Japan demands swift release of national detained in Iran
TOKYO, Feb 25 - A Japanese national has been detained in Iran and must be swiftly released, the Japanese government said on Wednesday.
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New Zealand mayor swims to allay sewage contamination fears
Despite bringing in experts from Australia, the cause of the issue remains unknown.
Nepali migrant workers influence polls, but can’t vote
Unable to find jobs at home, some 2.5 million Nepalis – 7.5 per cent of the population – work abroad.
Malaysia blocks same-sex dating websites Grindr and Blued
Communications agency mulls over legal options against mobile app.
Nepal’s rapper-turned-mayor in pole position to become prime minister
The musician who cut his political teeth when he became the mayor of the capital Kathmandu in 2022.
Political outsiders are up against Thailand's powerful patronage system, defeated MP tells BBC
The People's Party’s hopes were dashed on the rocks of the old-style patronage networks which dominate provincial politics.
AI Is racing toward a collision with humanity
Steve Jobs once described the personal computer as “the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.” Jobs at 12 years old had read an article published in Scientific American that compared the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The study basically measured
Trump insists Joint Chiefs chair on board for Iran military move
President Donald Trump admitted Monday that a US assault on Iran would be disastrous for the Middle East nation’s people as he considers options for a military attack, reportedly drawing private warnings from the United States’ top general. In a Truth Social post, Trump pushed
Australia police make arrests over alleged murder of grandfather mistakenly kidnapped
Police have said 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian was not the intended target of the alleged crime.
The rise of 'Chinamaxxing': Cultural curiosity or TikTok caricature?
A playful TikTok trend celebrating everyday Chinese habits has gone global, prompting debate over cultural appreciation - and whether online fascination can reshape perceptions.
Commentary: Myanmar and Timor-Leste quarrel calls ASEAN’s conventional wisdom into question
The fallout between the two ASEAN members highlights Timor-Leste’s unique international personality, says a researcher.
Norway's King Harald taken to hospital in Spain
OSLO, Feb 24 - Norway's King Harald, 89, was taken to hospital on Tuesday on the Spanish island of Tenerife, suffering from an infection and dehydration, the royal palace said in a statement.
Trump’s ketchup dripping down the wall
The raging reaction by President Donald Trump to the US Supreme Court’s ruling on his “emergency” import tariffs brought back memories of the testimony by former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson to the January 6th committee about his alleged food-throwing behavior. His rant
US imposes cyber-related sanctions on Russian, UAE individuals and entities
WASHINGTON, Feb 24 - The United States on Tuesday issued Russia and cyber-related sanctions against four people and three entities, including some based in Russia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Treasury Department website.
Yoon Suk Yeol’s legacy threatens to erode US-South Korea alliance
First published by Pacific Forum‘s The Pilot: Indo-Pacific Policy Briefs, this article is republished with permission. Last week, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2022-25) received a life sentence for leading an insurrection in connection to his aborted martial law
Pakistan, Afghan forces exchange fire after airstrikes deepen tensions
KABUL/ KARACHI, Feb 24 - Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire along their border on Tuesday, with each side accusing the other of initiating the clash, days after Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan strained already tenuous ties.
Seven killed in air ambulance crash in India's Jharkhand state
NEW DELHI, Feb 24 - All seven people on board a Beechcraft air ambulance were killed on Monday when it crashed in the Indian state of Jharkhand, officials said a day later, including two crew members, a patient and his relatives.
Back in business: Indonesia’s suspended MPs return as if the protests never happened
The reinstatement of the 5 MPs has raised questions about accountability and public trust in the country’s legislature.
Beyond the numbers: Will China and India capitalise on US tariff twist?
With Trump's Liberation Day tariffs struck down, Beijing, New Delhi could have an opening in trade talks, say analysts.
Denmark in talks with Ukrainian drone maker Skyfall on hosting production
STOCKHOLM, Feb 24 - Ukrainian drone maker Skyfall is in talks with Denmark about becoming the second defence firm from the war-torn country to establish production on Danish soil, the Nordic country's defence ministry said on Tuesday.
Ukraine denies 'absurd' Russian claims on nuclear weapons
KYIV, Feb 24 - Ukraine dismissed on Tuesday as \"absurd\" a Russian claim that Kyiv was trying to obtain nuclear weapons with the help of Britain and France.
