Macron ‘working with China on secret plan for Ukraine war peace talks’
Kyiv’s line has been to veto anything that could allow Russia to keep any territorial gains from Moscow’s invasion
Asia
UN says ready for “heartbreaking” Afghan withdrawal
The United Nations is ready to take the “heartbreaking” decision to pull out of Afghanistan in May if it can’t persuade the Taliban to let local women work for the organization, the head of the UN Development Program has announced.
Landslide in Pakistan kills, injures several people
A huge landslide in northwestern Pakistan has killed at least three people, wounding several others and burying nearly two dozen vehicles, officials have announced.
WHO reports 167 infant deaths daily in Afghanistan
The Afghan branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alarm over the infant mortality rates in the country. WHO says around 170 babies die each day in Afghanistan.
Watch live: Antony Blinken holds news conference in Vietnam as US pledges to strengthen ties
Watch live as Antony Blinken holds a news conference in Hanoi after holding talks with top Vietnamese officials as the US pledges to strengthen ties with the country.
Indonesia considers tourist tax to curb bad behaviour in Bali
Business groups fear cost could damage tourism sector still recovering from effects of pandemicIndonesia is considering imposing a tax for tourists after a series of incidents in which badly behaved foreigners have violated laws or customs, according t…
Get ready ‘for real combat’ President Xi tells Chinese forces
Presidents comments come after Chinese navy went ahead with “actual combat training” around Taiwan
Watch live: Thailand brings in new year with huge water fight in Bangkok
Watch live as people in Thailand ring in the new year with a giant water fight as part of the Songkran festival.
Iran, China, Russia, Pakistan FMs discussed Afghanistan’s woes in Samarkand
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian of Iran says he held four-way talks with his counterparts from China, Russia and Pakistan over Afghanistan’s problems on the margins of a regional summit of the crisis-hit country’s neighbors in Uzbekistan.
Top Taiwan leader condemns Macron over China: ‘Are ‘liberté, égalité, fraternité out of fashion?’
French president questions whether it is in France’s interest to ‘accelerate [a crisis] on Taiwan’