The epicentre of the quake, which hit at 0656 local time (2056 GMT), was roughly 110 kilometres (68 miles) east-southeast of Kimbe on the island of New Britain, at a depth of 64 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said. 

The Asia and Oceania trip has been on the papal agenda for some time, but there had been doubts on whether the 87-year-old pontiff would embark on it given his increasing frailty and a record of skipping engagements due to health problems.

Five women and one man were killed during Joe Cauchi's Saturday afternoon rampage, which took place in a bustling shopping center in Sydney's Bondi Junction neighborhood.

Beijing on Friday criticized the United States, Japan and the Philippines and defended its actions in the South China Sea as "lawful" after US President Joe Biden hosted a trilateral meeting in Washington.

Pope Francis will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore in September, the Vatican announced on Friday, an ambitious trip that could test the 87-year-old's increasingly fragile health.

India is the fastest-growing major economy, but there are still not enough white-collar jobs for its educated youth.

Thailand's foreign minister arrived for a visit to the Myanmar border on Friday, the ministry said, following days of clashes that have dislodged junta troops from their positions in a vital trade hub in the neighboring country.

A national election in the Solomon Islands, the first since Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare signed a security pact with Beijing, will be watched next week for its potential to jolt the United States-China rivalry in the South Pacific.

An Israeli man, who was arrested in Malaysia last month carrying six guns and dozens of bullets, pleaded not guilty in a Kuala Lumpur court on Friday to charges of unauthorized trafficking and possession of firearms, his lawyer said.

A faster and vastly more effective treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis is being rolled out in the Asia-Pacific region, raising hopes of a "new era" in tackling one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases.

US President Joe Biden pledged Thursday to defend the Philippines from any attack in the South China Sea, as he hosted the first joint summit with Tokyo and Manila amid growing tensions with Beijing.

United States President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled their countries' biggest ever upgrade in defense ties Wednesday during a White House state visit focused on countering a resurgent China.

Myanmar junta troops stationed in an embattled border town have withdrawn from their positions, a spokesman for a Myanmar ethnic armed group and a Thai official told AFP on Thursday.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol promised "reform" and the head of his ruling party resigned on Thursday after a disastrous election increased the opposition's stranglehold on parliament.

Beijing regards its ties with ASEAN states as crucial to regional trade and development, according to a recent statement from China's foreign ministry.

The annual survey sought to measure the perceived soft power of several major countries like Japan, Australia and the United States, as well as the ten countries comprising ASEAN.

The announcement comes one day after defence chiefs from four countries including the Philippines -- which has been engaged in several contentious maritime disputes with Beijing recently -- said they would conduct joint drills Sunday in the area.

The Russian foreign minister will talk with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on a series of "hot topics" that will also include joint cooperation in international organisations, such as the United Nations and the Group of 20 (G20), Moscow had said earlier.

Manila said two Chinese coast guard vessels "harassed" Filipino fishing vessels within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, while Beijing said its vessels responded appropriately to illegal activities.

Since the center-right coalition was elected last October, steadfastly independent New Zealand has looked to deepen military ties with "traditional" Western allies. 

Attacks on freedom of expression, interference at universities and the imprisonment of researchers are just some ways that "academic freedom globally is under threat," the index said. 

The president-elect has been making high-profile visits to China, Japan and Malaysia with plans for the next government, even though analysts regard it as a premature endeavor that disregards the election process.

The exercise will be held Sunday in the disputed South China Sea -- which Beijing claims almost entirely -- days before US President Joe Biden is due to hold the first trilateral summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan.

China, thanks to its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, has increased economic and political engagement in Southeast Asian countries.

Anwar said during the meeting at his office in Putrajaya, he and Prabowo also took the opportunity to share their experiences and exchange views on their political journeys.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries after the earthquake, whose epicentre had a depth of 40 kilometres (25 miles) and which was also felt in Tokyo.

It was part of a concerted charm offensive by China, the second-largest investor in Indonesia behind neighbour Singapore. 

Prabowo, currently a defence minister, met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, his first visit to a key trade partner since he won the presidential election held in February.

Hun Sen stepped down in August after nearly four decades of iron-fisted rule, passing the baton to his eldest son Hun Manet following a landslide win in national polls held without any significant opposition parties.

Fabrication at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company -- the world's biggest chip maker -- was briefly interrupted at some plants, a company official told AFP, while work at construction sites for new plants was halted for the day.