Tourism worsens Bali waste crisis

The waste issue could strain Bali’s image and tourism sector, the backbone of the local economy.

Over 70% say first-ever constitutional change in Japan needs broad consensus

Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi has pushed to bring about a change to the post-war supreme law for the first time.

Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi to meet top Vietnam leaders in Hanoi

The Japanese leader will hold talks with Vietnamese President To Lam as both sides aim to boost bilateral ties amid a drop in Japanese investment in Vietnam.

Australia worried over mouse infestation's impact on food supply

May 2 - Australia's government said on Saturday it was worried about a plague of mice in the west and would keep working with industry to curb its impact on food supply.

Social media addiction suspected among 7% of Japanese adolescents: Survey

Around a third of those with problematic use spend at least six hours on social media on weekdays.

Civil groups slam Indonesia government’s plan to vet human rights defenders

Activists argued that the state’s responsibility is to protect rights defenders, not vet them.

Japan's PM Takaichi in Hanoi, to meet Vietnamese leaders

HANOI, May 2 - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is set to meet Vietnam's leader To Lam in Hanoi on Saturday as the countries try to shore up ties amid a sharp slowdown in Japanese investment in Vietnam.

To keep global trade alive, don’t write off friendshoring

The world economy is at a crossroads. International trade is slowing, economic uncertainty is rising, and trade between the US and China – the world’s two largest economies – risks pulling apart. And it is not just trade: the two countries also invest less in each other than

PNG Prime Minister Marape shores up economic partnerships in China

Experts welcome Chinese investment, but stress environmental and social safeguards are necessary.

China says UN should revisit Lebanon peacekeeping mission decision

May 1 - China's ambassador to the United Nations said on Friday that there was a need to revisit the U.N. Security Council's decision to end the mandate of a longrunning peacekeeping mission in Lebanon at the end of this year.

Advocacy group Access Now says major human rights conference was canceled after Chinese pressure on Zambia

WASHINGTON, May 1 - Advocacy group Access Now said a major human rights conference was canceled at the last minute following pressure from Chinese officials on the government of Zambia.

61% of Americans see Trump’s Iran war as ‘mistake’: new poll

More than 6 in 10 Americans now say President Donald Trump’s war in Iran was a “mistake,” according to a poll out Friday from the Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos. Within two months, the war – which has inflicted thousands of civilian deaths and caused gas prices to spike

China says urgent need to maintain Iran war ceasefire

Mr Fu also rejected allegations from some US officials about military cooperation between China and Iran as "false."

Brouhaha over Iran war costs to US taxpayers

Outside analysts’ estimates of the total cost to American taxpayers of President Donald Trump’s Iran war have varied widely, but most put the number higher than the $25 billion offered by the Pentagon. Iran’s foreign minister on Friday joined the analysts crying foul when he

White House says Iran war 'terminated,' as war powers deadline arrives

Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the president can wage military action for only 60 days before ending it.

Ukraine rolls out army reform plan as peace talks stall

KYIV, May 1 - Ukraine announced plans on Friday to carry out reforms of the army this summer to address problems with infantry shortages and the discharge of the longest-serving soldiers, four years into a grinding war with Russia in which talks have stalled.

Magnitude-5.6 earthquake strikes Taiwan region, GFZ says

Cruise boat capsizes in central India, leaving at least 9 dead

29 people have been rescued so far, with search teams continuing to look for those still missing.

Nepal temple celebrates return of stolen Buddha statue

The statue was taken from the temple in the 1980s and later emerged at a New York cultural centre.

Russia pounds Ukraine with drones in daytime attack

May 1 - Russia launched more than 400 drones at Ukraine in a daytime attack, injuring 10 people in the western city of Ternopil, Ukrainian officials said on Friday.

5.6-magnitude earthquake strikes Taiwan region, says research centre

The quake hit at 8.39pm local time at a depth of 97km, off the small island of Yilan in north-eastern Taiwan.

Ride-hailing drivers cheer Prabowo’s May Day cap on commission cut; will they end up worse off?

Indonesia’s new rules cap the commission taken by platforms at 8 per cent of drivers’ earnings, down from 20 per cent.

Indonesia train crash kills four: Police

A train collided with a car in Central Java, killing four people including two children, just days after another fatal crash outside Jakarta.

4 killed, including 2 children, as train hits car in Indonesia

The driver of the car did not see the oncoming train due to thick fog.

Pakistan’s Hangor subs tighten China link, test India at sea

Pakistan is betting on Hangor-class submarines to sharpen its undersea edge as its deterrent increasingly rests on deepening military integration with China rather than any single platform. Last month, multiple media sources announced the commissioning of Pakistan’s first

Former Malaysian minister Rafizi expects to be charged amid probe into govt deal with chip giant

The MACC is probing alleged abuse of power, fraud and governance issues linked to the deal.

