The United States government has approved a potential $500m sale of military equipment to Taiwan, a move likely to stir simmering tensions with China. Nevertheless, in a statement (PDF) on Wednesday, the US Department of State sought to quell concerns about the proposed sale, which

North Korea’s attempt to send a military spy satellite into orbit has ended in failure for a second time. The launch took place in the early hours of Thursday morning, the first day of a week-long launch window, but failed because of a problem with the third stage of the rocket

Japan will start releasing treated radioactive water from the devastated Fukushima nuclear power plant in a matter of hours, despite continued controversy. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said on Thursday that weather and sea conditions were suitable and that it

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary force Wagner, was listed among 10 passengers reported killed when a private jet crashed north of Moscow. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred exactly two months after Prigozhin led his fighters in a

Chandrayaan-3’s lander touches down on the lunar surface, making India the first country to successfully land a spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole. All previous missions to the Moon have touched down near the equator - but exploring the south pole is key to the hunt for

At least 17 labourers working on a railway bridge being built across a ravine in India's eastern Mizoram state were killed when it collapsed on Wednesday, officials said, with others reported missing. Video footage posted by Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga showed a metal frame

Thailand's former leader Thaksin Shinawatra was moved to a police hospital overnight after feeling unwell on his first night in jail Wednesday. "The prison asked doctors and nurses to diagnose him and they recommended referring the case to the police hospital for the safety of

Eighteen people believed to be refugees have been found dead in a forest in northeastern Greece where a wildfire had been raging, according to the fire department. The bodies were found near the national park of Dadia, a region bordering Turkey that is a frequent entry point for

At least 15 people were killed when a crowded bus carrying primarily Venezuelan migrants and asylum seekers collided with a trailer on a highway in Mexico on Tuesday. The crash is the latest tragedy to unfold on the country’s highways, where road conditions can be perilous and

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an expansion of the BRICS grouping of emerging economies to build a more just and equitable international order, insisting “hegemonism is not in China’s DNA”. In a speech delivered on his behalf at the start of BRICS summit

All eight people who were stuck in a cable car dangling hundreds of metres above a ravine in Pakistan's north-west for many hours have now been rescued. In a slow and dangerous operation, a military helicopter rescued one child, while teams on the ground recovered the rest of the

A drone has hit a building in central Moscow that was under construction, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said. Air defences also shot down two drones in the Mozhaisk and Khimki districts of the Moscow region, the defence ministry added. There are no reports of casualties and it is not

The upcoming 2023 BRICS summit logo features a sun that beams light in five colors: green, blue, orange, red and yellow, representing the current five members of the group. This year's summit, to be held in South Africa from Aug. 22 to 24, champions the theme "Partnership for

A flagship Russian long-range bomber has been destroyed in a Ukrainian drone strike, according to reports. Images posted on social media and analysed by BBC Verify show a Tupolev Tu-22 on fire at Soltsy-2 airbase, south of St Petersburg. Moscow said that a drone was hit by

Cambodia’s national assembly has officially elected the eldest son of outgoing premier Hun Sen to be the country’s new prime minister, a transition of power likened by some to a Southeast Asian version of North Korea’s dynastic leadership. Hun Manet, 45, a four-star

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has appeared in his first video address since his failed mutiny in Russia, which suggests he is in Africa. The BBC has not been able to verify where the video was filmed. The video posted on Telegram channels linked to the Wagner mercenary group shows

Russia's defence ministry says it has thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack after it downed two drones over the Moscow region. Two other drones were intercepted over the Bryansk region, north-east of the Ukrainian border, it added. Flights were temporarily stopped to and from

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has returned to Thailand after 15 years in exile, hours ahead of a vote that determines who will be the country's next leader. Thailand's most successful elected leader has long been feared by conservative royalists, who have backed

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has visited a navy unit and oversaw a strategic cruise missile test, state media reported on Monday, ahead of the start of joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. Kim inspected one of his fleets in the East Sea, also known as the

Arif Alvi says his staff undermined his orders asking to return the approved bills unsigned back to parliament, as he disagreed with the new laws. Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi has refused to sign into law two bills that would give authorities more power to prosecute people for