Japan aims to raise usage of AI to 80% to catch up with global peers
Japan plans to introduce AI to different fields, including healthcare and finance.
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Doha delusion: World bet and lost on Taliban moderation
The Doha Agreement was born of a comforting illusion. It promised that the Taliban—once granted legitimacy and a path to power—would abandon the absolutism that defined their past and move toward political inclusion, counterterrorism cooperation and respect for basic human
Israel to receive possible hostage remains from Gaza for forensic tests
JERUSALEM, Dec 2 - Israel said on Tuesday it was preparing to receive more possible hostage remains from Gaza via the Red Cross and would send them for forensic tests.
Death toll from Indonesia floods and landslides passes 700
JAKARTA, Dec 2 - The number of people killed by floods and landslides on Indonesia's Sumatra island rose to 708 on Tuesday, the disaster agency said, as authorities rushed to repair infrastructure and deliver aid to cut-off areas.
Germany's foreign minister to visit China next week, as EU prepares to toughen up on trade
BEIJING, Dec 2 - German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will visit China from December 8 to 9, two sources familiar with his plans said, after he abruptly cancelled a planned October trip, as Beijing seeks to counter European calls to \"de-risk\" from the Chinese economy.
Is Japan abandoning pacifism? Spat with China spotlights clash in regional security perspectives
China has been growing more assertive in East and South-east Asia, and Japan is pushing back against this.
EU epidemic vets begin work on swine fever outbreak in Barcelona
MADRID, Dec 2 - A taskforce of EU vets specialising in epidemics began work in Barcelona on Tuesday as Spain seeks to contain an African swine fever outbreak that has forced it to halt some pork exports.
JR Central station in Tokyo moves AI analysis trials for Shinkansen passenger footage to January 2026
The filming will take place from Jan 10 to 16 between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations.
Facility services group ISS shares fall 10% after Hong Kong announces fire probe
COPENHAGEN, Dec 2 - Danish facilities management group ISS said on Tuesday it supported Hong Kong's decision to establish a judge-led committee to investigate the cause of the city's deadliest fire in decades, and that the company was cooperating in the probe.
People versus power? Hong Kong’s fire fallout risks reopening societal divide
The city's leader vowed justice and reform as the government acted pre-emptively against centralised grassroots groups.
Facility services group ISS says it supports investigation into Hong Kong fire
COPENHAGEN, Dec 2 - Danish facilities management group ISS said on Tuesday it supported the decision to establish a judge-led committee which will investigate the cause of Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades.
US airfields increasingly exposed to a Chinese missile attack
Kadena Air Base, the US’s largest airpower hub in Japan, has intensified preparations against potential Chinese missile strikes by conducting rapid airfield damage repair drills amid rising tensions over Taiwan. Located on Okinawa, roughly 595 kilometers from Taiwan, Kadena is
Former Japan PM Abe’s shooter says he dreaded Unification Church gaining recognition
Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is known to have had ties with the religious organisation.
Malaysia tightens nuclear controls under amended law
Permits must now be obtained for all atomic energy activities.
China cautions foreigners about fraudulent arrival card platforms
The notice stressed that only authorised channels guarantee a secure and free application process.
‘Mischievous hands’: Indonesians blame deforestation for devastating floods
The tropical storm killed more than 800 people last week.
'Mischievous hands': Indonesians blame deforestation for devastating floods
SOUTH TAPANULI, Indonesia, Dec 2 - Indonesian Reliwati Siregar gestured angrily at deforestation around her home on the island of Sumatra, where landslides and floods brought by a tropical storm killed more than 700 people in its deadliest disaster since a cataclysmic tsunami
How e-commerce platform Coupang is deeply integrated into South Koreans’ everyday life
Founded in 2010, Coupang reshaped South Korea’s retail ecosystem with its next-day delivery service.
Pakistan seeks fresh start with Japan to boost economic links
This comes amid Islamabad's effort to engage more Asian nations and diversify trade partnerships beyond China.
AI boom could widen inequality worldwide, with Asia most at risk: UN agency report
Jobs held by women are nearly twice as exposed to automation, while youth employment is declining in high-AI-exposure roles, according to the United Nations Development Programme.
Thailand says key tech, car parts hub paralysed by record floods
With major roads cut off and rail services suspended, the flow of goods to Malaysia has slowed to almost zero.
