The Boys' Love at the heart of Heated Rivalry is a familiar tale in Asia

Same-sex romance has flourished in Asia as a haven of fantasy and escapism for women and the queer community.

Hong Kong jailed my dad to stop me speaking out, says activist

Pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok's father has been jailed for eight months for a national security offence.

What’s fuelling Malaysia’s temple land disputes and does Anwar face ‘no-win scenario’?

Land disputes over “illegal” temples are resurfacing long-standing questions of identity politics, and putting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim under fire, say analysts.

Commentary: Singapore’s best defence against Nipah virus isn’t temperature screening at the airport

Thermal scanning at ports of entry is not as effective in keeping rare deadly pathogens out as one may hope, says Hsu Li Yang from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

Pakistan strikes Afghan cities as cross-border attacks escalate

The Afghan Taliban said it had responded to the Pakistani strikes, which targeted Afghan cities including Kabul and Kandahar.

Hong Kong’s budget surplus masks mounting structural deficit

The Hong Kong government has squezed out an estimated surplus for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, supported by stronger-than-expected revenue from stock-trading stamp duties along with expanded bond issuance and the reallocation of some special funds. Financial Secretary

‘I have to buy her gold’: Behind India’s fixation with the precious metal

Demand for gold has remained steady despite the high prices.

A tale of two elections: Quiet in Laos, lively in Thailand. But some things remain the same

Analysts view the recent polls as "political theatre" with no real change expected.

Pakistan, Afghan forces clash after days of hostilities

KABUL, Feb 26 - Pakistani and Afghan border forces clashed on Thursday night after the Taliban launched what it called retaliatory strikes on Pakistani installations, sharply escalating tensions after days of cross-border hostilities.

Pakistan bombs Kabul in ‘open war’ on Afghanistan’s Taliban government

Officials claimed Afghanistan had captured Pakistani outposts.

Japan aims to draw up international recommendation to curb space debris near Moon

The area of the Moon is an extremely challenging environment for space debris removal.

Russia to help select and train first Myanmar cosmonaut

MOSCOW, Feb 26 - Russia said on Thursday it will help select and train Myanmar's first cosmonaut in a sign of growing ties with the Southeast Asian state.

China removes five generals from national lawmaking body

One lieutenant general and three major generals were also removed from the list of deputies in China's top legislature.

Bangladesh court seeks Interpol red notice for UK lawmaker Tulip Siddiq over alleged corruption

Siddiq is the niece of ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh court orders move to seek Interpol red notice for UK lawmaker Siddiq

DHAKA, Feb 26 - A court in Bangladesh ordered authorities to seek an Interpol red notice against British lawmaker and former minister Tulip Siddiq on Thursday over alleged corruption linked to a private real estate project in the capital.

‘You stood by Israel’: Modi’s visit to Jerusalem deepens ties amid turmoil in the region

The visit comes as the conflict in Gaza and future of Palestine strain Israeli ties with many Global South countries.

UN rights chief says Taliban decree expands executions, deepens repression

GENEVA, Feb 26 - A new decree from Afghanistan's Taliban government is set to further crush rights and freedoms in the war-torn nation, especially for women, UN human rights chief Volker Turk said on Thursday.

Philippine volcano eruption sends ash 2.5km into sky

An official said there might be a bigger explosive eruption in the next few days.

China close to giving Iran a ship-killer as US carriers close in

As US carriers steam toward Iran, China’s CM-302 missile offer could turn a faltering energy-rich partner into a sharper spear in a widening great-power contest over power, data and energy. Reuters recently reported that Iran is close to finalizing a deal to buy Chinese-made

Russia says sending British troops to Ukraine would prolong war, not end it

MOSCOW, Feb 26 - Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that any deployment of British troops in Ukraine would prolong the war, not end it.

Germany’s Merz says challenges remain as he concludes inaugural China trip

German business leaders say overcapacity by Chinese firms has distorted competition.

No proven link between Duterte speeches and drug deaths: Defence at ICC

His lawyer said the prosecution had “cherry picked” speeches.

