World
Asia
Following days of concern, China rocket debris lands safely in Indian Ocean
The co-ordinates given by state media on Sunday, citing the China Manned Space Engineering Office, put the point of impact in the ocean, west of the Maldives archipelago.
- by Ryan Woo
Latest
A Chinese rocket is crashing back to Earth. Where will it land?
The rocket has been losing altitude since last month and will soon make what is called “uncontrolled re-entry” back to Earth.
- by Kenneth Chang and Steven Lee Myers
India COVID deaths hit record high as stricter lockdowns imposed
India on Saturday reported its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll, as cases continued to rise and states imposed stricter lockdowns.
- by Sudarshan Varadhan and Tanvi Mehta
Maldives police say blast that hurt Nasheed act of terrorism
The bomb, planted on a motorbike, injured the Parliament Speaker and former president, and four others including a British national.
- by Mohamed Sharuhaan
Opinion
China relations
Ill-disciplined chest-thumping has put war at centre of what’s left of the Australia-China relationship
The Morrison government has trashed a 50-year convention when it comes to public comment about Taiwan.
- by Kevin Rudd
Japan extends coronavirus emergency in Tokyo as Olympics loom
Japan’s premier extended on Friday a state of emergency in Tokyo and three other areas until the end of May to stem a surge in novel coronavirus cases fuelled by the spread of virus variants just months before the Tokyo Olympics.
- by Elaine Lies and Sakura Murakami
AFP to investigate bombing that hurt ex Maldives leader and ‘attacked democracy’
Local media suggested a home-made explosive device was planted on a motorcycle parked near his car.
- by Mohamed Sharuhaan
The surprising $20b boost to the budget as China stockpiles iron ore
Iron ore hit a record $US200 a tonne on Friday as concerns about Beijing’s dispute with Canberra prompt China’s importers to store up the critical resource.
- by Eryk Bagshaw and Nick Toscano
Flash mobs a way to avoid death in Myanmar
Young protesters against military rule in Myanmar have come up with new ways to reduce the chances of a deadly response by the authorities.
COVID-19 spreads to rural India, villages ill-equipped to fight it
In the town of Susner in Madhya Pradesh state, patients were being treated outdoors under trees, on blankets on the ground.
- by Shilpa Jamkhandikar and Tanvi Mehta
Analysis
China relations
China’s latest move a mere formality as Xi and Morrison speak the dialogue of the deaf
Beijing’s decision to suspend a high-level economic dialogue with Australia has no practical effect. But it conveys important information nonetheless.
- by Peter Hartcher