Asia

Asia covers news and developments across the world's largest and most populous continent, where billion-dollar industries, geopolitical tensions and technological innovation shape global markets and international relations. The region encompasses many of the world's fastest-growing economies and most influential technology sectors, making Asian affairs consequential for businesses, policymakers and consumers worldwide.

Stories from across Asia reflect the region's complexity: from energy markets and trade relations to corporate accountability, data security and competition in emerging industries like electric vehicles. Whether driven by government policy, corporate behaviour or market forces, developments in Asia often ripple through global supply chains, financial markets and international diplomacy, making regional news essential context for understanding world affairs.

Fourteen newborns perish in fire at Pakistan’s leading government hospital

August 26, 2026

A fire swept through the neonatal ward at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming the lives of 14 newly born infants. The incident occurred in a nursery caring
Beijing threatens Trump over Iran sanctions and says it will strike back at US if China suffers

August 26, 2026

China has warned it will retaliate against the United States after Washington announced sweeping new sanctions targeting countries and entities that continue trading with Iran, including firms based in Hong Kong and mainland China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled the measures on Monday, describing them as the toughest sanctions in history and warning that…
Indian jewellery ad pulled after backlash over actor’s outfit

August 26, 2026

An Indian jewellery brand, Giva, withdrew its Rakshabandhan advertisement featuring Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon after criticism that her outfit was inappropriate for the Hindu festival, which celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. The row began when actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut branded the advert “intentionally creepy,” questioning why Sanon appeared in what she described as revealing…
Bodies found on S Korean holiday island as missing persons scandal deepens

August 26, 2026

Four people previously reported missing have been found dead on South Korea’s Jeju island, intensifying criticism that police mishandled their cases. A police sergeant, surnamed Bu, has been arrested on suspicion of misleading families and closing reports without properly confirming the missing people’s whereabouts, prompting President Lee Jae Myung to order broad police reforms. Among…
Google DeepMind, Amazon Web Services, Kling AI Join Busan Market Tech Program InnoAsia

August 26, 2026

The Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), run alongside the Busan International Film Festival, has unveiled the full line-up for InnoAsia 2026, its programme exploring the crossover between film and emerging technology. Confirmed AI and tech participants include Amazon Web Services, Google DeepMind, Kling AI, Alibaba Cloud, BytePlus and Netflix’s Eyeline Studios, alongside numerous production,…
India’s sugar squeeze threatens its biggest season for sweets

August 26, 2026

India, the world’s largest sugar consumer, is importing 1 million tonnes of sugar for the first time in nearly a decade after prices jumped almost 40% in two months, threatening to dampen a festive and wedding season that traditionally drives heavy sweet consumption. The shortfall stems largely from lower-than-expected sugarcane output, worsened by reduced monsoon…
At least 14 babies killed after fire breaks out at maternity ward in Pakistan hospital

August 26, 2026

At least 14 newborn babies died after a fire swept through the nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. The incident has prompted an immediate investigation ordered by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while families face further distress because DNA testing is needed before the badly burned victims can be formally identified and…
Fire at hospital nursery in Pakistan leaves more than a dozen newborns dead

August 26, 2026

A fire at a newborn nursery in a major government hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, killed 14 babies early on Wednesday morning. The blaze broke out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, which was housing at least 15 newborns at the time, prompting grief among parents gathered outside the hospital and an immediate government investigation…
India’s crewed space program will fly this year, after missing 2022 and 2025 targets

August 26, 2026

India’s space agency ISRO has confirmed that the first uncrewed test flight of its long-delayed Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme will launch this year, after previously missed targets in 2022 and 2025. ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan made the announcement during India’s third National Space Day, ending a year of silence on the programme’s timeline and…
Why Tesla has been caught up in a massive car recall in China

August 26, 2026

China has ordered its largest-ever car recall, affecting more than four million vehicles, most of them Teslas, ahead of new regulations requiring cars to have mechanical door releases on both the inside and outside. The move has put a spotlight on hidden door handles, a sleek, minimalist design popularised by Tesla and now used in…