Australia politician admits texting ‘my job is boring’ during meeting

Mark Parton was subject this week to a complaint alleging he sent the message to a sex worker.

Myanmar's Min Aung Hlaing arrives in Thailand on first trip as civilian leader

The military leader has been barred from western countries and accused of crimes against humanity.

Binance says RedotPay diverted users in $605 million lawsuit

RedotPay rejected the allegations, saying the company would “respond through the appropriate legal process”.

Clash of Clans knockoff popular in North Korea with more than 40,000 players online

Footage of the bootleg smartphone game, called “Fortress Defense,” leaked on Chinese social media.

AI-assisted music now eligible for copyright registration in South Korea

Songs generated entirely by AI through simple text prompts remain ineligible.

Indonesia’s salt fields bloom under drought from El Nino’s baking heat

Salt farmers wished El Nino would return every year because of the output boost.

India youth protests highlight mistrust in ‘lapdog’ media

The hostility underscored a widening gulf between legacy networks and a growing ecosystem of independent digital outlets.

Veteran Malaysian actor Kamarool Yusoff, better known as Cik Man, dies at age 68

The late Kamarool Yusoff died on Wednesday (Aug 5) at Tanah Merah Hospital in Kelantan, Malaysia.

Prudential shares tumble on report China will tax offshore insurance returns

Chinese mainland tax authorities have reportedly started levying personal income tax on returns from offshore insurance policies, the latest sign of greater scrutiny of offshore investments.

Kumamoto quake evacuees face inadequate conditions at some shelters

There is also concern that people may have no choice but to take shelter for a long time.

Hong Kong insurers' shares slump on report China to tax offshore insurance income

Chinese mainland tax authorities have reportedly started levying personal income tax on returns from offshore insurance policies, the latest sign of greater scrutiny of offshore investments.

Asian stocks mostly down with tech firms back under pressure

New Zealand PM Luxon open to referendum on electoral system

Luxon’s remarks led to criticism from his coalition partners, who are already split on economic and minority issues.

Hiroshima urges leaders to abolish nuclear weapons on 81st A-bomb anniversary

A moment of silence was observed at the exact time when the uranium bomb was dropped on Aug 6, 1945.

Myanmar president visits Thailand on quest for legitimacy as Bangkok backs engagement

Thailand will be the fourth country Min Aung Hlaing has visited as president.

Untangling AI’s loop diagrams: the megaphone as market indicator

There is a way to work out which direction markets have been moving without looking at a single price. Watch who is handed the megaphone. When things go up, the optimists get the panel seats and the magazine covers. When things turn down, as they have these past few weeks, the

From faded letters to WeChat: How some Teochew families in Southeast Asia are finding long-lost relatives

Following the success of Chinese box office hit Dear You, more Singaporeans and Malaysians of Teochew descent are turning to a volunteer network in China to trace their roots and reconnect with long-lost relatives.

Are ‘dumb gym bros’ Thar-nishing one of India’s most popular SUVs?

The Mahindra Thar SUV's affordability is turning out to be a double-edged sword for the brand.

Bangladesh’s economy stable on the surface, fragile underneath

Bangladesh Bank is beginning to loosen monetary policy from an unusually favorable position on the currency front. Despite persistent inflation and deep strains in the banking system, the taka has been among the most stable currencies in South Asia and neighboring economies

Ex-leader Hasina gambles on return to Bangladesh despite death penalty

The 78-year-old has been convicted of crimes against humanity over a deadly crackdown on a 2024 uprising.

Youth protests have weakened Modi, Indian activist who went on hunger strike tells BBC

The "cockroach" movement was one of the biggest public displays of dissent against India's prime minister in years.

Yemen's Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil tankers in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden

DUBAI, Aug 5 - Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Wednesday they had launched a missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker off the coast of the kingdom's Red Sea port city of Yanbu and another missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden.

Rubio, Miliband discuss Ukraine war, Europe taking greater role in its own security

WASHINGTON, Aug 5 - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband discussed the importance of Europe taking a greater role in its security during a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, the State Department said in a statement.

Malaysia says will not repatriate Myanmar refugees if lives are at risk

The statement follows Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced plans to return 5,000 refugees to Myanmar.

