Pentagon chief Hegseth says US blockade on Iran 'going global'

WASHINGTON, April 24 - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that the U.S. blockade on Iran is going global, adding Tehran had a chance to make a \"good deal\" with Washington.

Chips today, fog tomorrow? Study links processed foods to waning focus

A study has linked ultra-processed foods to reduced focus, even among otherwise healthy eaters.

South Korea arrests man for spreading AI-generated image of escaped wolf

Neukgu’s escape prompted a local elementary school to close over safety concerns.

Zelenskiy arrives in Saudi Arabia seeking security cooperation

KYIV, April 24 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday arrived in Jeddah on his second visit to Saudi Arabia in a month, as Kyiv tries to bolster security cooperation and advertise its battle-tested technology in the Middle East amid the Iran war.

Russia says new EU sanctions will hurt developing countries

MOSCOW, April 24 - Russia said on Friday that new European Union sanctions on its oil and gas would hurt developing countries and the EU itself, and promised to retaliate.

Chinese EVs, flying cars take centre stage at world's biggest auto show

While traditional leading brands like Germany's BMW and Mercedes held sweeping areas in the exhibition centre, most of the space was dominated by Chinese brands, including BYD, Xiaomi and XPeng.

Sovereignty of Falklands rests with the UK, Britain tells the US

LONDON, April 24 - The sovereignty of the Falkland Islands rests with Britain, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday after an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing the U.S. position on the Falklands as punishment for Britain's stance on the Iran war.

Only five ships pass through Strait of Hormuz in 24 hours

LONDON, April 24 - Only five ships, including one Iranian oil products tanker, have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, Friday shipping data showed, after Iran seized two container ships this week and the U.S. continues to blockade Iranian ports.

US Navy’s audacious drone swarm bet against China

As the US Navy moves to deploy thousands of unmanned surface vessels in the Indo-Pacific, questions are mounting over whether these drone swarms can deliver meaningful combat and deterrent effects against China. This month, USNI News reported that the US Navy is looking to

China holds live-fire drills in waters near the Philippines’ Luzon Island

The announcement came as US and Filipino troops began their annual Balikatan military exercises.

Northern Japan wildfires prompt mass evacuations as flames spread

TOKYO, April 24 - Two forest fires continued to spread toward residential areas in a northern Japanese town on Friday, prompting authorities to expand evacuation orders to more than 3,000 people, with the blazes still uncontained, media reports said.

China bans dual-use items exports to seven European entities over Taiwan arms sales

Japan's Haruki Murakami to publish first new novel in 3 years with The Tale Of Kaho in July

The story centres on a 26-year-old picture book author named Kaho.

Japan to set up task force on cyberattack risks from Anthropic’s Mythos AI

Financial regulators around the world have called emergency meetings to address risks posed by Mythos.

Trump feeds America’s enduring appetite for destruction

Donald Trump still has the capacity to shock. The American president’s unauthorized war against Iran finds him in a vicious destructive mode, recently threatening to push Iran “into the Stone Ages” and to end Iranian civilization if Iran did not agree to “unconditional

US imposes sanctions on Cambodian senator and 28 others for alleged crypto-romance scams

WASHINGTON, April 24 - The U.S. government on Thursday imposed sanctions on Kok An, a wealthy Cambodian senator and ally of Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, and 28 individuals and entities that it said had stolen millions of dollars from U.S. citizens using crypto-romance

‘Corporate mafia’: The scandal that Malaysia can no longer ignore

Drink-driving, MACC scandal: Malaysia's justice system bending to public pressure or finally getting serious?

ASEAN states eyeing Russian oil and gas choose short-term relief over geopolitical risks

Any continued reliance by Southeast Asia on Russia for energy risks increasing Moscow's leverage on bilateral relations and potential tension with other countries, say analysts.

Bangladesh sweats as Middle East fuel shortages force power cuts

The South Asian nation is facing a severe energy crisis exacerbated by disruption in the Hormuz Strait.

Glacier block delays route-setting on Everest

Indonesia sends off first batch of Haj pilgrims with safety measures in place amid Middle East tensions

Authorities are also preparing for worst-case scenarios, including the possibility of evacuation if conditions deteriorate significantly.