Chinamaxxing: TikTok’s campaign to make being Chinese cool

“Drink hot water” has become an unlikely life philosophy on TikTok, as countless users track their journey towards “being” or “becoming Chinese.” All of this is part of a broader social media trend dubbed “Chinamaxxing.” Out of context it may seem strange: thousands of

‘Can’t run away’: Malaysia opposition bloc PN must engage non-Malays, says new chairman

Perikatan Nasional’s chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar will however have an uphill battle to persuade non-Muslim voters to support the coalition, analysts tell CNA.

Snake-like robot unveiled for Fukushima debris removal

Indonesia jails two British nationals for drug smuggling

Germany's Merz says challenges remain as he concludes inaugural China trip

HANGZHOU, China, Feb 26 - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrapped up his two-day visit to China on Thursday hailing \"good cooperation\" with Beijing but pointing to overcapacity by Chinese exporters that have taken a growing share of German markets.

China disinformation targets Takaichi, Trump, says US institute; Chinese envoy says it’s ‘groundless’

35 X accounts and nine Tumblr channels portrayed the Japan PM as illegitimate and militaristic.

Hungary's Orban asks EU to go verify Druzhba pipeline damage

BRUSSELS, Feb 26 - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday asked the EU for a \"fact-finding mission\" to assess damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine, and suggested this could help unblock new EU funding to Ukraine, a letter seen by Reuters showed.

Syrian government forces and Druze factions exchange prisoners in Sweida

DAMASCUS, Feb 26 - The Syrian government and Druze factions controlling the southern city of Sweida carried out their first prisoner exchange on Thursday since deadly clashes last summer, the Syrian government's Sweida media office said.

India braces itself for unusually hot March, putting wheat, rapeseed crops at risk, say sources

Higher temperatures in March are expected to boost electricity demand.

Sabah floods: Over 4,400 displaced as rising waters spread across five districts

Evacuation numbers are expected to rise.

US, China challenge Indian PM Modi’s ‘make in India’ factory incentives

The US and China have said Mr Modi's use of subsidies for the manufacturing sector breaches global trade norms.

Clip of girl shoved at Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing goes viral, sparks outrage online

The child is seen posing for the camera moments before being knocked over by a fellow pedestrian.

Myanmar’s resistance winning ground but losing the narrative

Myanmar’s information war is now as decisive as the ground war. The generals fight it with a 64‑year‑old propaganda machine, Russian and Chinese “cognitive warfare,” Western lobbyists dangling access to natural resources and a growing ecosystem of enablers, while the opposed

Private donations in India on the rise amid growing wealth, but funding gaps remain: Report

Experts warn that funding would need to grow at twice the pace of charitable contributions in order to meet India’s vast social needs.

UNICEF alarmed over reports of deadly Myanmar air strikes on civilians

Myanmar has been roiled by conflict that ignited after generals seized power in a 2021 coup.

Indonesia jails two Britons for drug smuggling

One was sentenced to 11 years, while the other landed a term of nine years.

OpenAI Says ChatGPT refused to help Chinese influence operations

The startup has also identified misdeeds of romance scams targeting Indonesians.

Indonesia’s carrier ambition risks becoming a paper tiger

Indonesia’s naval posture is on the cusp of a significant upgrade. As of February 2026, it is increasingly certain that Jakarta has accepted Italy’s offer to transfer the light aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi as a strategic grant. Named after the legendary unifier of

Japan births fall for 10th straight year

Japan sees largest number of child sexual cases in decade amid online crime surge

The number of cases in 2025 in which children under 18 were victims of sexual misconduct rose to 4,858.

Why Bangladesh just fired the man who saved its economy

Just as fragile investor confidence was beginning to return to Bangladesh after months of political upheaval, the abrupt ouster of central bank governor Ahsan Mansur has injected fresh uncertainty into the country’s economic trajectory. In the high-stakes world of emerging

Over 2,000 brown bears captured in Hokkaido since April 2025

This number beats the previous record of 1,804 set in fiscal 2023.

After Sabah quake, should Malaysian property investors rethink risk?

Despite being outside the Ring of Fire, Malaysia has 11 active fault zones.

Better support urged for Hong Kong’s growing elderly population as more live alone

The number of seniors living alone in the city has jumped by about 43 per cent in five years, raising concerns over loneliness and safety.

Harbin zoo puts Siberian tigers on ‘light fast’ to curb overfeeding by visitors during CNY

The park houses more than 300 Siberian tigers, which are among the world’s critically endangered species.