The alert set off loud emergency alerts on millions of mobile phones in Japan. Japan's weather agency clarified later that a 6.9-magnitude quake occurred near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula at a depth of 160 kilometres (100 miles).

Protest organisers called on institutions like the International Monetary Fund to focus on climate financing and tax reforms that aid poorer citizens, rather than demand governments cut subsidies and social spending.

The writer and his friends wanted to visit the famous Mount Bromo in Indonesia, but also see its lesser-known surrounding towns. They encountered charming cafes, stunning views and fresh farm produce undiscovered by tourists. 

The Bill would reportedly let the government block a model's release or use only if it poses a foreseeable, imminent risk of more than US$1 billion in damages, or of killing or seriously injuring more than 50 people.

For thousands of yuan, Chinese parents are buying their children a taste of hardship: hauling bricks, labouring in fields and clearing dung from cowsheds. But psychologists warn that pushing them too far can backfire. 

Southeast Asia must address the damage of the haze on agriculture, especially food crops, says Paul Teng of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Indian police detained protest leader Abhijeet Dipke and several protesters demanding the election chief's resignation over the removal of more than 130 million voters from the voter lists.

Prolonged dry weather linked to El Nino is affecting crop yields and hampering efforts to contain fires contributing to the regional haze, industry players say.

A proposed industrial park in Tarlac province under the United States-led Pax Silica initiative could create thousands of jobs, but residents and experts are raising concerns over transparency, displacement and pressure on resources.

The Tsinghua-Philanthropy Asia Alliance Impact Summit brought together leaders from philanthropy, business, government and academia to explore how innovation and collaboration can help tackle challenges.

"China’s steady economic growth and rapid development of high-tech industries provide solid support for RMB assets," said China's central bank governor Pan Gongsheng. 

"I remember this very distinctly, having just come from China, thinking, 'How is China the next country on the horizon? They don't even have proper toilets'," said White House press secretary Katie Zacharia.

The rally on Friday (Oct 16) is in support of the two Cockroach Janta Party leaders detained and sent to jail this week for demonstrating at a protest site, said founder Abhijeet Dipke.

The four men were overwhelmed while battling flames in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java.

Malaysia has benefited from a global boom in artificial intelligence infrastructure that has driven demand for its tech products and semiconductors.

MSCI said on Friday (Oct 16) it plans to downgrade Indonesia to "standalone" status, sparking a sell-off. 

The remarks by Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan came a day after Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro labelled Beijing a regional "troublemaker". 

The former Bollywood star joined a political protest on October 10 and shared a photograph from what appeared to be a police van on the same day.