Tag Archives: Asia

The BBC reports: South Korean MPs have begun impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol after thwarting his shock move to impose martial law. The president had said martial law was needed to protect the country from “North Korea’s communist forces” and to “eliminate anti-state elements.” Though he cited North Korea, President Yoon’s decision was seen as a response to …

CBS News reports: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an “emergency martial law” on Tuesday, accusing the country’s opposition of controlling the parliament, sympathizing with North Korea and paralyzing the government with anti-state activities. “To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements… I hereby declare emergency martial …

The Associated Press reports: Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday she has contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House of Representatives speaker if she herself is killed, in a brazen public threat that she warned was not a joke. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin referred the “active threat” against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to an …

The Associated Press reports: A second high court in Japan ruled on Wednesday that the government’s policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the latest in a series of decisions upholding plaintiffs’ demands for marriage equality. The Tokyo High Court called the ongoing ban “a groundless legal discrimination based on sexual orientation”, saying it violates the constitutional guarantee of right to …

Reuters reports: Hundreds of thousands of members of South Korea’s Christian groups held a service in Seoul on Sunday to protest against a landmark court ruling that acknowledged same-sex the rights of partners in same-sex couples to state health insurance. The supreme court in July upheld a high court ruling that a same-sex partner was eligible for spousal benefits from …

ABC News reports: The Chinese military test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific on Wednesday, marking its first known launch of an ICBM in decades, officials said. The People’s Liberation Army launched the ICBM carrying a “dummy warhead” into the “high seas” at about 8:44 in the morning, the Chinese Ministry of Defense said in a statement. The missile …

The South China Morning Post reports: The Thai king has signed same-sex marriage into law, the official Royal Gazette said Tuesday, making Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to recognise marriage equality. King Maha Vajiralongkorn gave royal assent to the new law, passed by parliament in June, which will take effect in 120 days – meaning the first gay …

Reuters reports: Thailand’s Senate passed the final reading of a marriage equality law on Tuesday, paving the way for it to become the first country in Southeast Asia to recognise same-sex couples. The bill comes after more than two decades of effort from activists and politicians, after previous drafts did not reach parliament. With the support of nearly all lawmakers …

Reuters reports: South Korea accused North Korea on Wednesday of sending a large number of balloons across their heavily fortified border to drop objects including trash and excrement, calling the act base and dangerous. The military’s explosives ordnance unit and chemical and biological warfare response team were deployed to inspect and collect the objects, and an alert was issued warning …

Reuters reports: Manipulated videos are taking centre stage as campaigning heats up in India’s election, with fake clips involving two top aides of Prime Minister Narendra Modi triggering police investigations and the arrest of some workers of his rival Congress party. In what has been dubbed as India’s first AI election, Modi said last week fake voices were being used …

The Associated Press reports: Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways and leaving nine people dead. Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency said the quake was 7.2 magnitude while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.4. It struck about 18 kilometers (11.1 miles) south-southwest of Hualien and was …

The Associated Press reports: Lawmakers in Thailand’s lower house of Parliament overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill on Wednesday that would make the country the first in Southeast Asia to legalize equal rights for marriage partners of any gender. The bill passed its final reading with the approval of 400 of the 415 members of the House of Representatives in …

Reuters reports: China’s population fell for a second consecutive year in 2023, as a record low birth rate and a wave of COVID-19 deaths when strict lockdowns ended accelerated a downturn that will have profound long-term effects on the economy’s growth potential. The National Bureau of Statistics said the total number of people in China dropped by 2.08 million, or …

The BBC reports: The slaughter and sale of dogs for their meat is to become illegal in South Korea after MPs backed a new law. The legislation, set to come into force by 2027, aims to end the centuries-old practice of humans eating dog meat. Dog meat stew, called “boshintang”, is considered a delicacy among some older South Koreans, but …

Reuters reports: South Korean opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southern city of Busan on Tuesday and was airlifted to Seoul after receiving emergency treatment, party and emergency officials said. The suspect, wearing a paper crown with Lee’s name on it, approached and asked for an autograph as Lee spoke …

The Washington Post reports: Japan issued tsunami warnings for several regions after an earthquake with an estimated 7.6 magnitude erupted off the country’s western coast around 4:10 p.m. local time Monday, prompting authorities to urge those in vulnerable areas to evacuate or run to higher ground. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings or advisories for almost all of its …

The Christian Post reports: Evangelist Franklin Graham criticized Christianity Today on Wednesday after the magazine his father founded published an article claiming that Jesus Christ was Asian. In a Dec. 18 article by art curator Victoria Emily Jones titled “How Asian Artists Picture Jesus’ Birth From 1240 to Today,” CT showcased how Jesus has been depicted by various Asian cultures, …

Reuters reports: Thai lawmakers on Thursday overwhelmingly passed four draft bills on same-sex marriage in their first reading, moving the country closer towards its legalisation in a country with one of Asia’s most open and visible LGBT communities. All but 10 lawmakers present in parliament’s lower house voted to approve the draft legislation, paving the way to the formation of …

The Associated Press reports: A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Saturday off the coast of the southern Philippines island of Mindanao and Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning. The quake struck at 10:37 p.m. and was measured at a depth of 32 kilometers (20 miles). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said based on the magnitude and …

The Associated Press reports: Thailand’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved an amendment to its civil code to allow same-sex marriage, with an expectation for the draft to be submitted to Parliament next month. Karom Polpornklang, a deputy government spokesperson, said the amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code will change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” …