Tamagotchi and Tomica: Japan’s young-at-heart ‘kidults’ boost toy market despite baby bust
Japan's toy market grew 7.9 per cent year on year to hit $9.1 billion in the year ending March 2025.
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Russia asks US to stop pursuit of fleeing oil tanker, NY Times reports
Jan 1 - Russia has asked the U.S. to stop its pursuit of an oil tanker that was heading to Venezuela and is now fleeing the U.S. Coast Guard in the Atlantic Ocean, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing two people with knowledge of the matter.
Russia and Ukraine trade allegations of civilian attacks on New Year's day
KYIV, Jan 1 - Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians over the New Year, with Moscow reporting a deadly strike on a hotel in territory it occupies in southern Ukraine while Kyiv said there had been another broad attack on its power supplies.
Train collides with car at rail crossing in Japan’s Saitama prefecture
The car was severely damaged, and part of the train’s cars derailed.
Thailand sees annual foreign tourist arrivals slow to 33 million
This was the first annual drop in international arrivals in a decade outside the pandemic period.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends New Year celebrations with daughter
Some analysts view her as the front runner to become Kim's successor.
Ukrainian drones strike Russian energy targets in Krasnodar, Tatarstan regions
MOSCOW, Jan 1 - Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, as well as an energy storage facility in the oil-rich Volga river region of Tatarstan, Russian authorities and Ukraine's military said on Thursday.
Vice-mayor of town in Philippines’ Iloilo dies after accidentally firing her own gun
Aimee Paz Lamasan was handling the firearm when it accidentally discharged, with the bullet hitting her in the stomach.
Bangkok air quality slips into orange zone, exceeding safety standard; Chatuchak district worst hit
Stronger winds are forecast between Jan 2 and 6, which could improve ventilation.
Dense fog disrupts flights across northern and eastern India, including New Delhi
Airlines cautioned travellers to remain alert and check flight updates to avoid inconvenience.
Australia ‘disappointed’ with China’s beef tariffs
China's new beef import tariffs could damage trade worth more than $858 million.
Scam centers behind Thailand’s strangely strong baht?
Thailand’s baht was the second-best performer in 2025, rising nearly 10% against the US dollar, a surprising appreciation that is out of step with the kingdom’s underlying financial and economic fundamentals. Observers and analysts have offered various explanations. The leading
22 injured in New Year party attack in Philippines
Two suspects on motorcycles lobbed a grenade at a roadside New Year’s party venue.
Finland seizes ship sailing from Russia after suspected cable sabotage in Baltic Sea
HELSINKI, Dec 31 - Finnish police on Wednesday seized a ship sailing from Russia on suspicion of sabotaging an undersea telecoms cable running from Helsinki to Estonia across the Gulf of Finland, an area hit by a string of similar incidents in recent years.
Zia led Bangladesh across its most decisive economic threshold
History seldom favors leaders who fail to script their own narratives, and it is uniquely merciless toward women navigating entrenched patriarchal polities. Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who passed away on December 30 remains trapped in that shadow. She is
Workers in South Korea may soon be able to ignore late-night work messages
A new proposal will seek to shield workers from unnecessary work instructions outside office hours.
How Japanese scallops became a pawn in diplomatic tensions with China
For Beijing, scallops have served as a diplomatic pressure point.
3-year-old boy falls to death in Japan after parents leave home to visit shrine
He is believed to have fallen from a balcony of his ninth-floor home.
US grants TSMC annual licence to import US chipmaking tools into China
The licence "ensures uninterrupted fab operations and product deliveries", said the chipmaker.
Indonesia’s poor maritime safety in spotlight following Labuan Bajo boat accident
The accident killed a Spanish tourist and left three others missing.
China’s Quad counter centers on building an anti-India arc
As the Quad — the US, Japan, India and Australia — seeks to constrain Beijing’s ambitions, China is quietly building a counterarchitecture aimed not at the Quad as a whole, but at its most exposed member: India. Through patient investments, military partnerships and political
Why Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is so upsetting to so many
Israel is on the hot seat. Not for Gaza, or Iran, or even for attacks on Syria or Lebanon. No, Israel is on the hot seat for being the first country to establish formal diplomaticrelations with Somaliland. Huh? Israel has had close, informal relations with Somaliland for
Inside China’s six-decade campaign to dominate rare earths
China has used rare earths as a chokehold on global supply chains and a powerful tool in trade wars.
Putin residence attack jeopardizes US security guarantees
Vladimir Putin’s residence in Novgorod, known as Dolgiye Borody, also known as Valdai and Uzhin, was attacked by waves of drones on December 29. We know this from an official statement from Sergey Lavrov, and from President Trump who was informed by Putin himself in a telephone
As Japan’s labour shortage deepens, businesses fear losing foreign workers
Across Japan, many regional businesses rely on foreign labour to survive.
Half of hot spring inns in Japan’s Noto remain closed 2 years after quake
The strong earthquake left local businesses concerned about a talent drain.
Taiwan’s president vows to defend sovereignty after China drills
This comes after China declared it had successfully completed military drills around Taiwan.
North Korea’s Kim hails troops fighting in ‘alien land’: State media
North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine.
North Korea's Kim Jong Un attends New Year's celebrations, KCNA says
SEOUL, Jan 1 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended New Year's celebrations in Pyongyang including fireworks, patriotic songs and dances and a taekwondo demonstration, state media KCNA said on Thursday.
Condom tax and cheaper childcare: China's plan to boost birth rates
Chinese people pay a 13% sales tax on contraceptives from 1 January, while childcare services are exempt.
Pentagon says Lockheed Martin gets $328.5 million Taiwan military sale contract
WASHINGTON, Dec 31 - The Pentagon said on Wednesday that Lockheed Martin was given a contract involving foreign military sales to Taiwan to meet what Washington calls \"an urgent operational need\" of the Taiwan Air Force.
Did you catch these 10 stories in 2025? This is why they’re not to be missed
These CNA stories, from profile pieces to investigative work, offer a snapshot of what helped shape 2025 at home and abroad and made viewers feel deeply, think harder and see the world more clearly.
China wants more homegrown chips in its cars. The hard part isn’t geopolitics
China’s push to localise automotive chips is gaining ground, but mostly in mature control systems rather than high-end computing. Observers say the main hurdles are technical, not geopolitical.
Commentary: Moutai hangover – why China’s fanciest liquor is in a slump
The price of China’s most prestigious drink has fallen to its lowest in years. It’s a good time for its fans, says Bloomberg Opinion’s Juliana Liu.
