New Zealand immigration edges to 17-month high yet remains weak

Migrant flows have been significantly impacted by an economic slowdown that saw GDP grow just 0.3 per cent in 2025.

Thousands stranded at Japan's Narita airport after record rain kills four

TOKYO, Aug 14 - Record rainfall left thousands of travellers stranded at Tokyo's Narita airport on Thursday morning as flooding in the surrounding area disrupted transport, knocked out power to homes and claimed at least four lives.

India Bar Council retreats after ‘cockroach’ protest threat

The Bar Council of India had ordered that no 2026 graduate of NALSAR University of Law be enrolled as an advocate.

Chinese tourists pull back on overseas trips amid economic gloom

Geopolitical tensions and safety concerns are also reshaping regional travel.

Australian PM says he asked Trump for tariff exemption

Australia was slapped with a levy of 12.5 per cent in July over alleged forced labour concerns, alongside other nations.

Australia's Albanese says AUKUS remains 'full steam ahead' after Trump call

SYDNEY, Aug 14 - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that the AUKUS defence pact remained \"full steam ahead\" after an overnight phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, and said he had urged him to fully exempt Australia from all tariffs.

Cook Islands PM's party likely to retain parliament in preliminary results

WELLINGTON, Aug 14 - Preliminary results on Friday showed that Prime Minister Mark Brown's Cook Islands Party would likely retain control of parliament, winning 12 of the Pacific nation's 24 seats, although bad weather delayed voting on the remote island of Nassau.

'I lost $14,000 in a month': Investors hit by Korean stock market's wild swings

Some traders are reeling from heavy losses after a brutal correction in South Korea's stock market.

From summer camps to big salaries: China’s AI talent race is starting young and going big

AI talent is commanding a huge premium in China - and parents are betting that exposing their children to technology early could give them a headstart.

China’s AI talent race is starting younger - with parents seeking headstarts for their children

AI talent is commanding a huge premium in China - and parents are betting that exposing their children to technology early could give them a headstart.

North Korea warns of new ‘deterrent’ ahead of US-South Korea drills

The 11-day exercises due to begin on Aug 17.

North Korea denounces US-South Korea drills, KCNA says

SEOUL, Aug 14 - North Korea on Friday denounced major U.S.-South Korean military drills and said they were more provocative than last year's, according to state media.

Kyrgyz president says he will run for a second term

BISHKEK, Aug 13 - Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov said on Thursday he planned to seek a second term in an election next January in the Central Asian state.

How a northern Philippine town learned to live with the world’s rarest crocodile

In Manila, the crocodile is shorthand for a greedy official. But in the town of San Mariano, it is a shy, critically endangered animal.

Ukraine offers Russia truce in Black Sea as food supply fears mount, source says

KYIV, Aug 13 - Ukraine has sent Russia an offer suggesting they both halt attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea, a source said, after mounting strikes on vessels and ports there raised fears over global food supplies.

Air India to test all pilots for banned substances

It comes after one of its planes suddenly lost altitude last week, with a number of passengers injured.

Shipyard explosion in southeastern China kills fire and rescue worker

BEIJING, Aug 13 - An explosion at a shipyard in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian on Thursday killed one fire and rescue worker, local authorities said.

Taiwan warns against Uganda travel as passport disputes grow

Three Taiwanese business travellers and their family members had their passports seized by immigration officials on Aug 12.

Heavy rain soaks eastern Japan, prompting highest-level warning

The JMA issued its highest-level heavy rain warning for the Chiba region for the first time ever.

Johor villagers grapple with dumping of illegal construction waste allegedly from Singapore

After the issue was reported by media, Johor has clamped down on sites used for the illegal disposal of construction waste.

Taiwan throttles mobile internet speeds in defence drill

Island tests the public's reaction to a digital blockade but the drill appears ineffective

A quarter of Japan museums mull over disposing war materials amid lack of space: Poll

Donations of materials are leaving many facilities at or near capacity.

Bangladesh curbs power use as gas shortages worsen

Under a government directive, shops, markets and shopping malls must close by 8pm local time.

Air India mandates drug tests for all pilots after mid-air plunge

Air India expands drug testing to all pilots after captain tests positive for marijuana

The tests will screen for substances and medications prohibited under aviation regulations.

