US military says it completed Syria mission to transfer ISIS members to Iraq

Feb 13 - U.S. military forces have completed their mission in Syria to transfer Islamic State detainees to Iraq, U.S. Central Command said on Friday.

Afghanistan aid system severely strained by over 5 million returnees, UN warns

GENEVA, Feb 13 - Over five million people have returned to Afghanistan from neighbouring states since expulsion policies began in late 2023, prompting the United Nations to warn on Friday that relief efforts are becoming overwhelmed by thousands of daily arrivals.

Thailand election: Pheu Thai to join coalition government led by winner Bhumjaithai

Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of Bhumjaithai Party is a shoo-in to become Thailand’s 33rd Prime Minister.

South Korean woman arrested for killings via drug-laced drinks, denies murder intent

The drug used in the crime can cause paralysis or difficulty breathing.

After Gen Z uprising, Bangladesh vote shows limits of youth power

Voters largely stayed away from The National Citizen Party which emerged from the 2024 protests.

UK terrorism ban on Palestine Action group unlawful, court rules after appeal

LONDON, Feb 13 - Britain's ban on pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was ruled unlawful by London's High Court on Friday, though the ban will temporarily remain in place and the government said it would appeal against the decision.

Selangor speeds up closure of pig farms on ruler’s decree, raising farmer concerns over future

One farmer fears being unable to repay loans for farm upgrades, which could lead to bankruptcy.

HK opens 2 top civil service jobs to outside candidates for first time. Will this shake things up?

Analysts see the move as a way to expand the government talent pool but say suitable candidates may not be easy to find.

Kremlin aide Medinsky to head Russian team as Ukraine peace talks move to Geneva next week

MOSCOW, Feb 13 - Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States on ending the war in Ukraine will move to Geneva next week and Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will head the Russian delegation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday.

India fines Air India US$110,350 in Airbus incident, says lapse eroded public confidence

US top diplomat Rubio meets China counterpart Wang Yi in Munich

Washington and Beijing have sought to ease tensions over issues including trade and the future of Taiwan.

Displaced Cambodians in limbo as nationalist victory in Thailand adds to pressure

Anutin romped to an election victory on a platform that includes building a wall at the border.

Bangladesh’s democratic reset? Voters back reforms but return old guard to power

As voters in Bangladesh back reforms in a referendum, the return of a familiar political force raises questions about whether real change is coming, say analysts.

Indian nurse infected with Nipah virus dies

The World Health Organisation had said risk of the virus’ spread was low.

Japan’s Parliament to elect prime minister next week, with Takaichi poised to win

The prime minister is expected to launch her second Cabinet after the vote.

Monarchists rally in support of ex-king as Nepal limps toward election

Many Nepalis have voiced frustration with republican government.

Bangladesh referendum endorses democratic charter

Malaysian opposition party Bersatu sacks deputy president Hamzah Zainudin

Analysts tell CNA the latest move shows Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin still runs the show and could be eyeing a return as chairman of the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional.

Weaponized faith to burning borders in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is no longer simply a humanitarian tragedy. It is becoming a strategic fault line — where religious repression at home and militant projection abroad converge in ways that threaten South Asia and, eventually, regions far beyond. Two recent developments crystallize

Super-cheap bubble tea and fat hongbao: Chinese tech firms splurge to draw AI app users this CNY

Competition is intensifying among big tech companies for user traffic expected to flow through AI apps

Huge pit visible in Shanghai after viral sinkhole video

The local authorities confirmed there were no casualties.

Who would win a Ukraine election?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is under intense pressure from the US to take his country to the polls as early as this spring. Donald Trump is demanding elections as a condition for American security guarantees for Ukraine against any future Russian invasion. Zelensky

Thailand's election winner Bhumjaithai seals coalition deal with Pheu Thai

BANGKOK, Feb 13 - Thailand's Bhumjaithai Party, which won Sunday's general election by a wide margin, will be joined by the third-place Pheu Thai party to form a coalition government, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday.

‘Don’t repeat 1MDB’s mistake’: Malaysia’s anti-graft chief under spotlight as controversies resurface

Reform advocates call for Parliament oversight of anti-corruption appointments and asset checks.

