Australia drug kingpin walks free after police informant scandal
His case fell apart after his lawyer at the time fed information to police while supposedly defending her clients.
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China probes mental hospitals over reports patients are being locked up in insurance scam
Media reports of psychiatric institutes locking up patients - including people without mental illness - as part of an insurance scam triggered a nationwide review.
Hong Kong to sentence media mogul Jimmy Lai on Feb 9
Jimmy Lai will be sentenced alongside eight co-defendants on Monday (Feb 9), including six executives of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper.
Australia, Indonesia sign security deal in hedge against China
The deal is largely based on an agreement signed 30 years ago.
Taiwan’s political stand-off stalls $51b defence plan
Divisions in Parliament have culminated in the govt’s proposal being blocked 10 times since December.
Indonesia signs security pact with Australia
The pact, the full details of which have not yet been disclosed, was first announced in November.
Drones spiking risk of a mega-miscalculation in Persian Gulf
The United States Navy’s decision to shoot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea is not in itself extraordinary. What is, however, is how routine such encounters have become and how thin the margin for miscalculation is in the Persian Gulf and its surrounding waters.
Malaysian authorities busted ‘Ninja Turtle’ syndicate that breeds, sells exotic turtles
Fifty turtles were seized when authorities raided three locations.
Thailand’s party spots dry up with election day booze bans
It is illegal to sell, pay for or give away any kind of alcoholic drink during two 24-hour windows linked to voting.
USS John F Kennedy exposes America’s carrier crunch vs China
The USS John F. Kennedy’s progress toward service highlights both the US Navy’s investment in carriers and the mounting pressure on a fleet stretched thin by global commitments. This month, multiple media outlets reported that the US Navy’s next carrier, the future USS John F.
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai to be sentenced on Feb 9
He faces possible life imprisonment.
Murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya’s family returns over $1.5m in damages to Malaysia govt
It was returned after a Court of Appeal ruling that absolved the government of liability in her death.
Taiwan teams with US firm Kratos to build attack drones to counter China
Taiwan is seeking to expand security ties with the US, including jointly developing and manufacturing weapons.
Undercover probe finds Australian pubs short-pouring beer
Common issues included inaccurate measuring instruments, unapproved glasses and spillage during pouring.
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai to be sentenced on February 9
HONG KONG, Feb 6 - Hong Kong media tycoon and democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai will be sentenced on February 9, the city's judiciary said on Friday, in a closely watched national security trial that has drawn international criticism including from the U.S. and Britain.
Prosperity plants grow in demand in Malaysia as Chinese New Year gets closer
Among the most popular prosperity plants is the Lucky Bamboo.
Trump endorses Japan's Takaichi ahead of snap election
It is rare for US presidents to publicly back candidates in foreign elections.
New Zealand deputy PM defends claims colonisation good for Maori
David Seymour said colonisation had been a net positive for the indigenous people of New Zealand.
Cancer cases rising among children and young people in Nepal
Doctors blame changing lifestyles, unhealthy diets and sedentary habits for the surge.
Soaring food bills pose risk to Japan PM Takaichi’s election prospects
It is a big issue for her ahead of the election on Feb 8 that will make or break her govt.
Kyoto’s famed Ginkakuji temple to raise admission fees for first time in 32 years
Money generated through the hike will be used to maintain the temple’s cultural properties and gardens.
Japan PM’s push for counter-espionage law splits parties in snap election
The LDP has pledged to “comprehensively strengthen” the country’s intelligence services.
We had sex in a Chinese hotel, then found we had been broadcast to thousands
A couple who stayed in Shenzhen discovered their intimate moments were filmed as spy-cam porn.
Meet the women protecting India's snow leopards
The women brave biting cold to count and conserve a predator once seen as a threat in their villages.
Explainer: How will Thailand’s election play out?
Thailand is holding a general election on Feb 8 in a three-way contest.
Thai PM Anutin’s gamble on nationalism to be tested in close election
Polls show the electoral contest remains a three-way tussle among Bhumjaithai, the People's Party and Pheu Thai.
Thai PM Anutin's gamble on nationalism to be tested in close election
BANGKOK, Feb 6 - When Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved parliament on Dec. 12, he did so hoping a surge of nationalism fuelled by last year's deadly border clashes with Cambodia would help him consolidate power in a general election.
