Investigators and police braved freezing temperatures and cut through barbed wire to reach Yoon Yoon Suk Yeol has become South Korea's first sitting president to be arrested after investigators scaled barricades and cut through barbed wire to take him into custody. Yoon, 64, is being investigated on charges of insurrection for a failed martial law order on 3 December that plunged the country into

South Korea plane crash kills 179 with investigation into cause under way All passengers and most of the crew onboard a Jeju Air flight have died after the plane crash-landed at an airport in South Korea on Sunday. A total of 179 of the 181 people travelling on the Boeing 737-800 were killed, with just two survivors - both cabin staff - pulled from the burning wreckage. The plane landed at Muan In

Buildings collapse and landslides after 7.3 magnitude Vanuatu earthquake A 7.3 magnitude earthquake has struck near Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, triggering landslides, crushing cars and flattening multiple buildings, including a complex that is home to a number of Western embassies. There are unconfirmed reports of deaths but the full extent of the damage remains unclear, as power and mobile netwo

Lawmakers in South Korea have narrowly failed to impeach the nation's president over his short-lived attempt to declare martial law. A bill to censure Yoon Suk Yeol fell five votes short of the 200 needed to pass, with many members of parliament in the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotting the vote. The South Korean premier sparked widespread shock and anger when he declared military rule - a

'We had to stop this': Woman who grabbed South Korean soldier's gun speaks to BBC A chaotic night in South Korea produced scenes most thought were consigned to the nation’s history. One in particular has caught the attention of many: a woman confronting soldiers who were sent to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly. Footage of Ahn Gwi-ryeong, 35, a spokesperson for the opposition De

Why did South Korea's president declare martial law - and what now? South Korea's president shocked the country on Tuesday night when, out of the blue, he declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years. Yoon Suk Yeol's drastic decision - announced in a late-night TV broadcast - mentioned "anti-state forces" and the threat from North Korea. But it soon became clea

PM Shigeru Ishiba's governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has lost its majority Japanese elections are normally steady and boring affairs - but this snap election was neither. The dramatic vote follows a political funding corruption scandal that was revealed last year, which implicated senior lawmakers and cabinet members from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), tarnishing its image and

Co-chair Toshiyuki Mimaki, who survived the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, was tearful after it was announced Nihon Hidankyo had won Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese group of atomic bomb survivors, has won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Known as hibakusha, the survivors of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been recognised by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for efforts to rid the world of nu

The change of guard comes at a turbulent time for Japan's ruling party Japan’s scandal-hit ruling party has elected Shigeru Ishiba as its new leader, positioning the former defence chief as Japan's next leader. Ishiba, 67, said he would clean up his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), revitalise the economy and address security threats after winning Friday's party election. Since the LDP has a parliam

Japan's prime minister Fumio Kishida is expected to step down in September Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will not seek re-election as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which he says needs a "new start". The 67-year-old LDP veteran is expected to step down as PM after the party elects a new leader in September. Support for Mr Kishida, who has been PM since 2021, has fallen

Commemoration events are regularly held at Nagasaki's peace statue Ambassadors from Western countries including the United States and the United Kingdom will not attend a ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki after Israel was snubbed. The mayor of the south-western Japanese city, Shiro Suzuki, said on Thursday that Israel not being invited to attend was not politi

Demonstrators attempted to tear down a statue of Ms Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman President Shahabuddin said he had chaired a meeting of army chiefs and political representatives. He said an interim government would be formed, new elections called and a national curfew lifted. In Dhaka on Monday, police and other government buildings were attacked and set on fire. Protesters attempted to

Brown bears are now thought to outnumber the less aggressive black bear in Japan Facing an alarming rise in bear attacks, Japan wants to make it easier to shoot the animals in residential areas - but hunters say it is too risky. In the year to April, there were a record 219 bear attacks in the country - six of them fatal, according to official data. Deadly attacks have continued to occur in recent

The southern islands of Okinawa host the bulk of US forces in Japan A US soldier has been charged with the kidnapping and rape of a teenage girl in Okinawa, a Japanese island chain that hosts the region's largest American military base. The case is likely to stoke the long-standing local opposition to US military presence - the islands are home to more than half of the 54,000 US soldiers serving i

The results are a personal blow to Mr Modi, who has never fallen short of a majority Indian PM Narendra Modi has won a third consecutive term in a much tighter general election than anticipated. His Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to fall short of a majority and is leading in the 543-seat parliament, below the required 272 seats. However its coalition partners have gained additional seats.

Kabosu's owner, Atsuko Sato, rescued her from a puppy mill in 2008 Kabosu, the dog behind the "doge" meme, has died after 14 years of internet fame, her owner has said. The Japanese shiba inu inspired a generation of online jokes and became the face of Dogecoin cryptocurrency. She had been suffering from leukaemia and liver disease and died on 24 May. "She quietly passed away as if asleep while I

This is the shot that draws so many visitors to Fuji Kawaguchiko A group of tourists wheel their bulky luggage and wind their way through the crowds in search of the perfect shot. They huddle on a pavement opposite a convenience store - but this is no ordinary store. Rising behind it is Japan's highest summit, the majestic Mount Fuji. The snowy 3,776m-peak forms a stunning backdrop for those in se