Where floodwaters turned piles of timber into floating battering rams

Experts said the catastrophic nature of the storm was compounded by decades of deforestation.

Malaysia’s government to block under-13s from social media, says communications minister

Malaysia has taken a comprehensive approach to safeguard vulnerable groups.

Meta says starting to remove under-16s from social media in Australia

However, Meta also called for app stores to be held accountable for checking ages.

Oil, defence and geopolitics: Why Putin is visiting Modi in Delhi

BBC editors explain what is at stake as Russian President Vladimir Putin starts a two-day visit to India.

Meta starts kicking Australian children off Instagram and Facebook

The tech giant will begin closing accounts for under 16 year olds, a week before an official ban.

Hong Kong orders citywide scaffolding nets removal after blaze

Buildings carrying out the major repair works must take down their netting at once.

Bitcoin miners hunted after stealing $1.4 billion of electricity from Malaysia grid

About 14,000 illicit mining sites have been recorded over the past five years.

The Red Sea region: where the rules are changing

The competition for global influence and control is shifting. One of the places where this dynamic is playing out is the Red Sea region, which encompasses Egypt, Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Here, international rivalries, regional ambitions and local

30 years after Balkans peace deal, US leaders fumbling Ukraine war

Thirty years ago, on December 14 1995, the presidents of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia signed the Dayton agreement. The treaty ended three years of bloodshed in what was, at the time, the largest war in Europe since 1945. This distinction is

Lebanon PM says peace with Israel could bring economic ties, but both far off

BEIRUT, Dec 3 - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Wednesday that a lasting peace with Israel could pave the way to normalising ties with the country and establishing economic ties but that those milestones remained far off given current tensions.

Hong Kong fire death toll hits 159 after towers searched

Police cautioned that the figure may not be final.

Houthis release crew of Greek-operated cargo ship struck in Red Sea

ATHENS, Dec 3 - The crew of the Greek-operated cargo ship Eternity C, which sank in the Red Sea in July after being attacked by Yemen's Houthis, have been released, an official with the ship's operator and a maritime security source told Reuters on Wednesday.

Hong Kong family returns to scene of deadly blaze to find ‘everything vanished’

They were having afternoon tea in a nearby restaurant when their daughter alerted them to the fire.

Dollars, gold or pork bellies? Your choice

Gold is up 50% over the last 12 months and explanations for the leap abound. Surging government debt. Sticky inflation. Weakness in the international reserve currency, AKA the dollar. At the root of all these explanations is the notion that gold is an alternative store of value

Thailand seizes $388m in assets linked to cyberscam networks

This comes after the authorities across Asia, Europe and the US targeted Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group.

Hong Kong orders removal of scaffolding mesh after deadly blaze

Investigations continue into a fire last week at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, which killed at least 159 people.

Victims in South Korea to get real-time location of stalkers

The revision will share the exact location of stalkers if they get too close to their victim.

Romania says it destroys maritime drone in Black Sea

Dec 3 - The Romanian military blew up a maritime drone that was endangering navigation in the Black Sea, the Ministry of National Defence said on Wednesday, amid rising concerns about risks to shipping in the area linked to the war in Ukraine.

Fresh round of Afghanistan-Pakistan talks fails to reach a deal, officials say

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Dec 3 - A new round of peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan has failed to produce a breakthrough to end tensions between the South Asian neighbours, although they agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire, officials from both countries said on

Afghan Taliban minister says US shooting has nothing to do with his people or government

KABUL, Dec 3 - The shooting of National Guard members in Washington, D.C., over which an Afghan immigrant has been charged, has nothing to do with Afghanistan's people or its government, Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Wednesday.

Reuters story on Tajikistan discussing Russian help to guard its Afghan border is withdrawn

ALMATY, Dec 2 - A Reuters story about Tajikistan holding talks with Russia about helping guard its Afghan border has been withdrawn following a post-publication review showing insufficient evidence. There will be no substitute story.

Philippines’ Marcos to bump up military pay after coup calls

The move comes as his administration is facing mounting political pressure from a corruption scandal.

Russia sentences US citizen Gilman to another 2 years in jail, state media report

MOSCOW, Dec 3 - А court in the Russian city of Voronezh on Wednesday sentenced U.S. citizen Robert Gilman to another two years in prison, RIA news agency reported.

Spain plans wild boar cull to curb population after swine fever outbreak

BARCELONA/MADRID, Dec 3 - Spain's Catalonia region has pledged to curb its wild boar population, including by ramping up culls, after African swine was detected in several animals outside Barcelona in the country's first outbreak since 1994.

Panda pair Chen Xing and Xiao Yue settling into new home in Malaysia; distinct personalities emerge

Chen Xing is the more outgoing of the two, while Xiao Yue is described as gentle and quiet.

Most in Australia, Japan, India think Trump presidency bad for their country, poll says

SYDNEY, Dec 4 - A majority of Australians, Japanese and Indians believe U.S. President Donald Trump's second term has been bad for their countries, and more Australians see the U.S. as harmful than helpful in Asia, a survey of people in the four countries reported on Thursday.

