South Korea opens state scholarships exclusively for refugees

Selected students will receive a tuition grant, Korean language training, airfare, and a stipend.

Rift at top of the Taliban: BBC reveals clash of wills behind internet shutdown

The Taliban leader once warned of a split: A BBC investigation reveals how attitudes to women, the internet and religion are dividing the group at the very top.

South Korea family accused of staging dozens of crashes with children in car

Police allege the group deliberately caused 22 traffic accidents between May 2020 and June 2024.

Two dead after another construction crane collapses in Thailand

It comes one day after a crane accident in another part of the country killed 32 people dead.

Indian government order prompts Walmart's Flipkart, Swiggy to drop 10-minute delivery claim

The move is seen as a major setback for the quick commerce sector which has become a US$11.5 billion market in India within five years and changed how Indians shop.

Labubu toy manufacturer exploited workers, labour group claims

Investigators allege that a factory making Pop Mart products neglected staff safety and welfare.

Japan, Philippines sign new security pacts as regional tensions rise

MANILA, Jan 15 - The Philippines and Japan signed two defence pacts on Thursday, including a deal allowing their forces to exchange supplies and services, with both countries seeking to strengthen security cooperation in response to rising regional tensions.

Why one-off tech controls won’t stop China’s moonshot

The White House’s AI Action Plan, along with tighter export controls on advanced chips and AI equipment, underscores that technology policy has become a key geopolitical issue. Controls can slow competitors’ access to the latest tools, but they are ineffective unless paired

Taiwan says more US arms sales are in the pipeline

TAIPEI, Jan 15 - More U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are in the pipeline with four deals yet to be notified to Congress, a senior Taiwanese defence official said on Thursday, following the announcement of an $11 billion package last month, the largest ever for the island.

Indonesian forces rescue 18 Freeport workers from rebel siege in Papua

IMF chief Georgieva arrives in Kyiv for first visit since 2023

KYIV, Jan 15 - International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva arrived in Kyiv early on Thursday for high-level talks, two sources familiar with the matter said, as Ukraine prepares to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24.

China, Canada move to reset ties as Carney visits

BEIJING, Jan 15 - China is willing to deepen cooperation with Canada while eliminating \"interference\", Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Canadian counterpart at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.

Nepal’s oldest party splits ahead of post-protest polls

The rupture adds to Nepal’s turbulent political environment.

Two court officers stabbed in Tokyo apartment during visit to carry out forced eviction

One of them is in critical condition and unconscious.

Greenland grab: Trump’s grasping imperial fantasy

US President Donald Trump’s renewed campaign to acquire Greenland—complete with threats of military force, tariffs against Denmark, and now reports of cash payments to Greenlanders—represents yet another chapter in America’s inability to distinguish between genuine national

'It was terrifying': Residents describe carnage after Thai train crash

The BBC arrived at a grim scene in the evening, with rescuers still pulling bodies out of the mangled train.

Crane collapse in Bangkok suburbs kills two: Police

The Rama II Expressway hosts several major infrastructure projects, including tollway construction, which has seen several deadly accidents in recent years, earning it the nickname "Death Road".

Japan at rising risk of collapsing the yen

Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index hit another all-time high on Wednesday, up 6.5% since the start of the year and up 76.5% from the April 2025 low that followed US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement. So why, then, has one of America’s most highly

Australian festival apologises for cancelling Palestinian author

Academic and author Randa Abdel-Fattah said she accepted the apology.

Fatal back-to-back crane failures tied to same Thai firm: Minister

It comes a day after a crane accident in the north-east of the country caused the deaths of 32 train passengers.

Dreams on hold for Rohingya children in Bangladesh camps

Around half a million children live in the camps housing Rohingya refugees.

Seoul bus strike ends after two-day walkout; service resumes

The strike had paralysed roughly 93 per cent of the capital’s bus fleet.

WWII-era 227kg bomb unearthed at Melaka construction site

The bomb remains active and is in a corroded condition.

Fatal back-to-back crane failures tied to Italian-Thai construction firm, says minister

Italian-Thai - one of Thailand's biggest construction firms - has seen several deadly accidents at its sites in recent years.

