N. Korea test-fires at least one ballistic missile, S. Korea and Japan sayNorth Korea fired at least one ballistic missile off its east coast on Tuesday, officials in South Korea and Japan said, as Seoul opens a major arms fair, spy chiefs meet to discuss the nuclear stand… This year’s Nobel prizes brought both delight and disbeliefImportant work was honoured, but there was a surprising omission Oil and coal-rich countries lobbied for changes to UN climate report, leak showsStates with large meat and dairy industries also attempted to amend IPCC’s report, documents say South China Sea: US submarine collides with unknown objectOfficials say it is unclear what the USS Connecticut collided with, and a number of sailors were hurt. U.N. biodiversity talks end in China's Kunming with new funding pledgesChina, the European Union and Japan were among countries pledging to spend more on slowing down rapid species loss at talks this week in China to prepare for a new global biodiversity pact. Gates Foundation to send $120M Merck COVID-19 pills to developing countriesThe Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced on Tuesday that it will send $120 million worth of Merck’s new COVID-19 treatment pill to developing countries if it is authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Japan's Mount Aso erupts, alert level raisedMount Aso, a volcano on Japan's main southern island of Kyushu, erupted on Wednesday, Japan's Meteorological Agency said, spewing volcanic ash 3,500 metres (2.17 miles) into the sky. Streets eerily quiet in Kabul where Afghans fear Taliban ruleStreets that were once bustling with life have fallen silent. Few women dare to leave their homes. Fighters patrol the neighbourhoods. Welcome to the new Kabul, a city ruled by fear of the Taliban. IMF more optimistic on Middle East and North Africa growthThe upgrade in economic growth to 4.1 from 4 percent is mainly due to rapid vaccine roll-outs in parts of the region. China, Russia navy ships jointly sail through Japan straitA group of 10 naval vessels from China and Russia sailed through a strait separating Japan's main island and its northern island of Hokkaido on Monday, the Japanese government said, adding that it is closely watching such activities.