Australian boy killed by shark in Sydney Harbour honoured at Bondi Beach

Video footage showed paddle boarders and surfers forming a large circle in the ocean.

Pakistan forces kill 145 militants after attacks in Balochistan

Balochistan borders Iran and Afghanistan and has faced a decades-long separatist insurgency.

Malaysia’s influencers deem new tax guidelines impractical, but experts say they ‘ensure fairness’

Some content creators welcome the latest income tax guidelines - including the need to declare gifts - though they call for more clarity on what exactly should be declared and how.

Oh crumbs! South Korea weighs new sugar tax amid craze over Dubai chewy cookie

The viral, high-calorie dessert reflects the country's fascination with fads, but also sets off alarm bells.

Myanmar coup 5 years on: Freedom fighters remain determined to end political deadlock

There is no immediate end to the conflict in sight, many say.

Pakistan says 92 militants killed after attacks in Balochistan

The separatist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack as decades-long insurgency continues.

UK’s Starmer says ex-Prince Andrew should testify before Congress over Epstein ties

The latest batch of files released to the public claim Andrew remained in contact with Epstein after he was convicted of sex crimes.

Iraq's Shi'ite bloc reaffirms backing for Maliki despite Trump's warnings

Jan 31 - Iraq's alliance of Shi'ite political blocs, the Coordination Framework, reaffirmed on Saturday its support for former premier Nouri al-Maliki to lead the next government, despite a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington would no longer help Iraq if

Protesters in Copenhagen rally for Danish veterans after Trump remarks

COPENHAGEN, Jan 31 - Hundreds of Danes gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen on Saturday in support of veterans who said they had been insulted by President Donald Trump's comment that European allies had kept \"off the front lines\" in the Afghanistan war.

Malaysia seizes tankers with $160 million worth of crude

Malaysia pledged in 2025 to crack down on illegal activities in its maritime zones.

Canada’s opposition Conservative Party votes to keep leader Poilievre

Conservative leader Poilievre retained party leadership with a significant majority while his public opinion nationally continues to fall.

Starmer invites Japan PM to UK after Tokyo talks

Sir Keir and Sanae Takaichi discussed ways to strengthen ties between their two nations during the meeting, at the end of the UK prime minister's trip to East Asia.

Britain, Japan agree to deepen defence and security cooperation

British PM Keir Starmer arrived for a one-day Tokyo stop after a four-day visit to China.

Pakistan says 67 militants killed after coordinated attacks in Balochistan

QUETTA, Pakistan, Jan 31 - At least 67 militants were killed on Saturday as they battled Pakistan's security forces in multiple cities across the southwestern province of Balochistan, four security officials told Reuters.

Explosion occurs at Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas, Iranian media reports

Jan 31 - An explosion occurred at Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, Iranian media reported, without giving a cause for the blast.

Pokémon cancels event at controversial Japan shrine following backlash

The event, advertised through official channels, was criticised in China for being held at a military memorial.

Death toll from Indonesia landslide rises to 53

Thousands flee northwest Pakistan after mosques warn of possible military action

China's corruption watchdog probing emergency management minister

Wang Xiangxi, 63, took office in July 2022, after serving as chairman of state-owned power generator National Energy Investment Corp.

Riau to convert former illegal gold mines into rice fields

Converting former gold mines into agriculture lands can also boost their value.

Separatist attacks in Pakistan kill 21, dozens of militants dead

China’s corruption watchdog probing emergency management minister

It is relatively rare for a sitting minister to undergo investigation.

Thousands flee north-west Pakistan after mosques warn of possible military action

The Pakistani government has not announced the evacuation nor any planned military operation.

Little-known Malaysian volunteer firefighters among flood rescuers in Thailand

The volunteer teams’ first-ever cross-border mission in late 2025 saved over 3,000 people.

Iran president says Trump, Netanyahu, Europe stirred tensions in protests

Jan 31 - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that U.S., Israeli and European leaders had exploited Iran's economic problems, incited unrest and provided people with the means to \"tear the nation apart” in recent protests.

10 security officials, 11 civilians, 67 militants killed in south-west Pakistan attacks: Official

Pakistan has been battling a separatist insurgency in Balochistan province for decades.

Toilets at Malaysia’s Kota Kinabalu airport to get $3.8m upgrade amid questions over high cost

The renovation involved 196 toilet cubicles.

Rise of no-viewing funerals in South Korea

No-viewing funerals are a rational alternative that allows for quiet remembrance, said an expert.

The currency crisis behind Iran’s protest explosion

In early January, several currency trackers briefly displayed the Iranian rial’s value as “$0.00,” unable to process the speed and scale of the depreciation, making it unexchangeable on important international trading platforms. The fallout quickly translated into a protest in

Indonesia landslide death toll rises to 53, agency says

23 soldiers were also killed while conducting border patrol training, the navy said on Jan 27.

Britain's Starmer ends China trip aimed at reset despite Trump warning

A series of agreements were made with, including planned visa-free travel for British citizens.

Xi’s military purge of top general may set back his Taiwan ambitions

The upheavals may affect a 2027 milestone he has set for modernising the military.

China counting how many missiles it needs to win a Taiwan war

As modern warfare shifts toward attrition, China’s push for cheaper munitions raises a sharper question: can its missile industry sustain the scale and tempo a Taiwan war would demand? This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that China should consider adopting

Japan’s costly new business visa prices out real entrepreneurs

Under Japan’s newly tightened business immigration rules, that “try first, grow later” logic is increasingly out of place. The minimum capital for Japan’s Business Manager visa (経営・管理) was raised from five million yen (about US$32,000) to 30 million yen (about $190,000),

Foreign snowboarder in Japan in serious condition after hanging in midair from chairlift

The woman had failed to dismount the chairlift.

Vietnam receives 59 citizens repatriated from Cambodia after scam-linked employment

Officials said many had travelled to Cambodia after responding to job offers on social media.

Malaysian Cabinet agrees to PM’s 10-year, 2-term limit, says law minister

The proposal to limit the tenure aims to prevent excessive concentration of power, she said.

Truck in Thailand hits power lines, toppling 70 poles and causing widespread blackout

The driver did not see the overhead power lines due to poor lighting in the area.

Modi ally proposes social media ban for India's teens as global debate grows

NEW DELHI, Jan 31 - An ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed a bill to ban social media for children, as the world's biggest market for Meta and YouTube joins a global debate on the impact of social media on young people's health and safety.

Modi ally L.S.K. Devarayalu proposes social media ban for India’s teens as global debate grows

The lawmaker said children in India are becoming addicted to social media.

Thai FDA warns about unapproved herbal inhaler registration misuse

Its registration certificate number G belongs to a different product and is not linked to the popular-brand inhaler.

Thai military fires warning shots at Cambodia after laser targeting incident near military base

Thai forces detected a searchlight-like beam and a laser pointer aimed directly at the Phu Pha Lek base.

Man randomly attacks 4 passers-by near station in Japan; suspect on the run

The police are chasing the whereabouts of the suspect who fled the scene.

Pokemon event at Yasukuni shrine in Japan cancelled after drawing China’s ire

China and South Korea view the shrine as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

6 arrested over $476k robbery of Japanese men in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police said the suspects, comprising both men and women, include three Japanese nationals.

6 arrested over $476k robbery from Japanese men in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police said the suspects, comprising both men and women, include three Japanese nationals.