Australia’s hate speech and gun law reforms face free speech concerns

Conservative opposition lawmakers say the Bill also threatens religious freedom.

Beijing tells Chinese firms to stop using US and Israeli cybersecurity software, sources say

As trade and diplomatic tensions flare between China and the US and both sides vie for tech supremacy.

Why Japan’s Takaichi is gambling on an early election

She hopes to build on increased support for a new leader who has promised to tackle key issues.

Why Japan's Takaichi is gambling on an early election

TOKYO, Jan 14 - Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to dissolve parliament's lower house next week, triggering a national election to decide all 465 seats in her first major election test since taking office in October.

A new video game by Chinese developer traps players in an online scam centre

The video game puts players in the shoes of people forced to work as online scammers.

Myanmar junta claims capture of giant jungle meth labs

It said the 3 labs made a third of all the methamphetamine seized in the country last year.

China’s Xi welcomes stream of leaders shaken by Trump’s new world order

Foreign leaders have another reason to visit Beijing in 2026: rare earths.

From behind bars, Aung San Suu Kyi casts a long shadow over Myanmar

The democracy campaigner has spent 20 years in total in detention, five of them since being overthrown by a coup.

Trump administration accused of 'slow-walking' help to Pacific island veterans

WASHINGTON, Jan 14 - The Trump administration was accused on Wednesday of dragging its feet in delivering congressionally agreed benefits to Pacific island nations being courted by China to try to woo them away from the U.S. strategic orbit.

China’s huge trade surplus brings limited boost to forex reserves

China’s trade surplus surged to a record in 2025, even as United States President Donald Trump launched a new round of tariff wars against the country last April. China’s total exports rose 5.5% year-on-year to US$3.77 trillion in 2025, while imports were flat at US$2.58

PM Mark Carney’s trip a chance to stabilize Canadian-Chinese ties

It has been more than three years since China’s Xi Jinping told Canada’s Justin Trudeau to “create the conditions first” before the two countries could work together constructively during their awkward private exchange at the 2022 G20 summit. Despite occasional diplomatic

Commentary: I was struck by climate fatigue until I listened to this Oscar-winning filmmaker

The string of recent disasters should not be written off as just routine bad weather, says CNA's Charles Phang.

Commentary: Can Japan's leader beat the heat with a snap election?

While Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is popular, the idea of an election is not, says Gearoid Reidy for Bloomberg Opinion.

Can Malaysia's military move beyond words to clean its 'dirt'?

Analysts call for tougher punishment for misconduct and parliamentary oversight for large arms purchases following recent scandals in the armed forces.

Taiwan signals tariff deal with US could come soon

Taiwan aims to cut tariffs on its exports to the US to 15 per cent from 20 per cent.

Better know the players as Iran unrest extends to minority groups

When Iran’s ongoing protests began in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar on December 28, 2025, the government initially treated them as manageable and temporary. Bazaar merchants have historically been among the most conservative social groups in Iran, deeply embedded in the state’s

Visit Malaysia 2026 tests country’s upgrade from ageing border control system

Can Malaysia handle more tourists while migrating its immigration system without disruption?

A massive Arctic military buildup will center on Greenland

Donald Trump is clearly in a hurry to dominate the political narrative in his second term of office. He began 2026 with strikes in Syria against Islamic State groups, the kidnapping of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, threats to intervene in Iran and the declaration that

Taiwan envoys head to Washington for trade, investment talks, source says

WASHINGTON, Jan 14 - Senior Taiwanese officials are traveling to Washington to advance talks on reducing U.S. tariffs on the island's exports and a possible investment deal, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Some saved, some not: Rescuers face Thai train crash havoc

At least 32 people died when a crane collapsed onto a passenger train below, causing it to derail.

Azerbaijan releases four Armenian prisoners in sign of deepening peace

TBILISI/BAKU, Jan 14 - Azerbaijan has released four Armenian prisoners arrested during wars between the two countries in 2020 and 2023, Armenia said on Wednesday, in a further sign of normalising ties between the long-standing foes.