Thailand welcomes US-Myanmar engagement, expects ASEAN talks on country’s future
However, he added that engagement “does not mean legitimising the regime”.
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Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes in US a national security threat
WASHINGTON, Oct 23 - The US Defense Department has designated Chinese-funded cultural centers on university campuses known as Confucius Institutes as a threat to US national security, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday.
Indonesian political rhetoric targeting neighbours aimed at distracting from domestic pressures
Sharp remarks by Indonesian political figures reflect domestic frustration, economic nationalism and political posturing, said analysts who also cautioned against reading too much into the criticism of Malaysia and Singapore.
North Korea’s Kim calls for ‘military revolution’ as he urges stronger army units
Kim was speaking at a two-day meeting of company commanders in Pyongyang.
North Korea's Kim calls for 'military revolution' as he urges stronger army units
SEOUL, Oct 24 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for the country's army companies to be turned into elite, self-sufficient combat units during a two-day meeting of company commanders in Pyongyang, state media KCNA said on Saturday.
Live K-pop show makes South Korea more real to former North Korean arts troupe singer
“I really am in the South now,” said Cho Mi-young - at her first K-pop show - 22 years after fleeing North Korea
China closes 3 Tibetan schools in 3 months; threatens language, cultural preservation
Shutting schools in Golog region, Qinghai province, comes three months after "ethnic unity law" enacted on July 1.
France’s debt troubles expose cracks in Europe’s fiscal union
Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Germany resists as France’s debt troubles threaten contagion Diego Faßnacht reports that France’s rising borrowing costs and political paralysis are colliding with
Turkey says renewed attack on Iran would expand conflict, diplomacy only way
ISTANBUL, Oct 23 - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan cautioned on Friday against any renewed attack on Iran, saying such a move would exacerbate tensions and further expand the conflict there, adding that diplomacy and dialogue were the only way to end the war.
Netanyahu’s full West Bank lockdown called collective punishment
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that he has ordered the Israel Defense Force to “immediately impose a lockdown on Hebron and prepare for a full lockdown of the entire” illegally occupied West Bank following a gun battle that reportedly left two Palestinians dead
Book says Kushner had access to secret, Arab-funded bank accounts
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, for years allegedly had access to at least two secret foreign bank accounts in Israel and the United Arab Emirates whose deposits totaled roughly $2 billion according to an excerpt, published on Thursday by Vanity Fair,
China opposes arms race in space, official document shows
BEIJING, Oct 23 - China on Friday released a document detailing its official position on \"space governance\" that reaffirms its opposition to the weaponisation of outer space and to a space arms race.
China aims to stabilise number of new births with policy support
China’s population fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025, and experts have warned that it could decline further.
China’s sanctions on Taiwan allies project its power, but with limited effect
Beijing sent a message by sanctioning officials from Paraguay and Belize, but both remain loyal to Taipei.
Philippines investigates Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, after child sexual abuse images claims
Meghan said in a statement she had prevented her father having contact with her children.
Big Tech has become the ‘ubiquitous villain’ of US 2026 midterms
American voters’ antipathy toward Big Tech companies has become a central theme of campaigns in the 2026 midterm elections, according to an analysis published by The Guardian on Thursday. The Guardian noted that hundreds of midterm campaign ads attacking data centers have aired
Japan-Russia ties hit new low amid Moscow’s geostrategic shift
Russia’s arrest of Japanese journalist Yuki Imai constitutes what observers describe as a calculated act of “hostage diplomacy”.
Russian espionage evolves from elite spies to gig operatives
Russian hostile activity costs the UK at least £2 billion (US$2.7 billion) annually, according to a recent report by Scottish MP Graeme Downie, who has called on the government to measure what these actions cost Britain. But this figure is just the baseline. In reality, a
China's foreign minister urges stronger governance of deep sea and outer space
XIONGAN, China, Oct 23 - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for stronger governance of the deep sea, polar regions and outer space as he addressed the opening of the country's Global Governance Forum in Xiongan on Friday.
Malaysia’s offer to help Indonesia fight forest fires still stands, says minister
He said Malaysia had yet to receive a full response from Indonesia on the assistance it was prepared to accept.
British jets join French nuclear exercise for first time, France says
PARIS, Oct 23 - British and French jets flew together over the Mediterranean in their first joint exercise involving France's airborne nuclear capability, Paris said on Friday, underscoring their cooperation at a time of friction with Russia.
The world's oldest cave paintings in Indonesia under threat of wildfires
In a cave in South Sulawesi's Maros-Pangkep, an artwork depicting human-like figures interacting with a pig was dated by researchers from Australia's Griffith University to be at least 51,200 years old.
Two Japanese climbers die on a Himalayan peak in Nepal
KATHMANDU, Oct 23 - Rescuers recovered the bodies of two Japanese climbers missing since October 15 on a Himalayan peak in northwest Nepal, an official said on Friday.
