Over 500 feared dead in two suspected shipwrecks off Myanmar: UN

New Delhi tells shipowners not to deploy Indian seafarers on Hormuz routes

NEW DELHI, July 16 - India has ordered shipowners, ship managers and recruitment companies not to deploy the country's seafarers on vessels undertaking trips through the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed fighting in the region.

Asia’s development moment demands big bets, not safe ones

There is a version of development work that looks responsible but accomplishes very little. It moves cautiously, funds what is already proven and prioritizes institutional comfort over urgency. As a region of staggering diversity, rapid change and compounding crises, Asia

Negeri Sembilan polls: BN not contesting all 36 seats, as it eyes pact with ‘trusted friend’

Barisan Nasional (BN) will contest 25 seats, amid recent signals by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) that it would work with the coalition’s key party United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the Aug 1 polls.

Credit card outage hits convenience stores, other merchants across Japan

Major credit card companies are rushing to restore services.

Azerbaijan at 'real peace' with Armenia but wants it to change constitution

SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, July 16 - Azerbaijan and Armenia are at \"real peace\" and rebuilding trade links after decades of conflict, a senior Azerbaijani official told Reuters, but Baku is insisting on changes to Armenia's constitution before a final deal can be signed.

India bars seafarers from Strait of Hormuz voyages after attacks

The IMO has warned that the chokepoint remains too dangerous for commercial vessels at present.

Nvidia’s Jensen Huang courts Japanese suppliers with pork skewers

Huang later emerged to pass red bean cakes to bystanders gathered outside an izakaya.

Uganda to discharge last Ebola patient, spokesperson says

KAMPALA, July 16 - Uganda is due to discharge its last Ebola patient on Thursday, triggering a 42-day countdown that could see the country declared free of the virus, a spokesperson for the government said.

As the yen sinks, Asia’s monetary anchor subtly shifts to yuan

In mid-June, Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa spent two days in Beijing and flew home with more than pleasantries. China’s finance ministry and the People’s Bank of China pledged to fast-track approval of Indonesia’s debut panda bond, a renminbi-denominated

South Korea top court upholds jail term for MP over church bribes

The ruling stripped Kweon Seong-dong of his parliamentary seat.

Why Asia's new AI workers are emerging as a cybersecurity challenge

AI agents can be tasked to draft emails, write code and update documents, among other things. But the same autonomy that makes them valuable also creates vulnerabilities, warn cybersecurity experts.

Thai band mourns loss of 4 members as Bangkok bar fire death toll hits 33

"Please remember his smile on stage, playing music that he loves," said the sister of a keyboardist who died in the blaze.

'Like my lover': Chinese users bid farewell to AI companions

AI-powered companions must not "excessively cater to users, induce emotional dependence or addiction, and damage users' real interpersonal relationships", states China's new rulebook.

Seoul’s historical royal sites see 6.6% jump in foreign visitor numbers

Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of four popular palaces, was the most visited site with 3.65 million visitors.

Why the US economy stays strong despite Trump’s shockwaves

The US economy is continuing to grow faster and generate more new jobs than Europe. Annual national income growth over the past five years has averaged 3.3% in the US against 2.6% in the EU. In the first quarter of 2026, the EU’s GDP was just 0.7% higher than a year before,

Taliban’s ethnic chauvinism an increasingly dangerous divide

The Taliban’s demotion of Haji Jumma Khan Fateh from deputy governor of Zabul province may have looked like a routine reshuffling. But it fits a disturbing pattern that runs through the movement’s entire governing structure: Non-Pashtun commanders are useful until their

Doctor who damaged Japan temples, shrines by performing ‘anointings’ admits to own ‘delusion’

The US-based man had reportedly performed "anointings" on shrines and temples across Japan since at least 2012.

Indonesia’s telling empty chair on the South China Sea

The most significant development at this week’s Conference Commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of the South China Sea Arbitration Award in Jakarta was not what was discussed. It was who failed to appear. Every Indonesian government representative scheduled to participate

‘Holding back is evil’: Gen-Zers revive Japan’s corporate machismo

A small cohort of Gen-Z workers in Japan think the “soft” modern workplace culture is hindering growth.

New Zealand, Fiji renew five-year partnership

WELLINGTON, July 16 - New Zealand and Fiji signed a renewed five-year Duavata Partnership on Thursday, setting out cooperation priorities for 2026 to 2030 across trade, security, democracy, social development and climate resilience, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters

Hong Kong police arrest five over ‘seditious’ books

The authorities said the publications found incited hatred against Hong Kong’s government.

