US and Indonesia sign deal to cut tariffs to 19%
Washington will set a 19% tariff on most Indonesian goods in exchange for lower trade barriers for US goods
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Suspect used ChatGPT in planning drug killings in South Korea: police
She asked ChatGPT questions like what happens if one takes sleeping pills with alcohol.
Malaysian Medical Association calls for stronger action against illegal clinics in Kuala Lumpur
Its president said this raised serious concerns over patient safety and regulatory oversight.
Revealed: The billions given to charity by ordinary Indians every year
India’s real philanthropy engine isn’t billionaires - it’s everyday household giving, a new survey finds.
Rubio softens the tone but makes same demands of Europe
When US Secretary of State Marco Rubio took the stage at the Munich Security Conference on February 14, the hall was braced for turbulence. They got something quite different. A standing ovation followed a speech that was notably, and deliberately, conciliatory in tone, a
New Zealand seeks to abolish dedicated Environment Ministry
The axed department will be folded into a new mega-ministry.
Japan zoo’s lonely baby monkey Punch wins hearts, and even a few friends
A series of widely shared online posts have made him the star of Ichikawa City Zoo.
The Chinese AI app sending Hollywood into a panic
Clips of Deadpool and other film characters have sparked alarm within Hollywood over copyright infringement.
North Korea’s Kim opens 9th Party Congress citing economic achievements
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the economy had overcome recession.
North Korea convenes 9th Party Congress, KCNA reports
SEOUL, Feb 20 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the economy had overcome recession and the country accomplished major economic goals over the past five years as he announced that the Ninth Party Congress opened on Thursday, state media KCNA reported. The congress is the
Trump mixes diplomacy and flattery at peace board meeting
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 - World leaders who accepted the invitation of President Donald Trump to join his new peace board were greeted in Washington on Thursday with a mix of fanfare and personal flattery.
From sand to supply chain power: Can India weaken China’s grip on rare earths?
Announced in India’s Union Budget this month, the proposed Rare Earth Corridor across Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu marks what analysts say is New Delhi’s bid to convert mineral reserves into strategic clout.
Commentary: Sluggish Indonesia market clouds aviation outlook for Southeast Asia
A large contraction in domestic air travel within Indonesia will impact the regional outlook in Southeast Asia, says aviation analyst Brendan Sobie.
Commentary: India is having its AI moment at global summit
Behind the star-studded AI Impact Summit, there’s a question of whether India can shape the future of AI and be a model for the Global South, says former foreign correspondent Nirmal Ghosh.
Religion meets rave: Bhajan clubbing concerts draw young fans in India
Such concerts are held in stadiums, cafes and community halls, drawing in swarms of revellers.
Japanese Americans used nature to cope with WW II imprisonment
With a stroke of a presidential pen, the lives of Izumi Taniguchi, Minoru Tajii, Homei Iseyama and Peggy Yorita irreparably changed on February 19, 1942. On that day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which set in motion their wartime incarceration
Negotiating under naval guns
The latest escalation in US-Iran tensions is not merely another spike in the familiar cycle of provocations and negotiations. Following an agreement in their second round of Geneva talks on February 17 that supposedly gave Iran two weeks to come up with proposals fulfilling
India leads Global South AI power grab
The AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi is signaling something far more consequential than a commitment to India’s “inclusive technology.” It’s signaling scale. The government’s IndiaAI Mission carries an allocation of roughly $1.25 billion to expand domestic AI capacity.
Israeli settler killed Palestinian-American teen in the West Bank, local health ministry says
RAMALLAH/JERUSALEM, Feb 19 - A 19-year-old Palestinian-American citizen shot by an Israeli settler in the West Bank has died from his wounds,
Don’t overlook Sinocentrism: China’s historical memory and Japan
This article, first published by Pacific Forum, is republished with permission. China’s response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s November 7, 2025, remarks to the Diet that a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan could arise in a “Taiwan contingency” has largely been
Five countries commit troops to Gaza international security force, commander says
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 - Five countries have committed troops for an international security force for Gaza, the commander of the force said on Thursday during a meeting of President Donald Trump's newly created Board of Peace.
Trump says US needs to make meaningful deal with Iran, cites good talks
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 - President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States had to make a meaningful deal with Iran, citing good talks with the Middle Eastern country.
Trump gets pledges for Gaza reconstruction and troop commitments at inaugural Board of Peace talks
Nine members of the Board of Peace have agreed to pledge US$7 billion toward a Gaza relief package and five countries have agreed to deploy troops, says the US president.
KPop stars scored the biggest global hit songs of 2025
APT by Rosé and Bruno Mars and tracks from KPop Demon Hunters were among the biggest hits of the year.
