New Zealand delivers stripped-back budget with few voter incentives

The government vowed to boost capital spending on defence, schools and hospitals while keeping a tight grip on new operating spending.

‘Shoebox’ flat reform leaves low-income Hong Kong residents in limbo

Subdivided flats are being phased out after a law to regulate them came into effect in March.

Australia sues 3M for $1.82b over contamination from PFAS at defence sites

The so-called forever chemicals have been found to cause health problems including boosting the risk of cancer.

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang to join board of Beijing’s Tsinghua University: Media

The 65-member SEM board was established in October 2000 and currently includes top US tech leaders.

Thirteen dead after overloaded bus rear-ends truck in central China

BEIJING, May 28 - A passenger bus packed with 16 people, well above its nine-seat rated capacity, crashed into the back of a large truck in central China's Henan province early on Thursday, killing 13 people, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Any conflict over Taiwan would risk US-China nuclear escalation, study finds

Both militaries are likely to stage sweeping operations targeting rival command and communications hubs.

Australia introduces Bill to overhaul property tax breaks, capital gains rule

The reforms have proven unpopular with voters according to polls.

Crackdown nabs 8,000 litterbugs in six Malaysian states

Minister Nga Kor Ming cited Japan and Singapore as examples Malaysia should emulate.

Marcos’ sister flags support for Philippine V-P Sara Duterte ahead of senate trial

Senator Imee Marcos said she has "great confidence" in the impeached Philippine Vice-President.

The world's carmakers are struggling to compete with China

The BBC visited China’s EV factories and found they are dominating the ecosystems shaping the global auto industry.

Gardenia move: As Malaysia draws more Singapore manufacturers, experts flag competition fears

Companies like Gardenia, Yeo’s and APB Singapore are moving production operations from Singapore to Malaysia. While boosting investment, this could intensify competition for labour, industrial land and other limited resources, say observers.

Commentary: Ex-Malaysian ministers Rafizi and Nik Nazmi’s 'kamikaze' mission is a brazen double dare

Two former Malaysian ministers have launched their own political party. There is much derring-do in the move, it is too early to write off the new entity, says this ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute researcher.

RTS set to start in 2027, but JB residents are bracing themselves for ‘years’ of congestion

Experts warn that poor feeder transport from the train station will shift Causeway jams deeper into Johor.

Global fuel crisis adds urgency to Cambodian push to tap US$300 billion energy resources

Cambodia’s energy minister said the oil shock from the Middle East conflict has increased urgency to resolve a long-running maritime dispute with Thailand.

Trump boosts prediction markets as his family profits

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday used his social media platform to boost prediction markets – a burgeoning industry from which Trump’s family stands to profit – and lashed out at state leaders working to regulate them, singling out officials in Illinois, New York and

Israel declares new swathe of Lebanon 'a combat zone,' warns residents to leave

BEIRUT, May 27 - Israel's military on Wednesday declared a new swathe of southern Lebanon as a combat zone and said residents in the area should move north, warning it would act \"with great force\" against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in the zone.

China's military says it drove away Dutch frigate in South China Sea

“We firmly oppose this and solemnly urge the Dutch side to immediately cease its infringing and provocative acts,” said PLA Southern Theatre Command spokesperson Zhai Shichen.

Minister: Israel won’t allow Trump to make a peace deal with Iran

As Israel launched a new bombardment of Lebanon on Tuesday, its far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir suggested that it was trying to derail ongoing peace negotiations between US President Donald Trump and Iran. During a press briefing on Tuesday, the influential

Trump hawking Abraham Accords to a Middle East that’s lost trust

As the US and Iran try to come to terms on a peace deal to end their months-long war, US President Donald Trump this week has introduced a new demand – that other countries in the Middle East sign on to his Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with Israel. There are reasons

‘Trump’ buffalo spared sacrifice, sent to Bangladesh zoo

Hours before it faced the knife, the government stepped in to save the animal, which has become an online sensation.

Viral fame spares ‘Donald Trump’ buffalo from Eid sacrifice in Bangladesh

DHAKA, May 27 - A rare albino buffalo in Bangladesh - nicknamed \"Donald Trump\" for its distinctive blond tuft - has been spared from Eid al-Adha sacrifice after a last-minute government intervention, a Home Ministry official said on Wednesday.

Singapore encourages North Korea to keep dialogue channels open amid global uncertainty

Foreign Minister Balakrishnan, during his visit to Pyongyang, invited his counterpart to attend a regional security forum.

China’s military says it drove away Dutch frigate in South China Sea

The Netherlands said the frigate was operating in accordance with international law.

