Indonesia tightens tourism monitoring at volcanoes after Mount Dukono incident

Officials are slated to audit tour guides to ensure compliance with regulations.

Chinese military hovered as global executives flocked to Taiwan tech show

TAIPEI, June 8 - As AI heavyweights including Nvidia, Intel and SK Group last week championed Taiwan's significance as a crucial hub for the global supply chain, a hostile exchange with China was brewing at sea.

Two nations, two exams, one AI reckoning

This week, while families gathered outside examination halls across China, some in red qipao for luck, 12.9 million students sat for the gaokao, the world’s largest annual standardized test. On the other side of the Pacific, American higher education is moving in the opposite

Rupiah’s plunge pushes Indonesia’s manufacturers to the edge

Indonesia’s financial markets were jolted Monday (June 8) as the rupiah hit a new record low of over 18,155 to the US dollar and the main stock index fell 4%. Investors are rapidly dumping their rupiah-denominated assets, with foreigners selling US$422 million of local bonds

Singaporean woman rescued after fall at waterfall in Malaysia’s Selangor state

The extent of the woman's injuries were not disclosed by the authorities.

China’s Xi lands in North Korea for rare visit

It is Xi first trip abroad in 2026 after hosting back-to-back summits in Beijing.

Hormuz strait will be open but with transit fees, Iran envoy to Moscow quoted

June 8 - The Strait of Hormuz will be open but under new conditions to be set by Iran and Oman, including a transit fee, Iran's ambassador to Moscow was quoted as saying on Monday.

Sabah residents told to avoid shoreline after Mindanao quake triggers tsunami warning

Tsunami advisory sirens were activated in four affected districts.

South Korea’s President Lee says ballot paper shortage hurts reputation as model democracy

Thousands have protested outside a ballot counting station in Seoul, demanding a new election.

South Korea's Lee: ballot paper shortage hurts reputation as model democracy

SEOUL, June 8 - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Monday that ballot paper shortages in last week's local elections dealt a serious blow to the country's reputation as a model democracy, and he welcomed the protests questioning the fairness of the process.\"It was

South Korean singer IU targeted in online trolling over election disruption

Her social media has been flooded with requests that she pay for food for demonstrators.

Cambodia scam centres persist despite crackdown, report says

There were signs Cambodia’s scam compounds were splintering into smaller operations, including in residential areas.

Australia PM Albanese says migration to fall as far right surges

He said he wants social cohesion at the core of Australian identity.

Principal of HK school fired over SAFRA Jurong swearing incident says he will seek legal advice

This comes after his resignation was rejected by the school on June 3.

South Korea’s Lee marks first year with vow to find new growth engines

President Lee Jae Myung pledged to move beyond semiconductors for driving the nation’s economy.

Corruption scandals, rupiah fall revive reshuffle talks in Indonesia

Attention has turned to whether a ceremony on June 8 could turn into a broader Cabinet reshuffle.

Taiwan says China Coast Guard patrols to its east are ‘provocative act’

Taipei said its military will maintain coordination with the coast guard, with continuous intelligence sharing.

Taiwan says China Coast Guard patrols to its east are 'provocative act'

TAIPEI, June 8 - Chinese Coast Guard patrols to the east of Taiwan are a \"provocative act\" and the military will closely coordinate with the island's Coast Guard in responding, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Monday.

As it happened: Major earthquake strikes Philippines, collapsing buildings and triggering tsunami warnings

Authorities ordered evacuations in coastal areas of the Philippines and Indonesia after the quake struck near Mindanao, while Japan and Malaysia also issued tsunami advisories.

Container vessel that sank near Batam reported ‘significant functional leakage’ just before incident

The nine crew members on board the vessel MV Golden Star I were rescued safely.

A sherpa survived 6 days alone on Everest. His family says he was abandoned

Questions have swirled around how he became stranded.

Japanese city suspends 94 schools after first-ever bear sighting

TOKYO, June 8 - The Japanese city of Utsunomiya has suspended all 94 of the primary and middle schools that it operates on Monday after its first-ever bear sighting, a municipal official said.

Live: Eight reported dead after 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Philippines

An aftershock with a magnitude of 6.7 rocked the same area almost 10 hours later, one of scores that followed the morning quake.

Death toll in Philippine quake rises to at least 15

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that the tsunami threat had largely passed after earlier alerts of possible waves along the coasts of the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea.

