Japan's election: What you need to know

TOKYO, Feb 6 - Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, is seeking to secure her grip on power in a national election on Sunday, with polls suggesting a big win for her conservative party.

Thailand votes in three-way race as risk of instability looms

BANGKOK, Feb 8 - Polls opened in Thailand on Sunday in a general election defined by a three-way battle between the country's conservative, progressive and populist camps, with no single party expected to secure a clear majority, prolonging the spectre of political instability.

Voting kicks off in Thailand election, with the economy and border conflict the key issues

Analysts believe it is unlikely that any party will be able to achieve a landslide victory and a coalition government is likely.

India's Modi visits Malaysia to boost trade, security ties

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 - India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday, as the two countries look to bolster trade and explore potential collaborations in semiconductors, defence and other fields.

Last-day campaign words remarkably revealing about where Japan is

Japan’s general election campaign ended on Saturday with major party leaders holding competing rallies across Tokyo. This has by any definition been a strange campaign. It was unexpected; it was the shortest-ever general election; its coming spurred the unlikely creation of a

Japan votes in snap election as PM Takaichi takes a gamble

Observers say Sanae Takaichi's personal popularity may boost the ruling party's showing at the polls.

Japan votes in test for PM Takaichi as snow weighs on turnout

TOKYO, Feb 8 - Japanese voters were casting ballots on Sunday in an election expected to hand Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi a resounding win, although record snowfall in parts of the country could keep many voters at home.

Thailand Election 2026: What to watch out for on polling day and beyond?

For the first time in Thailand’s history, a national referendum will be held alongside the general election on Sunday (Feb 8). Voters will not only elect 500 Members of Parliament, but also decide whether a new constitution should be created.

North Korea to hold party congress in February, first since 2021

The last party congress – the reclusive nuclear-armed nation’s eighth – was held in January 2021.

North Korea to convene 9th Congress in late February, KCNA reports

SEOUL, Feb 8 - North Korea will convene the 9th Congress in late February in Pyongyang, state media KCNA reported on Sunday, without elaborating on the date.

‘It’s not going to be me’: Despite risks of shark attacks, Sydney beachgoers still catch the waves

During a tragic 48-hour period from Jan 18 to 20, the city recorded four separate shark attacks.

She teaches women in China to flirt. What could go wrong?

A businesswoman, who made fortunes from Chinese women's desire to be desired, is now being probed.

Jakarta’s stock plunge shines light on ‘pump and dump’ schemes that victimise retail investors

There are louder calls for market reforms after the recent 9 per cent market slide.

Bangladesh PM front-runner rejects unity government offer, says his party set to win

Thousands mourn victims of suicide bombing in Islamabad, as four arrests made

The woman tasked with kicking Australian kids off social media

After decades working in the private tech industry, Julia Inman Grant now finds herself on the other side.

Alleged mastermind among four arrested after Pakistan mosque blast

The four are suspected of facilitating a suicide bombing that killed more than 30 people, Pakistan's interior minister said.

Israel's Netanyahu expected to meet Trump in US on Wednesday and discuss Iran

Feb 7 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday in Washington, where they will discuss negotiations with Iran, Netanyahu's office said on Saturday.

Algeria begins to cancel air services agreement with UAE

Feb 7 - Algeria has begun the process of cancelling its air services agreement with the United Arab Emirates, signed in Abu Dhabi in May 2013, state media said on Saturday.

S Korean crypto firm accidentally pays out $40bn in bitcoin

The company quickly realised its mistake and managed to recover virtually all the missing tokens from customers.

South Korean crypto exchange to reimburse some users after $51b error

The mistake, which was caused by an employee, was identified within 20 minutes.

Indonesia arrests dozens in Bali gambling crackdown

Police raided two villas and arrested 39 Indian nationals, seizing phones, laptops and computers.

Roll-out of Malaysian workers’ cross-border protection scheme by end of 2026: Minister

A feasibility study completed by March.

If US attacks, Iran says it will strike US bases in the region

CAIRO, Feb 7 - Iran will strike U.S. bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by U.S. forces that have massed in the region, its foreign minister said on Saturday, insisting that this should not be seen as an attack on the countries hosting them.

Japan's Takaichi talks tough on immigration on eve of vote

Immigration screening "has already become a little stricter, so that terrorists, and also industrial spies, cannot enter easily", Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said during a rally.

