Taiwan has received its first two new F-16V fighter jets from the United States, strengthening an air force. That regularly scrambles to monitor Chinese military activity nearby. The aircraft arrived at Taitung’s Chihhang Air Base on Friday, after months of production delays linked partly to software problems. They are the first of 66 jets ordered
Japan is making permanent residency far more expensive for foreigners, and the jump is hard to miss. The fee has risen 20-fold to 200,000 yen ($1,270), while applicants also face tougher financial, pension and language requirements. The changes have already created a scramble. Long queues formed at immigration offices as applicants rushed to beat the
US forces have withdrawn from their remaining bases in Iraq, ending more than two decades of American military presence. This is raising fresh questions about what comes next. The departure was agreed in 2024 and completed by the Trump administration. Many Iraqis welcomed the return of greater national sovereignty. But could the exit also create
Four bodies have been recovered after a huge avalanche buried a climbing group’s base camp in Nepal’s Himalayas, with 12 people still missing. The avalanche struck Himlung Himal in Manang district on Sunday morning, covering the camp in roughly 14 feet of snow. The victims were Nepalese climbers and support workers. They had gone ahead
A Canadian woman is facing 65 criminal charges after police allege she stole from patients and staff at several healthcare facilities across Ontario. Ontario Provincial Police identified the suspect as 34-year-old Nassim Eronn of Burlington. Investigators say the alleged incidents began in February 2024 and continued until last month, spanning five healthcare centres. The charges
At least 27 people have been killed in two mass shootings in South Africa, as the country faces another deadly wave of gun violence. In Wedela, west of Johannesburg, eight gunmen reportedly stormed a bar late Saturday, opening fire on customers outside before moving indoors. Seventeen people, including four women, were killed and 15 others
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance will pay Alabama $100m to settle a lawsuit alleging the platform was designed to keep children hooked. They will also agree to tougher safeguards for young users. The deal, reached just before trial, introduces a two-hour daily limit for children in Alabama, along with overnight and school-hour restrictions. But
A Catholic priest has been killed and four other people injured in a knife attack at an abbey in south-east Poland, officials say. A 31-year-old Ukrainian man has been arrested following the attack in Jarosław. Police are now investigating what drove the violence. According to Polish media reports, the attacker first wounded a priest at
US President Donald Trump has rolled out an unusually grand welcome for Chinese leader Xi Jinping. This has set the stage for a three-day summit aimed at managing tensions between the world’s two biggest economies. Xi arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, where Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted him and his wife,
Indonesia is facing a growing health crisis as wildfires and toxic haze have left about 175,000 people suffering from respiratory illnesses since August, according to the health ministry. More than 40,000 cases involve toddlers. But why has the situation become so severe? Fires have burned across huge areas of Indonesia, sending thick smoke into Malaysia
Paramount Skydance has reached a settlement with a coalition of US states. This removes a major legal obstacle to its planned $110 billion merger with Warner Bros Discovery. But this is not simply a corporate deal. The agreement comes with strings attached. Paramount must produce at least 30 films each year, with a growing share
Australia is heading towards a major demographic shift. The government is forecasting that deaths could outnumber births for the first time in the 2060s. For decades, immigration has helped Australia maintain population growth despite declining birth rates. But as migration slows, the country is beginning to face a challenge already confronting several other developed economies.