Beijing’s new supply chain rules deepen concerns for US firms in China

The regulations could add pressure on companies already navigating policy uncertainty and uneven market access, according to a new white paper by the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Ukraine defies Trump as rift over war strategy deepens

Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Germany’s strategic shift faces stark economic constraintsDiego Faßnacht reports that Berlin’s push for greater military ambition is colliding with weak growth, fiscal

No US-Iran peace talks in sight, but Islamabad maintains security lockdown

Markets are deserted and weekend commuters are stuck with no service at bus terminals.

Philippine President Marcos to make Japan state visit

The Filipino leader is set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during the May 26 to 29 trip.

China calls US accusations of AI technology theft 'baseless'

White House science and technology chief Michael Kratsios said that Washington would "be taking action to protect American innovation".

Indonesia reaffirms it has no plan to impose tolls in Malacca Strait

Indonesia's finance minister said his country has no plan to impose tolls on ships passing through the Malacca Strait after his previous comments about monetising the strategic sea route.

After call from Beijing, China’s auto industry races to embed AI in just about everything

China is embarking on a national project to embed AI systems into almost every corner of the economy.

British conwoman who claimed to be royalty hit with new charges in Singapore

Dionne Marie Hanna, 85, is accused of duping more than two dozen people - including her own son.

Power disruptions hit some MRT stations in KL; trains still running

Station facilities, like air-conditioning and Touch ‘n Go top-up services, have been disrupted.

From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social media access

April 24 - Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook, amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children's

Giant ice tower delays opening of Everest climbing route

KATHMANDU, April 24 - Hundreds of mountaineers are stranded at the Himalayan base camp for Mount Everest as a crevasse strewn with chunks of ice, including one towering block, delays the opening of the route to the world's tallest peak, officials and climbers said on Friday.

In deep doodoo: Woman in Australia trapped in waist-high waste for hours after toilet floor caves in

The woman fell 2m into the toilet pit when the rusty floor gave way beneath her.

South Korea police arrest man for posting AI photo of runaway wolf

The widely circulated image had prompted authorities to move their search operation.

Claude Mythos crosses an AI point of no return

The limit of what artificial intelligence can achieve, known as frontier AI, has crossed another threshold. AI can now plan and execute sophisticated cyber operations with minimal guidance at speeds far beyond human capability. That, at least, is the evidence from an

China rejects Trump accusation that intercepted Iran ship was ‘gift from China’

Iran’s military said the ship had been travelling from China.

China rejects Trump accusation that intercepted Iran ship was 'gift from China'

BEIJING, April 24 - China's foreign ministry on Friday rejected an accusation by U.S. President Donald Trump that an Iranian-flagged cargo ship intercepted by U.S. forces was a \"gift from China.\"

Woman trapped in poo for three hours after outback toilet collapses

The woman got stuck waist-deep in a pit latrine in the Australian outback after it gave way.

Why Japan should help pay for Indonesia’s coal exit

In the global race to decarbonize, Indonesia sits at a crossroads. It is one of the world’s largest coal producers and consumers, and its economic geography tells a stark story: entire provinces — from West Java’s industrial corridors to East Kalimantan’s mining heartlands—are

ASEAN chair urges Myanmar to free more prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence, commuted as part of an amnesty for prisoners, seen as positive step.

Dozens of Thai opposition figures to go on trial over bid to amend royal insult law

BANGKOK, April 24 - Thailand's Supreme Court said on Friday that 44 current and former opposition lawmakers will go on trial over an attempt to amend a law that protects the monarchy from criticism, in another blow to the country's progressive movement.

Philippines President Marcos to make Japan state visit

Marcos' state visit would be the first by an incumbent Filipino leader since 2015.

Myanmar’s military-backed government imposes martial law in 60 townships

The official announcement cites the need to “end armed terrorism” for the 90-day emergency period.

Aboriginal children's book pulled over illustrator's Bondi attack comments

Several writers have cut ties with the University of Queensland Press for cancelling the book.

An Indonesian minister floated the idea of a Malacca Strait levy. It sank within 24 hours

Indonesia's walk back has exposed mixed signals and policy confusion, observers say.

Food prices in Asia tipped to increase as fuel and fertiliser crisis hits Australian farmers

Products which use large amounts of fertiliser are expected to be worst affected, including wheat and oats.

Five things to know about Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek

DeepSeek shot to global attention with the release of its R1 deep-reasoning large language model.

Pakistan military kills 22 in northwest clashes, child dead in crossfire

The clash took place on April 21 in Khyber district near the border with Afghanistan.