Pakistan has locked down Imran Khan's stronghold - but it could backfire

Some fear the government's standoff with the former PM's supporters could bring more instability, not less.

'I'd talk to the TV': The paid companions bringing warmth to China's lonely

As loneliness grows in China, a new industry is emerging to provide companionship and support.

Who's to blame for the toxic haze choking South East Asia?

Anger is mounting at the companies accused of burning land in Indonesia and the authorities who have failed to stop them.

Why the lonely in China are hiring 'temporary children'

A new industry being dubbed the “loneliness economy” has emerged in China, with people hiring themselves out as companions to help the elderly.

Regional haze: Malaysia’s school closures leave parents frazzled as exams draw near

Uncertainty over when schools in Malaysia would reopen has caused inconvenience, parents tell CNA. The authorities can help by prioritising device loans for low-income families and having flexible work arrangements for parents, says an expert.

Reeling from extreme rainfall, Bangkok’s residents and infrastructure face a growing battle with water

Thailand has strengthened its flood defences since the catastrophic 2011 disaster, but recent extreme rainfall has exposed persistent weaknesses in drainage, urban planning and water management, say experts.

DOJ arrests two, seizes 187 devices in North Korean laptop farm crackdown in Texas

Oct 13 - The US Department of Justice on Tuesday announced the arrests of two Americans accused of helping North Korean IT workers to steal identities and obtain fraudulent employment at US companies to earn money for the North Korean government.

How Beijing combines conservation and trade in panda diplomacy

Two giant pandas recently landed in Atlanta, a week after Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in Washington. The summit produced no immediate breakthrough on trade deals, Taiwan or AI, but it did produce something cuddly for the American public: a pair of giant pandas, Ping Ping

The Frontier Express: when Samsung gets money

For most of the past thirty years, the semiconductor industry ran on a remarkably clean division of labor. Everybody knew their place. The caricature was almost this simple: TSMC printed. Memory makers crammed capacitors. Designers drew. And the money followed the drawing. TSMC

Police clash with Imran Khan supporters in northwestern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 - Police fired tear gas and live rounds at supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday as clashes erupted over the suspension of his party's provincial government, party officials said, an account the provincial

Azerbaijan's governing party defends school uniform rules after hijab dispute

BAKU, Oct 13 - Azerbaijan defended on Tuesday its decision to introduce school uniform rules that have led to protests over restrictions on Islamic headscarves, and told close ally Turkey to stay out of its domestic affairs.

PTI opposition jailed as Trump embraces Pakistan’s Asim Munir

As US President Donald Trump deepens his ties with Pakistan’s powerful military chief Asim Munir, the nation’s government has detained the elected leadership of the last province controlled by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s opposition party – a move critics have

Over 20 flights affected after scissors feared lost at Okinawa airport in Japan

The checkpoint was closed from 6am to shortly before 8am.

Taiwan warns Europe of dangers of dependence on China

WARSAW, Oct 13 - Taiwan's foreign minister warned the European Union that dependence on Chinese suppliers poses a risk to the bloc's freedom during a speech in Poland on Tuesday ahead of a summit in Brussels where trade with Beijing will be high on the agenda.

BBC FM radio transmissions suspended in Afghanistan

BBC programming is still reaching audiences on shortwave, medium wave, via satellite and online.

As US relaxes tariffs, a China child car seat maker sees opportunity

Child seats are among a list of “non-sensitive” exports to benefit as the US and China mend ties.

Eight injured in South Korea knife attack

Using knives strapped to his hands, a man reportedly stabbed several people at a shopping centre in Incheon.

Former right-hand man of purged Chongqing chief Bo Xilai under probe, China’s graft watchdog says

Huang Qifan was under investigation for suspected law and discipline violations.

Afghan authorities suspend BBC radio broadcasts across country, broadcaster says

LONDON, Oct 13 - Afghan authorities have suspended the BBC's FM radio broadcasts across Afghanistan, the British broadcaster said on Tuesday, adding that it was working with them to resolve the situation.

‘Not as easy as one might imagine’: Poor visibility, wild animals hamper firefighting in Indonesia

A transcript of a meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto showed regional military commander Major-General Zainul Arifin outlining the challenges, with more than 500 hectares of Tanjung Puting National Park affected by fire.

Volcanic crater lake in eastern Japan draws crowds on reopening after 8-year closure

Volcanic alert level for the mountain was lowered to one, the lowest on Japan's five-point scale.

Taiwan finance minister to attend APEC meeting in Hong Kong

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping is one of the few international bodies that includes Taiwan, and China is this year's host.

