Indonesia touts 'victory' in achieving rice self-sufficiency

Rice self-sufficiency was one of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's key election campaign promises.

3 Singaporeans face mandatory community service in Johor after being caught littering under stricter law

Under Malaysia’s stricter littering punishments, which kicked off on Jan 1, first-time offenders could face fines and community service of up to 12 hours.

Indonesia touts ‘victory’ in achieving rice self-sufficiency

At the start of his administration, Mr Prabowo has set a four-year target for rice self-sufficiency.

China studying better benefits for gig workers, with inspiration from Singapore

China may adopt something similar to Singapore’s Platform Workers Act.

Indonesia may seize another 5 million hectares of palm oil plantations in 2026

In 2025, the Indonesian authorities targeted major palm oil companies and smallholder farmers alike.

Batam adds traffic education to school curriculum in bid to cut road accidents involving students

The policy is meant to ensure the security, safety, order and smoothness of traffic in the Riau Islands region.

South Korean teens spend more than three hours a day watching online videos: Survey

Instagram and YouTube were the most frequently used social media platforms.

Intense heatwave grips Australia’s southern states, fans bushfires

Meteorologists said the conditions were at their worst in six years.

Intense heatwave grips Australia's southern states, fans bushfires

SYDNEY, Jan 7 - Australia’s south sweltered through a brutal heatwave on Wednesday that delivered temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some cities, triggering health warnings, straining power grids and causing bushfires to flare.

Bersatu’s Saifuddin Abdullah says he will appeal dismissal from Malaysian opposition party

He said the disciplinary process that led to his dismissal did not meet the principles of natural justice.

Doctors ruled out surgery for Malaysia ex-PM Mahathir’s fractured hip because of his age, says son

Over the years, Mahathir has had at least two major heart surgeries.

Japan railway names third cat stationmaster

The Kishigawa Line drew attention after it named cat Tama its first feline stationmaster in 2007.

Pakistan eyes defence pact with Bangladesh, sale of JF-17 jets

ISLAMABAD, Jan 7 - The air force chiefs of Pakistan and Bangladesh held talks on a potential pact covering the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to Dhaka, Pakistan's military said, as Islamabad widens its arms supply ambitions and beefs up ties with Bangladesh.

Early morning blaze in Phuket destroys over 20 speedboats

Officials noted that many of the boats had full fuel tanks.

EDM festival Tomorrowland to stage first Asian edition in Thailand this December

Tomorrowland Thailand will take place from Dec 11 to 13.

Ramyeon, ajumma enter Oxford English Dictionary

This is the second consecutive year that Korean-derived terms have been incorporated.

China bans two Taiwan ministers for alleged 'independence activities', angering Taipei

South Korea's Lee says urged Xi to help curb North Korea's nukes

Japan stops Chubu Electric’s nuclear review due to flawed seismic data

The watchdog’s move stalls Chubu’s effort to resume two reactors at its Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station.

South Korea’s Lee says he asked China’s Xi to play a mediating role on North Korea

The South Korean leader said that much progress had been made in restoring trust with Beijing.

South Korea's Lee says he asked Xi to play a mediating role on North Korea

SEOUL, Jan 7 - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday that much progress had been made in restoring trust with Beijing, and that he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to play a role in mediating Seoul's efforts to engage North Korea.

Nostalgia and new fans as Tamagotchi turns 30

A 30th anniversary exhibition showing Tamagotchi’s evolution opens in Tokyo on Jan 7.

Vietnamese caught in Japan’s illegal worker crackdown

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has promised to crack down on illegal workers.

Japan nuclear official loses phone with classified data in China

The phone contained information like names and contacts of people working at the agency.

Taiwan says China’s war games sought to undermine global support for the island

The drills caused dozens of domestic flights in Taiwan to be cancelled and drew concern from allies.

Taiwan says China's war games sought to undermine global support for the island

TAIPEI, Jan 7 - China's war game exercises around Taiwan last week were part of a campaign to counter growing international support for the island and an attempt to divert attention away from Beijing's economic troubles, Taiwan's top security agency said on Wednesday.

Vietnam proposes halting passenger trains through Hanoi’s famous ‘railway cafe street’

Local authorities have repeatedly warned that the site poses serious safety risks.

China's top diplomat heads to key strategic points in Africa

BEIJING, Jan 7 - China's top diplomat began his annual New Year tour of Africa on Wednesday, with a focus on the strategically important east, as the world's No.2 economy seeks to reinforce its influence on the continent.

