Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING (AP) — At least 10 people have been killed and three are missing in flooding in the central Chinese province of Hunan, while a landslide buried parts of a village in the southern Guangxi region, state media reported.

Storms have pummeled Hunan since the beginning of the month, with some monitoring stations reporting historic levels of rainfall, the Xinhua News Agency said late Wednesday.

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mostly lower Thursday as investors watched for fresh signs of inflation, including soaring crude oil prices.

European shares declined in early trading. France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.7% in early trading to 6,404.59, while Germany’s DAX dropped 0.9% to 14,309.79. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.7% to 7,543.28.

The future for the Dow industrials edged nearly 0.1% lower to 32,862.00. The S&P 500 future fell nearly 0.1% to 4,111.50.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A French parliamentary delegation pledged support for Taiwan during a meeting Thursday with the president of the self-governing island that China claims as its own territory with no right to diplomatic recognition.

Senator Joel Guerriau, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and the Armed Forces, told Tsai Ing-wen he would “help Taiwan oppose its oppressors and promote Taiwan’s freedom.”

“I will confront those who oppose Taiwan’s freedom and demonstrate Taiwan’s strength to those who ignore it,” Guerriau said.

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand made it legal to cultivate and possess marijuana as of Thursday, like a dream come true for an aging generation of pot smokers who recall the kick the legendary Thai Stick variety delivered.

The stated intention of the country’s public health minister to distribute 1 million marijuana seedlings, beginning Friday, has added to the impression that Thailand is turning into a weed wonderland.

BEIJING (AP) — Thousands of COVID-19 testing sites have popped up on sidewalks across Beijing and other Chinese cities in the latest twist to the country’s “zero-COVID” strategy.

Lines form every day, rain or shine, even when the spread of the virus has largely stopped. Some people need to go to work. Others want to shop. All are effectively compelled to get tested by a requirement to show a negative test result to enter office buildings, malls and other public places.

BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday refuted the so-called concerns of the United States and Britain over UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's visit to China.

What truly worries these countries is that their attempt to use the so-called "Xinjiang issue" to contain China will fail miserably after the international community sees the real situation in Xinjiang, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily press briefing.

TOKYO (AP) — Joe Biden spent his first trip to Asia as president strengthening economic and military commitments. He pushed new rules for the global economy and promoted democracy in launching a new trade pact. And he summoned fellow Indo-Pacific leaders to do more in defense of Ukraine even if it causes their people some economic pain.

The president was, in short, promoting the types of values abroad of greater economic investment, cooperation and democratic principles that he has s truggled to sell to voters in the U.S.

BANGKOK (AP) — At least 16 people from Myanmar’s Rohingya minority have died after a storm capsized the boat they were traveling on to seek refuge in another country, officials and a recovery team member said Tuesday.

There were 35 survivors of Saturday’s accident that took place Saturday off Myanmar’s southwestern coast and four people were missing, the officials said.

UNHCR, the U.N.’s refugee agency, expressed shock and sadness about the accident in a statement and said at least 17 Rohingya, including children, had died.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China is trying to navigate its biggest coronavirus outbreak without a tool it could have adopted many months ago, the kind of vaccines that have proven to offer the best protection against the worst outcomes from COVID-19.

As early as the spring of 2020 a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Fosun Pharma, reached an agreement to distribute — and eventually manufacture — the mRNA vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. It still has not been cleared in mainland China, despite being authorized for use by separate authorities in Hong Kong and Macao.

TOKYO (AP) — Hours after being sworn in as Australia’s new prime minister, Anthony Albanese found himself fresh off a jet and thrown into the glare of a global spotlight Tuesday. He was rewarded with a warm welcome, as well as a bit of a gentle ribbing, from U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders at an international summit in Japan.