Asia and Pacific

In Depth Subscribers only

Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba's resignation ushers in a period of political uncertainty

The prime minister stepped down under mounting pressure within his own party, dissatisfied with July's upper house election defeat. He was also criticized for failing to curb the rising cost of living. His Liberal Democratic Party, still the largest force in parliament, is preparing for his succession.

Published yesterday at 8:46 pm (Paris) Philippe Mesmer

News

Nepal: At least 17 killed while protesting a social media ban and corruption

Since Friday, 26 social media platforms have been blocked in Nepal. The demonstrators were protesting the ban, but also high-profile corruption scandals. The UN has called for an investigation into the deaths.

Published yesterday at 6:10 pm (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

News

Australia's 'mushroom murderer' sentenced to life in prison with parole

Erin Patterson, 50, was convicted in July of triple murder for serving a poisonous meal to her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle during a lunch at her home in 2023. Her trial drew podcasters, film crews and true crime fans to a courthouse in the rural town of Morwell, Victoria.

Published yesterday at 3:28 am (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

News

Japan's PM Ishiba says he will resign after historic defeat in summer election

Shigeru Ishiba announced Sunday he will step down Sunday following growing calls from his party to take responsibility for a historic defeat in July’s parliamentary election.

Published on September 7, 2025, at 12:00 pm (Paris), updated on September 7, 2025, at 2:27 pm Le Monde with AP and AFP

Op-Ed Subscribers only

'The Tianjin summit marks the birth of the Global South'

Organized by Chinese President Xi Jinping and attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the event reveals a new international order characterized by China's growing power and the waning of American hegemony, according to researchers Stéphanie Balme and Christophe Jaffrelot in this opinion piece for Le Monde.

Published on September 6, 2025, at 6:30 pm (Paris) Stéphanie Balme Christophe Jaffrelot

News

US agents arrest 475 in raid on Hyundai-LG plant

Hundreds of federal agents on Friday descended on a sprawling site where Hyundai manufactures electric vehicles in Georgia and detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals.

Published on September 6, 2025, at 12:57 am (Paris), updated on September 6, 2025, at 10:29 am Le Monde with AP

News

China to impose temporary duties on European Union pork imports

Beijing authorities said Friday they were applying temporary duties on pork products from Europe, in the lastest spat between China and the EU in matters of trade and global affairs.

Published on September 5, 2025, at 2:51 pm (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

News

Conservative Thai real estate tycoon wins parliament vote to become PM

A few hours earlier, former Thai prime minister and businessman Thaksin Shinawatra left the country. Anutin's election ousts the political dynasty that had previously dominated the country.

Published on September 5, 2025, at 2:44 pm (Paris), updated on September 5, 2025, at 2:52 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

Afghanistan earthquake death toll reaches 2,200, deadliest in decades

After a powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, thousands of poor and now homeless families have been waiting for rescue workers, delayed by the country's failing infrastructure.

Published on September 4, 2025, at 3:25 pm (Paris), updated on September 4, 2025, at 4:16 pm Le Monde with AFP

Op-Ed Subscribers only

'Japan's lesson is clear: Simply reducing the school schedule is not enough for children's well-being'

Christian Galan, an expert on the Japanese education system, explains in an op-ed for Le Monde that less time in school does not necessarily mean more freedom or equality for children, when private, competitive organizations take over the freed-up time.

Published on September 4, 2025, at 4:48 am (Paris), updated on September 4, 2025, at 11:51 am Christian Galan

Column Subscribers only

There is no 'Global South.' Is there a West?

