South Korea’s maid cafes spark concerns over possible involvement of minors

Most maid cafes in South Korea do not sell alcohol or provide adult-oriented services.

Thai footballer killed in lighting strike during match in Narathiwat province; Malaysian among 12 others injured

The incident took place on Tuesday (Aug 4) evening during the semi-final match of the regional Golok FA Cup football tournament at Santiphap Stadium in Thailand’s Narathiwat province.

Indonesian economic growth slows to 5.3% in Q2, but beats forecast

Government spending posted the biggest growth, rising 15.97 per cent in the second quarter on the back of spending for civil servants.

Factories shed workers in Bangladesh garment sector

Police raid Starbucks Korea headquarters over 'Tank Day' fiasco

People have filed complaints against Starbucks for allegedly making light of the deadly Gwangju Uprising.

Myanmar civil war nears a rare opening for talks as diplomacy gains ground

BANGKOK, Aug 4 - After more than five years of fighting, a rare window for talks over Myanmar's devastating civil war is appearing, driven by a shift on the battlefield where the military has regained ground and mounting regional pressure to engage.

India monsoon floods, landslides kill more than 100 since July

Neighbouring Sri Lanka has also seen unusually heavy monsoon rains that have caused flash floods and mudslides, claiming the lives of at least eight people since Aug 3.

Afghan boxer accused of killing British woman in Athens to appear in court

ATHENS, Aug 5 - A 26-year old professional boxer from Afghanistan accused of killing a Scottish woman whose body was found in a suitcase in central Athens last month will appear in court on Wednesday, two police officials said.

6.3-magnitude earthquake hits off southern Philippines

The quake did not trigger a tsunami warning.

US and Iran having 'very good discussions', Trump says

DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Aug 5 - U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration had \"very good discussions\" with Iran during all-day negotiations on Tuesday, fuelling expectations of an imminent end to the five-month conflict.

Taiwan investigates 17 Chinese firms for suspected poaching of high-tech talent

Taiwan ministries raided Chinese firms suspected of illegally recruiting workers and operating unlicensed offices.

6.3-magnitude earthquake hits off southern Philippines: USGS

South Korea to revive stalled rail project that could connect to North Korea

The railway, which begins in Seoul, could serve as a future connection to Wonsan in North Korea.

China is claiming the right to punish its critics anywhere on Earth

On July 1, China brought into force its Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, converting a decade of Xi Jinping’s doctrine of “forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation” into binding law. Most attention has gone to its domestic machinery: entrenching

Brace for higher US interest rates from the Fed

The bond market has been pushing interest rates higher in recent weeks. Though the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Open Market Committee kept the benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at its Aug. 28-29 meeting, it could well follow suit by year’s end. The policy statement the

North Korean missile unit deploys in Russia for Ukraine war, Kyiv says

LONDON, Aug 5 - A North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia and could be equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine, an official at Ukraine's military intelligence agency said.

Police raid Starbucks Korea headquarters over ‘Tank Day’ event

This comes after its “Tank Day” promotion was accused of insulting victims of South Korea’s democracy movement.

Iran, Ukraine wars escalate oil shortages with few signs of relief

The global energy crisis triggered by two wars is set to worsen, as Ukraine pummels Russia’s refining industry and Iranian attacks continue on Middle Eastern oil production and refining. Further, the nature of the destruction and the growing number of fronts and warring parties

Gulf shipping traffic steady amid uncertainty of peace talks

Eight vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz, shipping data from Kpler showed, the same as the previous day.

Taiwan launches major war games to test command flexibility

TAIPEI, Aug 5 - Taiwan began major military drills on Wednesday to test commanders' ability to fight on the fly when enemy movements defy expectations, while temporarily limiting internet access for the first time, senior Taiwan officials said.

Taiwan begins military drills as China pressure grows

Civilians will also be put through their paces during exercises that include air raid drills.

Thai footballer dies on the pitch in southern Thailand after being struck by lightning

At least 12 others were injured, including a Malaysian footballer.

Malaysian nabbed trying to smuggle drugs into Indonesia under corset

He told investigators that he had agreed to work as a courier for a drug network as he was struggling financially.

