12-year-old Australian boy who was bitten by shark in Sydney Harbour dies

Nico Antic was just 12; the country's east coast saw 4 shark attacks in 2 days this week.

Australia shouldn’t join Trump’s board of appeasers

Donald Trump clearly doesn’t do irony. How else can we describe inviting Vladimir Putin to join his so-called “Board of Peace”? At least “mad Vlad” will be in good company. It’s not clear if Ukraine’s nemesis will take part, but plenty of other aspiring despots, authoritarians

Australian boy dies after shark attack in Sydney Harbour

SYDNEY, Jan 24 - An Australian boy had died in hospital after being bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour, his family said on Saturday after a series of shark attacks along the country's east coast.

Seven dead, 82 missing in Indonesian landslide, disaster agency says

The landslide struck a village in West Bandung region.

How Mark Carney left Donald Trump in the dust in Davos

The meeting and venue were the same, but the style and tone of the two most anticipated keynote speeches at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss town of Davos could not have been more different. On Tuesday, January 20, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney addressed the

Bangladesh readies for polls, Hasina supporters at a loss

The country will vote on Feb 12, over a year after Hasina's ouster from power.

US judge extends deportation protections for migrants from Myanmar

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 - A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump's administration on Friday to delay its termination of the \"Temporary Protected Status,\" or TPS, for Myanmar while a lawsuit challenging the termination continued.

Trump at Davos marked start of a new world era

Donald Trump’s concern about the strategic positioning of Greenland is rational. But the way the US president has approached the issue is not – and could still rupture NATO and cause enduring harm to North Atlantic political and economic relations. The question for those

Ex-Olympian sues Selangor government, city council over dog ban in condos

Noraseela Khalid's lawyer said that she has nothing to gain from filing the suit.

New guidelines aim to resolve Selangor’s shopping mall pet dispute

A new mall in Petaling Jaya faces criticism for allowing people to enter shops and dine with pets.

China keeps low profile in Davos in pursuit of Western investment

China is seen “controlling the dynamic through stillness”, a senior global business leader said.

Indonesian influencer Lula Lahfah dies aged 26: Reports

The Indonesian influencer was reportedly found dead in her apartment, according to local media reports.

UN expert urges world to reject Myanmar’s ‘sham’ election

The military has ruled Myanmar by force for almost all of its post-independence history.

After TikTok deal, Chinese companies search for a new global path

A difficult choice faces Chinese technology companies with global aspirations.

Chinese lantern festival lights up for Lunar New Year

ZIGONG, China, Jan 24 - In southwest China’s Sichuan province, the annual Zigong International Lantern Festival kicked off on Friday, showcasing the centuries-old art of illuminated lanterns on a grand scale.

US Pentagon foresees ‘more limited’ role in deterring North Korea

South Korea hosts about 28,500 US troops in combined defence against North Korea.

Netflix’s live, high-risk skyscraper climb at Taipei 101 postponed by a day due to rain

Famed free-solo climber Alex Honnold is due to ascend the 508-m tower without ropes or a safety net.

'Free solo' climb of Taiwan's tallest building postponed due to weather

TAIPEI, Jan 24 - Poor weather on Saturday forced U.S. climber Alex Honnold to postpone his \"free solo\" rope and harness-free ascent of the outside of Taiwan's Taipei 101 skyscraper, one of the world's tallest buildings.

India and EU set for 'mother of all deals' as Trump's tariff uncertainty looms

Trade negotiations are nearing the finish line after nearly two decades of hard bargaining on both sides.

Trump says US VP headed to Azerbaijan, Armenia next month

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 - U.S. Vice President JD Vance will travel to Azerbaijan and Armenia next month, President Donald Trump said on Friday, months after the two countries signed a peace agreement in Washington.

South Korea PM, Vance discuss Coupang dispute and North Korea envoy

Some US lawmakers and investors have accused the South Korean government of unfairly targeting Coupang.

New Zealand police find human remains after landslide tragedy, Swedish tourist among missing

Six people are unaccounted for, including two teenagers.

Is China quietly winning the AI race?

The BBC's Lily Jamali looks into why big US firms and start-ups alike are turning to Chinese tech.

Commentary: Forget DeepSeek, dying alone is China’s latest tech obsession

The bluntly named “Are You Dead” app went viral because it translated demographic and social anxiety into a push notification, says Catherine Thorbecke for Bloomberg Opinion.

What Indonesia stands to gain – or lose – from being on Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’

While joining the initiative confers prestige and visibility, Jakarta risks compromising its independence.

Four attacks in 48 hours: How east Australia's beaches became a 'perfect storm' for sharks

Human-shark encounters in Australia are rising - but experts are keen to point out it isn't the animals' fault.