Thai cop says viral image of policemen in sparkly dresses is fake

He says he used AI to “create a friendlier image of the police”.

The challenge of militant Islam

It is not fortuitous that many of the flags of western industrial democracies such as Britain, Sweden and Norway feature a cross. This harks backs to their Christian traditions. Conversely, more recent nation-states such as France, Italy and Germany shunned featuring religious

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan concludes working visit to North Korea

Dr Balakrishnan departed for South Korea after the visit.

Cambodia sentences six men for murder of South Korean student linked to scam centre

A court found all six guilty of torture, murder and aggravated fraud.

China issues new rules to keep senior military officials in check

This is the latest push in Xi’s years-long effort to purge corruption from the armed forces.

Bangladesh probes hospital deaths of six newborns

The babies aged between one and three days old died within hours of one another.

ICC sets trial date for Philippines' Duterte over alleged crimes against humanity

THE HAGUE, May 27 - Judges at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday set November 30 as the start date for the trial of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who is charged with crimes against humanity during his deadly war on drugs.

Duterte’s ICC trial for ‘crimes against humanity’ to start on Nov 30

The Philippines left the ICC in 2019, but the court ruled it has jurisdiction over alleged crimes between 2011 and 2019.

Russia warns Armenia on supplies over EU bid; Trump backs PM Pashinyan

MOSCOW, May 27 - Russia said on Wednesday it had warned Armenia it would suspend or terminate the supply of cheap oil, gas and rough diamonds if Yerevan pressed ahead with its bid to join the European Union.

Iran says draft deal with US would reopen Hormuz shipping, end naval blockade

DUBAI, May 27 - Iran's state TV said Tehran had obtained a draft of an initial, unofficial framework for a memorandum of understanding with the United States on ending their conflict.

Hong Kong school suspends principal for swearing at security guards in Singapore

The decision was taken because the principal’s behaviour fell short of public expectations, said the manager of San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School.

Taiwan president gifts Trump autobiography of TSMC founder

TAIPEI, May 27 - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday gifted U.S. President Donald Trump the two-volume autobiography of the founder of chip firm TSMC, saying he hoped it would help him understand the industry's development.

US envoy warns Spain to be 'very careful' in deepening ties with China

MADRID, May 27 - Spain must proceed very carefully as it deepens its relationship with China to keep it out of critical sectors such as data, defence and telecommunications where Beijing seeks to dominate, Benjamin Leon, the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, said on Wednesday.

Iranian missile likely involved in attack on ship in Strait of Hormuz, South Korea says

SEOUL, May 27 - An Iranian anti-ship missile was likely involved in an attack on a cargo ship operated by local shipper HMM in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Rescue teams find five trapped in Laos cave, search for two more continues

May 27 - Five people who had been trapped inside a cave in Laos for about a week were found alive on Wednesday, as dozens of Lao and Thai rescuers continued to search for two others, Thai volunteers said.

Five people found alive after week trapped in flooded Laos cave

The search is continuing for a further two villagers who are still missing, rescuers say.

Giant Messi statue in India to be removed over safety concerns

South Korea detains dissident who fled China in rubber boat

Dong Guangping, an activist and former police officer, spent hours at sea before reaching Korean waters.

5 of 7 people trapped in Laos cave found alive: Rescuers

Laotian and Thai rescuers are still searching for the other two.

Heatstroke casualties at the workplace in Japan hit record-high 1,803 in 2025

The number of fatalities, however, dropped from 31 to 19.

Is the Gulf losing its grip on the oil world?

One of the most striking features of the Iran war has been the resilience of the global oil market. Despite the disruption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint, prices have generally hovered around US$100 per barrel – a lower

S. Korea’s mountain parks to offer tourists free safety gear rental to help prevent accidents

Foreign visitor-friendly guidelines will also be introduced.

Compliance wall: China rewriting world’s agriculture trade rules

Sharp contrasts have emerged across Asia’s agricultural trade landscape, revealing how China’s updated import rules are restructuring supply chains throughout the region. In Brazil’s Sao Paulo, Chinese meat buyers are willing to pay a premium for beef certified free from

IndiGo, Air India cut June-July domestic flights amid high jet fuel prices, sources say

It did not say which routes or how many flights would be affected.

Indonesia’s work-from-home policy has cut subsidised fuel use by 9%, says minister

The government will continue the policy, the minister said.

Anyone else tired of the Trump era yet?

I get a lot of flak from progressives for being a “both sides” kind of commentator. I spend a fair amount of time criticizing leftist ideology and expounding on the very real failures of progressive governance, both of which have gotten much worse over the last decade. Yes, I