Sri Lanka grapples with trauma, loss after deadly cyclone that killed hundreds
Hundreds of army and police personnel combed through regions hit by landslides to retrieve bodies.
China-Japan clash may persist a year, Taiwan minister warns
Taipei hoped the two sides could find a way to resolve their differences.
‘Is she alive?’: Indonesian man’s hopes of finding missing wife fade after flood disaster
As at Dec 2, the disaster had killed 686 people in Indonesia, with 476 people missing.
'Is she alive?': Indonesian man's hopes of finding missing wife fade after flood disaster
PALEMBAYAN, Indonesia, Dec 2 - In the days since cyclone-induced floods and landslides battered Indonesia's Sumatra island, Abdul Ghani has been carrying around a picture of his missing wife, showing it to everyone he meets.
How deforestation turbocharged Indonesia’s deadly floods
Mining, plantations and fires have caused the clearance of large tracts of the country’s lush rainforest.
Mahathir lodges police report against Malaysia PM Anwar over US trade deal
He said PM Anwar took actions without the full mandate of entities meant to represent the Federation of Malaysia.
How the Bible spread the idea of countries with borders
Five hundred years ago the first Bible featuring a map was published. The anniversary has passed uncelebrated, but it transformed the way that Bibles were produced. The map appeared in Christopher Froschauer’s 1525 Old Testament, which was published in Zürich and widely
Afghan Taliban vow border cooperation after Tajikistan says attacks killed five Chinese
KABUL, Dec 2 - Afghanistan's Taliban administration said it assured neighbouring Tajikistan on Tuesday it was ready to tighten border security and conduct joint investigations, after attacks which Dushanbe said were launched from Afghan territory killed five Chinese nationals
Malaysian deputy minister’s officer ordered to resign after arrest, internal probe underway
The deputy minister urged all parties to refrain from making any speculations.
China’s military reaching further, more frequently into Pacific, says Australia
Australia had also given A$1.3 billion (S$1.1 billion) in climate finance to Pacific countries.
China's military reaching further, more frequently into Pacific, says Australia
SYDNEY, Dec 2 - Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said China is more frequently projecting military power further into the Pacific, in a speech highlighting the challenges Australia faces as it competes for influence in its neighbourhood.
Bear activity in Japan up despite hibernation season; outdoor events called off as precaution
Bears that venture into urban areas may end up hibernating on shrine grounds or in parks.
59% of Japanese opposed to actively accepting foreign workers, up from 2024 figure: Survey
Survey respondents from older age groups were more positive about acceptance of foreign workers.
Taiwan may restart nuclear power plant in 2028, minister says
Restart procedures for the Maanshan facility may begin if it passes a safety review.
Did deforestation worsen Sumatra disaster? Indonesia to trace timber, summon companies to explain
Images of logs swept out into flood-hit areas have circulated online, and experts have said deforestation and environmental degradation contributed to the floods and landslides, which have killed over 600 people in the country.
Japan regional assembly set to vote on restarting nuclear plant amid residents’ accident concerns
After the Fukushima disaster, Japan shuttered all 54 nuclear reactors in operation at the time.
A Japanese regional assembly is set to vote by December 22 on restarting nuclear plant
KASHIWAZAKI, Japan, Dec 2 - A Japanese regional assembly on Tuesday began deliberations on whether to partially restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the world's largest, as the nation seeks to bolster its domestic power sources.
'Unreasonable': BN's inclusion in Sabah state government sparks uproar among GRS coalition
Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor has appointed BN’s Jafry Ariffin, who is the Sabah UMNO Secretary, as the new state tourism, culture and environment minister.
Chinese and Japanese boats face off near disputed islands as feud worsens
Each side claims to have fended off an incursion in the disputed waters near Taiwan.
‘Food should have no borders’: China-Japan spat hits Beijing’s Japanese restaurants as cancellations surge
Analysts warned the dispute sparked by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan could persist, leaving ordinary people to navigate the resulting uncertainty.
China adds tax to condoms as it works to boost birth rates
The extra cost quickly sparked debate on Chinese microblogging site Weibo.
S’pore tour buses cannot operate as express services in Malaysia: Transport Minister Anthony Loke
Malaysian tour buses can operate in Singapore, and Singaporean tour buses can carry tourists in Malaysia.
Japan lawmakers meet Chinese envoy amid spat, reports say
The unofficial lunch meeting reportedly included a discussion of the Japanese PM’s recent remarks on Taiwan.