The world order shaped by the United States is now devalued and faltering, analyzes Le Monde columnist Gilles Paris.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 4:00 pm (Paris), updated on September 3, 2025, at 4:10 pm Gilles Paris

Editorial

Xi Jinping at the center of his world

The Chinese president has relished in a moment that placed him at the center of the world stage and promoted his vision of rebalancing the international order in the face of the US, an increasingly unpredictable superpower.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 12:44 pm (Paris) Le Monde

News Subscribers only

Commemorating past, Xi Jinping presents a China ready to fight for future

Flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the Chinese leader presided over a huge military parade in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 12:31 pm (Paris) Harold Thibault

02:07
Video

Afghanistan earthquake: Over 1,400 killed as rescuers race to find survivors

A devastating earthquake killed over 1,400 people and injured over 3,000 more in Afghanistan on Sunday night.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 12:09 pm (Paris) Le Monde's video desk 02:07

News

Thailand's acting government moves to dissolve parliament

The acting government's move to dissolve parliament comes after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was ousted on Friday, over an ethics violation during Thailand's border dispute with Cambodia in the summer.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 8:13 am (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

News

Xi, joined by Putin and Kim, showcases China's military strength at parade

As the Chinese, Russian and North Korean leaders gathered in Beijing for the massive military parade late on Tuesday, Donald Trump accused them of conspiring against the United States.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 5:12 am (Paris), updated on September 3, 2025, at 10:00 am Le Monde with AP and AFP

News Subscribers only

Afghanistan earthquake rescue efforts slowed by lack of resources

The earthquake that struck near Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, overnight from Sunday to Monday has left more than 1,400 people dead and 3,000 injured. The difficulty in accessing some remote valleys and the shortcomings of the Taliban regime have raised fears of an even higher death toll.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 3:07 pm (Paris), updated on September 2, 2025, at 5:09 pm Jacques Follorou

In Depth Subscribers only

Xi and Putin's strategic friendship

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, on the eve of a major military parade, for what was at least his 45th meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping since both leaders have held power. Their close ties reflect the alliance Russia and China have forged against the West.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 11:30 am (Paris) Benjamin Quénelle Harold Thibault

News

Australia says it will force web giants to prevent deepfake nudes, online stalking

Australia's government said Tuesday it would start drafting legislation to crack down on tools used to create AI-generated nude images and stalk people. Authorities pledged to work with industry partners and make companies responsible for blocking harmful technology.

Published on September 2, 2025, at 10:03 am (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

News

Xi, Putin and Modi close ranks against West at regional summit in China

Chinese President Xi Jinping told leaders gathered for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, including Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko and India's Narendra Modi, that the international situation was becoming more 'chaotic and intertwined' and slammed 'bullying behavior' from certain countries.

Published on September 1, 2025, at 2:22 pm (Paris), updated on September 1, 2025, at 7:54 pm Le Monde with AFP

In Depth Subscribers only

With Tianjin summit, Xi puts China at the center of a new anti-Western world order

Receiving around 20 world leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and India's Narendra Modi, the Chinese president criticized the 'Cold War mentality' shared by the US, a faltering superpower, and its allies.

Published on September 1, 2025, at 12:48 pm (Paris) Harold Thibault

In Depth Subscribers only

Humiliated by Trump, India showcases warming relations with China

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday in Tianjin, ahead of the opening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

Published on September 1, 2025, at 9:39 am (Paris), updated on September 1, 2025, at 9:40 am Sophie Landrin Harold Thibault

News

Afghanistan earthquake kills more than 800, rescue operations underway

The magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the area near the Pakistani border at night on Sunday, killing more than 800 people. A massive rescue operation has begun, but many roads remain blocked, despite resident efforts to clear the way.

Published on September 1, 2025, at 8:30 am (Paris), updated on September 1, 2025, at 8:14 pm Le Monde with AP and AFP

News Subscribers only

China prepares for major military parade to assert power and commemorate history

The capital will host a spectacular parade on Wednesday, September 3, marking 80 years since the victory over Japanese aggression. Against a tense international backdrop, Beijing intends to showcase its power and revive its historical memory, while strengthening its alliances.

Published on August 30, 2025, at 11:51 am (Paris) Jordan Pouille

News Subscribers only

In Japan, a misunderstood cooperation project with Africa sparks xenophobic backlash

Outraged reactions from many Japanese citizens to the program – largely fueled by misinformation – reveal growing anxiety about immigration, even though it is necessary in an aging country.