China conducts naval, air patrols around disputed South China Sea

BEIJING, Feb 7 - China conducted naval and air patrols in the South China Sea from Monday to Friday, the China Southern Theater Command said in a statement on Saturday.

Soaring gold prices reshape South Korea’s rituals

As prices soar, South Koreans are increasingly moving away from gold at key life events.

Russia to interrogate two suspects over attempted killing of general, report says

MOSCOW, Feb 7 - Two suspects in the attempted assassination of top Russian military intelligence official General Vladimir Alexeyev \"will soon be interrogated,\" the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Saturday, citing a source close to the investigation.

Riau Police probe decapitation of critically endangered Sumatran elephant

The elephant's carcass was found on Feb 2 with the head missing.

‘I was turned away’: High gold prices cause cash crunch at Malaysia pawnshops ahead of CNY, Ramadan

Families are struggling to access emergency funds as gold lenders run short on cash before festivals.

Japan PM Takaichi talks tough on immigration on eve of election

Opinion polls suggest that her ruling bloc could secure a two-thirds majority in the Lower House.

Scammers’ abandoned Cambodia compound exposes brutality and banality of fraud

Compound near Thai-Cambodian border offers look into fraud that has claimed victims globally.

In Malaysia’s ‘jungle railway’, a colonial-era train signalling ritual still survives

Captains grab tokens on moving trains — a 140-year safety ritual still protecting single tracks.

Thousands in Islamabad mourn 31 killed in suicide bombing of Shi’ite mosque

Residents are also concerned there could be further attacks.

Hong Kong summons Panama envoy over CK Hutchison ports ruling

An earlier ruling annulled HK-based CK Hutchison’s contract to operate two ports at the Panama Canal.

Japan PM Takaichi to push Russia to restart visits to graves on disputed islands

She said visits to the graves by ageing former islanders is a “humanitarian issue”.

‘Mrs Doubtfire’: Late British Queen’s image on new Australian coins ridiculed

The Australian mint posted an explanation of the coins’ details, including motifs celebrating her love of horses and dogs.

A tale of two villages: Cambodians lament Thailand's border gains

Thai forces took control of several patches of disputed land along the Thai-Cambodian border during fighting last year, which could amount to several square kilometres in total.

One person dead from Nipah virus in Bangladesh, says WHO

The patient had a history of consuming raw date palm sap, which can be contaminated by infected bats.

EU needs political adults, not feckless children, in Trump era

When Brussels convinced itself that regulation could substitute for power and values for capacity, leverage migrated elsewhere. Europe rendered its own vulnerabilities exploitable; Washington and Beijing simply did not hesitate to use them. Sermons multiplied as factories

No reports, no records: China’s nickel black hole in Indonesia

Indonesia’s investment authority recently informed Parliament that PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel, a Chinese major nickel smelter in Central Sulawesi, has never submitted its mandatory Investment Activity Report. The disclosure emerged during a 2025 review of smelter

China's central bank buys gold for 15th consecutive month

Gold, long seen as a safe-haven asset to hedge against political and economic risks, saw a wild run in a speculative buying spree in January that took it to a record near US$5,600 per ounce.

Australia isn’t remotely ready for a US-Iran war

As the United States weighs fresh strikes on Iran, the prospect of a wider regional conflict is once again coming into focus. For many of Washington’s allies, the question is no longer whether escalation is possible, but how they would respond if it spiralled into all-out war.

Police identify suspect in disappearance of Australian boy

Four-year-old Gus Lamont was reported missing in late September 2025.

Takaichi win expected as Japan campaign enters final, snowy day

The sixteen-day general election campaign enters its final day of campaigning with the country in the throes of heavy snowfall and plunging temperatures. The Japanese Meteorological Agency predicts that heavy snowfall will peak on election day, with an uncertain impact on

South Korean crypto firm accidentally sends US$44 billion in bitcoins to users

Bithumb had planned to distribute small cash rewards of 2,000 Korean won (US$1.37) to each user as part of a promotional event, but winners received at least 2,000 bitcoins each instead.

Malaysia to implement toll discounts, price caps to ease costs during CNY period

A total of 16 items will be placed under price control.

WHO says one person dead from Nipah virus in Bangladesh

The patient developed symptoms consistent with Nipah virus on Jan 21 and died a week later.