. Click on this video report by Charlotte Lam for more.  Keywords for this article Source link

Most Australian teens still online three months after under-16 ban | Internet News

Most Australian teens still online three months after under-16 ban | Internet News

Published by Sam Flores

The Australian government has defended the ban after a report concluded most teenagers had found ways to get around it. Published On 1 Aug 20261 Aug 2026 More than eight in 10 Australian teenagers are still using social media, skirting the government’s three-month-old landmark ban on the platforms for under-16s because ‌tech firms have failed to implement effective age checks, the country’s internet regulator has found. In a study published on Friday, eSafety also found most children aged between 10 and 15 were using social media just as frequently in March as they had before the ban came into force on December 10 last year, while parental awareness of their habits decreased. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “Most under-16s who had social media accounts before commencement were able to either retain them or create new ones at the three-month ⁠mark, with social media platforms’ failure to implement effective age assurance measures cited as the main reason,” eSafety said in a statement. Australia introduced the world-first ban because of concerns about the effect …