Bangladesh says better environment needed for India visit, amid rift over ousted leader

Dhaka is pressing New Delhi to extradite ousted former leader Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives.

South Korean trade minister ousted amid US tariff pressure

The government did not disclose a specific reason for the decision.

Malaysian pilot nabbed in Indonesia believed to have smuggled drugs abroad since 2024

He was arrested at the International Arrival Terminal of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on July 29.

Bangladesh says PM will not visit India until ex-premier Hasina extradited

Anwar pledges reforms, reaffirms needs-based policies at party congress after electoral setbacks

Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Anwar Ibrahim hit back at accusations of unfairness in allocating funding to opposition-held areas. He also said cooperation with Barisan Nasional at the federal level must be guided by the interests of Malaysians and the country.

Bangladesh says PM will not visit India until Hasina extradited

Sheikh Hasina faces the death penalty in Bangladesh after being convicted of crimes against humanity.

Explainer-Trump wants more economic pressure on Iran. What are his options?

WASHINGTON, Aug 16 - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday vowed to hit Iran hard economically, a day after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Washington would impose measures on Tehran that have \"never been seen\" as soon as next week.

Japan’s Chiba prefecture deals with removing abandoned cars after record rainfall

The prefectural and Chiba municipal governments have been moving abandoned vehicles since Aug 14.

Who will care for South Korea’s elderly? Foreign workers enter troubled market

The country has begun creating routes for international students to train and work as caregivers there.

Malaysia’s DAP votes overwhelmingly to stay on in Cabinet, offering reprieve to PM Anwar

Nearly nine in 10 voted at the Democratic Action Party’s congress for its ministers to remain in the Cabinet, averting a pullout that could have posed a threat to PM Anwar Ibrahim's administration and even forced snap polls.

Malaysia’s DAP votes to stay in government, easing pressure on PM Anwar after state polls setbacks

DAP members argued that staying in government remains the only way to drive reform from within.

Eastern Japan rain kills nine, local broadcaster reports

Torrential downpours starting late on Aug 13 triggered landslide warnings and power outages.

US House speaker gave Netanyahu an ‘Israel killed Jesus’ pamphlet

This article was originally published on Jonathan Larsen’s Substack. It is republished with permission. Less than a month after the June 2025 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) in

Future of trains delivering fresh onions across Japan uncertain

An operator is considering cutting an unprofitable route critical to transporting onions.

'People could get hurt': Conservationists decry AI wildlife visuals

Hyper-realistic visuals of wild animals behaving like pets, or even like humans, can distort public perceptions of wildlife and harm conservation efforts, experts warn.

The great matcha rivalry: Can Japan’s centuries-old tradition hold its own against China’s scale?

From New York to London, the world cannot seem to get enough matcha. The boom has revived Japan’s tea industry but also exposed the limits of its supply. Now China, already the world’s biggest producer, sees an opportunity to scale up.

South Korea says it fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers crossed demarcation line

It is the first military demarcation line violation by the North Korean military in 2026.

Thousands evacuate after Indonesia quake kills 51, cuts roads

Thousands of military and police officers have been deployed to East Nusa Tenggara province.

Thousands evacuate after Indonesia quake kills 53, aftershocks hamper rescue efforts

Thousands of military and police officers have been deployed to East Nusa Tenggara province.

North Korea's Kim, Russia's Putin reaffirm ties on Korean Liberation Day

Kim Jong Un expressed hope for the future of ties that had "carried forward the history of common struggle for justice and precious traditions of friendship".

South Koreans dig into family roots amid K-actress Ahn Ha-young’s ancestry controversy

The Our Sticky Love star recently apologised for her great-grandfather's ties to pro-Japanese collaborators.

Thousands await aid after deadly Indonesian quake in Flores that killed 53

Some 5,000 people fled their homes as the 7.7-magnitude quake hit the island early on Aug 15.

'Another chance to live': Flores residents recall Indonesia quake panic

Emergency officials said nearly 160 houses, dozens of educational and health facilities and other public buildings were damaged when the earthquake struck the popular tourist island.

Monsoon rains submerge villages, fields in Myanmar

"The suffering we are facing, I can't even put into words how painful it is," says a 53-year-old villager.

Security footage in Japan captures moment rice paddy cracks during Kumamoto earthquake

An expert said this is extremely rare and very useful for understanding the mechanism of earthquakes

‘Another chance to live’: Flores residents recall Indonesia quake panic

The epicentre of the shallow quake was just north of Flores island in eastern Indonesia.

Australia gun buyback to start in November, PM Albanese says

SYDNEY, Aug 16 - Australia's New South Wales state will start a gun buyback in November, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday, part of the national response to a shooting spree that killed 15 at a Jewish festival in Sydney, the state capital.

No rift with deputy Zahid, says Malaysian PM Anwar

Anwar said their relationship remained good at the national level, despite differences at the state level.

North Korea’s Kim tells Putin he is ‘proud’ of strong ties: State media

The two leaders exchanged letters recently.

Bou Meng, rare survivor of Khmer Rouge torture house, dies at 85

The death was announced by the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. No further details were provided.

Monsoon rain submerges villages, fields in Myanmar

Since July, severe monsoon flooding in four states has affected an estimated 390,000 people.

Commentary: Japan needs deterrence and renewal - not managed decline

More than eight decades after the end of the second world war, the country must rethink its role in the world, says this writer for the Financial Times.

Thousands displaced by deadly Indonesia earthquake as rescue efforts continue

Hundreds of homes and public buildings have been severely damaged with at least 53 people killed.

Australian state to launch gun buyback after Bondi Beach attack

New South Wales, where the attack took place, will offer gun owners cash to give up their firearms.