Rescuers retrieve bodies of 2 Japanese climbers killed on Himalayan peak
They had been missing since Oct 15, and were later found on the Gangapurna West peak.
Saudi missile plant expansion may produce more powerful missiles, study says
WASHINGTON, Oct 23 - Saudi Arabia appears to be expanding its ballistic missile factory to build larger solid-fuel missiles that could fly farther or carry heavier payloads, according to two US researchers who analyzed more than a year of commercial satellite images.
Malaysia’s Registrar of Societies, Home Minister file appeal against stay on PN’s deregistration
They said that they were unsatisfied with the decision by High Court judge that was delivered on Oct 22.
Seoul police to mobilise 4,600 for crowd safety measures during Halloween festivities
This will take place in five areas during the special management period from Oct 23 to Nov 1.
How China's October 26 to 29 Communist Party plenum works
Oct 23 - The elite Central Committee of China's ruling Communist Party holds a closed-door meeting in Beijing from Monday to Thursday that will set the political tone ahead of late 2027's once-every-five years party congress, and potentially discuss key personnel moves.
Why China’s AI triumphs aren’t saving its flagging stock market
TOKYO – When Chinese stocks lose a South Korea-sized sum in five months, Beijing has a problem. The US$2.4 trillion plunge in market value since May sits between Korea’s $2.25 trillion GDP and Canada’s $2.49 trillion. Many factors could explain Chinese shares entering bear
Indonesia seizes 1.1 tonnes of ketamine in major haul
Indonesian authorities seized the drugs from a foreign vessel in Sumatran waters.
Philippines puts bounty on Duterte’s fugitive drug-war enforcer
This comes nearly a year after the International Criminal Court ordered Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa's arrest.
Malaysia may completely ban Waze if alternative navigation apps available, says PM Anwar
He urged Waze users not to jeopardise the country’s security for an Israeli app.
Generations of women sustain Kelantan's famed Siti Khadijah Market
Women make up more than 90 per cent of traders at Siti Khadijah Market, one of Kelantan’s best-known attractions.
Appeals court acquits Seoul mayor in campaign finance trial
Prosecutors said they would appeal the ruling, calling the decision “disappointing”.
Iran’s mountain shelters offer Taiwan a China survival playbook
Iran’s rapid post-strike recovery of its Eagle 44 airbase proves that hardened mountain shelters remain a decisive shield against precision firepower, transforming how inferior air forces survive and deter superior adversaries. This month, The War Zone (TWZ) reported that Iran
China’s market is tougher than ever. Where can Singapore firms still find room to grow?
Singapore firms can still grow in China by finding niches rather than fighting Chinese rivals head-on.
Hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Champi shuts Taiwan
One person has died after being swept away by waves in Taiwan's Liuqiu island, authorities say.
China says US should stop discriminatory measures against Chinese research institutions
The comments were made in relation to the US Department of Defense putting US research funding restrictions on dozens of Chinese universities.
Japan to simulate cyberattacks as PHP flaws roil global internet
TOKYO, Oct 23 - Japan said on Friday it will set up a team to simulate cyberattacks using AI to identify weaknesses in technology systems as organisations scramble to curtail risks from flaws in the PHP programming language that underpins much of the internet.
All 14 Indians in yacht incident off Yemen coast reported safe, embassy says
MUMBAI, Oct 23 - All 14 Indian nationals on a yacht involved in an incident off Yemen's coast are reported safe, the Indian embassy in Yemen said on Friday.
Sarawak heads for state polls as pressure mounts for Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim
The GPS coalition won 76 of 82 seats in 2021 and is favoured to retain control.
Sarawak state assembly to be dissolved on Oct 26, paving way for election within 60 days
The dissolution of the Sarawak state assembly follows a series of state elections across Malaysia over the past year, including in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan, with Melaka set to head to the polls on Nov 14.
Indonesia makes two major drug busts worth millions
Ketamine functions primarily as a fast-acting anaesthetic but is widely abused as an illicit party drug.
Middle schooler in South Korea beaten by peers over deepfake images of classmates
The student allegedly created the deepfakes using photos of female students taken without consent.
Malaysia opposition bloc PN survives deregistration for now, but internal rifts cloud political future: Analysts
Perikatan Nasional can now contest next month’s Melaka election under its own name and symbol, after securing a temporary legal reprieve from deregistration.
Indonesia seeks to rev up domestic EV production amid rising demand
Indonesia is the world's leading nickel producer, giving it an advantage in developing a local EV battery supply chain and expanding manufacturing.
Ambani's US$3.2 billion Jio Indian IPO lures investors as bids surge on final day
Jio Platforms', India's largest ever, is being closely watched as a test of investor appetite for large listings at a time when AI-linked stocks are facing increased scrutiny.