Hong Kong police arrest five over 'seditious' books

HONG KONG, July 16 - Hong Kong's national security police arrested five booksellers on suspected charges of \"doing an act with seditious intention\", the government said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Daycare centre in India rejects abuse allegations, blames dismissed employees for viral clips

Little Scholars alleged the videos were part of a revenge plot by dismissed employees seeking to secure re-employment.

Australia to toughen modern slavery penalty after US tariff threat

Australia will also introduce civil penalties for companies not meeting existing obligations.

Singapore residents set to spend S$1 billion more a year in JB after RTS Link opens: Study

Groceries, drug stores and dining are expected to draw the biggest share of Singapore consumers' spending across the border.

Senior Chinese and North Korean officials hold talks in Pyongyang

Bus accident kills six in China's Sichuan

BEIJING, July 16 - A bus plunged into a river after colliding with a road guardrail on Wednesday, killing six people and injuring 11 in China's southwestern Sichuan province, local authorities said in a notice on Thursday.

Young Japanese who rode AI boom flaunt wealth with luxury buys

While older generations have mostly focused on re-investment and saving, young investors have been spending their new-found cash.

China and Xi are seen more favourably than the US and Trump in many nations, Pew study suggests

In only six countries do people still see the US more positively than China, according to the findings released by Pew Research Center.

Donald Trump is running out of options in Iran

Serious hostilities between the US and Iran have resumed. On July 8, Donald Trump said that the ceasefire agreed to by the two countries in June was “over.” Since then, he has ordered the US military to carry out intensive airstrikes on Iran and has reimposed an economic

Seven-year-old boy dies after being hit by school bus in Johor

The accident happened shortly after being dropped off.

Bangladesh seizes $8b in assets tied to ousted PM Hasina

The authorities have opened 98 cases investigating corruption and money laundering.

The Arctic: Indo-Pacific deterrence challenge

In Part I of this series the author explored how the Arctic has re-emerged as a key missile-warning and defense corridor, defined by its geostrategic characteristics and the changing military postures of the United States and Russia. He further observed mounting strategic

Bangladesh students demand minister quit over flood-hit exams

Students criticised the minister for refusing to cancel an exam paper despite severe flooding.

China’s Wang Huning meets top North Korean official in Pyongyang: KCNA

The Chinese delegation arrived in Pyongyang on July 15 at the invitation of North Korea.

China's Wang Huning meets a top North Korean official in Pyongyang, KCNA reports

SEOUL, July 16 - China's Wang Huning, a Communist Party Politburo standing committee member, held talks in Pyongyang with Jo Yong Won, a top official of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, the North Korean state media KCNA reported on Thursday.

'I must get out into the free world', dissident who fled China on boat tells BBC

Dong Guangping, who has resettled in Canada, recounts his perilous escape from China to South Korea.

Bangkok's bar fire is the city's latest deadly blaze - will anything ever change?

The same horrific scenes have played out before, spurring calls for action. So why has this happened again?

Johor polls result raises stakes for Anwar in upcoming Negeri Sembilan election

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Pakatan Harapan pact need to show they can campaign effectively in a state where the incumbent chief minister is from his own PKR party, analysts say.

Too many durians, not enough buyers: Malaysia eyes new China land route to clear record supply glut

Overland exports could expand Malaysia's China market but raise questions over fruit quality.

India to launch first private orbital rocket after decades of state-run programme

A successful launch could open the door to a more competitive and viable commercial space ecosystem in India.

Hegseth mocked for plan to inject US soldiers with testosterone

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday elicited instant ridicule after he unveiled a new plan to offer military personnel testosterone injections. In a video announcement, Hegseth said he was authorizing a screening program to ensure US soldiers “have the right

Aid against the odds: running an NGO in North Korea

The forthcoming Miss Kathi: Saving Lives in North Korea is a book-length account in English by an aid worker operating on the ground amid the tensions and threat of conflict perpetually looming over the Korean peninsula. For many North Koreans, Zellweger was the first foreigner

More people around the world now favour China over the US, Pew study suggests

There is more confidence in Xi Jinping than Donald Trump, the US think tank's survey indicates.

Five arrested after Hong Kong police raid independent bookshops

Officials say they are suspected of selling "seditious" books which incited "hatred" against authorities.

Some ships refusing US-military guided Hormuz transits after attacks, sources say

LONDON/ATHENS, July 15 - Shipping companies are avoiding using a U.S. military-guided transit scheme through the Strait of Hormuz after a wave of Iranian attacks on vessels sparked safety concerns, seven maritime security and shipping industry sources said.

Vietnam arrests publishers of book on Communist Party founder

The book, Stories With Thanh – A New Account Of Light, has been recalled by its publisher.

China investigates retired top media censor