PNG’s closure of Taiwan trade office signals expanded economic ties with China

Experts said the move was diplomatically confusing, but that PNG could expect vast sums of Chinese money.

Man wielding kitchen knife dies in rare fatal police shooting in Japan

A police officer in his 30s warned the man to drop the knife, but he did not comply.

High bills, cheap panels drive a Philippine solar surge

The government has targeted a mix of 35 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

JB hotels gearing up for F1 bonanza with Bahrain GP in Sepang and Singapore GP held back to back

Johor Bahru’s proximity to Singapore makes it an increasingly attractive alternative.

Jetstar introduces fees for carry-on luggage in overhead lockers

Many Australians are outraged while others say it's 'about time' passengers are charged for larger bags.

‘Refrigerator for humans’ in Japan offers relief from scorching summer

The company has sold about 200 of the booths since it went on sale earlier in 2026.

Asia shares climb as tech mood swings, oil retreats

As summer returns in South Korea, so does debate over shirtless runners

While some view it as a matter of personal freedom, local governments continue to receive complaints.

How four Asian economies are positioning themselves for the AI age

The global artificial intelligence race is usually portrayed as a contest between the US and China. But another story is unfolding across east Asia, where countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam are looking to command key parts of the AI value chain. Here,

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong warns of new military options over Japan’s strike capabilities

She added that Pyongyang will make new military choices against Japan's threat.

Kim Yo Jong criticizes Japan's Tomahawk missile test, KCNA reports

SEOUL, Aug 5 - North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, criticised in a statement Japan's recent test-firing of a Tomahawk missile, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.

'I feel like I dug my own grave': The workers caught in the AI transition

AI is reshaping the Philippines' outsourcing industry, raising questions over the future of the industry.

The avalanche that killed a climbing legend - and a generation of record-setting guides

Their fellow guides say their deaths in Pakistan dealt a devastating blow to Nepal's mountaineering community.

Projectile sinks Indian-flagged ship off Yemen coast

All 14 people on board the Indian-flagged vessel were safely rescued, India's ministry of external affairs says.

Piece of SpaceX rocket will crash into the moon Wednesday

WASHINGTON, Aug 4 - A SpaceX rocket piece floating in space since last year is on track to smash into the moon at high speed early Wednesday morning.

Trump Gaza Board of Peace caves to Israel’s demands on disarmament

US President Donald Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace appears to be going back on the disarmament deal it reached last week with Hamas in order to meet Israel’s demands, and it may throw the entire process into jeopardy. A roadmap agreed to last week, which Trump touted as a massive

Suu Kyi proof-of-life photo is proof of nothing in Myanmar

Two things happened in Myanmar over the past week that belong side by side. On July 28, two Mandalay courts sentenced nine peaceful protesters to prison terms of up to 37 years under the junta’s “election protection” law and a counter-terrorism statute. Their crime was a

Projectile sinks Indian ship near Yemeni waters but all seafarers safe, Indian minister says

Aug 4 - A projectile struck an Indian-flagged vessel near Yemen, causing it to capsize and sink, but all 14 seafarers on board were rescued, India's shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Tuesday in a post on X.

Private firms driving Russia’s new tech push in Ukraine war

Russia is introducing new technology into the Ukraine war. Will it help the Russians win in the conflict? Even more tantalizing, both were developed by private sector companies in Russia! Russia and Ukraine often tout new products sold to the public as wunderwaffen. Soon it

US in a losing race to replenish depleted missile arsenals

The US’s multibillion-dollar push to expand interceptor missile production could begin rebuilding depleted stocks, but long manufacturing lead times, industrial bottlenecks and cost imbalances mean the benefits will depend on how quickly new capacity translates into deployable

Nepal mountaineers mourn ‘lost generation’ in Pakistan avalanche

10 climbers were killed in an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak on July 30.

22-year-old arrested after more than 10kg of drugs found in car at Woodlands Checkpoint

About 8.6kg of cannabis and 1.5kg of Ice were seized from the man's vehicle.

South Korean students detained for allegedly breaking into US military base

North Korea’s Vietnam War dead to get first memorial 60 years on

The move is a rare public acknowledgement of Pyongyang's military role in the conflict.