A tumultuous two decades in Thailand’s politics
Thailand has seen five prime ministers brought down in the past two decades.
Who are the contenders to be Thailand’s next prime minister?
More than 90 eligible names have been submitted as potential candidates for prime minister.
New Zealand celebrates national day with call to support Maori and preserve unity
SYDNEY, Feb 6 - New Zealand must continue to evolve in a way that empowers its Indigenous Maori while preserving national unity, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said, as the country on Friday marked the anniversary of the signing of its founding document.
For Thailand's popular progressives, winning the vote is only the first hurdle
The country votes again this weekend after three years of political turmoil.
Takaichi: the Japanese prime minister America has been waiting for
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling coalition is likely to win big in Japan’s lower house election on February 8. Hopefully, Washington recognizes what it has with Takaichi. Among major US allies, Japan is the only one that is taking its defense seriously and not cozying
China economic rebalancing to test Koreans before benefiting them
China is paradoxical. Two incredibly different narratives can be correct at the same time: its economy is slowing sharply, and its exporters are becoming an even bigger competitive force. But this contradiction is not really a contradiction. A development model that helped turn
Thailand Election 2026: A look at the 3 key parties contesting the polls
Thailand’s Feb 8 snap election is shaping up as a three-way contest, with voters weighing stability against reform and political legacy against change.
From 50% to 18%: US tariff cut brings relief - but challenges remain for India’s exporters
After almost a year of fear, policy uncertainty and lost orders, India’s exporters tell CNA the latest US tariff cut offers relief - but not clarity.
Commentary: Southeast Asia cannot afford to just lay low until the end of Trump’s presidency
Key US strategy documents indicate that Southeast Asia is not high on the list of priorities, but the region cannot disengage, says Kevin Chen from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Gongxi Gongxi so passe: How Malaysia became a powerhouse in producing CNY songs
Many made-in-Malaysia CNY tunes are jaunty, with lyrics in a mix of Mandarin, Chinese dialects, English and even Malay.
Global cricket tournament gets embroiled in South Asian hostilities
Pakistan has said it will boycott its match with India scheduled in Colombo on Feb 15.
How Japan can function as Taiwan deterrence logistics hub
Originally published by Pacific Forum, this article is republished with permission. In the early 1990s, President Lech Wałęsa envisioned Poland becoming a “second Japan” – an advanced economy with cutting-edge technology. Today, Polish observers note with irony that Japan may
US, China opt out of joint declaration on AI use in military
A CORUNA, Spain, Feb 5 - Around a third of countries attending a military AI summit agreed on Thursday to a a declaration on how to govern deployment of the technology in warfare, but military heavyweights China and the U.S. opted out.
Trump says retains right to 'militarily' secure Chagos airbase
Feb 5 - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he retained the right to \"militarily secure\" a joint US-UK airbase in the Chagos Archipelago following \"productive\" discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Trump endorses Japanese PM Takaichi ahead of Feb 8 election
Mr Trump added in his Truth Social post that they will meet on March 19 at the White House.
Trump endorses Japanese PM Takaichi ahead of Sunday election
Feb 5 - U.S President Donald Trump on Thursday said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had his \"total endorsement\" ahead of a legislative election in the east Asian country on Sunday, adding that they would meet March 19 at the White House.
Pakistan military says it concludes week-long fight against Baloch separatists
QUETTA, Feb 5 - Pakistan's military said on Thursday it had concluded a week-long operation against separatists in Balochistan who stormed more than a dozen locations, taking hostages, setting off explosives and waging gun battles with security forces.
Taiwan risks becoming numb to China drills, but threat is real: Defence minister
China has been sending warplanes and warships into the skies and waters around the island daily.
India seeks Singapore capital to fuel its ambitious private space sector
This is part of New Delhi’s plan to grow its space economy into a US$44b industry by 2033, from the current valuation of around US$8.4b.
Sixteen people killed in blast at illegal mine in northeastern India
Feb 5 - At least 16 people were killed and more were feared trapped after an explosion at an unauthorised coal mine in India's northeastern state of Meghalaya, an official said, the latest in a series of similar incidents in the region in recent years.