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Sri Lanka declares state of emergency following cyclone
Sri Lanka has declared a state of emergency following floods and mudslides that have killed more than 330 people. The Disaster Management Centre reported that more than 200 people are missing and around 20,000 homes have been destroyed, sending 108,000 people to state-run temporary shelters. A state of emergency was declared in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which officials say has left around a third of the country without electricity or running water. India was the first to respond to the state of emergency with relief supplies and two helicopters, followed by Japan, which will send in a team to assess immediate needs and provide further assistance. Evacuation orders are in place in some areas as the water levels of the Kelani River continue to rise rapidly. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said this is the "most challenging natural disaster" in the country's history, as the destruction is so severe that estimates for reconstruction were staggering. The highest number of deaths was recorded in Kandy and Badulla, where many areas remain cut off. According to Al Jazeera’s Minelle Fernandez, Sri Lanka is struggling to cope with the aftermath of the cyclone. “Some neighbourhoods are completely buried unde
Asia
Grim search continues for victims of Hong Kong fire
Rescuers on Monday continued to search for victims of Hong Kong’s worst fire since 1948 as the death toll approached 150, with 200 people still missing. The authorities combed through three of the seven residential towers destroyed by fire last Wednesday after protective nets, tarpaulins and plastic sheets used for maintenance caught alight, although the official cause has not been established. Hundreds of the 4,600 people living in the complex were placed in temporary shelters. Police had already searched four towers, finding the bodies of people who collapsed in stairwells and on rooftops as they desperately tried to flee to safety from the Wang Fuk Court complex, where, according to Hong Kong Security Chief Chris Tang, the fire alarms were not working properly. Local authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with the blaze as they investigate possible corruption and the use of unsafe materials during renovations at the complex. Thousands of people turned out over the weekend to mourn the victims, with lines of people stretching more than a kilometre along a canal beside the complex in Tai Po in the New Territories. This came as it was revealed by Reuters that residents were told by authorities last yea
Asia
Death toll from Hong Kong fire passes 80
The number of people who died in a fire that blazed through a Hong Kong residential building on Wednesday has risen to at least 83, with another 279 people listed as missing, according to media reports. Hong Kong's emergency services had handled 155 casualties since firefighting began, with 79 dying at the scene and four passing away in hospital, according to Reuters. The number of missing people was listed as 279 by Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee on Thursday, but the figure had not been updated for 24 hours, Reuters reported in this story. The Hong Kong Government also confirmed that three men arrested for manslaughter were responsible for a construction company that erected protective nets, tarpaulins and plastic sheets for maintenance. “They are being detained for further enquiries. The New Territories North Regional Crime Unit is carrying out an investigation,” the Government said in a statement. The fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po at 2:51 pm Hong Kong, on Wednesday (6:51 am GMT). Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said the Police Force and the Fire Services Department had established a special task force to conduct a full investigation into the fire, with the findings to be submitted to the
Asia
Men arrested after at least 36 die in Hong Kong fire
Three men have reportedly been arrested in connection with a fire in a Hong Kong residential tower block that killed at least 36 people, including a fireman and left at least 279 missing on Wednesday. Hong Kong police said the men had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, CNN reported in this story. Several dozen other people were hospitalised as a result of the blaze in residential blocks in Hong Kong's northern Tai Po district near the border with China, according to news reports quoting the city’s Chief Executive John Lee. The fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po at 2:51 pm (Hong Kong time) on Wednesday (6:51 am GMT), the Hong Kong Government said in a statement. The Kong Home Affairs Department, District Offices and Social Welfare Department set up help desks, arranged for residents to move to temporary shelters, and provided assistance and mental support to the families of the deceased and injured, it said. Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung expressed sympathy to the families of the victims, including fireman Ho Wai-ho and wished the injured a speedy recovery. “I am profoundly grieved at the passing of Mr Ho, who lost his life in the course of an operation. I offer my deepest condolences to h
Asia
Philippine ship rammed in US$3tn South China Sea
