Japan ruling party leaves decision on sales tax cut proposal to policy chief
Fiscally conservative lawmakers are concerned about a funding shortfall for social security.
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Beyond the singularity: China owning the physical AI revolution
The global discourse on artificial intelligence is preoccupied with a dramatic possibility: The Singularity, the moment a disembodied artificial general intelligence awakens in a server farm, escapes human control and either elevates or destroys civilization. This is largely a
How India’s ‘Cockroach’ movement grew its wings
Young people across India recently made international headlines for mass protests over the recurring leaks of entrance exams that help students qualify for medical schools and highly coveted government jobs. The Gen Z protesters won a major victory within a matter of weeks when
The China positivity, US negativity illusion
For nearly two decades, one line in the global opinion charts held steady: the United States was better liked than China. That line has now crossed. Pew Research Center’s July 15 report, based on 42,151 interviews in 36 countries between February and May 2026, finds China
1MDB civil trial kicks off with Najib accused of using vast powers to enable US$5.6b fraud
Malaysian wealth fund's lawyer says the case is about ex-PM's "betrayal of public trust".
Thailand seizes illegal squishy toys over cancer-risk chemicals
The authorities said the products may be contaminated with metals, fragrances that do not meet safety standards.
Floods, whirlwinds leave three dead, one injured in northern Vietnam
Landslides and flooding affected 13 houses as the local authorities evacuated 30 households.
China’s MANPADS for Iran could cost US airpower dearly
Iran’s reported acquisition of Chinese shoulder-fired air-defense missiles could turn the war’s lower altitudes into a costly battlefield of attrition for US and Israeli airpower. Iran was set to receive its first shipment within weeks under a signed US$60-$70 million deal for
Politicians have long backed this Malaysian biker fest. Now its death toll is drawing scrutiny
Each RX-Z road death cost Malaysia RM3.12 million in economic losses, a minister said.
Japan, US confirm joint yen-buying intervention, signal more action
The rare joint intervention – the first since 2011 - aimed to prevent a selloff in the yen and Japanese government bonds from causing global spillovers.
Hong Kong jails prison guard over assault on inmate: Media
The victim required an operation after the assault.
China steps up protection for chip designs in revised regulations
The measures reflect the greater strategic importance Beijing is assigning to technology developed by Chinese companies.
Negeri Sembilan polls: As BN-PN rides Malay-Muslim support to win big, what's next for them and Malaysian politics?
Analysts say the supermajority win by Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional in Negeri Sembilan could prompt the two former rivals to deepen their partnership.
China cues start of secretive annual leadership retreat
China has not officially documented the top leaders’ meetings in the coastal town.
China cues start of leaders' secretive Beidaihe summer retreat
BEIJING, Aug 3 - China's Communist Party appeared to kick off its annual closed-door retreat in the seaside resort of Beidaihe, an informal gathering that perennially sparks rumours of power jostling among senior cadres and comes this year ahead of a major party conclave in
Bangladesh measles outbreak drives families into debt: Aid groups
Nine out of 10 families affected by measles were forced to borrow to cover medical expenses.
Japanese PM Takaichi visits quake-hit southern region as cleanup begins in intense heat
More than 46,000 households remain without water and thousands of people remain at crowded emergency shelters nearly a week after an earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture.
Jakarta governor, police urge calm after malls erect fences purportedly to guard against unrest
Governor Pramono Anung urged the public not to overreact, insisting the capital remains safe and dismissing speculation of imminent disorder.
Seoul issues first ‘severe heatwave warning’ under new advisory system
New national heat records were set on July 31, Aug 1 and Aug 2, with temperatures soaring up to 42.5 deg C.
Pilot arrested with drugs in Indonesia had cleared checks at KLIA: Malaysia border control agency
The pilot allegedly smuggled 26kg of the mind-altering drug MDMA into Jakarta while on the job.
Alibaba unveils its largest AI model yet, DeepSeek's latest model is ultra-low cost
The developments highlight the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence by Chinese tech firms as Alibaba and DeepSeek aim to gain traction among global developers.
China’s largest chipmaker CXMT plans second plant in Beijing, is in talks on funding, sources say
CXMT is seeking at least $11.4m in support from the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.
F1 race in Malaysia: Country eyes a rise in tourists, increased business for small traders
The Grand Prix will also provide a boost to the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
Three lions die of heatstroke at Tokyo zoo
Autopsies revealed that all three suffered from dehydration and multiple organ failure.
