6 h. ago Rome to charge tourists to get close to famed Trevi Fountain

Tourists who want to get close to Rome’s Trevi Fountain will soon have to pay a €2 (US$2.34) fee, the city mayor said on Friday, as authorities look to profit more handsomely from Italy’s many attractions. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri told reporters the new payment system would start on February 1, adding that the measure was expected to raise €6.5 million (US$7.6 million) a year. “Two euros isn’t very much and it will lead to less chaotic tourist flows,” Gualtieri said, stressing that citizens...

Politics

8 h. ago U.S. to work with China without undermining commitment to Japan: Rubio

U.S. to work with China without undermining commitment to Japan: Rubio  Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS

Politics

8 h. ago BREAKING NEWS: U.S. to work with China without undermining commitment to allies: Rubio

BREAKING NEWS: U.S. to work with China without undermining commitment to allies: Rubio  Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS

Politics

10 h. ago UN declares Gaza famine over, but ‘situation remains critical’ amid fragile ceasefire

A famine declared in Gaza in August is now over thanks to improved access for humanitarian aid, the United Nations said on Friday, but warned the food situation in the Palestinian territory remained dire. More than 70 per cent of the population were living in makeshift shelters, it said, with hunger exacerbated by winter floods and an increasing risk of hypothermia as temperatures plummet. Although a ceasefire between Israel and militant group Hamas that took effect in October has partially...

Events

12 h. ago Foreign ship gets penalty for illegally using Starlink within Chinese waters, report says

China has issued a penalty to a foreign vessel for illegally using Starlink – SpaceX’s satellite-based internet service – within Chinese waters in the first case of its kind, according to local media. The vessel, which was not identified, was found with a “micro rectangular antenna” installed on its top deck during a routine inspection by maritime law enforcement officers at Ningbo port in Zhejiang province, state-run Ningbo Daily reported on Wednesday. The Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration...

Events

15 h. ago China urges Japan to stop challenging international bottom line with its nuclear ambitions

China urges Japan to stop challenging international bottom line with its nuclear ambitions  news.cgtn.com

Events

16 h. ago China urges Japan to stop challenging bottom line with its nuclear ambitions

China urges Japan to stop challenging bottom line with its nuclear ambitions  chinadailyasia.com

Events

17 h. ago China urges Japan to stop challenging int'l bottom line with its nuclear ambitions

China urges Japan to stop challenging int'l bottom line with its nuclear ambitions  China Daily

Events

18 h. ago 10 times Asia overtourism and ‘limits’ to hospitality became a problem in 2025

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest stories about overtourism in Asia. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Bali fumes at frugal tourists who spend time but less money Locals in the Indonesian holiday hotspot of Bali have urged authorities to filter out cost-conscious travellers who spend more time but less money on the island, in a shift towards quality tourism. 2. ‘Can’t allow this to continue’: Japan’s tax-free tourist shopping under fire A group of...

Politics

20 h. ago Chip Shortage Lingers as Honda Plans to Halt Output in Japan, China

Chip Shortage Lingers as Honda Plans to Halt Output in Japan, China  Supply Chain Brain

Politics

22 h. ago Ocean safety rescues pregnant woman having trouble getting out of China Walls waters

Ocean safety rescues pregnant woman having trouble getting out of China Walls waters  KITV

Events

23 h. ago China urged to win ‘hearts and minds’ to fill global leadership void as US retreats

As the United States undergoes a strategic shift in its global priorities, experts in China are pushing Beijing’s vision for a new world order – but they say the country must improve its messaging. Leading political scientist and government adviser Zheng Yongnian said China had two guiding principles: maintaining its agency while engaging with the world; and extending the ladder it climbed to help other nations ascend. Zheng made the remarks on Tuesday at the International Forum on Mutual...

Politics

23 h. ago Europe edges away from China as Beijing's campaign against Japan backfires

Europe edges away from China as Beijing's campaign against Japan backfires  Nikkei Asia

Events

29 h. ago Auto chip shortage: Honda will pause production in Japan and China

Auto chip shortage: Honda will pause production in Japan and China  Engadget

Politics

31 h. ago Deaths reported after business jet crashes at North Carolina airport

A sheriff said there were deaths on Thursday in the crash of a business jet that was trying to land at a regional airport in Statesville, North Carolina. “I can confirm there were fatalities,” Iredell County Sheriff Grant Campbell said, though he declined to say how many. The Federal Aviation Administration said a Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport around 10.20am on Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating. Video from WSOC-TV...

Events

32 h. ago China's power paradox: clean energy surge conflicts with coal safety net

China's power paradox: clean energy surge conflicts with coal safety net  RFI

Events

33 h. ago Japan PM office source hints at need for nuclear weapons amid policy review

A source within Japan’s prime minister’s office said on Thursday that the country needs nuclear weapons, remarks that deviate from the country’s long-standing non-nuclear principles and could trigger backlash at home and abroad. “I think we should possess nuclear weapons,” said the source, who is involved in devising security policy under the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, while also indicating that such a move is unrealistic. The remarks came as Takaichi, known for her hawkish...

Events

33 h. ago Japan vows never to possess nuclear weapons, rebuffing official’s idea

Japan reaffirmed its decades-old pledge never to possess nuclear weapons on Friday after local media reported that a senior security official suggested the country should acquire them to deter potential aggressors. The unnamed official said Japan needed nuclear weapons because of a worsening security environment but acknowledged that such a move would be politically difficult, public broadcaster NHK and other outlets reported, describing the official as being from Prime Minister Sanae...

Events

37 h. ago Rare Earths: Japanese Companies Race to Break Free from China's Dominance

Rare Earths: Japanese Companies Race to Break Free from China's Dominance  JAPAN Forward

Politics

39 h. ago U.S. Senate Resolution Backs Japan, Condemns China's Pressure

U.S. Senate Resolution Backs Japan, Condemns China's Pressure  nippon.com

Events