Devotees in India mistake air conditioner drip for holy water at Hindu temple

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - Water that Hindu devotees believed to be holy was later revealed to be water from an air conditioner at a temple in northern India. According to news reports on Monday, the water dripping from an elephant statue at a Hindu temple in Uttar Pradesh was regarded as holy water by devotees. Photos and videos shared on social media showed devotees gathering to drink the water from cups or their hands or applying it to their bodies. However, it was revealed

November 11, 2024

LG Energy Solution to supply batteries for SpaceX's Starship: reports

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - South Korea's leading battery manufacturer, LG Energy Solution, is reportedly set to supply batteries for spacecraft developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX. According to news reports, the company's cylindrical lithium-ion batteries will power SpaceX's next-generation Starship, which completed its fifth orbital test flight last month. SpaceX, which has traditionally relied on in-house battery production, plans to use the spacecraft for its Mars

November 11, 2024

Japanese party leader draws criticism over reproductive rights comment

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - The leader of Japan's Conservative Party apologized on Sunday after suggesting a dystopian scenario where women over 30 would be forced to undergo reproductive organ removal as a solution to the nation's demographic challenges. Naoki Hyakuta, who founded the minor opposition party in 2023, made the controversial remarks during a YouTube livestream on Friday, where he outlined a hypothetical framework that would also ban women from university educat

November 11, 2024

Apple establishes R&D subsidiary in India

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - Apple has established its first facility in India dedicated to research and development as well as design. According to news reports on Sunday, this move marks Apple’s first direct establishment of a corporate entity in India. It is seen as a step beyond local manufacturing through partner companies, aiming to position India as a hub for its Asia operations. Sources anticipate the subsidiary could contribute to the development of new Apple product

November 11, 2024

Ho Chi Minh City sinks 2-5cm annually, experts warn of flood risks

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - Ho Chi Minh City has been experiencing continuous ground subsidence since the 1990s, with some commercial districts sinking up to 7-8 centimeters annually, city officials said Sunday. A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study revealed Viet Nam's largest city's annual subsidence rate is approximately twice that of the surrounding sea level rise, with the southwestern districts of Binh Tan and Binh Chanh sinking 81.8cm and 48.8cm respect

November 11, 2024

Desperate mother builds prison cell at home to contain drug-addicted son in Thailand

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - A 64-year-old mother in Thailand's eastern Buriram province installed iron bars at home to confine her drug-addicted 42-year-old son, highlighting the country's worsening narcotics crisis, local media Khaosod reported on Sunday. "I have lived in constant fear for 20 years," the mother told authorities after being discovered. In a separate incident in Udon Thani province, a three-year-old boy was rescued while walking alone on a highway

November 11, 2024

Japanese navy vessel capsizes off southwest coast, 1 crew member missing

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - A Japanese naval minesweeper capsized off the country's southwestern coast early Monday after battling an engine room fire, leaving one crew member missing, officials said. The Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel, Ukushima, with about 40 crew members, first reported the blaze at 9:50 a.m. Sunday, about 2.5 kilometers from Oshima Island in Fukuoka Prefecture. The missing sailor, identified as Petty Officer 3rd Class Tatsunori Koga, 33, was assigned to

November 11, 2024

Israeli defense minister steps down amid concerns over Gaza hostages

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant officially stepped down last Friday, with former Foreign Minister Israel Katz taking his place in a ceremony. Gallant's removal, three days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed him, has sparked protests, as he was considered a moderate voice in a largely far-right government. Many see this change as a possible shift in focus, with concerns Netanyahu may deprioritize efforts to retrieve hostages still h

November 11, 2024

Iran's supreme leader vows retaliation amid heightening Iran-Israel conflict

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned on Saturday of a "crushing response" to recent U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran and its allies, fueling the ongoing conflict with Israel. Speaking to students, Khamenei emphasized that Iran would retaliate for the "actions against Iran and the resistance front." Tensions between Iran and Israel have intensified following Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October, with Iranian

November 11, 2024

Chinese, Italian presidents vow to strengthen cultural and educational cooperation

SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian President Sergio Mattarella jointly met with attendees from the China-Italy cultural cooperation conference and the dialogue between Chinese and Italian university presidents last week. The two leaders last Friday listened to reports from representatives of both sides on cultural and educational partnerships between China and Italy. Xi said that the long history of China-Italy friendship, spanning over a thousand

November 11, 2024