China has repeatedly criticised western sanctions, including those against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, but has also been careful not to provide assistance to Moscow that could lead to sanctions being imposed on Beijing.

The 72-year-old secured 397,145 votes, or 62.09 percent, against incumbent Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres' 242,440, or 37.91 percent, the secretariat's website showed after all ballots were counted.

China Eastern flight MU5735 from Kunming to Guangzhou plunged from cruising altitude into the mountains of Guangxi on March 21 in China's first fatal air crash since 2010.

US Special Representative Sung Kim arrived in the South Korean capital on Monday for a five-day visit that has included talks with the outgoing president, Moon Jae-in, and members of the new administration preparing for office.

Many Rohingya arrive in Malaysia by boat after enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys. Those who are caught are often sent to detention centres, which rights groups say are typically overcrowded and filthy.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) ruled that a disqualification case based on Marcos Jr.'s failure to file income tax returns lacked merit.

The statement was issued after China said the same day it has signed the deal, which has fanned fears among the United States and its ally Australia that Beijing's military influence may grow in the region.

Masaaki Ito, 49, also an executive officer at the parent company, Yoshinoya Holdings, was giving a lecture Saturday on digital marketing for working adults held at Waseda University, where he likened an approach to targeting young female diners to keeping them captive and getting them addicted to drugs.

The deal, announced by Beijing on Tuesday, has been sharply criticized by the island state's allies the United States and Australia, which fear it could lead to China gaining a military foothold in the South Pacific.

The Nobel laureate has been detained since her government was forced out in a coup last year that triggered mass protests, and she faces a raft of charges that could see her sentenced to more than 150 years in jail.

Timorese voters headed to the polls in the half-island nation of 1.3 million on Tuesday, choosing between Ramos-Horta and ex-guerrilla fighter President Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres.

The Charge Around Australia project will power a Tesla electric car with 18 of the team's printed plastic solar panels, each 18 meters (59 feet) long, rolling them out beside the vehicle to soak up sunlight when it needs a charge.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng gave this assurance to Russian ambassador to China, Andrey Denisov, on Monday, the statement said.

The Chinese embassy and Solomon Islands officials have initialled a security pact that would allow Chinese police to protect infrastructure and social order, but it has not yet been signed by ministers.

Ramos-Horta, who received 46.5 percent of votes in the first round last month, is up against incumbent president Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres, who garnered 22.1 percent, in a vote widely seen as key to the nation's political stability.

The math does not look good for Fernando and his crew of four among the dozen gently bobbing trawlers. Each takes home 40,000 Sri Lankan rupees ($130) from their grueling expedition.

For many leaders, mounting public anger and a rapidly worsening economic outlook would be cause for worry and a policy rethink. But Chinese President Xi Jinping, who doubtless would prefer smoother sailing in the run-up to a third leadership term, is doubling down on a signature "dynamic zero" COVID-19 policy that has been increasingly tested by the more infectious Omicron variant.

Co-developed by Meiji University professor Homei Miyashita and beverage maker Kirin Holdings Co. 2503.T, the chopsticks enhance tastes using electrical stimulation and a mini-computer worn on a wristband.

Polling stations in Southeast Asia's youngest country open at 7 am (2200 GMT Monday) for what is a rematch of a 2007 election won handily by former revolutionary hero and peace prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta. 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has presided over the island nation's most painful downturn in memory and his government is preparing for imminent bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.

India was at the centre of the global COVID crisis this time last year but the situation has improved since then and most precautions including the wearing of masks have recently been dropped.

* Manufacturers including Tesla began preparing to reopen their Shanghai factories on Monday, as the city accelerated efforts to exit a COVID-19 lockdown that has forced most businesses in China's economic hub to shut for nearly three weeks.

Ahead of the May 21 poll, Labor sees its protection of Australia’s cherished universal healthcare scheme as a key differentiator between it and the governing Liberal-National coalition, which bills itself as superior in economic management and border protection.

Sri Lanka is in the grip of its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. It has led to shortages of fuel, food, and essential medicines.

Shanghai's 25 million people, most of whom live in apartment blocks, have forged new communal bonds during the city's coronavirus outbreak, through barter and group buying and setting up food-sharing stations.

On a bright morning, the Pacific Explorer made a dramatic entrance, flanked by tugboats spraying plumes of water and with a large banner that read "We're home" draped across its bow.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

US Special Representative Sung Kim and his deputy, Jung Pak, will meet with South Korean officials, including nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, during a five-day visit.

Since March, a patchwork of restrictions has kept most of the city's 25 million residents confined to their homes or compounds, with daily caseloads regularly edging over 25,000.

Indonesia underlines the importance of inclusivity and a rules-based order in Indo-Pacific to build common prosperity and security in the region, Foreign Ministry officials have said.