Territorial disputes in the South China Sea escalated on Sunday when Chinese maritime forces rammed a Philippine government vessel near Thitu Island, marking the latest confrontation in a year that's seen monthly clashes between Manila and Beijing over contested waters. On Sunday morning, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel fired water cannons at the Philippine fisheries vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya near Thitu Island before deliberately ramming its stern, causing minor structural damage - but no injuries to crew members. "The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve," Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said. "Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us from fulfilling our commitment to not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power." Beijing blamed Manila, with Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun claiming the Philippine vessels "illegally entered" waters near Sandy Cay without permission and that one vessel "dangerously approached" the Chinese ship. The responsibility, Liu insisted, rested entirely with the Philippines.EscalationSunday's confrontation is the latest flashpoint in what's become a near-monthly occurr

Asia
Afghanistan earthquake kills at least 800, injures 3,000
An earthquake in northeast Afghanistan has killed more than 800 people and injured at least 3,000, with the country’s Taliban-run government appealing for international aid. The shallow magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the city of Jalalabad just before midnight, local time. Most casualties occurred in Kunar Province, along the border with Pakistan. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health said all of its “teams have been mobilised to accelerate assistance, so that comprehensive and full support can be provided”, though flooding and landslides have hampered relief efforts. Its Ministry of Defence has deployed 800 kilograms of medicine to Kunar. United Nations Development, UNICEF, and Red Crescent teams are active in the area. “The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs, provide emergency assistance and stand ready to mobilise additional support,” said a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The number of recorded casualties will likely rise as rescue teams reach affected communities in remote areas, the U.N. said. A number of aftershocks have hit the region after the earthquake, ranging in magnitude from 4.3 to 5.2.
Asia
Japan's ageing society suffers record low birth rate
Japan's demographic emergency has deepened further, with just 686,061 births recorded in 2024 - the lowest figure since government records began in 1899. With nearly 1.6 million deaths occurring simultaneously, the nation now witnesses more than two deaths for every birth, marking the steepest population decline since surveys commenced in 1968. It's the 16th consecutive year of population contraction, creating mounting pressure on Japan's pension and healthcare infrastructure while fundamentally reshaping investment landscapes across multiple sectors. The overall population declined by 0.44 percent from 2023 to ~124.3 million at the start of 2025, with elderly residents aged 65 and over now making up a whopping 30% of the population - the second-highest proportion globally after micro-nation Monaco. The working-age demographic between 15 and 64 has contracted to just 60% of the total population, creating acute labor shortages that are driving corporate strategies toward automation and international expansion. While only slightly offsetting population and labour challenges, foreign residents reached a record high of 3.6 million people as of January this year - about 3% of Japan's population. Once one of the toughe
Asia
Thai, Cambodian leaders hold talks to end border clashes
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia will hold ceasefire talks in Malaysia today, as the two countries aim to end a series of deadly border skirmishes. Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet will begin negotiations in Kuala Lumpur at 3 pm, local time (5 pm AEST). Clashes between Thailand and Cambodia erupted five days ago after a land mine wounded five Thai soldiers, with the two countries disputing the location of the mine. "The Thai Government has received an official invitation from Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and current ASEAN Chair, to participate in a consultation on regional peace efforts,” Thailand’s government said in a statement. “It has been confirmed that the ASEAN Chair has also invited representatives of the Cambodian government. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet is expected to attend in person.” At least 35 have been killed in these border clashes, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight civilians in Cambodia. More than 130 people have been injured, and over 200,000 have been evacuated from these countries’ border regions. The talks will be held at Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s official residence, after Anwar pro
Asia
Around 14 people killed amid Thailand-Cambodia clash
At least 14 people were killed during clashes along the disputed land between Cambodia and Thailand, according to Thai authorities. Thailand's interior ministry also said it had evacuated over 100,000 people from four border provinces as the deadly clashes entered a second day. Thailand’s army said most of the casualties were civilians from three Thai provinces, while Cambodia has yet to confirm whether it suffered any casualties. As well as the dozen fatalities reported, authorities said 32 people were injured. “We condemn this – using heavy weapons without a clear target, outside of conflict zones … the use of force and did not adhere to international law,” Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, told reporters. “We remain committed to peaceful means and there should be discussions, but what happened was a provocation and we had to defend ourselves.” Following the conflict, Thailand has closed its border with Cambodia, and Cambodia has downgraded its ties with Thailand, accusing its military of using “excessive force”. Both Thailand and Cambodia have given different accounts of how the most recent conflict broke out and urged citizens to evacuate to safer locations. This marked the bloodie