Johor autogate glitch: Malaysia border agency apologises, says system still under other agencies

The director-general of Malaysia's border agency publicly apologised for the disruption.

Sri Lanka seeks Chinese aid to rebuild after deadly cyclone

Sri Lanka's request for Chinese assistance came three weeks after India pledged US$450 million in humanitarian aid for cyclone recovery.

UK regulator launches investigation into X over Grok sexualised imagery

LONDON, Jan 12 - Britain's media regulator launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X on Monday to determine whether sexually intimate deepfakes produced by its Grok AI chatbot violated its duty to protect people in the UK from content that could be illegal.

India and Germany eye defence industry boost to ties

Thai official links petrol-station bomb attacks to gold heist network

The earlier heist involved stolen gold worth more than 35 million baht (S$1.4 million).

Nepal’s unemployed youth scramble for election jobs

Nearly 15,000 people lost their jobs after protests toppled the government in September 2025.

Nepal's unemployed youth scramble for election jobs

More than 27,000 people applied for the temporary police jobs on the first two days of applications, Nepal police spokesman Abinarayan Kafle said.

Are You Dead?: The viral Chinese app for young people living alone

A new bleak-sounding app has been downloaded in droves by many youth who live by themselves - and fear dying alone.

Finnish police release Russia-linked ship held in cable sabotage case

COPENHAGEN, Jan 12 - Finnish police said on Monday they had lifted the seizure of a ship which had been held on suspicion of sabotaging an undersea telecoms cable running from Helsinki to Estonia across the Gulf of Finland, although the investigation continues.

Trump Greenland threat triggers search for shelter beyond gold, defence

LONDON/NEW YORK, Jan 12 - Investors have piled fresh bets on gold and European defence stocks in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to take control of Greenland, fearing a geopolitical rift that could end NATO, shatter the global order and damage the dollar.

Landmark Myanmar Rohingya genocide case opens at UN's top court

The hearings at the International Court of Justice will mark the first time that Rohingya victims of the alleged atrocities will be heard by an international court.

After Maduro’s ouster, tough new truths about US foreign policy

The Maduro regime was always likely to end abruptly. Reports that US forces encountered little resistance—and that Venezuela’s president had come to rely on Cuban security rather than his own military—say less about American might than about how completely Nicolas Maduro had

Ramyeon powers South Korea’s K-food exports to record high of $17.5 billion

China was the largest market, followed by the US.

Bangladesh detains 53 Rohingya militants, issues Myanmar border ‘high alert’

Dhaka says it has deployed its law enforcement agencies in villages close to the border.

Trump’s latest assault on Fed is a gift to China

TOKYO — Investors betting against a MAGA-fied Federal Reserve are rapidly getting used to disappointment. On Friday (January 9), as Fed Chair Jerome Powell has since detailed in a video message, US President Donald Trump’s administration threatened a criminal indictment via

Indonesia’s Greater Jakarta grapples with waste crisis amid mounting rubbish and landfill leaks

Garbage has been piling up at several landfills in the region.

Malaysia vows clean-up of military procurement amid graft probe

Defence Minister Khaled Nordin said they will review and improve tender and procurement processes.

Thailand's liberal opposition tops polls as election looms

Ai, Japanese chimpanzee who counted and painted, dies at 49

Ai's cognitive abilities had been studied extensively since she was brought to a Japanese institute in 1977.

Myanmar pro-military party claims Aung San Suu Kyi's seat in junta-run poll

China, India and the cosmology of civilizational renewal

“India’s journey today is not merely about development; it is also a journey of psychological renaissance.” — Narendra Modi “Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream of the Chinese nation in modern times.” — Xi Jinping India and China — the

Thailand’s liberal opposition tops polls as election looms

Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut was the top choice for PM among 32% of 2,682 people polled.

One killed, several injured after air-con compressor explodes at private university in KL

The injured people were taken to several nearby hospitals for further treatment.

One killed, at least nine injured after air-con compressor explodes at private university in KL

Twenty people were reportedly involved in the explosion.

South Korean researchers find way to remove nanoplastics from water in 10 minutes

The team said its process eliminated over 95 per cent of micro and nanoplastics within 10 minutes.

India and US 'actively engaged' in trade negotiations, says new ambassador

Sergio Gor tells reporters in Delhi "real friends can disagree but will always resolve differences".

