Fighting rages at Cambodia-Thailand border ahead of expected Trump call

US President Donald Trump said he expected to speak on Thursday with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia to demand a halt to their renewed clashes.

Popular 90s Malaysian comedy troupe Senario to stage 30th anniversary concert in 2026

Senario members Azlee Jaafar, Abdul Wahid, Lan Pet Pet, Illya Buang, Saiful Apek and Yassin Yahya will stage a concert in Malaysia next year as part of the group's 30th anniversary.

Thailand and Cambodia keep fighting across contested border ahead of expected Trump calls

The renewed fighting is the most serious since a five-day exchange of heavy artillery in July.

US nuclear-capable bombers fly with Japanese jets after China-Russia drills, Tokyo says

It was a show of force after Chinese and Russian military drills in the skies and seas around Japan.

Japan, NATO share 'grave concern' over China, Russia flights: Tokyo

Two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country, Tokyo said.

Almost 200k could die in major tsunami after ‘maximum-class’ quake: Japan authorities

Experts believe that a maximum-class earthquake and tsunami is imminent.

US nuclear-capable bombers fly with Japanese jets after China–Russia drills, Tokyo says

TOKYO, Dec 11 - U.S. nuclear-capable bombers flew over the Sea of Japan with Japanese fighter jets, Tokyo said on Thursday, a show of force after ‍Chinese ​and Russian military drills in the skies ‍and seas around Japan and South Korea.

Tesla, Proton lead Malaysia’s monthly high EV registrations as drivers rush to beat 2026 tax hike

Malaysia saw 5,417 EV registrations in November, a 200.1 per cent rise from the previous year.

Japan launches world’s first autonomous passenger ship

The ferry showed its ability to detect a ship ahead and reroute autonomously.

North Korea’s Kim visits Russian embassy to honour late ambassador

Other senior leaders had also visited the embassy, reports said.

Cambodia and Thailand are fighting again. What happened to Trump’s peace deal?

In early November, another landmine blast injured Thai soldiers.

Khmer Rouge-era land mines have a big role in Thailand-Cambodia conflict

In 2025, 18 Thai soldiers have been injured by mines, with seven losing a limb, according to the Thai military.

Australia leader defends social media ban as teens brag about staying online

Australian social media feeds were flooded with comments from people claiming to be under 16.

China's ZTE may pay more than $1 billion to the US over foreign bribery allegations, sources say

Dec 10 - Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp may pay more than $1 billion to the U.S. government to resolve years-old allegations of foreign bribery, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Malaysia’s long-awaited electric train service linking KL and JB makes its debut in preview run

It will cut travel time between KL to JB to around 4.5 hours.

Trump escalates in Venezuela with military seizure of oil tanker

The US military on Wednesday seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in the latest act of aggression against a nation that President Donald Trump has been openly threatening for several weeks. Bloomberg, which described the move as a “serious escalation” in tensions

Australian pilot has conviction for murder of camper overturned on appeal

Greg Lynn will face a retrial for the 2020 murder of 73-year-old camper Carol Clay.

South Korea minister resigns amid allegations of Unification Church payments

Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja is on ‌trial on charges that she ​bribed the former first lady.

South Korea minister resigns over alleged Unification Church funds

President Lee Jae Myung has called for tough investigations into suspected improper links between religious groups and politicians.

South Korea minister offers to quit amid allegations of Unification Church payments

SEOUL, Dec 11 - South Korean Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo on Thursday expressed his intention to step down so he can ‍focus ​on disproving claims he received illegal ‍payments from the Unification Church.

Troop pay, Ukraine and social issues - US House passes massive 2026 defense bill

Dec 10 - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a compromise version of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, a nearly $1 trillion bill setting policy for the Pentagon that Congress hopes to pass for a 65th straight year.

Commentary: Boosting China's economy is going to be an extraordinarily difficult balancing act

Beijing has two priorities that require opposite approaches to managing the economy, says Enodo Economics’ Diana Choyleva.

Zelenskiy says China taking steps to intensify cooperation with Russia

KYIV, Dec 10 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday following a report from the head of Kyiv's foreign intelligence service ‍that ​Russia and China were taking steps to ‍intensify cooperation.

China, look at the numbers: Japan threatens nobody

Ever since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi‘s matter-of-fact comment that, if China attacks Taiwan, Japan might have to get involved, Beijing has been railing nonstop about resurging Japanese militarism. Japanese militarism? As is usually the case when the Chinese

China builds an electromagnetic kill zone in the South China Sea.

With a surge of hidden electronic warfare upgrades, China is reshaping the South China Sea into an electronic battlespace tilted decisively in its favor. This month, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) reported that China has quietly expanded its electronic warfare

Tokyo’s Truss-moment flirtation augurs poorly for Takaichi’s 2026

TOKYO – As Japan staggers out of 2025, its financial markets make for quite a tantalizing split screen. On one screen, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average is ending the year at all-time highs on optimism that the government can avoid recession. On the other screen, the “bond

Europeans discuss Ukraine with Trump at 'critical moment' for peace

PARIS/LONDON, Dec 10 - The leaders of Britain, France and Germany held a call on Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss Washington's latest peace efforts to end the war in Ukraine, in what they said was \"a critical moment\" ‍in the ​process.

