Indonesia's military stepped up its relief efforts in three provinces on Sumatra island that have been devastated by deadly floods and landslides, and the country's vice president apologised for shortcomings in the response to last week's disaster. The military has erected at least 10 portable bri
November to January are usually the busiest season for Herath Gedara Rohan Anil Kumara’s three-bedroom homestay in Sri Lanka’s hill country, famed for its tea plantations, historic sites and quaint villages. But after Cyclone Ditwah tore through the island last week, killing nearly 500
Pakistan has appointed Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), further consolidating his authority at the top of the military hierarchy. President Asif Ali Zardari approved Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recommendation to name Munir both chi
Turkey is telling Russia, Ukraine, and all other parties to keep energy infrastructure out of their conflict and wants energy flows to continue uninterrupted, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said after a series of attacks off Turkey's Black Sea coast. Ukraine, which is targeting Russia's oil e
Pakistan has taken a major step to sell its state-owned airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), one more time on December 23, according to state media. The long-struggling carrier is being privatised under the country’s $7.0 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout plan, whi
India revoked its order to smartphone makers on Wednesday to preload a state-run cybersecurity app days after the plan triggered a major backlash from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's opponents and privacy activists over surveillance fears. The Indian government had confidentially ordered comp
The search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume on December 30, the Transport Ministry said on Wednesday. Exploration firm Ocean Infinity will recommence seabed search operations intermittently for a total of 55 days, the ministry said in a statement. "The search will be carried out in
Seven terrorists were killed during intelligence-based operations in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Tuesday. The security forces conducted the operations in two different areas of the North Waziristan district of the province, the Inter-Services Public Relat
Imran Khan, Pakistan's jailed former prime minister, is in good physical health but facing isolation and psychological strain, his sister said on Tuesday, after a rare supervised visit following weeks in which his family said access had been blocked. Uzma Khanum, one of Khan's three sisters, was t
China's average life expectancy reached 79 years in 2024, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Health Commission. China's 2024 health statistics bulletin highlighted continued improvements in both maternal and child health, with maternal deaths falling to 14.3 per 100,000 and inf
Hong Kong's leader said on Tuesday an independent committee would be established to investigate the cause of the city's deadliest fire in decades, including oversight of renovations blamed for the disaster that has claimed 151 lives. Police have arrested 13 people for suspected manslaughter in a c
Australian home prices jumped in November but gains in Sydney and Melbourne slowed, as expectations there would be no interest rate cuts anytime soon undermined sentiment in those already expensive markets, property consultant Cotality said on Monday. Home prices nationwide increased 1 per cent in
Euro zone manufacturing activity slipped back into contraction territory in November on weakening demand that forced firms to cut jobs at the quickest rate in seven months, a private survey showed. The HCOB Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global, fell to 49
