Top Asian News 3:58 a.m. GMT

North Korea’s Kim vows steadfast support for Russia’s war in Ukraine

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will “invariably support” Russia’s war in Ukraine as he met Russia’s defense chief, the North’s state media reported Saturday. A Russia military delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday, amid growing international concern about the two countries’ expanding cooperation after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia last month. The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached “a satisfactory consensus” on boosting strategic partnership and defending each country’s sovereignty, security interests and international justice in the face of the rapidly-changing international security environments in a Friday meeting.

Crew mistakes caused the sinking of a New Zealand navy ship off Samoan coast, inquiry finds

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Mistakes by members of the crew caused a New Zealand navy ship to plow into a reef off the coast of Samoa, where it caught fire and sank, according to the preliminary findings of a military Court of Inquiry released Friday. The ship’s crew did not realize autopilot was engaged, believed something else had gone wrong with the ship, and did not check the HMNZS Manawanui was under manual control as it maintained course toward land, a summary of the inquiry’s first report said. The full report has not been made public. All 75 people on board the vessel evacuated safely as the boat foundered about 1.6 kilometers (a mile) off the coast of Upolu, Samoa, in October.

Embattled Japan leader vows to cooperate with long-ignored opposition in bid to save his government

TOKYO (AP) — Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who survived as leader after a major election loss by his governing coalition, promised Friday to work closely with the long-ignored opposition that is now the only way his minority government can stay in power. Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito together lost a majority in the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s two-house parliament, in the Oct. 27 elections. He needs support from opposition parties to keep his fragile government alive. The election loss was blamed on voter anger over his party’s financial misconduct, and he is trying to quickly tackle reforms.

Negotiators get closer to agreeing on a plastic pollution treaty

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution inched closer to an agreement Friday, with more countries saying they want to address the total plastic on Earth. The most contentious issue of the talks is whether there will be a limit on the amount of plastic that companies are allowed to produce. Panama proposed text for the treaty to address plastic production on Thursday. Juan Carlos Monterrey, head of Panama’s delegation, said it’s a compromise proposal to build consensus because it does not include a numerical target or production cap. Instead, it says countries would adopt a global target at a later conference of the parties meeting.

Cryptocurrency entrepreneur who bought banana art for $6.2 million eats the fruit in Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AP) — A cryptocurrency entrepreneur who bought a piece of conceptual art consisting of a simple banana, duct-taped to a wall, for $6.2 million last week ate the fruit in Hong Kong on Friday. Chinese-born Justin Sun peeled off the duct tape and enjoyed the banana in a press conference held in The Peninsula Hong Kong, one of the city’s priciest hotels, in the popular shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui. “It tastes much better than other bananas. Indeed, quite good,” he said. “Comedian,” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was a phenomenon when it debuted in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach, as festivalgoers tried to make out whether the single yellow piece of fruit affixed to a white wall with silver duct tape was a joke or a cheeky commentary on questionable standards among art collectors.

China sentences journalist detained at meal with Japanese diplomat to 7 years for espionage

BANGKOK (AP) — A court in Beijing on Friday sentenced a prominent Chinese journalist to seven in years in prison for espionage, his family said. Dong Yuyu, a commentator and editor, was taken away by police while meeting a Japanese diplomat at a restaurant in February 2022. He has been in police custody since then. The Beijing Number 2 Intermediate People’s Court read the verdict but did not share a copy with Dong’s lawyers or family. No announcement was available on the court’s website or its Weibo account. The verdict named then-Japanese ambassador Hideo Tarumi and Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada as agents belonging to an espionage organization, according the family’s statement.

Paraguay, one of Taiwan’s 12 remaining allies, says it won’t break ties in favor of China

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Paraguay’s foreign minister said his country is committed to its relationship with Taiwan and has no plans to break off their diplomatic relationship in favor of China as he visited the increasingly isolated island Friday. Paraguay is the only country in South America and one of 12 worldwide that recognizes Taiwan as a country, but it also has a big trade relationship with China worth about $5 billion. “Paraguay is open to establish diplomatic, consular or commercial relations with China without conditions,” Paraguay Foreign Minister Ruben Dario Ramirez Lezcano said. But “we don’t accept any condition to break our relations with Taiwan.” China has become one of the biggest players in South America, and the biggest trading partner for many countries in the region.

Amazon workers in India join Black Friday strike action for better wages and working conditions

NEW DELHI (AP) — Amazon staff in India have joined strike action calling for better wages and working conditions as the company prepares for one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. About 200 warehouse workers and delivery drivers rallied in the capital, New Delhi, under a ``Make Amazon Pay” banner. Some donned masks of Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and joined hands against the Seattle-based company’s practices. The walkout on Black Friday, which starts one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, was repeated at Amazon warehouses in other countries as workers called for higher wages, better working conditions, and union rights.

China’s aging population fuels ‘silver economy’ boom, but profits can prove elusive

HONG KONG (AP) — Every Wednesday, retiree Zhang Zhili travels an hour by bus to an education center, drawn by the pulsing rhythms of the African drum she plays there in a classroom filled with fellow retirees whose hands move in unison, every beat lifting her spirits. Zhang, 71, has found joy and new friends at the “elderly university” in Beijing. Besides African drums, the former primary school teacher joins social dance classes, paying about 2,000 yuan ($280) for two courses this semester. Seeing herself standing tall in dance class boosts her confidence. After class, she hangs out with her friends.

China criticizes Taiwanese president’s plan to stop in Hawaii and Guam during trip to South Pacific

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te will stop over in Hawaii and Guam during his trip to the South Pacific, drawing criticism from China. Lai is to leave Taiwan on Saturday on a weeklong trip to visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau — three diplomatic allies of the self-governed island. Asked by the AP, Lai’s office on Friday confirmed reports that he would make stopovers in the U.S. state of Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam. Under pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, the island has just 12 formal diplomatic allies. However, it retains strong contacts with dozens of other nations, including the U.S., its main source of diplomatic and military support.