Two decades later, impacts from Indonesia mud volcano linger
Dozen of residents gathered to mark two decades since mud volcano eruptions began displacing thousands.
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US to send only used nuclear subs to Australia in amended defence deal
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles branded the move as a “cost-effective” measure.
Malaysia slams 'deafening silence' over scrapped Norway missile deal
Malaysia and Norway have fallen into a diplomatic dispute this month since the latter revoked export approvals for certain technologies.
Malaysia rebukes Norway over cancelled missile deal; calls out global ‘hypocrisy’ on war crimes
The US is exploring selling Malaysia missiles to fill the gap Norway's exit left, said the Malaysian defence minister.
Energy crunch fuels car pool growth
The world’s largest carpooling platform BlaBlaCar said soaring energy costs have pushed 600,000 additional drivers onto the app in 2026.
Mining turns India’s heat-shield hills to dust
Residents have long protested that the hills are being torn apart by unchecked mining.
Watch: Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing speaks at Shangri-La Dialogue on security partnerships
The plenary session at the Shangri-La Dialogue focused on how security partnerships are adapting in an increasingly fragmented global landscape.
Tiger’s Nest Monastery: What to know about this iconic Buddhist landmark in Bhutan
A woman from Singapore died while making the trek to the landmark on May 30.
Australian researchers teach brain cells to play ‘Doom’
Researchers say they are just scratching the surface of what the neurons could be capable of doing.
‘Totally hooked’: Hong Kong targets claw machine addiction
The colourfully lit machines, often seen drawing people, have come under regulatory scrutiny in May.
Ceasefires by other means
The week began with the ceasefire in Iran seeming more a negotiation over what the meaning of the war was in the first place, rather than a straightforward attempt at peace. It ended in a similarly surreal position. In between, Iran accused the US of continuing strikes.
US says it struck another vessel in eastern Pacific, killing three
May 30 - The U.S. military said on Saturday it had carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific killing three men, the second strike in as many days.
Japan pushes back against accusations of 'new militarism'
"Think about it. There's a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled 'new militarism'?," said Japanese defence minister Koizumi Shinjirō.
Japan refutes 'new militarism', accuses China of rapidly arming
"Think about it. There's a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled 'new militarism'?," said Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
New Zealand lacks billions ‘under the couch’ for greater defence spending: Finance Minister
She was responding to the US' accusation that New Zealand’s defence spending is not enough.
ASEAN set to sign landmark regional digital economy framework agreement in November 2026
The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement is targeted to be signed at the 47th ASEAN Summit later this year.
How stamps and postcards helped India count its people
India's post office turned stamps, postcards and letters into tools for counting a nation after independence in 1947.
UK foreign minister due to visit China and India to discuss global issues
LONDON, May 31 - British foreign minister Yvette Cooper will travel to China on Monday, and then onwards to India later in the week, with the visits to focus on global issues from the Strait of Hormuz and the Russia-Ukraine war to the recent Ebola outbreak.
Ferrari wanted to take on Chinese EVs with the Luce - then the backlash started
The brand's first EV has been heavily criticised, with some saying it has abandoned Ferrari's roots.
Malaysia’s LGBTQ groups tread more carefully amid recent enforcement, ministers’ rhetoric
Recent moves by the Malaysian authorities point to a more restrictive climate for LGBTQ people in the country, analysts say, and this could be due to political competition as well as the visibility of some events.
Brain stunting – a crisis threatening many Filipino children
Brain stunting is one of malnutrition’s most consequential and irreversible effects.
'It's like a decaying body': Australian farmers battle mouse plague
Farmers report thousands of mice per hectare destroying crops and invading homes.
What China hears in Hegseth’s Shangri-La speech
Many of America's allies and partners are likely to draw a different conclusion.
Taiwan’s more relaxed than most of us about Trumpian deal-making
The most common worry expressed around the world concerning the summit meeting in Beijing on May 14-15 was the fear that the future of Taiwan and its 23 million residents might be traded off in a deal between the men leading the world’s two true superpowers, Xi Jinping and
Japan, South Korea to resume search-and-rescue drill after 9 years in sign of warming ties
Defence exchanges between both sides stalled after a 2018 dispute in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Philippines remains under threat from China despite Trump-Xi summit, minister says
He said the country has "no choice but really to be resilient and to stand up against Chinese aggression".
Sri Lanka’s top monk suspended over alleged child sex abuse
Pallegama Hemarathana allegedly sexually abused an 11-year-old girl in 2022.
India says signed BrahMos missile deal with Vietnam
NEW DELHI, May 30 - India has signed a deal with Vietnam under which it will supply BrahMos missiles which it has jointly developed with Russia, and is in \"final stages\" for a similar deal with Indonesia, India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Saturday.
US, UK and Australia to develop underwater drone technology
The technology, developed under the Aukus military pact, is aimed at protecting undersea cables and boosting naval defence.
No deal announced after Trump meeting to make 'final determination' on Iran
The US president met his advisers, after officials confirmed the US and Iran had agreed a framework of a deal.
With world leaders’ ‘abysmal failure’ to uphold global order, ASEAN holds lessons: Timor-Leste president
President José Ramos-Horta also called on the Southeast Asian grouping to have the “audacity to declare the South China Sea a zone of peace” and touched on the Myanmar crisis in a special address at the Shangri-La Dialogue on May 30.
Japan PM vows ‘breakthrough’ with N. Korea in abduction issue
Japan lists 17 Japanese nationals as having been abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.
Four more men freed from flooded Laos cave after 10 days
Two of the seven villagers who entered the narrow tunnels in search for gold on 20 May are still missing.
Rescuers free 4 more men trapped in semi-submerged Laos cave
A total of five people have now been rescued, while two remain missing.
Rescuers pull four from flooded cave in Laos, two still missing
BANGKOK, May 30 - Rescuers pulled four people from a flooded cave in Laos on Saturday, Thai volunteer rescuers said, hours after another man was brought out late on Friday.
Rescuers free four more men trapped in semi-submerged Laos cave
A total of five people have now been rescued, while two remain missing.
Four more men trapped in semi-submerged Laos cave freed: Rescuers
A total of five people have now been rescued, while two remain missing.
Russia recalls envoy to Armenia over EU ties ahead of vote
MOSCOW, May 30 - Russia said on Saturday it had recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations in protest at its rapprochement with the European Union as a June 7 election nears.
US, South Korea in talks over American commander’s remarks that drew China’s ire
The Chinese embassy in Seoul said that the comments had “truly crossed the line”.
Uncleared debris from Sumatra floods triggers wildfire in Aceh
The debris quickly fuelled flames that firefighters have been struggling to contain.
From lottery draws to fiscal spending, China broadens digital yuan footprint
Some say Beijing's move is aimed at reducing dependence on a Western-dominated global payments system.
China’s top diplomat says Canada ties ‘fully restored’
Mr Wang Yi’s short visit to Canada was the first by a Chinese foreign minister in a decade.
Indian court ruling on Google keyword ads could reshape online advertising
Google allowed rivals of Hindware to use “Hindware” as a keyword to target their own advertising.
Laos cave survivors ate wooden gold-panning trays to stay alive
Experts warned against treating such actions as safe or advisable outside of emergency situations.
How curry shops got caught in Japan’s immigration crackdown
Conservatives say that foreigners are exploiting Japan’s visa rules to stay indefinitely.
Asia rice prices surge 20% in May as war, weather threaten output
Prices could rise further as weather risks and war-driven surges in energy and fertiliser costs threaten production.