Indonesia searching for missing surveillance plane with 11 onboard

Jan 17 - Indonesian rescuers were searching on Saturday for an ATR 42-500 fisheries surveillance aircraft that went missing with 11 people on board, officials said.

Search for Indonesia plane missing with 11 people on board

The plane had left Yogyakarta and was headed for the city of Makassar on Sulawesi island.

China tells Cambodia scam hub disappearances threaten ties

"China is highly concerned about a number of recent cases involving Chinese citizens going missing or disappearing in Cambodia," says the Chinese ambassador to Cambodia.

Dubai chewy cookie craze in South Korea raises health concerns, experts warn

While it may feel like a light snack, doctors say its caloric density rivals a full meal.

Owner of ‘gay-friendly’ hotel in Melaka apologises

She said that the promotional material on the hotel’s website was uploaded due to negligence.

Malaysia police launch manhunt for duo who allegedly shot man at Penang car wash

The victim was sent to Taiping Hospital and was pronounced dead during treatment.

Taiwan says Chinese drone made 'provocative' flight over South China Sea island

Taiwan's defence ministry said the Chinese reconnaissance drone was detected around dawn on Saturday approaching the Pratas Islands and flew in its airspace for eight minutes at an altitude outside the range of anti-aircraft weapons.

China’s condom tax no way to pump up low birth rates

Once the world’s most populous nation, China is now among the many Asian countries struggling with anemic fertility rates. In an attempt to double the country’s rate of 1.0 children per woman, Beijing is reaching for a new tool: taxes on condoms, birth control pills and other

Travel industry insiders name Laos among top destinations to watch in 2026

Laos is known for its mountainous landscapes and ancient Buddhist monasteries, among other things.

Poor nutrition during pregnancy causing ‘brain stunting’ in Filipino children: Health Secretary

A 2023 national survey showed that 23.6 per cent of children under five are stunted.

US paralysis on Iran crisis owes to Navy capacity gaps

The ongoing Iranian protests and the Islamic Republic’s brutal repression have led to widespread massacres nationwide, with far-reaching regional and geopolitical implications. Amid the crackdown, both the US and Israeli governments have prepared numerous contingencies should

Aloka, the stray dog in India who walked 100 days for peace

According to monks who walked beside the dog, it showed no signs of fears or restlessness.

Smog alert: Nearly 1,200 brick kilns in Nepal start firing

Brick kilns in the country are required to begin operations by Jan 15.

Hanoi uses AI cameras to spot offenders, including illegal street vendors and litterbugs

In the first two days of enforcement, police processed 48 cases, with total fines exceeding $2,840.

Taiwan says Chinese drone made ‘provocative’ flight over South China Sea island

It flew in Taiwan's airspace at an altitude outside the range of anti-aircraft weapons.

Javan hawk-eagle under pressure as forests in Indonesia disappear

The bird is listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Australian coroner refers Filipino worker’s death to police after employer’s ‘deplorable’ conduct

Jerwin Royupa, 21, voluntarily exited a moving vehicle in March 2019 after his employer threatened him.

Foreign maids under South Korea’s pilot project overworked, underpaid: Poll

Respondents said they received an average of 1.92 million won (S$1,673) in monthly wages.

JB police seek info in case of child seen to cross a busy road dangerously

The incident is believed to have occurred at Jalan Tun Razak Susur 5 towards Jalan Datin Halimah at 6.18am on Jan 14.

Another horse getaway: Pony captured after making short-lived escape from shrine near Tokyo

The pony was on the loose for about 10 minutes until it was corralled on the road nearby.

Japan’s ‘rabbit island’ considers introducing tourist tax following increased littering

According to the city’s industrial promotion division, about 195,000 people visited the island in 2024.

Private rooms to be back on Tokyo-Hakata shinkansen bullet trains from October

The operator also plans to add semi-private rooms to the service in the business year ending March 2028.

Why Thailand's deadly construction accidents are sparking outrage and scrutiny

Public outrage has centered on Italian-Thai Development, the contractor responsible for both sites where the past week's accidents occurred.