Heavy snow hits Japan, leading major airlines like ANA to cancel flights

Thousands of travellers were affected by the flight cancellations.

Australia recalls Parliament early to pass hate speech, gun laws

The sitting has been moved from Feb 3 to Jan 19 and 20.

Explainer-What is at stake in Uganda's presidential election?

Jan 12 - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will seek to extend his four-decade rule on Thursday in an election that has renewed questions about the 81-year-old leader's eventual succession.

Myanmar’s pro-military party claims Suu Kyi’s seat in junta-run poll

The elections are being derided as a ploy to prolong junta rule.

Veteran Ugandan leader eyes new term in election amid succession talk

KAMPALA, Jan 12 - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is widely expected to extend his four-decade rule in an election on Thursday after a campaign marred by violence and clouded by questions about who might eventually succeed him.

China focuses anti-corruption drive on misconduct, highlighting former minister’s conviction

President Xi Jinping in 2025 called corruption “the biggest threat” to China’s Communist Party.

China focuses anti-corruption drive on misconduct, highlighting former minister's conviction

BEIJING, Jan 12 - China will focus its corruption crackdown on preventing misconduct from escalating into graft, according to a state broadcaster documentary series that highlighted the crimes of a disgraced former minister.

China taps export controls veteran for senior trade post ahead of Trump visit

Mr Jiang Chenghua is a veteran negotiator with experience in managing the country’s investment ties with the US.

Hong Kong high-speed rail to expand mainland China links with 16 new destinations

The new destinations will connect Hong Kong with popular tourist cities, including Nanjing.

‘Erosion of credibility’: Malaysia defence minister slams recent scandals and warns against corruption ‘cancer’

Defence Minister Khaled Nordin says accusations of corruption and immorality in the Malaysian Armed Forces have embroiled it in “ugly and distorted” public debate.

North Korea says ‘shameless’ US making mockery of UN

Pyongyang accused Washington of a “hideous criminal act”.

South Korea's Lee to head for Japan summit a week after meeting China's Xi

North Korea condemns multilateral sanction monitoring activity, KCNA says

SEOUL, Jan 12 - North Korea has lashed out at a special sanctions monitoring team composed of multiple countries, calling its activities \"illegal\" and irrelevant to the United Nations, state media KCNA reported on Monday.

Maduro raid will make China think twice about Taiwan

Imagine if what happened in Venezuela had happened to the United States. In the scenario, Washington has a longtime, totally compliant lap dog of a president in some Asian country, and there are American businesses in the place with the country’s main natural resource asset

South Korea’s Lee to head for Japan summit a week after meeting China’s Xi

The summit in Japan’s Nara City comes amid a growing diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Tokyo.

Chimpanzee Ai, known for high literacy skills, dies in Japan

She began language learning using materials, including computers, at the age of 18 months.

Trump’s 500% tariff threat is undeclared war on Global South

There are wars that begin with missiles and those that begin with memos. Donald Trump’s latest economic offensive belongs firmly to the second category. A 500% tariff threat on India—embedded in the so-called Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025—is not merely an escalation of

Former aide recounts events that led to ex-Malaysian PM Muhyiddin quitting as opposition PN chief

Several PAS MPs openly demanded Muhyiddin’s resignation during discussions in a WhatsApp group chat.

Production error at Chinese factory catapults ‘cry-cry’ toy horse to unexpected fame

It was originally meant to wear an upturned smile.

Vietnam’s Communist Party chief Lam seeks presidency in China-style expanded power mandate

The 68-year-old leader bid for both top positions at a party meeting in December 2025.

Vietnam's Communist Party chief Lam seeks presidency in China-style expanded power mandate

HANOI, Jan 12 - Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam is seeking to combine his party role with the state presidency, officials said, in a move that would align Vietnam's political structure more closely to China's where President Xi Jinping heads the party and state.

Why are US federal agents gunning down Americans?

I am neither a forensic expert nor a jury member, but it sure looks to me like an ICE agent shot and killed a woman who wasn’t threatening his life. We have video of the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis on January 7th, and the Washington Post has a detailed blow-by-blow

Prescription of ADHD medication on the rise among young people in South Korea

Between 2007 and 2024, methylphenidate prescriptions were highest among teenagers and those in the highest income group.