Japan raises interest rate to highest since 1995
The Bank of Japan has been raising rates from near-zero since 2024.
Headlines
- All
- Africa
- Asia
- Business
- Culture
- Environment
- Europe
- Gaming
- Markets
- Middle East
- Movies & TV
- Music
- Politics
- Science
- South America
- Tech
- World News
US-India relations aren’t as abysmal as they seem
I’ve read that the Indian commentariat and foreign policy establishment are more wary of the United States than at any time this century. Maybe so. But 26 years is not a particularly long time, and it often seems that there’s a “manic” aspect on the Indian side when considering
Watching World Cup in class? South Korea schools beset by clashes over priorities
Many schools watched the June 12 match, in some cases through events officially approved by school administrators.
Indonesia anti-graft group seeks halt to free meals programme, widen probe
Authorities in June announced a corruption probe into the former head of the US$15 billion programme.
Asia markets temper US-Iran deal optimism as oil prices plunge
Oil prices, which settled at a three-month low overnight, reflected the cautious stance, with Brent crude futures up 0.1 per cent, at US$83.25 a barrel.
Nepal’s foreign minister visits China after calling on regional rival India
Analysts say Nepal’s ties to India gave the country a degree of leverage over China.
Nepal's foreign minister visits China after first calling on regional rival India
BEIJING, June 16 - Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal met China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Monday, his first trip to the neighbouring superpower since his party swept to election victory in March, and days after visiting Beijing's regional rival India.
Indigenous Taiwanese to paddle to the Philippines reconnecting long-lost route
ORCHID ISLAND, Taiwan, June 16 - A group of indigenous Taiwanese left on Monday to paddle to the Philippines on a hand-built wooden canoe across the Bashi Channel, reviving a maritime route dormant for hundreds of years and re-establishing a lost cultural connection.
A year on, six questions still haunt the Air India crash investigation
From fuel switches to engine failures, here are the biggest mysteries around the Air India crash inquiry.
China's cheaper AI tokens a double-edged sword for Asian businesses
In the second of a two-part series on AI tokens, CNA explores how lower-cost Chinese models are emerging as an attractive option across businesses in Asia, even as experts warn that price is only one part of the equation.
Commentary: Modi’s BJP win in West Bengal is more than an electoral upset
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party and its allies now control states covering most of India’s shared border with Bangladesh, says Rahul Verma from the Centre for Policy Research.
Will Malaysia’s rulers defuse Negeri Sembilan royal feud or worsen it?
Negeri Sembilan's spiralling palace crisis could come to a head when Malaysia's Conference of Rulers meet at the end of June.
Why Japan’s ambitious urban redevelopment projects are stalling
Rising costs and labour shortages prompt developers to reassess projects.
US-Iran peace deal rattles China’s energy strategy, geopolitics
Beijing officially welcomed the United States-Iran peace deal announced over the weekend, hoping the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will ease a months-long oil supply disruption that has rattled China’s fuel markets and battered its refining sector. However, the unofficial
Bloody cage match on White House lawn marks Trump’s 80th birthday
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday Sunday cageside at a multimillion-dollar bloody mixed martial arts event staged on the White House South Lawn, punctuated by fighter jet flyovers, a live military band and fireworks to mark the country’s 250th
Japan’s defense: Change is coming
In early June, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party accepted recommendations from its Security Research Council for revising Japan’s three main national security documents, including the National Security Strategy. A Japanese colleague knew I’d seen a few of these over the
One Syrian security member killed in Islamic State attack in Raqqa
June 15 - Syria's Interior Ministry said on Monday that one of its security personnel had been killed as its forces thwarted an attack by two Islamic State militants on a command headquarters of the country's internal security forces in the city of Raqqa.
Why the US government shut down Anthropic’s latest Claude AI model
On June 12, artificial intelligence (AI) lab Anthropic suspended access to its latest Claude models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, which had been released three days earlier. The move came in response to an “export control directive” from the US government prohibiting use of the models
UN Security Council extends Afghan mission, calls for review
June 15 - The United Nations Security Council on Monday voted to extend the mandate of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for one year amid calls to streamline the operation and strong criticism of the country's Taliban rulers.
As Iran war’s said to end, Kissinger’s joke finally has come true
During the long and bloody war between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s the late Henry Kissinger used to half-joke that he wished that both sides could lose. The world now feels pretty much the same about the US-Israel-Iran war that began with 12 days of bombing of Iranian nuclear
PM Wong sends condolences to Philippine quake victims, says Singapore ready to help
A 7.8-magnitude quake in Mindanao on June 8 killed at least 35 people and collapsed buildings
India's GenZ leader slapped at protest
MUMBAI, June 15 - The founder and leader of India's Cockroach Janta Party was slapped repeatedly by unknown men during a crowded protest in the northern city of Jaipur on Monday, which he said was an attempt to scare him and his group.
Chinese-linked hackers targeted US, Canadian research facilities for a year, Google says
The hackers sought information related to defence intelligence and military strategy in the Indo-Pacific, among others, from 2023-2025.
