India tells WhatsApp to halt usernames roll-out, justify feature or face action

India’s IT ministry said the feature could materially increase online fraud and phishing, among other crimes.

Japan rallies tech-giant alliance to build sovereign AI

Japan is throwing its industrial weight behind a homegrown challenger to US and Chinese dominance in artificial intelligence. The government announced this week it will fund Noetra, a new consortium of SoftBank Corp., Sony, NEC and Honda, to build a national AI foundation model

Russian frustration rises as fuel crisis bites

July 2 - In Russia's grain belt, farmers fret they will not be able to harvest their crops as a fuel crisis sparked by Ukraine's drone attacks on oil refineries and depots disrupts daily life.

Vietnam, Philippines raised to World Bank’s upper-middle-income status

All five major South-east Asian economies, including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, are in the same tier and above.

Australia seeks to rein in defence spending blowouts, delays

Canberra in April announced it would raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2033 from about 2%.

Bear spray goes off in Japan post office, five hospitalised

A plane breached Beijing’s tightly controlled airspace and crashed. Why couldn’t it be stopped?

As the low-altitude sector grows in China and elsewhere, safety systems must keep pace, say experts.

China’s EV fleet is world’s most underestimated AI asset

History has a habit of concealing its most consequential turning points inside the mundane. The invention of the shipping container did not announce itself as a revolution in global trade. The rise of the mobile phone was initially dismissed as an expensive novelty for

South Korean school baseball team suspended over ‘Tank Day’ chants

The chants evoked the deadly 1980 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Gwangju.

Searching for Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar’s capital of confusion

Experts describe the capital Naypyitaw as purpose-built to guard its closed-ranks rulers’ secrets.

Asian shares fall as chipmakers drag; US jobs data looms

Taiwan needs a ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones to deter conflict, US diplomat says

Taiwan says it needs to bolster its defences in the face of a stepped-up threat from China.

Taiwan needs a 'hornet's nest' of drones to deter conflict, US diplomat says

TAICHUNG, Taiwan, July 2 - Taiwan needs a \"hornet's nest\" of drones to help deter conflict and provide security, the top U.S. diplomat to the democratically governed island said on Thursday.

Estimated 350,000 people in Japan have used cocaine: Study

Thai PM Anutin orders urgent drug crackdown meeting after Australia-linked smuggling cases

The authorities fear the cases could damage Thailand’s image as it seeks be a regional aviation hub.

South Korean shops turn to robots, self-service to escape labour woes

The profitability of each unstaffed store in a coffee chain is over 40%, compared with 10-15% for a traditional one.

South Korean fashion retailer Musinsa ramps up Asia store push ahead of IPO

The push comes as South Korean consumer culture continues to surge globally.

Did this AI anti-drug video make drugs look appealing?

Hong Kong’s Correctional Services Department removed an AI-generated K-pop video, after facing backlash that it made substances look too appealing.

The South Korean mine at the centre of America’s tungsten push

It could potentially supply roughly 40 per cent of global tungsten demand outside China.

Lawsuit shows it’s past time for Samsung and SK Hynix to speak up

For a quarter of a century, consumer technology was the most dependable disinflationary force in the world economy. Each year, the device in the hand did more and cost less, and that quiet subtraction flattered every inflation print on earth. That era is over. This is slowly

Jokowi may have retired, but his ambitions remain big

Even so, analysts say it remains to be seen whether former Indonesian president Joko Widodo still wields enough influence to help build the long-term political careers of his family members.

Commentary: Indian sailors’ deaths in US strike reopen old wounds and deepen new grievances

After a US military strike killed three Indians on a commercial ship near the Strait of Hormuz, India fears that its concerns are becoming easy to overlook, says think tank researcher Rahul Jaybhay.

EU to provide 200 million euros to boost South Caucasus connectivity, von der Leyen says

BAKU, July 1 - The European Union will provide up to €200 million ($228 million) in grant funding to boost transport, energy and digital links across the South Caucasus, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Baku on Wednesday.

China urges US to handle Taiwan issue ‘with utmost caution’

Wang Yi said the US and China should work to build a "constructive, strategically stable relationship".

China urges US to handle Taiwan issue 'with utmost caution'

BEIJING, July 1 - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the U.S. to handle matters related to Taiwan with \"the utmost caution\", during a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday, Wang's ministry said on Wednesday.

Body stitched, organs missing: Family seeks probe into Indian seafarer’s death in Venezuela

The man’s family says there was no official explanation from the Venezuelan authorities.

