Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Latest Updates

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand and Cook Islands signed a defense and security pact Thursday, easing more than a year of tension between the Pacific nations over Cook Islands' deepening ties with China. The fraught diplomatic standoff that prompted Wellington to pause millions of dollars in aid to Avarua was hardly a clash of geopolitical heavyweights: New Zealand has a population of 5 million, while Cook Islands has 15,000 people. But the lengthy freeze gripped Pacific observers because it reflected the struggle confronting tiny island nations with close ties to Western countries such as New Zealand and Australia as they seek to balance their traditional alliances with overtures from Beijing.

ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan on Thursday confirmed it was holding peace talks with Afghanistan's Taliban government in China, where Beijing is mediating to broker a lasting ceasefire after weeks of fighting that have killed hundreds, disrupting trade and cross-border travel. The confirmation of the new round of talks came a day after officials from the two sides told The Associated Press that representatives from the two countries had traveled to Urumqi in northern China, where they held the first round of talks. It remains unclear who is representing Pakistan and Afghanistan in the latest negotiations in China. In Islamabad, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told a news briefing that the talks are ongoing.

MANADO, Indonesia (AP) - An undersea magnitude 7.4 earthquake toppled buildings in parts of northern Indonesia, sent people fleeing from their homes, killed at least one person and generated a small tsunami Thursday. Strong shaking lasting 10 to 20 seconds was felt in Bitung in North Sulawesi province as well as in Ternate city in neighboring North Maluku province, according to the Disaster Management Agency. The provinces border the Molucca Sea, where the quake was centered. Initial assessments showed light to severe damage in parts of Ternate, including a church and two houses. In Bitung, damage assessments were still underway, the agency said.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A judge cleared the way Thursday for the potential release of an Indian citizen who was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody last year after his Pennsylvania murder conviction was overturned following four decades in prison. The decision came after a four-hour hearing in which Subramanyam Vedam insisted he did not fatally shoot Thomas Kinser in 1980 and was questioned by a Department of Homeland Security lawyer. Vedam participated in the hearing Wednesday remotely from the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. "I was young and stupid and did a lot of dumb things back then," Vedam said.

ZHANGJIAGANG, China (AP) - In an industrial park in Zhangjiagang, a small city on China's east coast, a large humming and hissing machine feeds on piles of used clothes and sorts them. The novelty? It uses artificial intelligence to sort them by composition at high speed, offering a glimpse into how AI could play a role in reducing the impact of synthetic textile waste. The Fastsort-Textile machine, named one of Time magazine's Best Inventions of 2025, was created by DataBeyond, a Chinese AI recycling company founded in 2018. "We can make full use of textile waste and reduce the amount that is incinerated which will be a great help to recycling resources," DataBeyond CEO Mo Zhuoya said.

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesian authorities on Thursday delayed for a second day the extradition to Spain of an alleged Scottish crime boss arrested on Bali, as police investigated his suspected associates believed to be still on the resort island. Steven Lyons, 45, described by law enforcement as a senior figure in an international crime syndicate, was scheduled to be flown to Spain late Thursday night via Doha, a day after his deportation was postponed without explanation. Lyons was taken back from the airport into Bali police custody, said Husnan Handano, a spokesperson for Bali's immigration office. He declined to provide a reason for the move, citing the "sensitivity" of the case.

NEW DELHI (AP) - India has begun the world's largest national population count, which could reshape welfare programs and political representation across the country. The previous census in 2011 recorded a population of 1.21 billion. It's now estimated to be more than 1.4 billion, making India the most populous nation. The new census had been planned for 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical challenges. Here's how India's census works and why it is significant: The first phase of the count started Wednesday and will roll out around the country through September. The workers will spend about a month in each area collecting information on homes and available facilities and will document housing stock and living conditions.

TOKYO (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire in the Middle East during a visit to Japan on Wednesday. Macron, who held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, said they both believe in international law, the international order and the democratic values, adding: "This is why ... we both advocate for a return to peace, a ceasefire, calm, and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz." Takaichi said the two leaders agreed on the importance of quickly de-escalating the conflict and to secure the safety of the vital waterway and the stable supply of goods. "With the international environment increasingly severe, I believe it is especially meaningful for the Japanese and French leaders to deepen our friendship and cooperation," Takaichi said at a joint news conference at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo.

SYDNEY (AP) - Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees struggling to survive in Bangladesh's overcrowded camps will see their food assistance slashed starting on Wednesday, raising alarm throughout the increasingly desperate community. Currently, the 1.2 million Rohingya trapped in the squalid camps receive $12 a month per person, an amount the persecuted minority from Myanmar has long warned is barely sustainable. Most of the Rohingya in the camps fled brutal attacks by Myanmar's military in 2017 and they are legally barred from working in Bangladesh, leaving them largely reliant upon humanitarian aid to survive. Under the United Nations' World Food Program's new tiered system, the amount each person receives will vary based on the severity of their family's needs, with around 17% of the population getting as little as $7 per month.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Chang Ung, a former North Korean member of the International Olympic Committee who once led sports exchanges with rival South Korea, including joint marches of their athletes at the Olympics, has died, the IOC announced Wednesday. He was 87. The IOC said on its website that it had learned with "extreme sadness" of Chang's death on Sunday. It said the Olympic flag will be flown at half-mast for three days at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC statement didn't describe the cause of Chang's death. North Korea's state media has not reported on his death.