Chinese-linked hackers targeted U.S.,Canadian research facilities for a year, Google says
June 15 - A Chinese-linked hacking group spent more than a year secretly stealing data from U.S. and Canadian academic, medical and military research institutions, before being detected, Google said on Monday.
Indian AI model developer Sarvam raises US$234 million, valuing it at US$1.5 billion
Indian IT services and technology company HCLTech led the funding round with a US$150 million investment and will work with Sarvam to develop language models and AI solutions for its global clients.
US-Iran deal’s economic dividend will flow mainly to Asia
Markets across the world greeted the US-Iran peace agreement in the predictable way. Oil prices fell sharply, equities rallied and investors are already calculating the inflation dividend that could follow if the Strait of Hormuz fully reopens and energy supplies normalize.
Road to US-Iran deal ran through Pakistan
The memorandum of understanding announced by the United States and Iran on June 15 may prove to be one of the most consequential diplomatic developments in the Middle East in recent years. President Donald Trump declared that “the deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now
Japan PM backs troubled Sicily bridge plan, highlighting Japanese investment
ROME, June 15 - Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday she hopes a long delayed project to build a bridge across Italy's Strait of Messina will get off the ground soon and showcase bilateral cooperation, given the involvement of Japanese companies.
South Korea's Starbucks to shut for staff history lesson after backlash
The chain was criticised for a "Tank Day" marketing ploy on the anniversary of a military massacre.
Indian officials survey farms around Tata iPhone parts plant after water pollution warning
The plant facing scrutiny is located in Hosur and makes back panels and other components for iPhones.
Shippers remain cautious on Hormuz strait transit after US and Iran agree deal
June 15 - Shippers in Asia and Europe said confidence in resuming transit through the Strait of Hormuz could take weeks to rebuild and navigation will only restart once safety is assured, after the U.S. and Iran agreed on a framework deal to reopen the waterway.
Scouring the Strait of Hormuz for mines could take weeks
LONDON, June 15 - Ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is safe from mines could delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks following a deal to reopen the waterway, shipping and maritime security sources say.
Magnitude 6.6 quake strikes southern Philippines, no damage expected
June 15 - A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday, the Philippine state seismology agency Phivolcs said.
6.6-magnitude quake strikes southern Philippines, no damage expected
The quake originated along the Philippine Trench and is not connected to the 7.8-magnitude quake.
China says growing its military helps world peace
It slammed a think-tank report that warned that the threat of a direct strike by Beijing on Australia was increasing.
Turkey's foreign minister to visit Moscow for talks on Ukraine, Black Sea
ANKARA, June 15 - Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will repeat Turkey's offer to host talks between Russia and Ukraine on a visit to Moscow this week at which he will also discuss Black Sea shipping safety and the South Caucasus, a diplomatic source said on Monday.
Philippines bets big on solar power, but remote communities risk being left behind
As Manila pushes ahead with large-scale renewable energy projects, many off-grid communities are still relying on small solar kits for basic electricity.
Australia demands answers after girl taken hostage is shot dead by Pakistan police
Pakistani police said the nine-year-old was mistakenly shot as they pursued a group of armed robbers.
UN human rights chief welcomes US-Iran deal, urges restraint in the region
GENEVA, June 15 - The United Nations' human rights chief on Monday welcomed the announcement of a peace deal between the United States and Iran, and urged for maximum restraint by all sides in the region.
China’s plan to swarm US carriers from 3,000km away
China’s answer to the US Navy may not be a single “carrier-killer” missile, but a coordinated swarm designed to overwhelm defenses through sheer scale, speed and complexity. This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a research team led by Associate Professor
Two Chinese fans robbed at gunpoint in Mexico City during World Cup visit
The masked robbers, wearing helmets, took passports, bags, laptops, cash and luxury watches.
Singaporean man arrested in Indonesia’s Medan for running ‘Labubu’ vape production ring
He is suspected of leading the production and distribution of vape products.
Lebanon warns displaced against rushing home after US-Iran deal
Lebanon has suffered the deadliest spillover of the conflict between the US and Iran.
Trump’s Iran deal ends war but leaves Tehran stronger
After weeks of on-again, off-again negotiations, US President Donald Trump finally seems to have secured an agreement from the Iranian regime to end the war that has roiled the region – and global energy markets – since late February. Just what’s been agreed to, however, will
From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social media access
GDANSK, June 15 - Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.
China detains two leaders of influential underground church
More than 30 members of Early Rain Covenant Church were taken for interrogation midway through Sunday service.
Malaysian couple detained after dumping baby in rubbish bin at KL bus terminal
The chief said the couple has been remanded for four days from June 13 to 16.
FCAS fighter project collapse rings alarm for Europe’s defense
The effective collapse of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet program is a major setback for European defense cooperation. France, Germany and Spain have spent nearly a decade trying to develop what was intended to become Europe’s premier next-generation combat