Asia News Wrap: China's Shenzhou-19 spaceship launched, and more

Here are a few stories from around Asia you may have missed this week.

China's Shenzhou-19 spaceship launched, crew enter China Space Station

China's Shenzhou-19 manned spacecraft was successfully launched atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket at 4:27 a.m. on Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. About 10 minutes after the launch, the spacecraft separated from the rocket and entered its predetermined orbit. 

The three taikonauts from Shenzhou-19 entered the China Space Station and met with the Shenzhou-18 crew on Wednesday, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover. The crew members of the two missions will spend a few days together before the Shenzhou-18 crew returns to Earth on November 4. 

Japanese ruling party loses election

In Japan, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffered its worst election result in 15 years on Sunday. According to the constitution, a special parliament (Diet) session must be held within 30 days of the election to elect a new prime minister. 

The LDP and its junior coalition partner Komeito took 215 seats, down from 279 seats. The main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan emerged as the biggest gainer with 148 seats, up from 98, but also short of the 233 needed for a majority. Ishiba said he would try to govern a minority administration. However, a poll by Kyodo News, released on Tuesday, indicated a majority of voters did not want another ruling coalition led by the LDP. 

Seoul will spend billions to help residents raise children

Seoul city officials said on Tuesday that the government will spend 6.7 trillion won ($4.9 billion) from 2025 to 2026 to help residents raise children. The city government said it was expanding a childbirth encouragement project launched in February as part of efforts to increase the country's low birth rate. 

The Korean Herald reported that "a key component of the initiative is aimed at supporting newlyweds and prospective parents who do not yet have their own homes. Starting in January 2025, the city will provide non-homeowner families that include newborns a housing subsidy totaling 720,000 won over two years, or 30,000 won per month." The subsidy is designed to ease financial burdens that might hinder families from having children, according to the city government. The program is expected to assist 1,380 families in the first year, with plans to expand support to 4,140 families in 2026.

Indonesia bans sale of new iPhone 16

Apple's new iPhone 16 smartphones will not be allowed to be sold in Indonesia because they have not met the country's rules on using locally made components.

Indonesia requires certain smartphones sold domestically to contain at least 40 percent of parts to be manufactured locally, and the iPhone 16 has not met the requirement, Industry Ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief said in a statement issued on Friday. "Imported iPhone 16 hardware cannot be marketed in the country because Apple Indonesia has not fulfilled its investment commitment to earn a local content certification," he said, adding that the phones can still be brought from abroad for personal use as long as users pay the necessary taxes. Apple CEO Tim Cook was in the country in April to meet the president and discuss investments, including building a factory in the country.

Delhi's relentless air pollution refuses to go away

India's capital, Delhi, and neighboring areas woke up to a thick smog on Thursday, and the air quality index (AQI) remained "very poor." The annual practice of burning crop stubble left after harvesting paddy to clear fields for wheat planting is widely blamed for toxic pollution in the region before winter, causing disruptions such as school closures and construction curbs. Fireworks set off during celebrations for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, could further worsen the air quality, officials said on Tuesday.

Rated the world's most polluted capital by Swiss group IQAir for four years in a row, New Delhi was the world's second most polluted city on Tuesday, the group's live rankings showed, after Lahore in neighboring Pakistan. "The incidents of stubble burning are decreasing, but ... the smoke created by firecrackers needs to be controlled," Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said, calling for further monitoring of the burning of farm waste. Last week, the Supreme Court told authorities in Delhi and adjoining states to tackle the toxic air, saying living in a pollution-free environment was a "fundamental right."

(Cover: The Shenzhou-18 and Shenzhou-19 crew members after they entered the China Space Station on October 30, 2024. /CGTN)