From China to Taiwan in 30 minutes: Idyllic islands beckon as the Great Firewall recedes
Travellers can board a ferry from Xiamen to Kinmen, an archipelago that is controlled by Taipei.
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China’s Middle East billions still woefully reliant on US gunboats
China has staked roughly US$145 billion in investments and construction contracts across the Middle East, while Iranian oil alone accounts for 13–14% of its imports. Yet Beijing maintains no permanent military presence in the volatile region, with its only overseas base in
Taiwan spotted Chinese warplanes as Xi met opposition leader in Beijing
Taiwan's defence ministry spotted 16 Chinese warplanes operating near the island on April 10.
Malaysia awaits UN call on peacekeeping troops’ extraction from Lebanon
There are about 600 personnel from the Malaysian battalion on the ground in Lebanon.
Malaysia awaits UN call on peacekeeping troops extraction, including battalion from Lebanon
There are currently about 600 Malbatt personnel on the ground in Lebanon.
Indonesia can’t stay silent on China’s UUV incursion
The discovery of a suspected Chinese unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) in the Lombok Strait is not a routine maritime incident. It is a breach of Indonesia’s strategic space. Found by a local fisherman inside Archipelagic Sea Lane II (ALKI II), the device — marked with “CSIC,”
US, Iran set for peace talks but doubts emerge over Lebanon, sanctions
ISLAMABAD, April 11 - The U.S. and Iran were to hold negotiations in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday seeking to end their six-week-old war, although Tehran threw the talks into doubt by saying they could not begin without commitments on Lebanon and sanctions.
US intelligence indicates China preparing weapons shipment to Iran, CNN reports
April 11 - U.S. intelligence indicates China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks, CNN reported late on Friday, citing three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments.
Too many players, too many grievances for one ceasefire to hold
US President Donald Trump’s rapid and dramatic turn from threatening to kill “an entire civilization” in Iran on the morning of April 7, 2026, to announcing a two-week ceasefire later that day left many observers with a sense of whiplash. While it is difficult to predict
Fuel shortages from Iran war threaten Asia’s biggest food staple
Farmers are delaying harvesting and deciding whether to skip planting for the coming season.
Japan’s unsustainable pacifist delusion
Japan’s pacifist constitution is often cited as a constraint on what the nation of 123 million and the world’s fourth-largest economy can and cannot do militarily. The latest crisis in the Middle East has made that harder to ignore. As disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz
34 men fined up to $970 for armed KTV attack in Kuala Lumpur
They had faced jail time of up to five years.
Kim Jong Un shows off friends, arms before Trump China trip
The meeting between the North Korean leader and China's diplomat comes days after missile tests.
Indonesia deploys thousands of African weevils to boost palm output
The move should help to improve pollination and fruit development, lifting production.
Man in Malaysia pleads guilty to possessing $11.6 million worth of wildlife parts
The man was found in possession of 1,022 gall bladders and 191 tongues of reticulated pythons.
Foreign tourists will pay more for Japan Rail Pass from October
Prices will increase by around 5 to 6 per cent.
US, Iran teams in Pakistan for peace talks but doubts emerge over Lebanon, sanctions
ISLAMABAD, April 11 - Senior U.S. and Iranian leaders were in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday for negotiations to end their six-week-old war, https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/ although Tehran threw the talks into doubt by saying they could not begin without
Stray dog named Jon lends a paw to traffic cops in KL
Some motorists slow down to give the traffic officers treats to give to Jon.
New Zealand braces for Cyclone Vaianu, flooding possible for Auckland
Authorities warn it could cause coastal flooding and landslides.
New Zealand braces for Cyclone Vaianu, North Island evacuations ordered
April 11 - Thousands of New Zealanders were ordered to evacuate their homes on Saturday as the country's North Island braced for Cyclone Vaianu, which authorities warned could cause coastal flooding and landslides.
An inappropriate joke nearly ended his career. Now he's back with more humour
A misfired joke nearly derailed Samay Raina’s comedy career. Now he’s back, reclaiming his voice.
Data shows Japan Prime Minister Takaichi eschewing press amid active social media use
She has spoken to the press fewer times than some of her recent predecessors.
Lyse Doucet: Historic US-Iran talks must bridge deep distrust
Face-to-face talks would mark the highest-level engagement between Iran and the US since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
US lawmakers seek to block China’s DUV lithography access
A group of bipartisan lawmakers in the United States has introduced legislation to tighten restrictions on advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, seeking to block Chinese chipmakers from accessing deep-ultraviolet (DUV) immersion lithography systems, as well as related
So near, yet so far: China eyes Taiwanese island as reunification model
But can Beijing win the hearts and minds of Taiwanese beyond Kinmen?