Published on August 30, 2025, at 2:34 am (Paris), updated on August 30, 2025, at 11:12 am Philippe Mesmer

News

Thailand's Constitutional Court ousts PM over Cambodia border dispute

In a ruling issued on Friday, the court found that Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her cabinet had failed to uphold ethical standards when dealing with a border dispute with Cambodia.

Published on August 29, 2025, at 12:58 pm (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

Your stories Subscribers only

Tavi Chen's first days in France after arriving from Taiwan: 'Here, everyone has their own dish, as if there is no connection between people'

Tavi Chen, 33, arrived in Paris from Taipei in 2017 with the dream of becoming a chef. The model, who straddles two culinary worlds, managed to make her dream come true.

Published on August 29, 2025, at 2:33 am (Paris), updated on August 29, 2025, at 9:57 am Jane Roussel

News

Floods in eastern Pakistan affect 1.2 million, displace nearly 250,000

Rescuers in boats raced to reach stranded families in the populous Punjab province after three major rivers burst their banks because of heavy rain and the release of water from overflowing dams in neighboring India.

Published on August 28, 2025, at 1:15 pm (Paris), updated on August 28, 2025, at 2:40 pm Le Monde with AP

News

Maldives revokes shark fishing ban after decades

The luxury holiday destination and top diving spot in the Indian Ocean previously imposed a total ban on shark fishing in March 2010, following severe restrictions that had been in place since 1998.

Published on August 27, 2025, at 12:04 pm (Paris), updated on August 27, 2025, at 12:59 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

US tariffs on Indian products double to 50% in response to Russian oil purchases

India has been one of Russia's main customers for oil since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. In early August, the US president announced the punitive rate in response to Moscow's refusal to agree to a ceasefire.

Published on August 27, 2025, at 8:34 am (Paris), updated on August 27, 2025, at 7:07 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

Australia expels Iranian ambassador over antisemitic arson attacks

Canberra accused Tehran of orchestrating antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne through its Revolutionary Guard, marking its first expulsion of an ambassador since World War II.

Published on August 26, 2025, at 12:24 pm (Paris), updated on August 26, 2025, at 1:11 pm Le Monde with AFP

News Subscribers only

China deploys all available resources to tackle major chikungunya outbreak

The cities of Foshan and Guangzhou, in southern China, have been battling the virus for two months. Nearly 10,000 cases have been officially recorded.

Published on August 26, 2025, at 3:55 am (Paris), updated on August 26, 2025, at 3:59 pm Jordan Pouille

News

Cambodia passes law to strip citizenship from those accused of colluding with foreign powers

A coalition of 50 rights groups issued a statement on Sunday warning the law 'will have a disastrously chilling effect on the freedom of speech of all Cambodian citizens.'

Published on August 25, 2025, at 8:54 am (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

In Depth Subscribers only

Labubu craze leads to shortages and surge in counterfeits

Pop Mart, the Beijing-based company behind the collectible figurines, reports record half-year results but struggles to meet demand despite automating its factories.

Published on August 24, 2025, at 11:24 pm (Paris), updated on August 25, 2025, at 9:31 am Jordan Pouille

In Depth Subscribers only

Baidu, China's robotaxi leader, sets sights on Europe

The Chinese tech giant, in partnership with American company Lyft, aims to launch driverless ride-hailing services in Germany and the United Kingdom in 2026. While China and the US are driving the robotaxi revolution, Europe remains a bystander.

Published on August 23, 2025, at 11:35 pm (Paris) Morgane Morel

Editorial

Global South: Trump is playing into China's hands

The erratic tariff policy pursued by the US president and his administration has so far mainly served to strengthen ties between countries in the Global South with Beijing, and, where relevant, Moscow.