Former Malaysian spy Blossom Wong, who sported cheongsams on missions, dies at 87

She was known for her bravery in handling several high-risk operations, including undercover assignments.

Ukraine strikes Russian port of Tuapse again as environment crisis deepens

May 1 - Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Black Sea port of Tuapse on Friday for the fourth time in 16 days as authorities struggled to cope with a mounting environmental disaster from toxic black smoke clouds and oil leaking into the sea.

India heatwaves set to last longer than usual amid power grid strain

Temperatures surged beyond 40 deg C in April in India.

Asian currencies wilting in the Iran war’s heat

TOKYO – India and Indonesia aren’t often at the center of the global financial zeitgeist. But as the rupee and rupiah lead Asian currencies down and down, events in Mumbai and Jakarta speak to the ways the Iran war is imperiling economies everywhere – and at an accelerating

Why solar generators, hand-crank lamps are selling like hotcakes in Malaysia

Fears of rising fuel prices and possible outages are driving Malaysians to solar power systems.

The mystery of Chongqing grilled fish’s origin story - and why it matters

The stakes are high. A region’s association with a popular dish is increasingly big business, as the Chinese eat out more.

Man suspected of hitting teen with hammer in Japan arrested after manhunt

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Hong Kong bans public vaping, eyes wider restrictions

Officials say the move is part of a broader push to curb tobacco use, with stricter rules likely to follow.

Thai court jails ex-senator’s son for 132 years in online gambling and money laundering case

Under Thai law, however, his effective prison term is capped at 20 years.

Pressure builds on Putin to escalate Ukraine war

Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Japan grapples with Iran war, cyber risk and tightening financial conditionsScott Foster reports that Japan faces a convergence of shocks — from Middle East energy

What alternatives do Gulf states have to the Strait of Hormuz?

Two months into the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz is still mostly shut. Vessel traffic is running at a fraction of pre-war levels, with the patchwork of ceasefires, blockades and re-closures since February 28 not restoring confidence on the bridge of any tanker. Hormuz has

Japan-Australia frigate deal about far more than 11 warships

The signing of the “Mogami Memorandum” aboard the JS Kumano frigate docked in Melbourne on April 18, 2026, marks a pivotal geopolitical moment, one that signals a tectonic shift in the Indo-Pacific security architecture. Japan has, in effect, shed the constraints of its

Four-year-old among 46 hospitalised after eating bread from bakery in Vietnam

Many of the suspected food poisoning cases involve schoolchildren.

Azerbaijan summons EU envoy in row over treatment of Karabakh Armenians

BAKU, May 1 - Azerbaijan summoned the EU's ambassador on Friday to protest against a European Parliament resolution condemning Baku's detention of Armenian prisoners of war and backing the rights of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.

On the board but frozen out: The Taib family feud tearing Sarawak construction giant apart

The escalating family feud could well impact Sarawak's upcoming state election.

India’s softer tone on Bangladesh hits a hard note in Assam

Dhaka on Thursday (April 30) issued a sharp diplomatic protest by summoning India’s acting High Commissioner, Pawan Badhe, following controversial remarks by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that Bangladesh says undermine bilateral ties. Officials at the Ministry of

Large sign collapses at Thai market, killing teen and injuring 11

Strong winds caused the large entrance arch structure at Pongsiri Market to give way.

Riot erupts over Australian Indigenous girl's suspected killer, authorities urge calm

SYDNEY, May 1 - Hundreds of protesters clashed with Australian emergency services workers in a remote town following the arrest of a man suspected of murdering a 5-year-old Indigenous girl, police said on Friday.

Order for transfer to house arrest sparks little hope of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi reclaiming limelight

There were no signals that Aung San Suu Kyi’s family mansion would again draw crowds of followers.

China should borrow Britain’s tobacco-ban logic, not its law

Britain’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, passed by Parliament in April and awaiting Royal Assent, would permanently bar the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The measure is designed to create what British officials call a “smoke-free generation.” It does not

Two dead, 10 injured after small plane crashes at Australia airport

The plane crashed into a hangar at Parafield Airport, some 17km north of Adelaide shortly after take-off.

Man arrested in Japan after allegedly incinerating wife at zoo

The suspect allegedly transported the body to the zoo, but police have not said how the victim died.

UAE’s OPEC exit hands Asia a petroyuan moment

On May 1, 2026, the United Arab Emirates formally departed from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), ending nearly six decades of membership. Most analysis has fixated on what this means for crude prices, supply discipline and Saudi Arabia’s burden of