Former Nepal prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba returns home, faces graft probe

In April, police issued an arrest warrant for Deuba over money laundering charges.

Turkey lays out plans for defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

ANKARA, Aug 13 - Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will group senior ministers, hold joint exercises and deepen defence industry cooperation under a military pact signed between the regional powers last week, Turkey's defence ministry said on Thursday.

Thai PM suspends permits to buy guns after school shooting. But will this work?

Freeze on new gun purchases may not address millions of firearms already in Thai homes, experts say.

China to tighten entry and exit controls from Sept 15

The local authorities may question visa applicants and require them to present or provide documents.

Taiwan says it was targeted last month in AI-driven hacking campaign

Human Rights Watch urges Taliban to release detained UN, NGO staff

KABUL, Aug 13 - Human Rights Watch called for the release of two UN staffers and six NGO workers in Afghanistan following a string of Taliban detentions in recent weeks.

Xi Jinping’s secretive graft purges spawn underground market for leaks

It underscores the anxiety among Chinese officials as Xi’s anti-graft purges reach far and wide.

Putin threatens tit-for-tat seizures of foreign vessels

The West’s spree of “shadow fleet” seizures might finally be coming to an end after what Putin just told his Pacific Fleet commanders during his visit to the Russian Far East. As he phrased it, “We can see that the officials of some countries are attempting to restrict the

Social media trends to blame? Why Malaysia is tightening hiking rules and what it means for hikers

Malaysia is tightening hiking rules after a rise in search-and-rescue cases, and experts have linked these to people underestimating the risks of mountaineering while pursuing aesthetic content for social media.

Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control, Fars news reports

DUBAI, Aug 13 - The Strait of Hormuz is \"under Iran's control and management\", the head of Iran's Basij paramilitary unit, Hossein Taeb, said on Thursday, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Can Iran’s ‘Asian friends’ reopen Hormuz when the US cannot?

For a fortnight beginning August 30, Tehran gets to feel wanted – first in Bishkek, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, then in New Delhi at the BRICS summit, Iran’s leadership will sit among presidents and prime ministers who need something from Tehran just as

New Zealand PM Luxon calls leadership challenge response ‘decisive’

He reiterated he has the full support of his caucus and said he has confidence in all of his ministers.

Indian actor's video with endangered gibbon sparks investigation

A deleted video of Tamil star Vikram cuddling an endangered gibbon has triggered an inquiry into how the animal entered India.

Penang ready to step up measures as air quality hits unhealthy level

The state's chief minister said Penang would step up measures if readings reached critical levels.

Climate change and AI add to pressures on Asia Pacific’s health systems

Extreme weather is exacerbating disease risks and threatening healthcare infrastructure, warned WHO officials at the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health.

Pentatgon funded a $533 million artillery plant that made nothing

This article was originally published by ProPublica, a Pulitzer-prizewinning investigative newsroom. A robot was on fire. Again. It was the summer of 2024, and the cutting-edge robots inside General Dynamics’ sweltering artillery factory near Dallas were catching fire with

Emails reveal Indian carmakers' fuel contamination worries before public retreat

NEW DELHI, Aug 13 - Hours after India made public assurances last week that its ethanol-blended petrol was safe, the country's main auto lobby withdrew a complaint about fuel contamination it had sent to the government a week earlier. The group said some figures needed more

Rescuers comb waters near Bali for 5 missing after ferry blaze

A total of 211 people were rescued and brought ashore by vessels that rushed to the scene on Wednesday (Aug 12), including a navy ship and another ferry in the vicinity. A 19-year-old Indonesian woman was found dead.

‘Our real friend. Our PM’: Modi’s BJP attempts to mend bridges with India’s youth

Modi and his party have realised they need to engage youth, which are a powerful voting bloc.

South Korea's Incheon airport becomes world's busiest for global traffic

The airport said diversions caused by the Middle East conflict helped boost its traffic, while Heathrow was ranked second.

Japan protests Putin's first visit to disputed islands

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a fish-processing plant where he was given caviar.

Singapore PM Wong sends condolences to China over death of former premier Zhu Rongji

Zhu Rongji, who served as China's premier from 1998 to 2003, died from illness on Wednesday at the age of 97.