This article, first published by Pacific Forum, is republished with permission. China’s response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s November 7, 2025, remarks to the Diet that a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan could arise in a “Taiwan contingency” has largely been
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 - Five countries have committed troops for an international security force for Gaza, the commander of the force said on Thursday during a meeting of President Donald Trump's newly created Board of Peace.
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 - President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States had to make a meaningful deal with Iran, citing good talks with the Middle Eastern country.
Nine members of the Board of Peace have agreed to pledge US$7 billion toward a Gaza relief package and five countries have agreed to deploy troops, says the US president.
The aim is for robots to do real work, and enter homes and shopping streets in pursuit of mass-market consumers.
STOCKHOLM, Feb 19 - Sweden announced on Thursday a 12.9 billion crown ($1.42 billion) military aid package for Ukraine that will include air defence, drones, long-range missiles and ammunition.
The products now await a final green light from the Health Ministry.
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Seoul court on Thursday for spearheading an insurrection through his December 3, 2024, martial law decree. Yoon and other defendants, including his former defense minister, who was given 30
Industry insiders say some foreign mountaineers are ill-prepared for what is a major test of endurance.
In total, 12 ATMs have been reportedly damaged.
Like far-right groups in Europe, the veteran politician has projected her messages to great effect on social media.
The donation was made by someone who earlier had already given cash for the municipal waterworks.
There were 111 Filipinos, 71 Thais, four Vietnamese, two Singaporeans and one Indonesian enlisted in the Israel Defence Forces as of March 2025, according to official data obtained by an Israeli non-governmental organisation.
The leaders are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation and issues of mutual interest during Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's "special visit", said Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The alternative was a death sentence.
The episode, captured on camera and widely shared across social media, drew amused reactions online.
NEW DELHI, Feb 19 - When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi nudged speakers at the India AI summit to join and raise their hands in a symbolic show of unity, most executives obliged. Two did not: rivals Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic.
Officers dressed as a red-and-yellow lion made the arrest on the evening of Feb 18.
MOSCOW, Feb 19 - Russia said on Thursday that it was seeing an unprecedented escalation of tension around Iran as the United States moved military assets into the Middle East, and the Kremlin urged both Tehran and \"other parties\" to exercise prudence and restraint.
The country’s smelting sector has been plagued by industrial accidents.
An official said the three-storey building collapsed after an "unknown" explosion.
The Benteng Chinese are descendants of Chinese traders who settled and married local Sundanese women.
Fujitsu’s February 12 announcement that it will begin domestic production of “sovereign AI” servers marks a significant milestone in Japan’s quest for digital autonomy. Coming on the heels of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s resounding election victory this month, the move fits
KARACHI, Pakistan, Feb 19 - At least 13 people, including women and children, were killed after a gas cylinder blast caused a residential building to collapse in the southern port city of Karachi on Thursday, police said.
The 11 deals involving sectors such as textile, energy and mining were signed at a dinner attended by Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce on Feb 18.
The daughter allegedly beheaded a man she stabbed and took his head home in a suitcase.
Yoon, 65, was sentenced on Feb 19 to life in prison for masterminding insurrection.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at India's AI Impact Summit that artificial intelligence must be made widely accessible, stressing that it should serve as a tool for inclusion and empowerment, especially for countries in the Global South.
These venomous jellyfish have recently been found at several popular tourist locations in the state.
The latest killing of family members took place on Tuesday (Feb 17) in Pahang, in which a 32-year-old man allegedly murdered his wife, mother and two young daughters aged two and four with a sharp blade before killing himself.
The non-violent movement was described as a “Revolution of Light".
A panel of judges sentenced him to life in prison after finding him guilty on Feb 19.
MOSCOW, Feb 19 - Telegram says it has not found any breaches of its encryption, dismissing a Russian government allegation that foreign intelligence services can see messages sent by Russian soldiers via the messaging app.
SEOUL, Feb 19 - Ousted South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol, a former prosecutor who took gambles to win power, finally fell victim to his own recklessness, people who knew him said, through a belief that he could crush political enemies by declaring martial law.
Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment on Feb 19.
After the US captured Venezuela’s president at the start of 2026, Donald Trump promised to “unleash” the country’s oil supply. He wanted companies to invest US$100 billion to get hold of it. Big Oil though, seems less than keen on that idea, appearing to consider Venezuela too
The families of the 40 victims in the Feb 6 attack received more than US$700,000 (S$887,000) in total.
Under recent hate crime legislation, it is an offence to display Nazi and other hate symbols.
Yoon Suk Yeol was found guilty on charges of abuse of authority and masterminding an insurrection, stemming from his December 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
There’s been a lot of talk about middle powers lately. Nothing new there, perhaps, but this time there’s also been some middle-power action. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has single-handedly demonstrated that not only is it possible for leaders of middle powers to think
Prosecutors sought the death penalty in January.
Deals were signed for the mining, energy, agribusiness, textiles, furniture and technology sectors.
The Gates Foundation said the decision was made to "ensure the focus remains on the summit's key priorities".
The officers allegedly forced a group of Chinese nationals to transfer cryptocurrency in exchange for their release after a house raid.
Wanted for multiple counts of theft, the suspect was caught outside a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok.
Four suspects, a father and his three children, are still under remand to help the investigation.
The latest letter is the third such incident in the lead-up to Ramadan.
SYDNEY, Feb 19 - Australian police said on Thursday they had launched an investigation after a threatening letter was sent to the country’s largest mosque, the third such incident in the lead-up to the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
BEIJING, Feb 19 - China sees an opening to turn President Donald Trump's tariffs to its advantage by reshaping global trade in ways that would insulate its $19 trillion economy from U.S. pressure far into the future.