Thousands of people were warned to stay indoors and many schools were shut Friday as a thick haze blanketed the Philippine capital and surrounding provinces.

Most stock markets rose Friday, reversing early losses and a sell-off on Wall Street, as traders contemplate further interest rate hikes by central banks to tame inflation.

Most stock markets fell Friday, extending a global retreat as investors fret that central banks will have to continue pushing up interest rates as they struggle to tame inflation.

A tornado in eastern China killed 10 people and seriously injured several others, state media said Wednesday, the latest in a string of extreme weather events to strike the country.

Concerns that the Federal Reserve will have to lift interest rates again or keep them at a 22-year high for an extended period weighed on investor sentiment Wednesday as traders await the bank's latest policy decision.

Thailand's ancient ruined town of Si Thep, a 1,500-year-old complex of temples, monasteries and other buildings, was added to UNESCO's world heritage list on Tuesday.

Asian stocks sank Tuesday following sedate performance on Wall Street as investors keep their powder dry ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy decision later in the week.