Rare coral reef blue hole found in South China Sea
Typical coral reef biological communities are thriving inside the blue hole.
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EU's von der Leyen to go to Armenia and Azerbaijan next week
BRUSSELS, June 26 - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will go to Armenia next week, said the EU on Friday, in a move aimed at highlighting Brussels' support for Armenia as it faces political pressure from Russia.
Japan ‘snow monkey’ park to cap visitors after overcrowding, bad behaviour
Some have even “tried to bathe” together with the animals, the official said.
Johor polls: What to watch ahead of Nomination Day and what’s at stake
Nomination Day for Johor's Jul 11 state election will take place on Jun 27, with political parties and coalitions set to finalise their candidates for all 56 seats ahead of a 14-day campaign period.
Will the Johor polls kill the unity government before GE16?
Johor votes in July – but the real contest is whether Malaysia's unity government survives the campaign trail.
Japan 'snow monkey' park to cap visitors after overcrowding, bad behaviour
Some tourists at have tried to feed, touch or bathe with the wild Japanese macaques.
The flaws at the heart of Donald Trump’s Iran ceasefire deal
The world sighed in relief when Donald Trump agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to finally end the conflict with Iran on June 17. But there is now a palpable feeling that hostilities are far from over. The agreement between Washington and Tehran, signed at Versailles
Malaysian Customs seizes AI chips worth $16.7m at Kuala Lumpur airport
A Customs official said Malaysia was listed as a transit destination to circumvent restrictions.
Indonesia to cut spending further on free-meals scheme: Minister
A budget efficiency plan has been discussed with the National Nutrition Agency.
Myanmar burns US$525 million of illegal drugs
Drugs slated for burning in ceremonies across Myanmar were double the quantity of 2025, say officials.
Hundreds of flights cancelled as storm hammers New Zealand’s capital Wellington
Wellington Electricity said 4,000 customers had lost power and warned of further outages.
When ‘Made in India’ really means ‘Made in China’
India’s pharmaceutical industry is a significant global player. It produces about 20% of the world’s generic drugs by volume and has supported major vaccine efforts, providing affordable medicine worldwide. These results are real and contribute to India’s sense of
Japan’s creative fight to keep bookstores from turning their last page
About 500 municipalities across Japan no longer have a physical bookstore.
Myanmar burns $680 million of illegal drugs
Myanmar has seen a rise in the illicit drug trade since the military coup in 2021.
Reality reasserts itself
Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. ASEAN rejects a Russia-free Asian order Scott Foster argues that ASEAN’s summit with Russia underscored Southeast Asia’s determination to preserve a multipolar regional
South Korea to acquire 20,000 low-cost military drones
"Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East clearly demonstrate that drones have emerged as game changers on the battlefield," Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back told reporters in Seoul.
Taiwan opposition stalls government’s $8.54 billion drone Bill
Two opposition parties refused on June 26 to consider the Bill while they come up with their own versions.
South Korea court gives ex-First Lady Kim Keon Hee 7-year jail term for bribery
SEOUL, June 26 - South Korea's former First Lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced on Friday to seven years in jail for receiving bribes, after a court found her guilty of accepting luxury items such as jewellery and a Dior handbag in exchange for political favours.
Man jailed after joining Cambodia scam syndicate that fired him in 3 days for poor performance
Yip Chee Ming was unsuccessful in making any scam calls while at the syndicate's compound.
India arrests staff accused of theft from Ram Mandir Hindu temple
The alleged embezzlement could amount to over US$20 million (S$25.9 million).
South Korea ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee handed 7 years in jobs-for-gifts case
Kim maintained her innocence, arguing there were no requests for favours attached to the gifts received.
China's Xi pledges to establish security partnership with Cambodia
BEIJING, June 26 - China is willing to establish a security partnership with Cambodia, President Xi Jinping said on Friday as he met with Hun Sen, president of Cambodia's Senate, in Beijing.
Asia stock markets slide as tech shares slump
Trading on South Korea's Kospi index was halted for the third time this week to prevent panic selling.
Italy to join US-led Pax Silica AI initiative despite Trump row
ROME, June 26 - Italy will join the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative on artificial intelligence supply chains despite a row between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump, a foreign ministry official said.
Bitcoin dips as Iran oil returns to the dollar system
Bitcoin’s latest weakness cannot be explained only by ETF outflows or a cooling of large-holder demand. There is another layer that has not been sufficiently priced into the discussion: Iran’s partial return to legal, dollar-linked oil settlement. I would not call it the single
Iran deal grants access to nuclear inspectors, IAEA chief says
TOKYO, June 26 - The interim U.S.-Iran peace accord gives U.N. nuclear inspectors access to Iran, the watchdog's top official said on Friday, after Tehran indicated key sites would remain off-limits until a final deal with Washington was reached and sanctions lifted.