Gunmen kill at least four people at Afghanistan picnic spot
Officials say attackers opened fire near the village of Deh Mehri in Herat.
White House opted against televised address about Iran ceasefire, US officials say
WASHINGTON, April 10 - The White House considered but decided against a national televised address by President Donald Trump on Tuesday about his ceasefire deal with Iran, with some aides and advisers privately voicing concern about potentially overselling the still-nascent
ICE launches new effort to uncover US ‘birth tourism schemes’
WASHINGTON, April 10 - President Donald Trump’s administration plans to crack down on networks it says help pregnant women lie on visa applications in order to secure U.S. citizenship for their U.S.-born babies, an issue that Trump has highlighted to justify his attempts to
US to set up Philippines fuel depot in support of its South China Sea operations
Project announced at maritime security forum, but details scarce as plan is being finalized.
For South Korea, an alliance in question
South Korea’s decades of sacrifice are colliding with a more transactional United States – and that collision is raising hard questions about reciprocity, reliability and strategic autonomy. In 2013, South Korean President Park Geun-hye stood before a joint session of the
Trump aides caught with pants down as Iran war gooses inflation
New data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that inflation soared in March thanks in large part to increased energy costs stemming from President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. According to the BLS, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) posted a month-over-month gain of 0.9%
South Korea deploys thermal imaging cameras in search for escaped zoo wolf
The male wolf, named Neukgu, escaped a zoo in the central city of Daejeon on Wednesday, officials said.
At least 10 dead after boat hits bridge in India
The incident occurred on the Yamuna river in the town of Mathura.
Cheng Li-wun’s visit to China a gambit for political capital
Access to Chinese President Xi raises her profile, but also sharpens domestic scrutiny.
Non-rich Asian states, hit hardest by Iran crisis, ration energy
The war in Iran has led to a global energy crisis. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major energy chokepoint that handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil, has been largely blocked by Iran since hostilities broke out in late February. This has, at times, caused oil
Structural strains grip Tokyo and Seoul
Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Japan and South Korea ride a one-day rally into growing uncertainty Scott Foster reports that a brief market rally driven by shifting US signals quickly faded, leaving
‘One family’: Xi Jinping hosts Taiwan opposition leader for the first time in a decade
The KMT leader received protocol typically reserved for officials of a far higher level, observers said.
Iran war leaves crisis-scarred countries counting the cost
LONDON/COLOMBO/ISLAMABAD, April 10 - Sanoj Weeratunge thought this would finally be the year his tour firm put Sri Lanka's spate of crises behind it. Then the Iran war erupted 2,700 miles away, the government hiked fuel prices by 35% and business slumped almost a third.
Malaysian authorities foil attempt to smuggle 888 bottles of liquor from Singapore
All seized items have been handed over to the Customs Department for further action.
The high-stakes diplomacy that led to Pakistan hosting US-Iran peace talks
Critical minerals, cryptocurrency, and CIA co-operation - how Asim Munir, Trump’s “favourite field marshal”, may have pulled off the diplomatic coup of the century.
Hong Kong sees ‘sharp rise’ in illegal fuel trading
Customs authorities seized nearly 19,500 litres of illicit fuel in March.
China police detain man accused of cyberbullying Olympian: state media
Ms Quan revealed in an interview that she had considered retiring after scrutiny over her weight.
China’s producer prices rise amid global energy shock, exiting long deflationary streak
But imported inflation is unlikely to boost the economy and could dampen domestic consumption.
Why overtures by President Xi, KMT chair to other Taiwanese parties are unlikely to see breakthrough
In his meeting with visiting Kuomintang (KMT) leader Cheng Li-wun on Friday (Apr 10), Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was willing to work with all political parties in Taiwan to advance cross-strait ties.
USTR: China involvement in Iran would complicate matters
WASHINGTON, April 10 - U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Friday that the United States is trying to maintain a stable relationship with China, but if Beijing gets involved with Iran in a way that is counter to U.S. interests, that would complicate matters.
China's top diplomat meets North Korea's Kim, calls for closer coordination
BEIJING, April 10 - China and North Korea should further enhance communication and coordination in major international and regional affairs, China's foreign minister said in a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday, a Chinese official statement showed.