White House says Trump's first option on Iran is diplomacy
WASHINGTON, Feb 24 - U.S. President Donald Trump's first option with Tehran is always diplomacy but he is willing to use lethal force if necessary, his spokeswoman said on Tuesday as his top diplomat prepares to brief top congressional leaders on Iran later in the day.
Russia issues statement warning of risks of clash between nuclear powers
MOSCOW, Feb 24 - Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement warning of the risk of a direct clash between nuclear powers and the grave consequences such a clash could have.
US forces seize third sanctioned oil tanker, Pentagon says
WASHINGTON, Feb 24 - U.S. military forces have captured a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from Caribbean waters, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, adding that it was the third such interdiction.
Iran issues death sentence linked to January unrest, source says
DUBAI, Feb 24 - A revolutionary court in Tehran has issued a death sentence for an Iranian man accused of \"enmity against god\", which if confirmed would be the first such sentence linked to mass protests in January, a source close to the man's family said.
Iran nears deal to buy supersonic anti-ship missiles from China
The deployment of the missiles would significantly enhance Iran’s strike capabilities and pose a threat to US naval forces in the region, two weapons experts said.
Five years on, ‘Putin consensus’ faces Ukraine strain
Perceived wisdom has it that the longer a war goes on, the less enthusiastic a public becomes for continuing the conflict. After all, it is ordinary citizens who tend to bear the economic and human costs. And yet, as the war following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in
What's behind the latest tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan?
ISLAMABAD, Feb 24 - Tensions have heated up again between Islamabad and Kabul this week after Pakistan launched airstrikes on militant targets in Afghanistan.
Israel warns Lebanon of strikes if Hezbollah enters any US-Iran war, Lebanese officials say
GENEVA/BEIRUT, Feb 24 - Israel has warned Lebanon that it would strike the country hard, targeting civilian infrastructure including the airport, in the event that Hezbollah gets involved in any U.S.-Iran war, two senior Lebanese officials said on Tuesday.
Former Philippines president Duterte drew up ‘death lists’, boasted about murders: ICC prosecutor
Duterte faces three ICC counts of crimes against humanity.
Japan to deploy missile systems on island near Taiwan by 2031
This is the first time Japan has specified the timing of its deployment of surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni island.
‘Alpha-male’ influencer Nick Adams dropped as US ambassador to Malaysia, claims he has been promoted
Adams’ nomination by US President Donald Trump last year had sparked controversy due to reportedly misogynistic remarks the right-wing commentator has made, as well as his public support for Israel in 2024.
China’s military purge taking toll on command and readiness, study finds
China's two highest-ranked generals have become ensnared in disciplinary investigations.
Rights group slams treatment of viral Japanese monkey
Punch's predicament has sparked huge interest online, spawning a devoted fanbase with large crowds thronging Ichikawa City Zoo.
Rights group slams treatment of Punch, the viral Japanese monkey
PETA called for Punch to be moved somewhere "he could live in a more natural environment”.
Thailand, Cambodia dispute exchange of fire at border
The countries signed a ceasefire agreement in late December but tensions on the border remain, with both sides trading accusations of truce violations.
Can ASEAN’s 50-year-old foundational peace treaty hold in a more uncertain world?
The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia has been seen for much of its history as a cornerstone of the region’s relative stability.
Kenyans trapped in Cambodia by trafficking scheme seek government aid to return home
NAIROBI, Feb 24 - More than 600 Kenyans lured to Cambodia by the promise of jobs who say they were kept there against their will in a trafficking scheme sought on Tuesday to force their government to bring them home.
Gunmen kill five police officers in north-west Pakistan near Afghan border
Pakistan has seen rising tension with neighbouring Afghanistan in recent weeks.
Malaysian minister calls for royal probe into anti-graft body’s ‘corporate mafia’ claims
DAP minister breaks ranks, says MACC must be cleared of all suspicion, not just shareholding.
Gunmen kill five police in northwest Pakistan near Afghan border, police say
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, Feb 24 - Gunmen ambushed a police vehicle and killed five officials in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, police said, as the South Asian nation struggles to quell a rising wave of militant attacks and faces renewed border tensions with neighbouring
‘SEAblings’ v Korea: Online spat reveals long-buried racial tensions
But many concur that the online war has gone too far.