With somersaults, nunchucks, China’s humanoid robots thrill at CNY show – but can they make coffee?
The aim is for robots to do real work, and enter homes and shopping streets in pursuit of mass-market consumers.
Sweden pledges another $1.4 billion in military aid to Ukraine
STOCKHOLM, Feb 19 - Sweden announced on Thursday a 12.9 billion crown ($1.42 billion) military aid package for Ukraine that will include air defence, drones, long-range missiles and ammunition.
Japan panel approves stem cell medical products to treat heart disease and Parkinson’s
The products now await a final green light from the Health Ministry.
Yoon conviction stirs questions of judicial overreach
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Seoul court on Thursday for spearheading an insurrection through his December 3, 2024, martial law decree. Yoon and other defendants, including his former defense minister, who was given 30
Nepal mulls over stricter safety rules for Everest climbers
Industry insiders say some foreign mountaineers are ill-prepared for what is a major test of endurance.
Malaysia police arrest man who allegedly vandalised ATMs in Kuala Lumpur
In total, 12 ATMs have been reportedly damaged.
Far-right leader Pauline Hanson’s crafty social media use in Australia fuels surging popularity
Like far-right groups in Europe, the veteran politician has projected her messages to great effect on social media.
Osaka gets $4.5m donation in gold to fix water system
The donation was made by someone who earlier had already given cash for the municipal waterworks.
Woman accused of using ChatGPT to plan drug murders
The 21-year-old woman is accused by authorities in South Korea of secretly administering drinks containing drugs to three men in their 20s.
Nearly 200 Southeast Asians, including 2 Singaporeans, served in Israeli military: IDF data
There were 111 Filipinos, 71 Thais, four Vietnamese, two Singaporeans and one Indonesian enlisted in the Israel Defence Forces as of March 2025, according to official data obtained by an Israeli non-governmental organisation.
Singapore PM Lawrence Wong to visit Malaysia on Feb 20 at the invitation of PM Anwar Ibrahim
The leaders are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation and issues of mutual interest during Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's "special visit", said Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
South Korea ruling party claims ex-President Yoon’s life sentence falls short of expectations
The alternative was a death sentence.
Modi’s AI unity pose turns awkward for Altman and Amodei
The episode, captured on camera and widely shared across social media, drew amused reactions online.
Modi's AI unity pose turns awkward for Altman and Amodei
NEW DELHI, Feb 19 - When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi nudged speakers at the India AI summit to join and raise their hands in a symbolic show of unity, most executives obliged. Two did not: rivals Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic.
Thai cops go undercover as lion dancers to nab suspected thief
The suspect is accused of stealing about US$64,000 (S$81,000) worth of Buddhist artefacts.
Russia urges restraint as US builds up military assets near Iran
MOSCOW, Feb 19 - Russia said on Thursday that it was seeing an unprecedented escalation of tension around Iran as the United States moved military assets into the Middle East, and the Kremlin urged both Tehran and \"other parties\" to exercise prudence and restraint.
Landslide at Indonesia Morowali nickel hub kills one worker
The country’s smelting sector has been plagued by industrial accidents.
South Korea's ex-president jailed for life over martial law attempt
Yoon Suk Yeol's December 2024 martial law bid fundamentally damaged South Korea's democracy, a judge told the court.
At least 16 killed after building collapses in Pakistan following blast
An official said the three-storey building collapsed after an "unknown" explosion.
Peranakan pride: Indonesia’s ‘tan but Chinese’ Benteng people revive their fading heritage
The Benteng Chinese are descendants of Chinese traders who settled and married local Sundanese women.
Why Japan’s new realism needs a human heart
Fujitsu’s February 12 announcement that it will begin domestic production of “sovereign AI” servers marks a significant milestone in Japan’s quest for digital autonomy. Coming on the heels of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s resounding election victory this month, the move fits
At least 13 killed in Karachi building collapse after blast, police say
KARACHI, Pakistan, Feb 19 - At least 13 people, including women and children, were killed after a gas cylinder blast caused a residential building to collapse in the southern port city of Karachi on Thursday, police said.
Indonesia, US firms sign deals worth US$38.4 billion ahead of Trump-Prabowo meet
The 11 deals involving sectors such as textile, energy and mining were signed at a dinner attended by Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce on Feb 18.
Woman handed reduced sentence over role after daughter allegedly beheaded man in Sapporo hotel
The daughter allegedly beheaded a man she stabbed and took his head home in a suitcase.
Martial law gambit made convict of South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol, once a lawman
Yoon, 65, was sentenced on Feb 19 to life in prison for masterminding insurrection.