BN, PN to begin talks soon on electoral pact for Melaka polls, following Negeri Sembilan victory
Analysts tell CNA that an early election will be in the interest of the two coalitions, following their recent success in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls.
South Korea’s military counter-intelligence command reform takes shape but concerns remain
Aim is to improve oversight and prevent abuse of power but critics say coordination may be tough.
Malaysia’s jazz queen Sheila Majid awarded Datuk Seri title
She was among 52 recipients of Pahang state honours and medals during the investiture ceremony.
China evacuates residents as heavy rains hit northwest, southwest
BEIJING, Aug 3 - China warned of risks from heavy downpours across multiple parts of the country on Monday, with storms concentrated in the northwestern Shaanxi and southwestern Sichuan provinces where residents have been evacuated from high-risk areas.
China evacuates residents as heavy downpours hit country’s north-west and south-west
Coastal areas in eastern China can expect the effects of Typhoon Dolphin later this week.
Court acquits former India wrestling chief of sexual harassment
The court found “inconsistencies” in witness statements, his lawyer said.
Survivors recall blasts before deadly Indonesian ferry fire
There were 236 people on board the vessel when it left Indonesia’s Surabaya for Makassar.
2 victims of Kumamoto mall explosion told by employer to return to store after evacuation
A total of seven people, including two Habita employees, were killed in the blast.
Kumamoto quake survivors offered hotel shelter as temperature in prefecture reach record 40 deg C
Officials are scrambling to improve living conditions for those displaced as punishing heat continues across the prefecture.
Two workers killed in blast after re-entering quake-hit Japan mall on boss' order
The two women's employer has apologised for sending them back to Aeon Mall to secure cash.
‘How can the United States possibly compete with China?’
Yes, China certainly seems daunting. Go there and take a look at massive modern factories operating 24/7, millions of industrial and domestic service robots, along with what look like never-ending shiny skyscrapers in Shenzhen, Shanghai and other cities. The sheer scale of it
Record heatwave spreads across Korean peninsula, prompting emergency response
The first-ever severe heatwave warning was issued for parts of Seoul on Aug 3, with South Korea's weather agency warning that the heatwave was likely to persist.
Search continues for 28 still missing after ferry catches fire in Indonesia’s Madura island
Five people were confirmed dead and 238 have been rescued.
Aung San Suu Kyi appears healthy in first confirmed outside contact for 2.5 years
Photos newly released by Myanmar's military government show Suu Kyi meeting with an ICRC official.
Leaked exams, dashed dreams: Why India’s ‘cockroach’ youth turned on Modi
Complaints include widening economic inequality, high youth unemployment and an erosion of free speech rights.
Leaked exams, dashed dreams: Why India's ‘cockroach’ youth turned on Modi
SITAMARHI, India/NEW DELHI, Aug 3 - Ashok Kumar knows that Narendra Modi changed his life for the better.
Myanmar's detained Aung San Suu Kyi meets Red Cross official
The Myanmar government also released photographs of Aung San Suu Kyi, however, the location and date of the images have not been independently verified.
Not only Russian but also Ukrainian shipping getting hit
There are lots of reports of Ukrainian attacks on Russian shipping, but not so many about Russian attacks on Ukrainian ships. Over the last few months the Russians have been waging their own campaign to try and destroy shipping in and out of Ukrainian ports, which is vital to
Feeling lonely in Seoul? Try a convenience store for the mind
The project is open to any Seoul resident experiencing loneliness, including foreign residents.
China warns of crop risks as heat sweeps agricultural regions
Scorching heat is also set to take hold in Xinjiang, where almost all of the country’s cotton is grown.
Foreign tourists’ spending in South Korea surges with medical travel boom
Foreign tourist spending is spreading beyond traditional destinations, data suggested.
'Your legacy will live forever': Nepal mourns climber Nirmal Purja
Tributes are pouring out across Nepal after an avalanche killed some of the country's best mountaineers.
Fourteen dead, thousands displaced as rains, floods strike southern India
KOCHI, India, Aug 3 - Heavy rains and floods battered parts of southern India over the weekend, killing at least 11 and displacing thousands in the state of Kerala, and setting off a landslide that killed at least three in neighbouring Karnataka, authorities and news reports