TikTok, YouTube deactivate 4.7 million child accounts in Indonesia following government curbs: Minister
Indonesia in May mandated that high-risk social media platforms deactivate accounts of users under 16.
TikTok, YouTube deactivate 4.7 million child accounts in Indonesia following government curbs, minister says
JAKARTA, June 26 - Social media companies TikTok and YouTube have deactivated a total of around 4.7 million accounts belonging to children under the age of 16 in Indonesia, the country's communications minister said, as its social media curbs began to take effect.
Rare school shooting in Philippines reignites debate over age of criminal liability
A rare and deadly school shooting has reignited debate over whether children as young as 10 should face criminal charges.
China tests Scarborough as Manila casts beyond US for help
China’s makeshift platform at Scarborough Shoal may have disappeared, but it has exposed a far more enduring strategy to cement its control of the South China Sea. This month, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that a temporary Chinese floating platform deployed at the
Global trade in cocaine, methamphetamine is booming, UN drug report shows
VIENNA, June 26 - The global trade in illicit drugs is booming, with cocaine production and seizures of methamphetamine at an all-time high, a United Nations report showed on Friday, warning of a surge in new drugs filling a gap left by the collapse in heroin supply.
MSCI clock ticking on Indonesia’s broken and untrusted IDX
For decades, Indonesia Stock Exchange’s (IDX) institutional structure has acted as a brake on the growth and global competitiveness of Indonesia’s capital market. The exchange still operates under a mutual ownership model, in which brokerage firms that use it are also its
Football fans in Myanmar boycott the World Cup on TV
FIFA awarded World Cup broadcast rights to Mytel, which is partly owned by Myanmar's military.
CPTPP ministers welcome US-Iran deal, urge safe passage through Strait of Hormuz
The ministers also reaffirmed plans to expand the trade pact and strengthen supply chain resilience.
North Korea readies beach resort for more tourists after Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s trip
Its leader Kim Jong Un praised workers for their efforts in building a modern railway station in one year.
Chinese travellers swop luxury for short Asian trips this summer
The move was driven by flight disruptions, geopolitical tensions and a pragmatic approach to travel spending.
Bangladesh urges China to reduce trade gap, speed infrastructure delivery
BEIJING, June 26 - Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to help narrow the trade gap between the world's No.2 economy and the South Asian state and help with the delivery of key infrastructure projects, during talks in Beijing on Friday.
‘Good politics but bad economics’?: Why Malaysia is rolling out new diesel subsidies
Malaysia’s move to lower diesel prices to RM2.10 (US$0.50) per litre for all citizens could squeeze the government’s fiscal space if oil prices rise again, analysts warn.
Indonesia charges 24 foreigners as suspects in illegal gold mining case, ministry says
JAKARTA, June 26 - Indonesia has charged 24 foreign nationals as criminal suspects in an illegal gold mining operation in the country's Maluku region, its energy ministry said.
EU warns Turkey over 'unacceptable' snub of Cyprus in climate summit preparations
LUXEMBOURG, June 26 - The European Union has rebuked Turkey for excluding Cyprus from preparations for this year's U.N. climate summit, as diplomatic tensions mount over the issue ahead of the global climate talks.
Asian stocks suffer fresh rout as rollercoaster week draws to close
Seoul’s KOSPI dived as much as 9 per cent before finishing almost 6 per cent off, capping five days of wild swings amid growing concerns about a possible bubble in the tech sector.
China built Indonesia’s nickel boom. Will it stay for the bust?
When PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (GNI) began operating in North Morowali, it represented everything Indonesia wanted its nickel industry to become. Built with US$2.7 billion in Chinese investment, inaugurated by then-President Joko Widodo in 2021 and designated a National
China's top auditor says major state banks have committed tax evasion or lending violations
Bank of China evaded paying 2.4 billion yuan (US$352 million) in tax while Agricultural Bank of China illegally issued 11 billion yuan in loans to farmland projects, says China's top audit body.
Wave of thefts targeting public facilities raises concerns over investment in Riau Islands
The Riau Islands Police created the Public Order and Security task force involving various parties.
Seoul court upholds prison term for US live streamer Johnny Somali
He was accused of causing disturbances on buses, subways and at Lotte World, as well as live-streaming an obscene video.
Viral bullying videos test Bhutan’s digital transition
Footage of fighting pupils circulated across social media, sparking outrage and probes by authorities.
Australia pledges tougher enforcement of social media ban for teens
One key focus would be making sure the country’s internet regulator is sufficiently empowered to do its job.
Australia considers tougher enforcement of social media ban for teens
SYDNEY, June 26 - Australia's prime minister said on Friday he was keen to make sure the country's social media ban for children was as strong as possible, as a new study found that the measure — the first of its kind and now six months old — had little impact on teen use.
Japan cancels 120 flights as twin storms approach
Severe Tropical Storm Mekkhala, downgraded from a typhoon, was packing gusts of up to 144kmh and could potentially converge with Tropical Storm Higos.