Malaysia says will not repatriate Rohingya refugees if lives are at risk

The statement follows Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's announcement of plans to return 5,000 refugees to Myanmar.

Will AI abolish India’s caste system or encode it?

In 2027, India will conduct an exercise of almost unimaginable scale. Hundreds of millions of people will be counted in what the government describes as the country’s first fully digital census. Alongside information about education, migration, fertility and employment,

Former HK beauty queen Grace Chan files police report after son splashed at Spider-Man screening

According to reports, Chan’s son accidentally kicked the back of a woman’s seat during the movie.

Bangladesh ex-PM Hasina says ban on her party should be lifted

NEW DELHI/DHAKA, Aug 5 - Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday that a ban on her Awami League party should be lifted and reiterated that she would return to her country in December, challenging the new government of her rival Bangladesh Nationalist

Meta apologises to India for restricting PM Modi's post

China’s 25-year tax reach will cost it more than it collects

China is now chasing decades of unpaid tax on money its wealthiest citizens moved offshore, in some cases reaching back as far as 25 years. Call it what it actually is: a state deciding, after the fact, that wealth it once let leave the country is now fair game to reclaim. To

Air India appoints former Ethiopian Airlines chief as CEO

Bangladesh’s ex-PM Hasina says ban on her Awami League party should be lifted

Her comments were made on the second anniversary of her ouster in 2024.

Claims of man-made quake spread online in Japan after Kumamoto disaster

Experts dismiss the theory as unrealistic in technological, financial and practical terms.

The Iran off-ramp Trump keeps driving past

Five months into what historians will likely call the 2026 Iran war, Washington finds itself in a posture it has occupied before, in Vietnam, in Iraq, in Afghanistan: too deep in to walk away cleanly, not deep enough in to call the thing won. US President Donald Trump’s

LPG leak may have caused Japan’s Kumamoto mall blast, says govt

The cause of the leak is still under investigation.

World faces fresh food price surge, FAO warns

FRANKFURT, Aug 5 - The world is on the verge of another bout of food inflation as wars in Iran and Ukraine along with El Nino create a perfect storm of higher costs and lower crop yields, the chief economist of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said.

Singapore ready to roll out haze response plans as ASEAN monitoring centre raises alert level

The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre on Monday raised the alert to Level 2, the second-highest level, signalling an increasing risk of transboundary haze in the region.

Video of Japan PM’s quake-hit area visit set to music draws criticism

The video was set to piano music and recapped Takaichi’s visit to Kumamoto Prefecture on Aug 3.

Bet365 among major online betting sites banned in Sri Lanka amid illegal gambling crackdown

The authorities warned Sri Lankans that investing in those sites was illegal.

Europe's race to arm Ukraine exposes how hard it is to build drones without China

Kyiv has reportedly secured a European Union exemption to purchase drone components from China, highlighting Beijing’s deeply embedded role in the supply chain and the strategic influence that position affords, say analysts.

Hong Kong exotic pet expo host charged with illegal possession of endangered species

Animals including a green iguana, a Spencer’s monitor, and a taxidermied African grey parrot were seized in 2022.

Pakistan search team reaches base camp with body of renowned climber Nirmal Purja

Three other climbers – two Nepalis and one Pakistani – remain missing.

Meta apologises to India for restricting PM Narendra Modi’s post and over content and errors

Company sorry for error and also for ads promoting child sexual abuse material on its platforms.

India auto lobby withdraws warning on ethanol fuel damage to revise numbers

Consumers blame the ethanol-blended fuel for mileage drops and vehicle damage.

Pakistan restricts international media reporting

Anyone working for foreign media, including Pakistanis, will now need permission to report from anywhere outside three major cities.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK says employee sexually assaulted by cast member

It happened after a social gathering attended by programme cast members and production staff.

Bangkok hopes to pave way for Myanmar’s return to ASEAN, but analysts say caution is needed

Analysts believe that normalising bilateral ties with Thailand may be the ticket for Myanmar to get back into the ASEAN family.

China complains to Japan over defence white paper, foreign ministry says

The annual Japanese report claims that China has intensified its military activities around Taiwan.