New Zealand election 2026: What you need to know

Voters will elect a new parliament on 7 November with the cost of living among the key issues.

New Zealand ex-PM Jacinda Ardern to teach leadership in Sydney

Her support dipped towards the end of her term in office amid deteriorating economic conditions and the Covid-19 backlash.

Singapore to host new ASEAN office to exchange jobs data, better track labour market shifts

AI-related changes, platform work and green jobs are some key areas the ASEAN Labour Statistics Office will study.

In China, the AI bubble has already burst

Stocks in China have already crashed as lofty valuations collapse under worries about AI demand.

China is back in the bull semen market, but only the best will do

China imports bull semen as the genetic quality of its domestic cattle is lower than that overseas.

US, dozens of countries warn of Sudan famine risk, urge aid

WASHINGTON, Oct 26 - Dozens of countries including the US and major European powers said Sudan was experiencing an alarming deterioration in its food security and urged parties to the conflict in the country \"to lift all impediments on humanitarian assistance.\"

Japan grapples with changing face of juvenile delinquency in age of social media

Some teens in Japan are using social media to form groups and organise stunts targeting the police.

South Korea's economy grows faster than expected in third quarter

Australia warns of ‘unprecedented’ AI threat

Global worries about AI tools are mounting after a string of hacking incidents involving developers such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

India's IT firms face a new dilemma: How to train tomorrow's engineers in the age of AI

India’s biggest IT firms are hiring far fewer fresh graduates, as AI changes the skills employers seek. Industry experts tell CNA this could create a shortage of experienced workers in the future unless companies and universities do more to develop young talent.

As AI reshapes entry-level jobs, India's IT industry grapples with developing future talent

India’s biggest IT firms are hiring far fewer fresh graduates, as AI changes the skills employers seek. Industry experts tell CNA this could create a shortage of experienced workers in the future unless companies and universities do more to develop young talent.

Commentary: Middle powers need the US – when it comes to China exports

A recent joint statement about overcapacity suggests a shift in how US and its trade partners are looking to respond to China Shock 2.0, says US politics observer Steven Okun.

Online post purportedly by Chinese students calls for restoring term limits for Xi

Letter appeared on website registered in South Korea with Singapore mailing address, RFA investigation reveals.

First downpour in months brings relief to haze-hit Sumatra and Kalimantan as rainy season nears

Scattered showers offer hope for haze-hit areas as Indonesia’s rainy season nears.

Beijing softens on EU curbs to avoid blame for Europe’s unrest

The European Union is preparing to extend its curbs on Chinese imports of chemicals, furniture and machinery to fight a “China Shock 2.0,” after Beijing agreed in closed-door talks earlier this month to cap its hybrid car exports to the bloc. The European Commission plans to

Kim Jong Un’s unprecedented day-trip to China shatters Pyongyang’s Korean War myths

Visit to army memorial acknowledges China’s role in the war, downplayed by North Korea’s version of history.

Heavenly Creatures killer Pauline Parker dies in Orkney, aged 88

The death of the convicted murderer in Orkney at the age of 88 brings to an end a 70-year story that inspired an acclaimed film.

Sydney's new $5bn airport has one big problem: Getting there is tough

The airport won’t have direct public transportation for a year. How do locals feel about getting there?

In the Starlink case Trump reacted to pressure, not flattery

It has been a wild few weeks for the US-Ukraine relationship as Trump, more and more, has been able to be what he always wanted to be: a friend and supporter of Vladimir Putin. It started openly with the diesel deal, which drove a coach and horses through the sanctions regime

Netanyahu hopes voters forget October 7, 2023

In 1996, Israel’s then-Prime Minister Simon Peres appeared to be on his way to victory in parliamentary elections that would keep him and his center-left Labor Party in power. On the key issue of peace, he had pledged to provide West Bank and Gaza Strip territory to the

Swiss foreign minister to hold talks in North Korea this week

ZURICH, Oct 26 - Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will travel to North Korea this week for political talks and for the formal reopening of Switzerland's diplomatic office in Pyongyang, his government said on Monday.

Two new bridges show China and Russia competing for North Korea

China and Russia opened new bridges to North Korea a month apart, a sign that the two countries are competing for the favor of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Yalu River bridge to China sat unused for more than a decade after its completion in 2014, until Russia began

US urged to recognize Lula’s Brazil win as foe demands annulment

Pro-democracy campaigners urged governments around the world, including in the US, to formally recognize Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva victory in Sunday’s runoff election as his far-right challenger, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, refused to accept the results,

China says it opposes US 'stigmatisation' of Confucius Institutes after Pentagon labels them security threat

BEIJING, Oct 26 - China opposes US \"smearing and stigmatisation\" of Confucius Institutes, its foreign ministry said on Monday, after the US Defense Department designated the Chinese-funded cultural centres on university campuses as a threat to US national security on Friday.

