Here are a few stories from around Asia you may have missed this week.
China's Shenzhou-20 crew enters space station
A Long March 2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft lifted off at 5:17 p.m. on Thursday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
The three astronauts on Shenzhou-20 entered the China Space Station and met with the Shenzhou-19 crew, beginning a new round of in-orbit crew handover. The six crew members then took group pictures for the sixth space get-together in China's aerospace history. They will live and work together for about five days to complete planned tasks and handover work. The Shenzhou-19 crew is scheduled to return to China on April 29.
Campaign for May 3 election in Singapore begins
Workers' Party supporters wave party flags as they cheer their candidates at the nomination center ahead of the general election in Singapore, April 23, 2025. /CFP
Singapore on Wednesday finalized candidates for its May 3 election, with the ruling People's Action Party fielding 32 new candidates in the biggest-ever refresh of the party that has ruled the city-state since independence in 1965. The move follows a pledge by the prime minister and secretary-general of the People's Action Party, Lawrence Wong, to "bring in new blood, new ideas and new energy" to steer the country.
Posters and banners bearing candidates' pictures covered the streets of Singapore on Wednesday as the country embarked on nine days of campaigning ahead of the general election. Chief among election issues for the 2.76 million registered voters will be living costs and the fallout of trade tensions.
South Korean prosecutors indict ex-president Moon
South Korean presidential candidate Kim Kyung-soo (R) visits former President Moon Jae-in in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, April 14, 2025 /CFP
South Korean prosecutors indicted former President Moon Jae-in for alleged bribery on Thursday, making him the latest former leader of the country to face legal troubles, in a case linked to the appointment of his then son-in-law at a Thai airline.
Moon, 72, was indicted for bribery, while in the same case, former lawmaker Lee Sang-jik was indicted for bribery and breach of trust, Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office said in a statement. Prosecutors had been investigating whether Lee's appointment as the head of the SMEs and Startups Agency was in exchange for Moon's former son-in-law getting a job and receiving a salary plus living expenses at the Thai-based corporation Lee controlled between 2018 and 2020.
Visitors must fill online form before arriving in Thailand
Tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand, January 10, 2025. /CFP
Thailand will require foreign tourists to submit their arrival details online from May 1, Thai authorities announced on Saturday. The immigration arrival form will be replaced by the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), which must be completed online three days before arrival.
The government says the reintroduction of the TDAC is designed to streamline immigration processes and reduce waiting times. The form will collect personal information, details about the length of stay and accommodation arrangements.
World Bank says Sri Lanka to grow 3.5% in 2025
Workers in an apparel factory at the Katunayake export processing zone in Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 9, 2025. /CFP
Sri Lanka is on track to achieve growth of 3.5 percent this year, the World Bank said in its latest report on Wednesday, notwithstanding challenges from hefty U.S. tariffs and an ongoing financial crisis recovery. The island nation rebounding from a deep financial crisis sparked by a record dollar shortfall three years ago, posted a 5 percent growth last year, aided by a $2.9 billion program from the International Monetary Fund.
David Sislen, World Bank director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, said that to ensure the recovery works for everyone, especially those who have been hit hardest, Sri Lanka must focus on policies that create jobs and support the poor.
(Cover: Image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows a group photo of the crew of Shenzhou-19 and Shenzhou-20 manned spaceships. /Beijing Aerospace Control Center)