Published on August 23, 2025, at 12:36 pm (Paris) Le Monde

Feature Subscribers only

Deadly monsoon leaves devastation in Pakistan and India: 'It's as if Judgment Day has already come for us'

Since late June, disasters have struck in quick succession across the mountainous regions of northern Pakistan and India. Torrential rains have triggered a series of flash floods, mudslides and rockfalls, wiping entire villages off the map.

Published on August 22, 2025, at 8:00 pm (Paris) Sophie Landrin Zain Zaman

News

Thailand: Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra acquitted of royal defamation charges

The former premier escaped a 15-year prison term after a Bangkok court dismissed charges, yet his dynasty faces renewed uncertainty as his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, awaits a ruling that could unseat her from office.

Published on August 22, 2025, at 8:11 am (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

News

Modi and Macron vow closer ties as Trump presses India on Russian oil

India's prime minister said Thursday he agreed with France's president to deepen their partnership, as New Delhi faced US threats of steep tariffs.

Published on August 21, 2025, at 9:09 pm (Paris), updated on August 21, 2025, at 9:10 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

India's Modi meets China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties

The two sides agreed to resume direct flights and issuance of journalist visas and to facilitate business and cultural exchanges, according to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry.

Published on August 20, 2025, at 5:24 am (Paris), updated on August 20, 2025, at 7:10 am Le Monde with AP

News

Monsoon floods in northern Pakistan claim hundreds of lives

Pakistani officials said Tuesday the death toll from flooding and landslides caused by five days of torrential rains in the north of the country rose to nearly 400.

Published on August 19, 2025, at 4:16 pm (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

News

Kim Jong Un urges expansion of North Korea's nuclear capability

The US and South Korea on Monday began annual joint exercises aimed at preparing for potential threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. The 11-day exercises include 'several large-scale, live-fire training events,' a US Army statement said.

Published on August 19, 2025, at 4:52 am (Paris), updated on August 19, 2025, at 10:05 am Le Monde with AFP

News

Japan's SoftBank to invest $2 billion in Intel

The multinational investment holding company's move to invest in the US chip giant is the latest in a series of business deals that the group's founder, Masayoshi Son, has made with President Donald Trump.

Published on August 19, 2025, at 3:45 am (Paris), updated on August 19, 2025, at 3:47 am Le Monde with AFP

News Subscribers only

Buffeted by Trump, India seeks to strengthen ties with Russia and China

Threatened by Washington with 50% tariffs, India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has responded by turning to its powerful neighbors. The Indian foreign minister is set to visit Russia soon, while the Chinese foreign minister is expected in New Delhi on Monday.

Published on August 18, 2025, at 9:34 am (Paris) Sophie Landrin

Feature Subscribers only

Soviet-era relics in Kazakhstan rescued from ruin

The monumental mosaics and frescoes adorning public buildings in the former Soviet republic are at risk of disappearing and initiatives to restore these works of art are proliferating.

Published on August 17, 2025, at 11:17 pm (Paris) Emma Collet

Column Subscribers only

India and Pakistan, like Israel and Palestine, remain locked in their founding disputes

While it is important not to conflate the two, certain similarities are evident in the trajectory of these two seemingly interminable crises, historian Jean-Pierre Filiu writes in his column.

Published on August 17, 2025, at 11:04 am (Paris) Jean-Pierre Filiu

Feature Subscribers only

Chinese Hollywood races to cash in on minidramas boom

The Hengdian studios are taking advantage of the surge in super short productions, with episodes lasting only a few minutes and designed specifically for viewing on smartphones.

Published on August 17, 2025, at 10:53 am (Paris), updated on August 18, 2025, at 3:02 pm Harold Thibault

News Subscribers only

South Korean president confirms closer ties with Japan

Lee Jae-myung used Friday's celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of Japanese colonization to call for increased cooperation, despite ongoing disputes over the historical record.

Published on August 17, 2025, at 12:23 am (Paris), updated on August 17, 2025, at 9:20 am Philippe Mesmer

News

Pakistan rescuers recover bodies after monsoon rains kill at least 340

Most were killed in flash floods and collapsing houses, with the dead including 15 women and 13 children.

