South Korea to probe ship fire in Strait of Hormuz, Trump blames Iranian attack

Blast at fireworks factory in China's Hunan kills 21

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a speedy and thorough investigation to determine the cause of the blast.

El Nino impact puts 41 Thai provinces at risk of water shortages

Areas under watch include eastern Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan.

Taiwan won't give in to pressure, president says on return from Eswatini

Pony.ai CEO says key pieces in place for large-scale robotaxi rollout

The Chinese autonomous driving firm is upgrading its AI systems and cutting vehicle costs as it pushes towards wider deployment.

Veteran Malaysian singer-actor Jalil Hamid dies at age 69

Known for his Hari Raya songs and roles in various Malaysian films, the actor-singer died in his sleep at his home.

Blast at fireworks factory in China’s Hunan kills 21, Xi calls for probe: State media

Nearly 500 firefighters, rescuers and medical personnel were deployed to the scene.

Explosion at China fireworks factory kills 21 people

A blast at a fireworks factory in Hunan province has killed 21 people and injured 61, state media report.

India's Modi celebrates 'record' win in opposition-held West Bengal

This is the first-ever electoral victory in West Bengal for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.

‘Super El Nino’ raises fears for Asia reeling from Middle East conflict

Strong El Nino conditions could spike energy demand, sap hydropower and damage crops.

'Super El Nino' raises fears for Asia reeling from Middle East conflict

The warnings come with Asia buckling under the strain of an energy supply crunch and fears over shortages of fertiliser and other industrial and agricultural components which pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Taiwan won’t give in to pressure, President Lai says on return from Eswatini

Taiwan blamed Chinese pressure for nixing earlier plans to visit Estawini.

Taiwan president returning home after surprise Eswatini trip

TAIPEI, May 5 - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will speak at the airport later on Tuesday on his return from Eswatini, his office said, having made a surprise trip there after his government blamed Chinese pressure for nixing earlier plans.

China's Wu Yize wins World Snooker Championship for first time

Wu Yize is the second Chinese player to win the world title after Zhao Xintong made history as the first Asian to lift the trophy last year.

IAEA says drone damaged equipment at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine

May 4 - The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Monday meteorological monitoring equipment at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine had been damaged by a drone.

Rescuers among three dead after yacht sinks off Australian coast

Volunteer rescuers aged 78 and 62 died after their boat rolled during "treacherous" conditions.

'We won't see her because she's Asian': How Lea Salonga fought to be seen on Broadway

Broadway icon and Disney princess Lea Salonga has paved the way for Asian actors - but it hasn't been easy.

Land of Smiles - and mandatory travel insurance? Thailand’s proposed move for tourists stirs debate

Thailand is considering mandatory insurance for tourists to ease pressure on its healthcare system, but industry players caution that poor implementation could deter visitors in a competitive regional market.

Commentary: Indonesia’s foreign policy has a consultation problem

From the Board of Peace to the Iran war, Indonesia’s foreign policy is increasingly defined by decisions made before consultation, says an academic.

Commentary: In an age of doom scrolling, Asia’s book market is thriving

In much of Asia, reading is reinforced by education systems, politicians and personal ambition, says Karishma Vaswani for Bloomberg Opinion.

China invokes rules to blunt US sanctions on ‘teapot’ refiners

China has invoked a five-year-old legal instrument for the first time to block the enforcement of United States sanctions on five mainland “teapot” oil refiners, including the newly sanctioned Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery, which was accused of buying Iranian crude

Reuters wins two Pulitzer Prizes for national and beat reporting

NEW YORK, May 4 - Reuters won two Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, one for national reporting for stories on U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign of political retribution, and a second for beat reporting for investigations revealing how social-media behemoth Meta knowingly exposed

Reuters wins beat reporting Pulitzer for Meta investigations

NEW YORK, May 4 - Reuters won the Pulitzer Prize for beat reporting on Monday for a series of stories revealing how social-media behemoth Meta knowingly exposed users, including children, to harmful artificial intelligence chatbots and made billions of dollars from fraudulent

Have any lessons been learned from US failures in the Iran war?

While the US military has had many achievements in the Iran conflict, it’s been far from cost free. Iran conducted extensive retaliatory strikes targeting high-value US bases. According to international reports and satellite data, the damage to aircraft, radar, and

Trump team denies Iran hit US warship entering Hormuz Strait

The Trump administration has denied reports from Iranian media on Monday that a US Navy warship was hit in the Strait of Hormuz. After US President Donald Trump said this weekend that the US Navy would help “guide” commercial ships through the strait, in what was referred to as

Probe into fatal China Eastern plane crash points to deliberate fuel cut-off

New findings showed levers controlling the flow of fuel to the jet’s engines being switched to the “cutoff” position.

