Food prices in Asia tipped to increase as fuel and fertiliser crisis hits Australian farmers

Products which use large amounts of fertiliser are expected to be worst affected, including wheat and oats.

Five things to know about Chinese AI startup DeepSeek

DeepSeek shot to global attention with the release of its R1 deep-reasoning large language model.

Kelantan love scam ring allegedly targeting Singapore men busted, 58 suspects arrested

The syndicate, which appears to have been operating for about a month, used women posing as Indonesians to lure victims emotionally, said Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat on Thursday (Apr 23).

Iran war hits Asia's polyester suppliers to global fast fashion

A surge in fossil fuel prices threatens to raise costs for fast-fashion retailers like Zara and H&M.

Suspect in fatal shooting of three in Johor to be charged with murder on April 27

The offence is punishable by the death penalty, or between 30 and 40 years’ jail with up to 12 strokes of the cane.

India rebukes Trump for sharing ‘hellhole’ remarks on birthright citizenship

NEW DELHI, April 24 - India has dismissed as \"uninformed\" comments shared by U.S. President Donald Trump that described the country as a “hellhole”, saying they were inappropriate and inconsistent with the strong relationship between the two countries.

South Korea says US alliance not in crisis despite Coupang-linked friction, media reports

Seoul acknowledged that current strains with Washington required careful management.

Chinese EV makers geared up to dominate world's biggest auto show

The Auto China exhibition will span 380,000 sq m, according to organisers - sprawling more than 50 football pitches.

Trump should just finish the job on Iran

In “Alice in Wonderland”, the King of Hearts says gravely, “Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop.” If US President Donald Trump had followed this advice, he would not have paused the hostilities against Iran when he did. His penchant for making

South Korea prosecutors seek 30 years for Yoon over drone flights into North

Special prosecutors said they were seeking the new sentence on charges of aiding the enemy, adding that Yoon's effort to "fabricate wartime conditions" had undermined state security.

Thai court accepts ethics case against opposition leader, MPs

An earlier iteration of Natthaphong Reungpanyawut's People's Party, the Move Forward Party, had put forward draft legislation to amend the strict lese-majeste law.

AI boom is hiding Korea’s next crisis

SEOUL — Few top economies are as surrounded by paradoxes in 2026 as South Korea. As fallout from the Middle East sends shockwaves around the globe, Korea’s stock market is skyrocketing. This week, the Kospi index soared to new all-time highs as semiconductor giants Samsung and

Thai court accepts case against 44 opposition figures over royal insult law

The 44 individuals are set to go on trial from June 30.

‘Clearly me’: AI Chinese drama accused of stealing faces

Ms Christine Li was horrified to find her digital twin shown slapping women and mistreating animals.

Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Trump seeks 'best deal' with Iran

DUBAI/WASHINGTON, April 24 - Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire for three weeks at a meeting at the White House brokered by President Donald Trump, who said he was prepared to wait for \"the best deal\" to end his conflict with Iran.

Japan’s wrecked nuclear plant becomes a tourist destination

The wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant has become a destination for “dark tourism”.

Global shipping order may never recover from Hormuz

With the United States and Iran escalating confrontations along the Strait of Hormuz — including the seizure of ships — the waterway has become “pivotal to negotiations” between the two countries. Washington escalated to direct interdiction of Iranian-linked shipping near the

South Korean prosecutors seek 30-year jail term for ex-president Yoon in drone case: Report

They say the drone operation over the North was to help create a pretext for his martial law bid.

South Korea prosecutors seek 30-year jail term for ex-President Yoon in drone case, Yonhap says

SEOUL, April 24 - South Korean prosecutors sought a 30-year jail term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, in a case alleging he ordered a drone operation over Pyongyang to help create a pretext for his December 2024 declaration of martial law, Yonhap news agency said.

Cowgirls of Philippine rodeo tackle steers, stereotypes

The Masbate rodeo has become synonymous with the island known as Philippine cattle country.

Asia shares mixed, oil advances on US-Iran deadlock

The mixed showing underscored the tense market mood as investors this week seesawed between hope for an imminent end to the war and fear that it might not come soon.

China’s rising threat looms over Japan-Australia frigate deal

Japan’s decision to supply advanced frigates to Australia marks a major step in defense cooperation between the two countries as questions over US commitment in the Pacific coincide with China’s expanding naval reach. Multiple media outlets reported that Australia and Japan

Measles cases in Japan rising sharply

The surge in international travel in the past few years has resulted in people bringing the virus into Japan.

China surpasses 5 million valid invention patents

China has become the first country in the world to surpass 5 million valid invention patents.

Driver killed, 5 injured after car en route to Cameron Highlands plunges into ravine

The victims were on their way to Cameron Highlands to pay their respects to a deceased family member.