At least 8 dead from 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Philippines; Indonesia, Malaysia lift tsunami alert

Videos posted showed a shopping centre with a Jollibee fast food restaurant collapsing into rubble.

China's Xi hails 'new start' in North Korea ties ahead of summit

Xi is expected to arrive in North Korea on Monday for a two-day visit, his first in seven years, and hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

China’s Xi says he will work with North Korea to fight hegemony, North Korean media says

Xi said in a commentary that the two neighbours would strengthen exchanges in all areas.

China's Xi says he will work with North Korea to fight hegemony, North Korean media says

SEOUL, June 8 - Chinese President Xi Jinping said it was China's unwavering policy to upgrade ties with North Korea, and the two countries would work together to fight hegemony and attempts to revive militarism, according to comments published in North Korea's state newspaper

Friendship or leverage: Why is Xi Jinping going to North Korea?

Beijing is trying to reassert influence over a strategically vital yet deeply unpredictable partner.

'We don't look at the sky anymore': The Air India crash victims who were not on the plane

A grandfather, a survivor, a witness: one year after the crash, the people on the ground tell their stories.

Lack of clarity on JB rail plans heightens bottleneck fears ahead of RTS Link launch

The issue of public transport infrastructure and congestion will likely be on the minds of voters ahead of the upcoming Johor state elections, analysts say.

Commentary: Iran war has raised inflation risks. Why are Asian economies still growing?

For all the attention on inflation, the bigger surprise this year may be how resilient the region has been, says DBS chief economist Taimur Baig.

Armenia's ruling party leads parliamentary vote with 54% in early results

YEREVAN, June 8 - Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party is leading in a parliamentary election with 54.44% of the vote, according to early voting results from Armenia's electoral commission that were broadcast on public TV.

As Prabowo falters, Indonesia’s political heavyweights smell an opening

President Prabowo Subianto's rivals are using economic pain to build their 2029 profiles early.

Iran rejects idea of using its assets to pay damages to US allies

June 7 - Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Sunday that regional governments were \"not in a position to demand reparations\", responding to what he said were reports that the U.S. could use Iranian assets to compensate regional allies for war-related

Russian drug suspects arrested in Bali after high-speed car chase

Indonesia has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers, but has maintained a moratorium on executions for several years.

Trump talking points: Hegseth changes D-Day subject to migrants

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth came under fire from critics around the world this weekend after he turned his speech at a Saturday event marking the D-Day anniversary into a “racist rant” against migrants. On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in

US considers buying Chagos Islands, Telegraph reports

June 7 - The White House is considering a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, the Telegraph reported on Sunday.

Xi’s North Korea visit puts a Trump-Kim summit back in play

Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a rare visit to North Korea on June 8 – his first international trip this year – weeks after hosting US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing. The sequencing has revived a scenario that seemingly grew less

Ukraine’s destiny European, EU’s destiny’s to embrace Ukraine

Wouldn’t you like as a member of your club an applicant who has just humiliated your most dangerous enemy through an audacious attack? That is what Ukraine did last week with its drone strikes on an oil terminal at St Petersburg, sending clouds of smoke into the air just as

The week in Japan: Takaichi gets her supplemental budget

The House of Councillors passed the Takaichi government’s JPY 3.11 trillion budget on Friday, June 5, as expected, with the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), Team Mirai, and the Conservative Party of Japan (CPJ) joining the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Ishin no Kai

Australian doctor who underwent world-first brain tumour treatment dies

The melanoma doctor's brain cancer treatment experiment has sparked hope for a breakthrough.

Xi heads to Pyongyang, Moscow on his mind

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to North Korea will be delicate and difficult. The relationship no longer resembles that of “lips and teeth” from the Korean War era — Korean lips and Chinese teeth. It has evolved into far more complex and contradictory ties, not

Taiwan coast guard ‘expels’ Chinese ships from restricted waters

State media said the ships were carrying out a “special maritime traffic law enforcement operation”.

Taiwan coast guard 'expels' Chinese ships from restricted waters

TAIPEI, June 7 - Taiwan's coast guard said on Sunday that its ships had \"expelled\" four Chinese government ships that entered restricted waters off the island's south after the two sides broadcast testy warnings to each other, in an escalation of tensions.

South Korean president orders probe into local election ballot shortages

Nvidia, SK to detail cooperation plan as Jensen Huang flags prolonged chip shortage

Starbucks US apologises to victims of May 18 uprising over ‘inappropriate’ marketing campaign

The Starbucks Korea promotional event evoked memories of the military crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy movement.