Thousands of trucks stuck as partial Iran-Pakistan trade resumes

Pakistan has attempted to mediate a peace deal in the Middle East war with Iran.

The right cat for China?

On the eve of a party plenum that has purged 45 of 376 members, China faces its most pressing question: is the model it has adopted right for its historical phase? Beijing is uncertain. Domestically, it faces many problems, and foreign examples offer little reassurance. If the

German climber dies on Nepal’s Ama Dablam mountain

Ama Dablam is a popular mountain among climbers in Solukhumbu district, home to the world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest.

The enduring intimacy of writing by hand in digital Japan

Millions in Japan value the written word for digital detox and connection.

Indonesia says gas export cuts to Singapore within contractual limits, pledges to honour obligations

The cuts fall within the minimum contractual limits of around 91 to 92 per cent of exports, says Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia.

Thailand launches US$1.5 billion household solar push

The solar panel subsidy is expected to be approved at a Cabinet meeting on Oct 27.

Nepal to expand flood warning systems at six river basins

New White paper outlines plans to lower water levels in four high-risk glacial lakes.

How Houthi attacks have grounded flights across Saudi Arabia

Oct 26 - Attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have nearly emptied the skies over Riyadh this month, aviation data showed on Monday, with cancellations grounding almost nine out of every 10 scheduled flights at the Saudi capital's airport.

Malaysia says extending life of coal plants remains an option if needed

Malaysia has been forced to reassess its energy strategy due to the Middle East war.

Dysphagia-friendly ramen developed by Japanese researchers, restaurant owner

Ageing parents inspired a restaurant owner to develop easy-to-swallow ramen.

Malaysia Budget 2027: Will record allocations satisfy Sabah and Sarawak?

East Malaysia’s assertiveness and fiscal demands are growing. This is reshaping its federal relationship with Putrajaya.

China condemns US designation of Confucius Institutes as threat

Washington considers the centres propaganda tools of the Chinese Communist Party.

Call Of Duty game depicting another Korean War sparks debate in South Korea

It depicts a fictional second Korean War triggered by a full-scale North Korean invasion of South Korea.

Japan indicts US Marine over Okinawa killing, media say

TOKYO, Oct 26 - Japanese prosecutors have indicted a US Marine on charges of robbery and murder of a Japanese woman in the country's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, Japanese media reported.

Hong Kong looks to profit from Halloween ghosts and zombies during longer festivities

Growing curbs have hemmed in Halloween festivities in mainland China since 2023.

China's big political meeting could see Xi 'tighten discipline' in party

The highly secretive four-day Plenum starts Monday in Beijing.

Indonesia defends gas export cuts; says existing contracts have not been breached

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said Indonesia would not be lectured on honouring contracts.

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi acquitted in defamation case

The acquittal comes amid Gandhi's united opposition campaign against India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hotels spring up in Osaka’s Shinsekai district amid foreign tourism boom

Hotel operators are enticing guests with flashy interiors, unusual accommodations and walking tours.

India to evacuate thousands as Cyclone Arnab nears eastern coast

Cyclone Arnab is expected to make landfall with gusts of as much as 140kph.

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi acquitted in defamation case, TV channels report

Oct 26 - Rahul Gandhi, the leader of India's main opposition Congress party, was acquitted in a defamation case by a local court on Monday, TV channels said.

Why Lula’s ‘miracle’ win matters well beyond Brazil

Three weeks ago, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s political obituaries had all been written. The far-right presidential candidate, Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro, had come out of the first round of the presidential election

Philippines defends bounty for fugitive senator wanted by ICC

MANILA, Oct 26 - The Philippine presidential palace defended on Monday a 50 million peso ($786,646) bounty for information leading to the arrest of Senator Ronald \"Bato\" dela Rosa, saying it was part of a legitimate operation by the Interior Department and the Philippine

Tropical cyclone Two: Track the cyclone’s path

See the likely path, wind extent and arrival times for Two.

AI shoppers get first say in South Korea’s retail race

They are used to predict buying decisions, fine-tune prices and identify potential flaws in shopping experiences.