Yemen's STC leader al-Zubaidi flees, Saudi-backed coalition says

Jan 7 - The leader of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC), Aidarous al-Zubaidi, failed to board a plane set to take him to Riyadh, and fled instead to an unknown destination, the Saudi-backed coalition in the country said on Wednesday.

6.7-magnitude earthquake strikes near Baculin, Philippines

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the earthquake.

Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes near Baculin, Philippines, USGS says

Jan 7 - A 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck 68 km (42 miles) east of Baculin in the Philippines, at a depth of 10 km (6 miles) on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Japan says China's dual-use export ban 'unacceptable', rare earths in crosshairs

TOKYO, Jan 7 - Japan's top government spokesperson said on Wednesday that China's ban on exports of dual-use items to the country was \"absolutely unacceptable and deeply regrettable\", as a diplomatic dispute between Asia's top two economies ramped up.

Japan condemns China’s dual-use export ban, rare earth risks loom

Japanese authorities declined to comment on the possible impact on Japanese industry.

Daiso is now the go-to store in South Korea for premium K-beauty products

Daiso is emerging as an unlikely but increasingly influential beauty destination.

US has right to take over any country for its resources: Miller

“Belligerent” was how one Democratic lawmaker described a diatribe given by top White House adviser Stephen Miller on CNN Monday evening regarding the Trump administration’s right to take over Venezuela – or any other country – if doing so is in the interest of the US. To

Japan urges China to drop controls on dual-use exports

JB businesses with ground-floor units must now install at least 3 CCTVs as part of safety push

The Johor Bahru City Council was the first local authority to implement such a rule, the JB mayor said.

China takes punitive actions on three Taiwanese for 'independence activities'

BEIJING, Jan 7 - China will take punitive actions against three Taiwanese for their involvement in separatist activities related to \"Taiwan independence\", its Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday.

China bans two Taiwan ministers for alleged ‘independence activities’, angering Taipei

Two of them and their relatives will be banned from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

An Indian state wants to tackle hate speech with a law - can it work?

Karnataka has passed a bill to prevent hate speech and hate crimes but critics say it could erode civil liberties.

China’s 50% domestic chips tools drive lifts stocks, faces limits

Shares of China’s chip-making equipment providers have surged in recent days after media reports said Beijing has instructed semiconductor manufacturers to raise the use of locally made equipment to 50%. Since a Reuters report on December 31 outlined Beijing’s push to lift the

Trump's Venezuela raid has created chaos - and that is a risk for China

The US's seizure of Nicolás Maduro carries uncertainty for China, which is is no fan of chaos.

Make energy transition a continuous Indonesia-China conversation

On December 15, inside a government-linked think tank in Beijing, a conversation took place with implications far beyond diplomacy. When Eddy Soeparno, deputy speaker of the Indonesia’s Consultative Assembly, met with leaders of the China Institute for Innovation and Strategic

Maduro’s immunity claim tests US power to prosecute foreign leaders

Jan 6 - Nicolás Maduro’s first appearance in a U.S. courtroom offered a glimpse of the legal battle ahead over rarely tested questions — chief among them whether he can claim immunity from prosecution.

Commentary: The real political risk of AI isn’t deepfakes

The challenge of politics in the age of AI is not just about distinguishing fact from fiction, says Taberez Ahmed Neyazi from the National University of Singapore.

Anti-Muslim incidents rise after Bondi Beach attack, stirring anxiety among Indonesians in Australia

Reports of Islamophobia in Australia have increased following the Dec 14 attack, and some Indonesian Muslims say they feel anxious about stepping out of their homes.

US backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit of Kyiv's allies in Paris

PARIS, Jan 6 - The United States for the first time on Tuesday backed a broad coalition of Ukraine's allies in vowing to provide security guarantees that leaders said would include binding commitments to support the country if Russia attacks again.

How Yunus’s interim government began repairing Bangladesh’s banks

When Bangladesh’s interim government under economist Muhammad Yunus took office after the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s long-entrenched regime, it inherited a banking sector on the verge of systemic failure. By mid-2024, officially reported non-performing loans had exceeded 1.7

Taliban assassination in Iran shows a new geography of repression

On December 24 in Tehran, an unknown assailant killed General Ikramuddin Saree, a former senior police commander of Afghanistan’s republican government and a prominent figure in the National Resistance Front (Jabha-ye Moqawemat-e Milli). Saree, who had sought refuge in Iran

Israel, Syria to set up communication mechanism after US-mediated talks

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, Jan 6 - Israel and Syria agreed during U.S.-mediated talks in Paris to set up a communication mechanism to coordinate on security, intelligence and commercial issues, the three countries said in a joint statement released on Tuesday by the State Department.