US Senator Steve Daines to lead visit to China before May summit, SCMP reports

April 24 - U.S. Republican Senator Steve Daines will lead a five-member bipartisan delegation to China next week, the South China Morning Post reported on Friday, citing sources.

As US brands stumble, China wins over young Indonesians

Companies like Mixue, Haidilao and BYD are reshaping how Indonesians see China.

South Korea's air force apologises after audit blames 2021 jet collision on mid-air selfies

Middle East conflict looks increasingly like a war nobody can win

Let’s begin with a simple question that rarely gets a straight answer: what would victory over Iran actually look like? In Washington and Jerusalem, the answers tend to sound definitive: eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability, break its regional power, perhaps even force political

Spy drones are compromising America’s nuclear triad

On March 8 a single high altitude drone crossed the perimeter of Barksdale Air Force base in Louisiana late at night, then disappeared. Some thought it was just another civilian operating a drone, but that theory became suspect when the drone carried out maneuvers over weapon

After weeks of silence, President Xi has spoken up on the Middle East conflict. Why now?

From unveiling a peace proposal to calling for the Strait of Hormuz to stay open, Chinese President Xi Jinping's direct remarks on the Middle East conflict signal Beijing’s recalculation as the crisis drags on, analysts say.

Commentary: Get ready for another summer of rage in Asia

Amid the Iran war, Asian governments will have to stretch their budgets further to prevent young people from falling behind - or confront a renewed wave of unrest, says Karishma Vaswani for Bloomberg Opinion.

For these Philippine cowboys, rodeo is tradition and livelihood, not just a Wild West import

Its annual festival is widely regarded as the only organised rodeo culture of its kind in Asia.

Merz rearming Germany to free Europe from big power intimidation

Germany has announced a massive rearmament plan that includes development of new and sophisticated offensive weaponry and an increase in military manpower to levels not seen in Western Europe since the Cold War. The plan is built on a dual goal of countering perceived threats

Venice Biennale jury excludes Russia and Israel from artist awards as EU threatens funding cut

ROME, April 23 - Jurors at the Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition said on Thursday they would not consider artists from countries whose leaders are facing charges at the International Criminal Court, an apparent reference to Russia and Israel.

US slaps sanctions on Cambodian senator and others over alleged scam network

The US has accused Senator Kok An and his affiliates of “defrauding Americans”.

Iran fast-boat swarms add to Hormuz threats for shipping

LONDON, April 23 - Iran's use of a swarm of small, fast boats to seize two container ships near the Strait of Hormuz could undermine suggestions U.S. forces have disabled its naval threat and reveals the challenges facing reopening one of the world's most important oil export

UK's Starmer worried by foreign-backed proxy attacks in Britain

LONDON, April 23 - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday he was \"increasingly concerned\" about a growing use of proxies by foreign states to carry out attacks in Britain, pledging to bring forward new legislation following recent attacks.

Huge chunk of glacier blocks Everest route in peak climbing season

Sherpas cannot prepare the route to the world's highest peak because a huge block of ice is in the way.

Sri Lanka investigates after hackers steal $2.5m

Officials are not clear how the money, set to form part of a bilateral debt repayment to Australia, was stolen.

Photos, clothes, ashes: Hong Kongers pick through fire-ravaged homes

Residents revisit their fire-ravaged Hong Kong homes, recalling their trauma, loss and narrow escapes.

Indonesia says Russia will supply 150 million barrels of oil as higher prices tighten supply

Russia has agreed to supply 100 million barrels of oil to Indonesia at a special price.

Indonesia will not impose tariffs in the Strait of Malacca: Foreign minister

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono's comments come a day after Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa floated the possibility of Jakarta imposing levies on ships passing through the Malacca Strait.

ICC confirms all charges as Duterte goes on drug war trial

MANILA – The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday confirmed all charges against former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte, who is detained in The Hague for charges related to his brutal drug war that had left thousands dead. Duterte faces charges of three counts of

Bangladesh measles crisis deepens as child deaths reach 194

The government said it has launched a robust nationwide vaccination programme since the outbreak began.

Bangladesh’s fuel crunch is largely the government’s fault

Bangladesh’s current fuel crisis is being described by parts of the government as a problem of panic buying or syndicates. Those factors exist. But they are secondary. The core of the crisis is supply-side mismanagement, sharpened by delayed price correction. And the delay

Hackers steal $3.2 million from Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry

This is the most amount of cash ever stolen by hackers from a state institution in Sri Lanka.

China-linked hackers using everyday devices to hide attacks, cyberagencies warn

These include internet-connected devices such as home routers and smart devices.