French Navy diverts suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker to Marseille-Fos port

MARSEILLE, France, Jan 23 - The French navy has diverted the Grinch oil tanker it detained on Thursday towards the port of Marseille-Fos for further investigation, a source close to the investigation told Reuters on Friday.

A TikTok deal, finally, and what it says about the US-China trade truce

The TikTok issue as a bilateral flashpoint is defused for now, but the durability of the deal hinges on US-China ties.

Outrage in Thailand over 3 children who set homeless man on fire for TikTok views

The suspects are facing criminal charges of attempted murder and property damage.

Ukraine's grid operator says energy situation has 'significantly' worsened

KYIV, Jan 23 - Ukraine's energy situation had \"significantly\" worsened on Friday morning after recent Russian air attacks, triggering emergency power outages in most regions, Kyiv's grid operator said.

UN expert urges world to reject Myanmar 'sham' election

Bangladesh's fugitive ex-PM alleges elections will not be free

"Bangladesh must defend and restore the constitution written in the blood of martyrs, reclaim our independence, safeguard our sovereignty, and revive our democracy," said Sheikh Hasina.

Luxury watchmaker designs $1.5m model with Indian billionaire's statue

With statues of a lion and white tiger, the watch is modelled off the private zoo owned by Anant Ambani.

Meta lends a censoring hand to Vietnam’s Party congress

As the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) convenes its 14th National Congress, the country’s most critical transfer of power, the regime has launched a comprehensive campaign to “sanitize” the information environment. But unlike the crude censorship of the past, Hanoi has found a

Iranian cleric says Iran may target US investments in region if attacked

DUBAI, Jan 23 - An influential Iranian cleric warned on Friday that Iran may target U.S.-linked investments in the region in retaliation for any U.S. attack on the Islamic Republic, Iranian news agencies reported.

UK finance and business ministers to accompany PM Starmer on China visit

LONDON, Jan 23 - British finance minister Rachel Reeves will accompany Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his trip to China next week, underscoring UK efforts to strengthen ties with the world's second-largest economy at a time of strained transatlantic relations.

Taliban release female athlete, 22, after 13 days in jail

Khadija Ahmadzada was detained for being in "violation" of rules "regarding women's sports gyms", a Taliban spokesman said.

Greenland galvanizes Europe to confront new US reality

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 23 - Europe may have rallied to see off President Donald Trump over Greenland, but its leaders recognise the confrontation is unlikely to be the last in dealings with his increasingly strident version of the United States.

Number of Chinese customers at Japan department stores dives over 40% in December as ties sour

Gloomy prospects are expected during the Chinese New Year holidays in February.

Record low rupiah weighs on Indonesians as costs rise, imports slow

Indonesia’s rupiah hit a record low against the US dollar earlier this week, even as other regional currencies have strengthened. Experts point to domestic concerns weighing down the rupiah, including waning confidence in policy making and central bank independence.

Why Iran is shooting protesters straight in the eye

In Iran, protestors and especially militants are being subjected to an extremely violent crackdown with shooting aimed at their eyes. Blinding the enemy who dares to dispute the powers that be, is the latest act of repression to go down in the country’s long history. Over the

Three boys allegedly set fire to homeless man in Bangkok; police probe ongoing

Thai media reported that the 51-year-old homeless man is currently safe though his condition is to be assessed. Police are questioning the three suspects.

When leverage replaces certainty

Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. US trade no longer anchors Germany’s export modelDiego Faßnacht shows Germany’s trade surplus with the US has sharply narrowed as exports fell and imports rose in 2025.

Trump's NATO front line comments 'deeply disappointing', UK minister says

LONDON, Jan 23 - U.S. President Donald Trump's comments that NATO troops stayed off the front line in Afghanistan were \"deeply disappointing\", a British minister said on Friday, noting that many European soldiers had died supporting American-led operations.

UMNO president Zahid’s ‘grand coalition’ call runs into old Malay political fault lines

The call is hardly new and unlikely to be taken up, said analysts.

How you like that: Thai tourism campaign featuring Blackpink’s Lisa draws memes, criticism

One commenter asked if the photo was taken at the actual location.

Pakistan mall fire death toll jumps to 67

The process to identify the bodies recovered from the wreckage of Gul Plaza in Karachi continues.

Syrian government says it controls prison in Raqqa with Islamic State-linked detainees

Jan 23 - Syria's Interior Ministry said on Friday it had taken over al-Aktan prison in the city of Raqqa in northeastern Syria, a facility that was formerly under the control of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

China’s fossil fuel addiction exposes a strategic vulnerability

There is also a human cost to China's clean energy transition.