Top Asian News 3:34 a.m. GMT

North Korea says its revised constitution defines South Korea as ‘hostile state’ for first time

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea confirmed Thursday that its recently revised constitution defines South Korea as “a hostile state” for the first time, two days after it blew up front-line road and rail links that once connected the country with the South. The back-to-back developments indicate North Korea is intent on escalating animosities against South Korea, increasing the danger of possible clashes at their tense border areas, though it’s highly unlikely for the North to launch full-scale attacks in the face of more superior U.S. and South Korea forces. The official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday that its recent demolition of parts of the northern sections of the inter-Korean road and rail links was “an inevitable and legitimate measure taken in keeping with the requirement of the DPRK constitution which clearly defines the ROK as a hostile state.” DPRK stands for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name, while ROK stands for Republic of Korea, the South’s formal name.

US warns of growing North Korean military support for Russia’s war

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The U.S. and its allies are “alarmed” by North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats as well as its increasing military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday, but couldn’t confirm Ukrainian claims that North Korean soldiers were sent to fight for Moscow. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell spoke with reporters following discussions with South Korean and Japanese counterparts on reinvigorating an international pressure campaign against North Korea, which faltered in recent years amid a deepening divide at the U.N. Security Council. Earlier on Wednesday, Washington, Seoul and Tokyo announced plans with eight Western governments to launch a new multinational team to monitor the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea.

Aging farmers face extreme temperatures as they struggle to maintain Japan’s rice crop

KAMIMOMI, Japan (AP) — In the remote village of Kamimomi in Japan’s western Okayama prefecture, a small group of rice farmers began their most recent harvest in sweltering heat, two weeks sooner than usual. The prefecture is called “the Land of Sunshine” because of its pleasant climate, but farmers working among the paddy fields and ancient rice terraces say that climate change is hurting the harvest of rice, long a cornerstone of Japan’s diet. “Last year, an exceptional heat wave took the water out of the rice, which became small and thin,” rice farmer Joji Terasaka said. “So I am worried about that this year because it will be just as hot.” This year Japan experienced its hottest July on record, with temperatures reaching 2.16 C (3.9 F) higher than average, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Trudeau says Canadian police went public with Indian diplomat allegations to prevent more violence

TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that Canada’s national police force went public with its allegations against Indian diplomats this week because it had to disrupt violent acts in Canada including drive-by-shootings, extortions and even murder. The Royal Canadian Police said Monday it had identified India’s top diplomat in the country and five other diplomats as persons of interest in the June 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The RCMP also said they uncovered evidence of an intensifying campaign against Canadians by agents of the Indian government. “We are not looking to provoke or create a fight with India,” Trudeau said.

China’s leader makes rare visit to province facing Taiwan following major war exercises

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China’s President Xi Jinping made a rare visit to a province facing Taiwan following military exercises that mobilized China’s navy, air force, missile force and land troops to simulate a blockade of the self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims as its own territory and threatens to annex by force. Xi did not comment on the military exercises during his visit to Fujian province, according to the official Xinhua News Agency, but his visit came on the heels of China’s dispatch of a record 125 aircraft, as well as its Liaoning aircraft carrier and ships, in large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan and its outlying islands Monday.

New Zealand exempts abuse victims from a forced two-year wait before they can seek divorce

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Victims of domestic violence in New Zealand will be allowed to cut ties to abusive spouses more quickly after lawmakers unanimously voted Wednesday to exempt them from a mandatory two-year separation period before divorce can be sought. The required cooling-off period before a couple in New Zealand can file for divorce — during which they must also live apart — is the longest among no-fault divorce laws in comparable countries, including Australia, Britain, Canada and most states in the U.S. Wednesday’s change means a victim of domestic violence can seek dissolution of their marriage or civil partnership as soon as a protection order against their spouse is granted.

Monsoon flooding closes schools and offices in India’s southern IT hubs

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Schools, colleges and government offices were shut Wednesday in parts of southern India as heavy monsoon rains triggered severe flooding. The worst-hit cities included Chennai and Bengaluru, the country’s industrial and information technology hubs. Power cuts and flight cancellations caused disruption, and thousands of residents prepared for more downpours over the next 48 hours. The June-September monsoon season has receded in northern parts of the country. However, the northeast monsoon has brought heavy rains to coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and southern Karnataka state. At least 33 people died last month in rains and floods. Residents of the high-security Poes Garden area in Chennai, where top politicians, industrialists and celebrities live, woke up to severe flooding following overnight rains.

Kashmir gets a largely powerless government 5 years after India stripped its special status

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Leaders of Kashmir’s biggest political party were sworn into office Wednesday to run a largely powerless government after the first local election since India stripped the disputed region of its special status five years ago. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah will be the region’s chief minister after his party won the most seats in the three-phased election. It has support from India’s main opposition Congress party, although Congress decided not to be a part of the new government for now. The vote was Kashmir’s first in a decade and the first since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government scrapped the Muslim-majority region’s long-held semi-autonomy in 2019.

Australia’s prime minister is criticized for buying a waterfront home during a housing crisis

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been criticized for buying a multimillion-dollar waterfront home during a national housing crisis with federal elections just months away. Critics argue that the purchase of the 4.3 million Australian dollar ($2.9 million) clifftop home at Copacabana, north of his hometown of Sydney, made him appear out of touch with many Australians who are struggling to buy or rent a home due to elevated interest rates, rising prices and limited supply. Albanese brushed off criticisms Wednesday when questioned by reporters about concerns raised privately within his own government. “We want to get on with helping Australians, whether it be public housing, whether it be rentals or whether it be buying their own homes,” Albanese said.

Moscow and Beijing announce further cooperation during international group meeting in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Leaders and top officials from an international group founded to counter Western alliances met in Pakistan’s capital Wednesday, with Moscow and Beijing announcing they will boost cooperation. The 23rd meeting of the China-and Russia-founded Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held amid tight security in Islamabad, virtually on lockdown, and attended by leaders including Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the prime ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Mongolia. According to Russian state news agency Tass, Mishustin said during a meeting with Li on the sidelines of the gathering that “despite unprecedented external pressure,” both countries are “increasing the volume of mutual trade and launching joint investment projects.” He also said they are “creating new international transport corridor ...