South Korea says US chip tariff to have limited immediate impact

On Jan 14, US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on imports of some AI chips.

Thai ruling party vows to resolve Cambodia row as election nears

It also wants to clean up its image as a transit hub for trafficked scam victims.

To Lam plays his heavy hand well ahead of Party congress

This week, Facebook notified me that my post analyzing General Secretary To Lam’s leadership style was restricted in Vietnam for the second time following a legal request from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Simultaneously, netizens Hoang Thi Hong Thai and Le Minh

Death toll in Iran protests over 3,000, rights group says

DUBAI, Jan 17 - More than 3,000 people have died in Iran's nationwide protests, rights activists said on Saturday, while a \"very slight rise\" in internet activity was reported in the country after an eight-day blackout.

As the UN's High Seas Treaty takes effect, what does it mean for Southeast Asia?

A landmark United Nations treaty governing the high seas has entered into force on Saturday (Jan 17), reshaping how international waters are protected and managed. For Southeast Asia, the new pact brings new opportunities and challenges.

Japan PM Takaichi considers suspending sales tax on food in election pledge: Report

The government and Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party will carefully assess the market impact before deciding, as scrapping the 8 per cent levy on food sales would cut government revenue by an estimated 5 trillion yen (US$31.6 billion) a year.

Death toll rises to 28 after landfill collapse in the Philippines

Dozens of people were buried when the landslide of trash occurred on Jan 9.

Road collapse causes major jams en route to Bangkok after pick-up falls into sinkhole

‘Good-looking’ babies smuggled via Jakarta into Singapore, where adoptive parents paid over $20,000

The syndicate offered desperate parents in West Java up to $1,700 to surrender their babies.

Japan PM Takaichi to consider suspension of food sales tax, Mainichi reports

She is expected to call for an election soon.

India's astrotourism boom draws urban stargazers beyond city limits

Stargazing, once a niche hobby for astronomers and science clubs, has gone mainstream and is boosting astrotourism.

A hotline to report vapers and caning if you're caught: Singapore's e-cigarette crackdown

The city-state wants to stamp out e-cigarettes with harsh penalties including caning and fines.

Kishi-Moon tie still afflicts Japan as Abe assassin faces verdict

“Coming events cast their shadows before.” This remark is attributed to the Roman statesman and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero. Essentially it says that historical events, while occurring with no advance notice, are actually foreshadowed by auguries. With the passing of

China curbs high-frequency trading to cool blazing markets

Chinese stock markets have come under renewed pressure in recent days as Beijing intensifies its clampdown on high-frequency trading, a move that has rattled sentiment but reflects a deeper regulatory shift toward control and stability amid a US$1.2 trillion rally. The Shanghai

Canada's deal with China signals it is serious about shift from US

Carney says Canada's relationship with China has become "more predictable" than that with the US, as his country searches for trade certainty.

Syria's Sharaa grants Kurdish Syrians citizenship, language rights for first time, SANA says

Jan 16 - Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree affirming the rights of the Kurdish Syrians, formally recognising their language and restoring citizenship to all Kurdish Syrians, state news agency SANA reported on Friday.

Fewer scallops but more pinot noir: Hokkaido is changing in a warmer world

Japan’s outdoor playground is switching to new foods and ramping up green energy and industries.

Where Trump thinks his semi-warpath leads

An aggressive President Donald Trump is moving to cripple and remove adversarial governments in Venezuela and Iran, a campaign that is also aimed at damaging efforts by China and Russia to build and maintain anti-Western alliances globally. In a meticulously planned military

The hollow resurrection of US international broadcasting

Deserving of scrutiny is the boasting this week by the self-proclaimed acting chief executive officer of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), Kari Lake, that audiences in Iran and Venezuela are being effectively served amid the current geo-political crises. Lake and DOGE,

Myanmar begins defence in landmark genocide case at UN court

Myanmar says The Gambia has failed to provide enough evidence of genocide against the Muslim-minority people.

Carney moves to ease Canada-China trade frictions under US shadow

Canada will allow imports of up to 49,000 Chinese EVs, while China may lift steep tariffs on Canadian produce.