China yesterday vociferously defended a court's decision to impose the death penalty on a convicted Canadian drug smuggler, escalating a diplomatic row that experts say has descended into a high-stakes game of "hostage politics".

Seoul crossed out a reference to nuclear-armed North Korea as its enemy in a defence white paper published yesterday, amid rapidly warming ties despite stalled nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

A Chinese court yesterday sentenced a Canadian man to death for drug smuggling after prosecutors said an original 15-year sentence

India's apex court yesterday asked the federal government to give its reply to petitions challenging the sweeping powers given to ten

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday threatened to retaliate against the opposition if the European Union withdraws duty-free

The Rakhine State government has banned all humanitarian assistance groups from villages in northern Rakhine State where renewed violence recently has sparked security concerns, reports Myanmar Times.

Indonesian authorities are to download the contents of a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from a Lion Air jet that crashed more than two months ago, killing all 189 people on board, after it is retrieved from the sea near Jakarta.

The death toll in a coal mine roof collapse in northern China has risen to 21 after rescuers found two more miners dead yesterday, state media reported.

Pakistan's jailed former premier Nawaz Sharif's health condition has deteriorated, his daughter claimed on Friday and alleged that

Tesla boss Elon Musk has been offered a "green card", China said yesterday, a privilege enjoyed by only an elite group of foreigners.

A court in the Philippines yesterday convicted a former branch manager at Manila-based Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) of money laundering, in the first conviction over the Bangladesh Bank reserves heist in which $81 million was stolen nearly three years ago.

A Bangladesh High Commission official stationed in Canberra has been alleged to be involved in issuing fake tourist visas to a group of Rohingyas living in Australia.

Australian police yesterday charged a 49-year-old man for sending as many as 38 packages containing a hazardous material to diplomatic embassies and consulates across the country.

China's ambassador to Ottawa has accused Canada of "double standards" and disregarding his country's judicial sovereignty, in a diplomatic row sparked by the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States.

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered North Korean leader Kim Jong Un firm backing in deadlocked nuclear talks with the United States, insisting the two sides should meet "halfway", state media said yesterday.

Taiwan Premier William Lai said yesterday he was resigning along with the self-ruled island's entire cabinet, nearly two months after the defeat of his ruling pro-independence party in local elections.

The president of the Maldives has appealed to citizens to furnish details of graft during the term of his pro-China predecessor and

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Maharashtra yesterday, reached out to the northeast on the Citizenship Bill,

Facebook violates Vietnam's new cybersecurity law by allowing users to post anti-government comments on the platform, state media says, days after the controversial legislation takes effect in the communist-ruled country.

A Chinese man attacked at least 20 young children at a Beijing primary school with a hammer yesterday, state television reported, in a rare act of violence in the capital.