Japanese travellers to China drastically decrease amid diplomatic row

Japanese-speaking tour guides are facing lower income in places like Shaanxi, home to the Terracotta Army.

Ukrainian drones strike Russian oil facilities some 1,500 km away

April 30 - Ukraine's Security Service, the SBU, said on Thursday its drones struck an oil refinery near Russia's city of Perm, marking a second consecutive attack on oil facilities in the area as Kyiv seeks to curb Moscow’s energy revenues used to fund the war.

Videogame platform Roblox rolls out measures to comply with Indonesia’s social media curbs

The first measure is age verification through facial scanning for Indonesian Roblox users under 16.

US seeks international help to reopen Strait of Hormuz as crude prices surge

WASHINGTON/DUBAI/ISLAMABAD, April 29 - The United States is pressing ahead with plans for an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz, according to a State Department cable seen by Reuters, as oil prices surge on fears of lengthy disruptions to global fuel supplies.

Lithuania should join US coalition in Strait of Hormuz, president says

VILNIUS, April 30 - Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda said he was supportive of his country joining the U.S. freedom of navigation mission in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that he would present the proposal to the Baltic state's defence council.

Asian economies should boost trade with each other to weather global shocks: IMF

As energy vulnerabilities persist, IMF’s Asia-Pacific director Krishna Srinivasan says stronger regional trade could help Asia sustain growth and create jobs.

S. Koreans’ meat-heavy diet carries bigger carbon cost than 10 return flights to Jeju, report finds

South Koreans eat more meat per person and consume a higher share of beef than people in China or Japan.

China threatens EU with retaliation if it bans Huawei gear

The move escalates tensions in the long-running clash over national security and Huawei's products.

Iran war splits Asian diesel market into haves and have-nots

Powerhouses have maintained healthy domestic supplies, but importers have suffered from shortages.

Some 287 nominated for 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, Trump likely among them

OSLO, April 30 - Some 287 candidates will be considered for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said on Thursday, with U.S. President Donald Trump likely to be among the nominees.

Pakistan navy to add advanced Chinese submarines

A Pakistani government official said the fleet would consist of eight submarines.

China holds naval, air patrols near Scarborough Shoal as Philippines, US stage drills

The patrols come in response to annual regional drills from April 20 to May 8.

At least 358 executed under North Korean leader Kim Jong Un: Rights group

There were two confirmed cases of hanging that took place in front of the public.

Civil servants among 69 Malaysians nabbed in international online child exploitation crackdown

Investigations showed that the crime also involved a commercial element, with obscene material being bought and sold.

Cows flex their ‘lembu-gini’ power on Malaysian highway

Seven cows were seen running on the right lane of a two-lane highway in Malaysia.

India’s drugmakers shake up global weight loss market with cheaper alternatives

Generic versions are slashing treatment costs by as much as 70 per cent in some cases.

Iran ceasefire owes to rapidfire depletion of key US weapons

The fragile US-Iran ceasefire announced on April 7, 2026, after 40 days of war came at an opportune time for the United States. Several reports indicate it is running out of weapons amid the conflict. As a scholar focused on US military deployments, these reports are concerning

Russia's Medvedev questions US suitability to play role of conflict mediator

April 30 - The United States is unlikely to serve as an effective mediator in international conflicts, given its actions on the global stage, senior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday.

EU kickstarts Mercosur pact to counter US trade hit

BRUSSELS, April 30 - The European Union and South American bloc Mercosur will implement on Friday a contentious free trade agreement that the EU in particular hopes will benefit exporters and calm critics, even if it cannot fully offset the blow from U.S. tariffs.

Taiwan’s Cheng will face a tough crowd on US visit

Fresh from consultations with Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping in April, Cheng Li-wun, the Chairwoman of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), plans to visit the US in June. It will be awkward. During her US visit, at which she hopes to talk with US officials and politicians and visit

Teen with 30 tortoises under clothes nabbed at Thai airport

India exit polls suggest Modi’s BJP gains in state elections

Elections in five states and territories have taken place in April.