Malaysian police probing Molotov cocktail attack on Rohingya settlement in Johor

Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said the attack caused a minor fire at a house belonging to Rohingya residents.

South Korea’s Lee welcomes home Arctic container ship as route faces viability tests

Seoul is pushing to launch regular services on the route by 2030 despite diplomatic and commercial hurdles.

Haze in Malaysia: Schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, several other districts to shut on Oct 14

Schools across several Malaysian states have closed for multiple days due to the haze.

Japan, US review troops' off-duty rules after Okinawa killing

Prosecutors drop most impeachment charges against Philippine VP Duterte

The unexpected move by prosecutors came after they presented weeks of evidence backing the now-dismissed charges against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Japan, US review troops’ off-duty rules after Okinawa killing

A US Marine allegedly killed a 39-year-old woman at a hotel in Okinawa and stole her wallet.

India 'cockroach' leaders detained after entering barricaded protest site

Protesters climbed over barricades in central Delhi to demand the election chief resign over revised voter lists.

Modi says India trusted partner as supply chains weaponised

Modi touted India as one of the world’s fastest growing major economies that has brought opportunities for global investors.

Damaged and drained, Indonesia’s peatlands go up in smoke

By Oct 6, Indonesian wildfires had emitted 140.5 megatonnes of planet-warming carbon.

Australia will do ‘anything we can’ to stop US execution from being shown online: PM

Nidal Hasan’s execution is set to be the first by a US military firing squad since 1945.

Pakistan train derailment kills four, injures over a dozen

The cause of the incident remained unknown.

South Korean police detain man over stabbing of eight people at shopping mall

Media reports described the suspect as a man wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet.

India youth protest leaders detained after entering barricaded Delhi protest site

The detentions on Tuesday (Oct 13) came after Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders entered Jantar Mantar, an iconic site for demonstrations that police had removed from New Delhi's list of designated protest venues a day earlier.

Mauritius imposes curfew after unrest over police shooting

PORT LOUIS, Oct 13 - Mauritius announced a curfew in some parts of the country on Tuesday night, following unrest over the shooting of a woman by a police officer.

India detains top ‘Cockroach’ leaders after flash protest

They were detained after entering an iconic protest site in New Delhi blocked by police.

Indian police detain 'cockroach' movement leaders demanding election chief stand down

NEW DELHI, Oct 13 - India's \"cockroach\" youth movement leaders were detained on Tuesday after they jumped barricades to enter a historic Delhi site popular for protests, demanding that the chief election commissioner resign over a revision of voter lists.

Indonesia arrests Brazilian woman with cocaine in shampoo in Bali

Police said the bust was one of the largest liquid cocaine seizures in Bali.

Trump aligns with Putin yet again, squeezing Ukraine and Europe

The deal struck by Donald Trump with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on October 9 to allow Russia to sell millions of tonnes of diesel is a major departure from US policy and runs counter to Ukrainian and European interests. It also directly contradicts a law signed by

China approves local clearing organisation for Visa after years-long wait

With a local clearing organisation in China, Visa would be able to settle domestic yuan transactions directly with its own network.

India’s superpower dream is just another recycled Modi slogan

Famous Indian author Shashi Tharoor was famously quoted as saying: “Everything in India is recycled, even the dreams “ In October 2010, The Economist ran a cover titled “How India’s growth will outpace China,” citing India’s young population, dynamic private sector and a strong

Woman unplugs freezer in South Korean shop to charge phone, leaving owner with melted ice cream

The melted ice cream could no longer be sold and had to be thrown out.

Smoke, swamps and snakes hamper Indonesia’s battle against forest fires, officials say

More than 60,000 personnel have been deployed in ground operations.

Malaysia to raise transboundary haze issue at ASEAN meeting, says existing disaster mechanisms do not cover it

“We already have an ASEAN mechanism for natural disasters but haze is not included or classified as a natural disaster,” says Malaysia Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

The seven stages of American decline

When Donald Trump went to Joint Base Andrews on September 23 to greet Xi Jinping in person, strategic analysts took notice. American presidents rarely wait on the tarmac for visiting foreign leaders unless they want to say something. The gesture was not a scheduling quirk or a

Iran war-depleted arsenal making US a less potent power

The Iran conflict has exposed a glaring blind spot in US war strategy. America can escalate in hours, but it can take years to rebuild the arsenal it consumes. Washington has begun addressing the arms-replenishment problem, a calculation it should have made before escalating.

India’s youth shifts tactics as police clamp down on election protests

Demonstrators are seeking the resignation of the head of India’s election commission, accusing it of manipulating voter rolls.