Quarantine facilities on standby as Nepal battles rising cases of bird flu

No human infections have been reported, officials said.

The logical case for admitting Bangladesh into ASEAN

For decades, Bangladesh’s foreign policy operated on a predictable, singular axis. Under the sixteen-year tenure of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Dhaka’s strategic and economic relations were deeply tethered to New Delhi. A flurry of bilateral agreements spanning digital

Communist Party of China marks 105 years with greater stress on ideology and loyalty

A years-long anti-graft drive has intensified as the Communist Party seeks to instil greater discipline among members.

Pakistan community holds funerals for 14 children killed in roof collapse

Residents said they had suspected the building housing the tutoring centre was rundown.

CPEC gave Balochistan roads and power. CPEC 2.0 must deliver jobs

In 2015, Balochistan had power outages lasting 16 to 18 hours daily, according to provincial records at the time, roads that petered out into gravel tracks, and a port at Gwadar that saw fewer than 20 ships dock in an entire year. A decade of investment under the China-Pakistan

Hanoi tanker driver jailed 20 years for dragging teenage girl to her death

The offender said he feared a compensation claim would be made against him if the girl survived.

Philippine school shooting shines light on global online extremist network targeting children

Experts say the recent shooting reveals how online predators groom Filipino children into violence.

Chinese firm sells hyper-real, ‘always loyal’ humanoid robots

The company has already had more than 13,300 pre-orders, with deliveries due to start in September.

China ethnic unity law comes into force despite overseas criticism

The Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress aims to forge a “shared” national identity among ethnic groups.

Johor resident who works in Singapore starts grassroots squad to tackle rubbish problem

He rallied fellow Malaysians and began cleaning up neglected areas in Johor.

New China-EU trade mechanism puts talks over tariffs

The official launch of the China-EU Trade and Investment Consultation Mechanism represents one of the most significant developments in China-Europe economic relations in recent years, underscoring a shared determination to manage an increasingly complex commercial relationship

US and Iran enter technical talks to secure peace deal, restart shipping

DOHA/DUBAI, July 1 - The U.S. and Iran held technical talks in Doha on Wednesday as they seek to agree on the flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and secure a lasting ceasefire, a source with direct knowledge of the talks and an Iranian official said.

Heroin found in two of 12 bags linked to Thai airline crew member in Aussie arrest, say officials

Efforts under way to trace real courier, mastermind behind suspected drug ring.

Boy, 10, found dead in waterfall after going missing from school in Japan

The 10-year-old went missing on the morning of June 30 after he left his classroom to go to the restroom.

Bank of Japan’s monetary monster is finally turning on its maker

TOKYO – As the yen staggers back to 1986 levels at around 162 to the dollar, the financial Frankenstein Japan began stitching together that same year is returning to upend the economy in 2026. The timing couldn’t be worse: traders are now asking whether 170 or even 200 is next.

Local councils in Selangor to hold off on summonses after cyberattack on parking app

The breach disabled digital parking payments for hundreds of thousands of motorists in Malaysia.

No more warnings for litterbugs in Penang

July 1 marked the start of full enforcement after a six-month grace period.

Kazakhstan to hold snap parliamentary election on August 23

ALMATY, July 1 - Kazakhstan will hold a snap parliamentary election on August 23, according to a decree signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday as a new constitution took effect in the Central Asian state.

Tourists to South Korea can book express bus tickets using foreign-issued cards from August

Bus ticketing is one of the main inconveniences faced by foreign tourists in South Korea.

Lawmakers press Malaysia govt to disclose findings from probe into ex-graft chief Azam Baki

Two investigations have been carried out but none of the findings have yet been made public.

Musk remaking the world like Ford – but far more dangerously

Elon Musk, briefly the world’s first trillionaire – but now a mere billionaire again – is a man of exceptions. He’s built not one, but two of the world’s most pioneering technology companies (Tesla and SpaceX). He was talking about settling humans on Mars with a straight face

China imposes 'national security' rules on overseas investments

The new rules, originally announced on Jun 1, provide authorities with a sweeping legal framework to influence flows of capital and personnel across China's borders.

Crow in South Korea believed to be main culprit in downed power line accident that left 1 injured

A man in his 70s was severely injured after the high-voltage line snapped and fell onto his vehicle.

China imposes ‘national security’ rules on overseas investments

Under the new rules, existing curbs on cross-border transfers will extend to the export of services.