US destroys six Iranian small boats, shoots down missiles, drones, admiral says

WASHINGTON, May 4 - The U.S. military said on Monday it destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones fired by Tehran as the U.S. launched an operation to free up shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Fujairah oil zone hit by fire after drone attack as UAE says it intercepted Iran missiles

May 4 - Fire broke out at a major UAE oil industry zone on Monday after a drone attack originating from Iran, authorities said, as the Gulf state's military separately intercepted three Iranian missiles over its waters and a fourth crashed into the sea.

Indians vote for change in key states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to govern West Bengal and a movie star's party wins big in Tamil Nadu.

Fire, explosion hit South Korean-run vessel in Strait of Hormuz, Seoul says

There were no casualties reported and authorities were investigating what caused the blaze.

OCBC to buy HSBC wealth, premier banking portfolio in Indonesia

The deal will transfer HSBC Indonesia's International Wealth and Premier Banking portfolio to PT Bank OCBC NISP, or OCBC Indonesia, and is expected to increase OCBC Indonesia's assets under management by 25 per cent.

Bessent urges China to step up diplomacy on Iran ahead of Trump-Xi summit

WASHINGTON, May 4 - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday urged China to step up its diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, adding that the subject will be discussed when President Donald Trump meets with Chinese

'Too expensive' or 'fair price' for convenience? Day 1 of cross-border taxi scheme elicits mixed reactions

Commuters and drivers on both sides of the Causeway say the new service – with more pick-up and drop-off points among other features - offers more choices but at a higher cost, while experts say it would reduce the “first-mile and last-mile friction”.

South Korean-run vessel ablaze in Strait of Hormuz; Trump says Iran fired at the ship

The blaze broke out in the cargo ship’s engine room, where 24 crew members, including Koreans, were on board.

South Korea checking whether Korean-flagged vessel struck in Hormuz, report says

SEOUL, May 4 - South Korea said it was verifying intelligence that a South Korean-flagged vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, Yonhap News said on Monday.

Trump’s Hormuz ‘protection’ seeks ‘pretext for escalation’: Iran

Iranian officials warned Sunday that US President Donald Trump’s newly announced plan to help “guide” stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz is an attempted provocation aimed at justifying additional military action against the Middle Eastern country. An unnamed senior

Press freedom a ‘fundamental right’: RFA President

Shaping a future at peace is unattainable unless people in the most repressed places can access accurate, timely news and information. RFA does just that.

German defence ministry says no 'definitive cancellation' of US weapons deployment

BERLIN, May 4 - The German defence ministry said on Monday that there had been no \"definitive cancellation\" by the United States of a plan devised under former president Joe Biden to deploy a battalion with long-range Tomahawk missiles to Germany.

After the oil shortage, the prospect of an oil surplus

It is a pleasing paradox, a bright light at the end of a dark Middle Eastern tunnel. Just when the world is wondering how high the price of oil might go thanks to the stalemate between the United States and Iran, the United Arab Emirates – one of the biggest oil producers – has

Modi’s poll gains point to push on India's civil law reform, infrastructure

NEW DELHI, May 4 - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party was set on Monday to record substantial victories in state elections, an outcome that could accelerate its landmark policies like uniform civil laws and infrastructure building, political leaders and analysts said.

China invokes anti-sanctions law to counter US blacklisting of refiners

The law allows Beijing to retaliate against entities enforcing sanctions it deems unlawful.

Modi's BJP conquers Bengal, one of India's toughest political frontiers

West Bengal’s verdict could reshape not just the state’s politics, but the future trajectory of Modi’s BJP.

Most Strait of Hormuz shipping at a standstill despite latest US pledge

OSLO, May 4 - There were no signs of increased vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, a day after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would begin efforts to free up shipping.

Iran prevents entry of U.S. warships into Strait of Hormuz, Navy says

DUBAI, May 4 - Iran's navy said on Monday it had prevented the entry of enemy warships into the Strait of Hormuz by issuing a \"swift and decisive warning\", according to state TV.

Indonesia, Japan sign defence cooperation agreement

JAKARTA, May 4 - Indonesia and Japan signed a defence cooperation agreement on Monday, officials said, which includes cooperation in the defence industry, human development and disaster mitigation measures.

Europe’s consummate systemic rival: Ursula von der Leyen

The most consequential threat to Europe in the past decade has not arrived from Moscow, Beijing or Washington. It has been manufactured, word by word, policy reversal by policy reversal, on the 13th floor of the Berlaymont building in Brussels. Ursula von der Leyen has achieved

Knife-wielding woman at KL water music festival charged, to undergo mental health check

A woman was stopped by members of the public after she was seen carrying a knife at the Kuala Lumpur festival.

Thailand seizes on Hormuz fears to push land bridge dream

BANGKOK – While Asia suffers from Strait of Hormuz blockades, Bangkok is offering Beijing, Singapore and others a planned multi-billion dollar “land bridge” across Thailand’s thin peninsula, to link shipping between the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand instead of south through

Death toll from Turkey school shooting rises to 10

A 14-year-old student opened fire at a school in Turkey’s Kahramanmaras province on April 15.