Vessel carrying grain Ukraine says stolen by Russia won't unload in Israel, media report

TEL AVIV, April 30 - A vessel carrying grain that Ukraine says was stolen by Russia will not unload in Israel, Israeli media reported on Thursday, after Kyiv requested Israel to seize the cargo.

Indonesian corruption watchdog flags price gaps, budget inconsistencies in free meals programme

One kitchen listed over 2,800 beneficiaries but only about 1,000 people actually received the meals.

Australian police find body in search for missing 5-year-old Indigenous girl

Police also said they seized items from the crime scene, including a pair of child’s underwear.

Kanpai! Space-brewed sake sells for almost $900,000

An alcoholic fermentation process using sake ingredients was carried out in November 2025 inside facilities at the ISS.

From surplus to strain: Global rice supply threatened by Iran war, El Nino

The effects of the Iran war are impacting farmers in top exporters Thailand and Vietnam.

Ukraine's army chief orders time limit for frontline troops

KYIV, April 30 - Ukraine's top general on Thursday ordered a mandatory two-month time limit for front-line troops serving in forward positions, aiming to address a key challenge for Kyiv's outmanned military in the fifth year of war with Moscow.

ASEAN vows to avoid export bans, share fuel as oil prices soar

The bloc is also working on an agreement that enables coordinated emergency fuel sharing.

26 foreigners rescued from alleged scam compound in Bali

Most of the victims held at the site were Philippine and Kenyan nationals.

Will UAE’s exit spell the end of OPEC?

The decision by the United Arab Emirates to leave the oil producers’ cartel OPEC after 59 years is more than a symbolic break. It highlights a growing divide among major oil producers over how to respond to a changing energy landscape, and will weaken the group’s ability to

Indonesia shows the non-aligned way through US-China rivalry

On April 13, 2026, Indonesia executed a rare feat of high-stakes diplomatic choreography. On one side of the planet, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin stood at the Pentagon to sign the Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Indonesia train crash: Minister apologises after suggestion to move women-only rail carriages sparks backlash

Indonesia’s Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Choiri Fauzi had suggested placing women-only carriages in the middle of trains, “so men would be at the ends”, following the fatal train crash that killed 16 women near Jakarta.

Singapore court fines women for pro-Palestinian walk

This reverses an earlier acquittal of the activists, who had led a walk to support the Palestinian cause.

Military officer in Malaysia charged with murder over fatal drink driving crash

At a separate Magistrate’s Court, he claimed trial to two counts of driving under the influence.

Myanmar commutes ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence again, lawyer says

Decade-long study reveals whale shark hotspots in Indonesia

Researchers tagged 70 whale sharks at sites in Indonesia, tracking some of them for nearly three years.

Thai TikToker sparks online buzz by cashing in on dead mosquito keychains

The trinket is popular among foreigners who buy them as souvenirs from Thailand, its creator said.

New Zealand public broadcaster’s political editor suspended from Parliament after breaching press rules

She will be banned from covering Parliament for five days.

New Zealand public broadcaster's political editor suspended from parliament after breaching press rules

April 30 - The political editor for New Zealand public broadcaster TVNZ has been banned from covering the parliament for five days after breaching press gallery rules, Speaker Gerry Brownlee said on Thursday.

No ‘meaningful’ shift from social media sites after Australia teen ban: Govt report

A chief concern driving Australia’s social media ban was the desire to stamp out cyberbullying.

China to ban drone sales in Beijing citing security concerns

Drone users will also be required to register their devices and secure permits before flying them.

Shanghai’s pet-friendly policies put back on leash

The tightening of pet-friendly policies in the city has become a hot topic among pet owners.

Myanmar rolls out mass prison sentence cut, trimming ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention

A presidential office statement said prisoners will 'have their remaining sentences cut by one-sixth'.

Turkey is Iran war’s biggest winner — without firing a shot

When US and Israeli aircraft struck Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and decapitating much of the senior Iranian leadership, Turkey’s reaction was striking for what it withheld. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the US-Israeli attacks on Iran as a