Published on August 16, 2025, at 10:25 am (Paris), updated on August 16, 2025, at 2:31 pm Le Monde with AFP

Op-Ed Subscribers only

'Since 2021, the war that has been waged against women is gradually being won by the Taliban'

In four years, the new regime has made Afghan women and girls entirely invisible, aided by the silence of the international community, criticize three human rights activists in an opinion piece for Le Monde.

Published on August 16, 2025, at 12:47 am (Paris), updated on August 16, 2025, at 8:46 am Shakiba Dawod Anne Savinel-Barras Mursal Sayas

News

Deadly monsoon rains strike Pakistan, triggering deadly landslides

Heavy monsoon rains unleashed landslides and flash floods across northern Pakistan, killing at least 199 people, with most of the deaths located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Published on August 15, 2025, at 2:08 pm (Paris), updated on August 15, 2025, at 5:27 pm Le Monde with AFP

News Subscribers only

China shuts down a major lithium mine, triggering a surge in prices

The world's leading battery manufacturer has halted operations at one of its extraction sites, sending shockwaves through the lithium market while failing to dispel concerns over potential overproduction.

Published on August 14, 2025, at 3:07 am (Paris), updated on August 14, 2025, at 8:23 am Jordan Pouille

In Depth Subscribers only

In Japan, the sensitive question of recognizing Palestine

Seeking to balance its alliance with the United States and its ties with Arab countries − which are major suppliers of oil and gas − Japan has hesitated to recognize Palestine, even though it has consistently supported a two-state solution.

Published on August 13, 2025, at 5:31 pm (Paris) Philippe Mesmer

News

Prosecutors in South Korea raid party HQ after ex-first lady's arrest

South Korean prosecutors raided the former party headquarters of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday, August 13, a day after arresting his wife, Kim Keon Hee, on charges of corruption, stock manipulation and election meddling.

Published on August 13, 2025, at 8:28 am (Paris), updated on August 13, 2025, at 9:37 am Le Monde with AFP

News

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un vow stronger ties ahead of US-Russia summit

The Russian president and the North Korean leader spoke by phone on Tuesday, confirming 'their will to strengthen cooperation in the future,' three days ahead of the summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska.

Published on August 13, 2025, at 5:19 am (Paris), updated on August 13, 2025, at 9:24 am Le Monde with AFP

Editorial

Trump inserts himself into the South Caucasus

The US president skillfully capitalized on two years of dialogue between Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, backing the draft agreement they reached on August 8 in Washington.

Published on August 12, 2025, at 12:51 pm (Paris) Le Monde

News

South Korean President Lee will travel to Washington later this month to meet with Trump

The August 25 summit will focus on trade talks and on strengthening the allies' defense posture against growing North Korean threats.

Published on August 12, 2025, at 5:45 am (Paris), updated on August 12, 2025, at 9:40 am Le Monde with AP

In Depth Subscribers only

South Korea is shaking up the beauty market

Sales of South Korean cosmetics are booming worldwide. New US tariffs may push manufacturers to increase exports to Europe.

Published on August 12, 2025, at 3:44 am (Paris), updated on August 12, 2025, at 10:30 am Juliette Garnier

News

Trump confirms extension of China tariff truce by 90 days

Trump announced the news Monday on his Truth Social page, adding that 'all other elements' from the prior agreement 'will remain the same.'

Published on August 12, 2025, at 2:28 am (Paris), updated on August 12, 2025, at 9:27 am Le Monde with AFP

News

Nagasaki's restored bell rings for first time in 80 years since atomic bomb

On Saturday, the two bells of Nagasaki's Immaculate Conception Cathedral rang together for the first time since 1945, when the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

Published on August 9, 2025, at 12:16 pm (Paris), updated on August 9, 2025, at 12:19 pm Le Monde with AFP

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