At least one dead, 100 injured in crush at Indian chariot festival

Nearly 100 people were taken to hospitals after complaining that they could not breathe.

One dead, 24 missing after boat sinks in Indonesia: Rescuers

The boat was already partially sunken when rescuers reached it near Selayar, a small island south of the larger Sulawesi.

Armenia seizes company from opposition leader charged with fraud

July 16 - Armenia has seized control of a cement company owned by an arrested opposition leader, state media said on Thursday, as critics accuse Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of waging a crackdown on opponents since winning re-election last month.

Twenty-nine countries sign agreement to establish global AI cooperation body

BEIJING, July 16 - Twenty-nine countries on Thursday signed an agreement to establish the World AI Cooperation Organization, an intergovernmental body China says aims to promote international cooperation and global governance in artificial intelligence.

Bangladesh arrests fugitive suspect in ex-president’s murder

Ziaur Rahman, a war hero who went on to become president, was killed in 1981 during a military coup.

Pakistan worries about being drawn into US-Iran conflict after Houthis attack Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD, July 16 - Attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis this week have frustrated Pakistan and threaten to draw Islamabad into the conflict, complicating any future role it may have as a mediator between the United States and Iran.

South Korea’s Naver to change ‘no foreigners’ button after discrimination accusations

The dispute came from wording that failed to distinguish between foreigners and overseas cards.

After arrests, Hong Kong issues warning to booksellers

The city’s security chief said officials would not compile a list of banned books.

Philippine Coast Guard condemns ‘racism’ in Chinese maritime dispute video

The minute-long video portrays the Philippines as a cartoon monkey.

Iran tells Houthis to close Red Sea gateway if US hits power network, sources say

DUBAI, July 16 - Iran has asked Yemen’s Houthi movement to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, three sources told Reuters on Thursday, posing a potent new threat to global energy supplies.

Norwegian suspect in Thai child trafficking case dead, police say

A Thai police source said the man died of an underlying medical condition earlier in 2026, before the investigation began.

Singaporean arrested in Bali after woman found dead in rental unit

Preliminary police investigations indicate that the suspect, acting out of resentment, allegedly assaulted the victim by strangling her for about 15 minutes.

Deer population in Japan’s Nara Park hits record high amid overfeeding

The population increased by 222 from a year before when the previous record-high was logged.

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

India ask its seafarers not to take Hormuz voyages

Strong earthquake rattles New Zealand’s South Island; tsunami alert later lifted

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Strong earthquake rattles New Zealand's South Island, tsunami alert lifted

July 16 - A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near the town of Te Anau in New Zealand's South Island, shaking buildings and prompting authorities to briefly issue a tsunami warning.

India Customs becomes second agency to fight Adani Group over nicotine pouches

Adani has argued that shops in the international departure area are outside the reach of domestic regulations.

US imposes new 25% tariffs on Brazil, expands exemptions list

July 15 - The U.S. has announced 25% duties on many imports from Brazil, while unveiling a broader-than-expected list of exemptions, reviving a trade war that could embroil dozens of countries around the world as the Trump administration reworks its tariffs policy, one of its

ASEAN envoy to engage all Myanmar stakeholders at Manila summit

Also on the table is the long-delayed code of conduct governing disputes over the South China Sea.

Diamonds hidden in shoes: Vietnam probe highlights India smuggling link

Investigators have detained 31 people in connection with the suspected smuggling ring.

Thailand considers suspending nearly 6,000 officials over exam scandal

Police found irregularities in the results of 5,814 civil servants who had taken the exams.

Taiwan rejects Papua New Guinea’s decison to shut office in Port Moresby

China welcomed the move.

What inflation? South Koreans continue to queue for ginseng chicken soup in peak summer

Many believe having the soup on the hottest days induces perspiration, cools the body and replenishes energy

Thailand mulls suspending nearly 6,000 officials over exam scandal

The scandal began in June, when investigators said they had concluded that officials accepted bribes of up to 800,000 baht (US$23,847) to electronically alter candidates' results to allow them to pass mandatory exams for government appointments or promotions.

Japan notifies local governments they may ‘ban’ private lodgings amid problems

The move marks a turnaround in the government’s stance.

Czech citizen detained in China suspected of endangering national security

BEIJING/PRAGUE, July 16 - A Czech citizen held in China since the end of June is being investigated on suspicion of national security offences, China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, as it demanded the release of one of its citizens awaiting trial in the Czech Republic on

Japan PM’s government approval rating below 50% for first time

Top reasons for the disapproval included “cannot hope for much” and “poor policies”.

Phuket begins jet-ski crackdown to boost tourist safety; 23 offenders fined

Inspections will continue and be expanded to other key tourism areas.

Bali police arrest Singaporean for allegedly strangling girlfriend: Media reports

The man had allegedly buried her girlfriend's body in the room of a boarding house.

Bank of Korea picks a fight with US Fed’s AI inflation call

TOKYO — Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun-song ended a three-and-a-half-year rate freeze on Thursday, lifting the policy rate 25 basis points to 2.75% — the BOK’s first tightening move since January 2023. The timing makes this more than a routine adjustment. Shin appears to be

After KFC, cyberattack hits Japanese ice cream giant Glico

Major supermarket chains pastry firms and dining halls at eldercare centres were also impacted.

Iran warns Strait of Hormuz is a 'red line' and will resist until the end

DUBAI, July 16 - Iran said on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz was an inviolable \"red line\", warning that if U.S. President Donald Trump carried out his threat to attack Iran's infrastructure, it would strike all infrastructure across the Gulf region.

What China’s sub-launched missile test really signaled

This article first appeared on Pacific Forum and is republished with permission. Read the original here. According to Chinese media reports, at 12:01 pm on July 6, a People’s Liberation Army Navy strategic nuclear-powered submarine successfully launched a submarine-launched

Japan PM Sanae Takaichi's approval rating below 50% for first time

Top reasons cited for disapproval included "cannot hope for much" and "poor policies".

China asks Thailand to deport Chinese journalist, rights groups warn of persecution

BEIJING, July 16 - China has asked Thailand to promptly extradite a Chinese journalist who rights groups say faces political persecution and torture back home because of his investigations into corruption in China.

Football with a side of dim sum: Hong Kong teahouse scores big with World Cup fans

Lin Heung Lau, one of Hong Kong’s oldest dim sum restaurants, has boosted its business by 20 per cent despite mounting challenges facing the city’s Chinese eateries.

Seed by seed: Women of Tampenau nursing Sabah’s rainforests back to recovery

In a Sabah village, women are raising native saplings to restore one of the state's most degraded rainforests.

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

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

The CEO later emerged to hand 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