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

A few stories from around Asia you may have missed this week.

China's Shenzhou-19 spaceship crew returns to earth

China's Shenzhou-19 spaceship crew, carrying taikaonauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Wednesday. On-site medical personnel confirmed they were in good health. The China Manned Space Agency announced that the Shenzhou-19 manned mission was a success. China launched the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft on October 30 last year from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The spacecraft later conducted a fast, automated rendezvous and docked with the space station. The three astronauts stayed in orbit for 183 days and carried out three spacewalks, breaking the previous record for the longest single spacewalk set by the Shenzhou-18 crew. The Shenzhou-19 crew set the record during its first extravehicular activity on December 17, 2024, which lasted nine hours.

South Korea's wildfires made twice as likely by climate change, say researchers

Scientists said on Thursday that climate change made South Korea's worst-ever wildfires in March twice as likely, and such disasters could become even more frequent if temperatures continue to rise. Fires in the country's southeast blazed for nearly a week, killing 32 people and destroying around 5,000 buildings before they were brought under control in late March. The affected area had been experiencing below-average rainfall for months and was hit by strong winds, local officials said, following South Korea's hottest year on record in 2024. The hot, dry and windy conditions that fed the flames were "twice as likely and about 15 percent more intense" due to human-caused climate change, said World Weather Attribution, a scientific network that studies the influence of global warming on extreme weather.

Four killed in Sri Lanka while paying homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic 

Four people were killed in Kandy, Sri Lanka last Friday, while paying homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic, which is housed in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage site known locally as the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Devotees believe the relic to be a tooth of the Buddha. Nearly 450,000 pilgrims – more than double the expected number – lined up for a rare public display of the relic last Thursday, causing overcrowding. Around 300 people were admitted to the Kandy National Hospital over the past week, many suffering from dehydration and breathing problems. The relic was on public display for the first time since 2009. The exhibition ended on Sunday.

Volcano in the central Philippines spews 4.5 km high column of ash

A restive volcano in the central Philippines spewed a column of ash as high as 4.5 kilometers into the sky on Monday morning, prompting the authorities to raise the alert level at Mount Bulusan and warn residents to stay out of a 4 4-kilometer danger zone.
Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon province is about 400 kilometers from the capital, Manila. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised Bulusan's alert status from 0 to 1 on its five-level scale, signalling low-level volcanic unrest and warning of possible eruptions. Before the eruption, the institute had recorded 53 volcanic earthquakes over 24 hours.

Vietnamese celebrate 50 years since end of Vietnam War

Thousands of Vietnamese celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War on Wednesday. The celebration began in Ho Chi Minh City with an aerial display featuring helicopters and fighter jets, followed by parade formations and marches. "All the Vietnamese are the descendants of Vietnam. They have the right to live and work, to have the freedom to pursue happiness and love in this country,”said To Lam, the Vietnam Communist Party's general secretary. He said Vietnam has drawn valuable lessons from its past struggle and, under the Party's leadership, has focused on national reconstruction and development.

(Cover: The return capsule of the Shenzhou 19 manned spacecraft after it landed successfully at the Dongfeng landing site in China on April 30, 2025. /CFP)