Melaka prepares for king tide to hit in the next few days; 382 evacuation centres ready

The exceptionally high tides are expected along the state’s coastline from Dec 1 to 9.

Israel, Lebanon officials meet in expanded truce talks

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, Dec 3 - Israel and Lebanon sent new representatives to a military committee monitoring a truce between the countries, top officials from both said on Wednesday, in a move set to expand the scope of talks between the long-time foes.

Migrants in Lebanon hope Pope's peace message lingers amid fears of new war

BEIRUT, Dec 3 - Filipina worker Loren Capobres said the world stood still when she kissed Pope Leo's hand this week in Lebanon, but hopes his message for peace will linger after his departure, leading to better working conditions and a lasting peace in the country.

Thailand seizes US$300 million in assets linked to cyberscam networks

The announcement comes after authorities across Asia, Europe and the United States targeted Cambodia's Prince Holding Group and its global business network with asset seizures and freezes worth billions of dollars.

Xi courts Macron in diplomatic effort to isolate Japanese PM

China has been seeking backup from France in its recent dispute with Japan over Taiwan’s status.

China, Russia discuss Ukraine, reach 'consensus' on Japan during Chinese minister's visit

BEIJING, Dec 3 - China and Russia reached \"broad consensus\" on a range of issues during the Chinese foreign minister's trip to Moscow this week, amid a burst of diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and as Beijing seeks to rally support in a row with Tokyo.

Turkey slams ex-Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani over his visit with heavily armed guards

ANKARA, Dec 3 - Turkey demanded an explanation from Iraqi Kurdish officials after former leader Masoud Barzani arrived in a mainly Kurdish Turkish border region last weekend surrounded by heavily armed and uniformed guards.

South Korean Parliament hosts ‘dark tour’ to revisit martial law sites on anniversary

The martial law crisis was one of the worst political ones in a country seen as a democratic success story.

South Korea parliament hosts 'dark tour' to revisit martial law sites

SEOUL, Dec 3 - More than 200 South Koreans joined a tour of the National Assembly on Wednesday to view parts of the compound associated with last year's martial law crisis, including a sports field where helicopters carrying masked soldiers landed.

Delhi records more than 200,000 respiratory illness cases due to toxic air

Levels of cancer-causing microparticles sometimes rise to as much as 60 times the UN’s daily health limits.

Hong Kong family returns to scene of deadly blaze to find 'everything vanished'

HONG KONG, Dec 3 - A married couple in their 70s who lost their apartment in a deadly Hong Kong blaze recounted on Wednesday how they were having afternoon tea in a nearby restaurant when their daughter alerted them to a fire at their residential complex.

Alarm bells for Malaysia’s DAP as Chinese vote exodus dents hopes of second term for PM Anwar

The near collapse of urban and Chinese support for DAP in Sabah signals cracks in PM Anwar's stronghold vote bank.

Sri Lankans sift mud to unearth victims four days after deadly cyclone

MAWATHURA, Sri Lanka, Dec 3 - Villagers in Sri Lanka used spades on Wednesday to clear away mud as they searched for the bodies of relatives and friends days after 13 homes were flattened by a landslide in the dead of night caused by a cyclone that killed 474 people.

Sri Lankans sift mud to unearth victims 4 days after deadly cyclone

More than 350 people are still missing in Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah.

Thailand lifts ban on afternoon alcohol sales

Turkey discusses Black Sea safety with NATO after attacks on Russian ships

ANKARA, Dec 3 - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed Black Sea safety on Wednesday, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said, after Ankara expressed alarm at attacks on Russia-linked tankers, some claimed by Ukraine.

Hanoi orders urgent measures to tackle toxic air as smog shrouds city

Monitoring data shows the city has hit the red “unhealthy” level on the IQAir Index for nine straight days.

Malaysia passes anti-bullying Bill; scope of law may cover adults in future

Bullies can be ordered to pay victims a maximum award of $78,500 for damages and compensation.

Malaysian PM Anwar’s former aide, businessman Albert Tei to face charges under anti-graft law

The MACC has obtained consent from the public prosecutor to charge both men on Dec 4 and Dec 5.

Zelenskiy says Ukrainian negotiator Umerov to hold talks in Brussels

KYIV, Dec 3 - Senior Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov will hold talks in Brussels on Wednesday with European leaders' national security advisers and then visit the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Thailand relaxes afternoon alcohol ban to boost tourism

The ban was primarily introduced to stop government employees from drinking during work hours.

India scraps order to pre-install state-run cyber safety app on smartphones

The order to make the registration mandatory had led to a major backlash from several cyber experts.

India revokes state-run security app order for smartphones after outcry

Aid groups grapple with shrinking funds, infrastructure damage in flood-hit Asia

Experts are also urging governments to prioritise early warning systems, after flood survivors described terrifying waves of water that arrived without warning.