Chinese tourists head to Russia, Thailand on extended Chinese New Year break

More Chinese tourists are expected to travel overseas during this year's nine-day Spring Festival holiday starting on Feb 15, one day longer than usual, as they usher in the Year of the Horse.

Indonesia seals Tiffany stores on suspicion of illegal imports

Officials in South-east Asia’s largest economy have stepped up enforcement against illegal imports.

Strategic calculations behind India’s trade deals flurry

India’s new trade pacts with the EU and US, and the big question: Will Delhi revisit its decision to abandon RCEP?

Markets likely mispricing Japan’s ‘Takaichi trade’

In the days since its landslide victory, Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party finds itself grappling with the ultimate political quandary: what to do when you’re the proverbial dog that caught the car? The yen’s powerful rally since Sunday’s election triumph suggests

Thai PM Anutin registers marriage with girlfriend ahead of Valentine’s Day

This marriage registration is reportedly the third for Mr Anutin.

Thailand's Pheu Thai Party to join Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition, PM Anutin says

BANGKOK, Feb 13 - Thailand's Bhumjaithai Party, which won Sunday's general election by a wide margin, will be joined by the third-place Pheu Thai party to form a coalition government, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday.

Ramadan free meals in Indonesia draw ire over cost, safety

The program has drawn criticism over unnecessary state spending and unresolved food safety risks.

Johoreans say JB is now ‘Singapore-priced’. This CNY, they’re shopping at the outskirts

Retailers are facing a double blow, with locals priced out and cross-border shoppers deterred by a stronger ringgit.

Denmark to provide four F-35 fighter jets to NATO's Arctic Sentry

COPENHAGEN, Feb 13 - Denmark will provide four F-35 fighter jets to NATO's Arctic Sentry mission, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Friday.

Chinese New Year service offering proxies to bow to parents in China stokes controversy

A Chinese app has cancelled a service that let users hire proxies to bow to their elderly relatives.

How a K-pop concert in Malaysia led to a war of words between Southeast Asian and Korean netizens

There's currently a huge online battle between Southeast Asian users and South Korean netizens, with racial comments coming from both camps. And it all started from a K-pop concert in Malaysia.

Lunar New Year bowing service in China stokes controversy

BEIJING, Feb 13 - A Chinese odd jobs mobile app has cancelled a service that let users hire proxies to bow to their elderly relatives during Lunar New Year family visits, sparking scrutiny of China's \"hire-anyone-for-anything\" service sector.

Ogawa chosen as Japan’s main opposition leader after election defeat

The leadership tenure of Mr Ogawa will run until the end of March 2027.

Chips the key to reviving stalled India-Malaysia ties

Just months after skipping the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia in 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a brief yet important visit to the Southeast Asian nation from February 7-8. Describing the India-Malaysia relationship as

Malaysian opposition leader Hamzah sacked from Bersatu amid party infighting

The rift between Bersatu deputy president Hamzah and party president Muhyiddin has deepened in recent months.

Massive sinkhole swallows road, part of construction site near downtown Shanghai

No casualties have been reported so far and official investigations are ongoing.

Thaksin-backed party Pheu Thai says invited to Thai coalition talks

Thai PM's party agrees to form coalition with Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai

The support of Pheu Thai - which came in third in the election - will give Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul a clear parliamentary majority.

Malaysia forms special committee to probe anti-corruption chief, says communications minister

A Bloomberg report claimed that Malaysia's Anti-Corruption Commission chief Azam Baki held 17.7 million shares in a financial services company worth about RM800,000 (US$205,000), above the RM100,000 limit allowed for public servants. Azam had reportedly called the report

Bangladesh political heir Tarique Rahman poised for PM

Tarique Rahman's rise marks a remarkable turnaround for a man who only returned to Bangladesh in December 2025 after 17 years in exile in Britain.

BNP sweeps Bangladesh election, Tarique Rahman set to become PM

DHAKA, Feb 13 - Bangladesh’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, returning to power after nearly two decades and positioning party leader Tarique Rahman to become prime minister as the country emerges from months of

In Karachi, sober raves offer Gen Z a new kind of nightlife

Events are popping up across the city, mainly at sports facilities and coffee shops.