A fear of betrayal shared by Japan and Europe

In Europe, we are afraid that Donald Trump’s America may be selling us out to Russia. In Japan, where I have just been, the fear is of Trump selling them out to China. For Europe and Japan the shared danger is of the superpowers, especially the United States and China, getting

Revisiting disastrous 2006 ban on extracting Bangladesh’s coal

Recent Facebook posts by the Bangladesh chief adviser’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, attempt to argue that Bangladesh’s 2006 decision to scrap the Phulbari coal-mining project stands as one of the most economically self-sabotaging choices in the country’s history. What was

China and Brazil create joint space laboratory, despite US pressure

BEIJING, Dec 10 - China and Brazil have begun building a joint laboratory for space technologies, Chinese state-owned defence electronics firm CETC said, deepening scientific ties as the two countries push ahead with a major telescope ‍project in ​South America.

Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes off Japan’s Honshu, EMSC says

The earthquake was at a depth of 31km.

Coupang CEO resigns after online retailer hit by massive data breach

The chief administrative officer of its US parent company will take over as interim chief.

Leaders of 'Coalition of the Willing' on Ukraine to meet on Thursday

PARIS/LONDON, Dec 10 - There will be another meeting on Thursday of the ‍leaders ​of the so-called 'Coalition of ‍the Willing' group of nations backing Ukraine, ​said ​the French presidency.

Duchess Meghan sends letter to father, criticises Daily Mail's presence at his bedside

LONDON, Dec 10 - A spokesperson for Meghan Markle said she had managed to send a letter to her hospitalised father despite the Daily Mail breaching \"clear ethical boundaries\" by reporting from his bedside.

UNESCO recognition fuels Italy's culinary pride despite fears of tourist trap

ROME, Dec 10 - Italians hailed UNESCO's recognition of their cuisine on Wednesday as a win for cultural diplomacy but critics warned it could backfire by turning popular dishes into bland tourist fare.

‘I didn’t get to say goodbye’: Australia’s social media ban stirs unease, praise

Some say social media enabled harmful behaviour like cyberbullying, but others feel the ban is excessive.

Putin meets Indonesia's Prabowo to discuss military and energy ties, wheat exports

MOSCOW, Dec 10 - Russian President Vladimir Putin told Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday that Moscow was pleased with the developing military ties between the two countries and ready to help Jakarta in the field of nuclear energy.

Russia hits gas transport system in Ukraine's Odesa region, Kyiv says

KYIV, Dec 10 - Russian drones have hit the gas transport system in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, a senior Ukrainian official said on Wednesday, an area which contains several pipelines carrying U.S. liquefied natural gas ‍to Ukraine ​from Greece.

Nonna was right! Italian cuisine wins a place on UNESCO's cultural heritage list

NEW DELHI, Dec 10 - U.N. cultural agency UNESCO recognised Italy's national cuisine on Wednesday as an \"intangible cultural heritage\", a formal accolade for a cookery ‍tradition ​passed down through generations, and one that Italy ‍hopes will boost tourism.

51 hurt in Japan quake as warning persists

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned another quake of similar or greater size was possible for another week.

Lebanon foreign minister declines Tehran visit, proposes talks in neutral country

Dec 10 - Lebanon's foreign minister Youssef Raji said on Wednesday he had declined an invitation to visit Tehran for now, proposing instead talks with Iran in ‍a ​mutually agreed neutral third country, Lebanese state news ‍agency NNA reported.

Paris court annuls final award in $19 billion spat with Sulu heirs, says Malaysia

The court also ordered the Sulu claimants to pay €200,000 (S$301,591) in costs to Malaysia.

South Korea’s Hanwha, US defense startup Vatn to build underwater drones

NEW YORK, Dec 10 - South Korean shipping giant Hanwha Group has teamed up with U.S. defense startup Vatn Systems to develop autonomous underwater drones for the U.S. Navy, the ‍companies ​said, marking the latest bilateral effort to counter China’s expanding ‍naval presence.

Air India admits compliance culture needs overhaul after flying Airbus without permit

Remains of last Thai hostage in Gaza repatriated

Sudthisak Rinthalak was working in southern Israel when he was killed in a Hamas attack.

Malaysia orders overhaul of dress code at police stations, government agencies after public outcry

It follows an incident where two women were stopped from entering a police station due to their attire.

Dec 8 Japan earthquake: Experts on alert for bigger ‘follow-up’ quakes

The Japanese government is on the alert because a larger follow-up earthquake may occur in the area.

'Near-death experience': Survivors of Jakarta workplace blaze recall panicked, 'terrifying' escape

Around 80 employees of Terra Drone Indonesia were in the building at the time of the incident which coincided with lunch hour. All 22 fatalities were employees of the firm.