World News

BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition

• 'A long fight full of tears': Why Thailand became a haven for LGBT couples

  Thailand is set to legalise same-sex marriage - one of the few places in Asia to do so. Why is it an outlier?

• Xi and Putin hold video call after Trump's inauguration

  The two leaders pledged to bring China-Russia relations to "greater heights".

• US trades Taliban prisoner for two American detainees

  Two Americans held by the Taliban were exchanged for an Afghan imprisoned in the US on narco-terrorism charges.

• 'Hell on earth': China deportation looms for Uyghurs held in Thailand

  Forty eight men detained since they fled China years ago risk being deported, rights groups say.

• South Korea president denies ordering arrest of lawmakers

  Yoon Suk Yeol has made his first appearance at an impeachment trial which will decide if he should be permanently removed.

• Mystery balls on Sydney beaches found to contain faecal bacteria

  Authorities closed nine beaches on 14 January after the marble-sized balls washed up.

• Life in jail for Indian man convicted of doctor's rape and murder

  The crime sparked widespread anger and fears over the safety of healthcare workers in India.

• China executes man for car rampage that killed dozens

  The attacker ploughed into people outside a stadium in the country's deadliest attack in a decade.

• Lonely sunfish in Japan gets cardboard human friends

  Staff members believe the sunfish stopped eating when the aquarium was temporarily closed because it was lonely.

• Man arrested over stabbing of Bollywood actor

  Police say the accused is a Bangladeshi citizen staying illegally in India, which he denies.

• Who is China sending to Trump's inauguration?

  This is the first time a senior Chinese leader will witness a US president being sworn in.

• Imran Khan jailed for 14 years in corruption case

  The £190m case is the latest in a series of charges that the detained former Pakistan PM faces.

• India's pioneering female anthropologist who challenged Nazi race theories

  Irawati Karve, India's first female anthropologist, led a fascinating life that challenged patriarchal norms.

• Temples, treasures and trade: The astonishing legacy of India's Chola dynasty

  The Cholas were a powerful south Indian dynasty known for military conquests, grand temples and shaping global trade and culture.

• Americans and Chinese share jokes on 'alternative TikTok' as US ban looms

  RedNote's Chinese users say it is the first time they have been able to speak directly to Americans online.