South Korea ruling party sweeps local elections but loses Seoul mayor race

The loss of Seoul delivers a symbolic blow to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung despite his party’s broader gains.

Costly fuel pushes more Indians to buy electric cars but challenges remain

High fuel prices are strengthening the case for EV adoption in the world's third largest auto market.

South Korea ruling party sweeps most seats in local elections but faces losing Seoul

SEOUL, June 4 - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's ruling Democratic Party swept the majority of seats in local elections, early vote counts showed on Thursday, but looked set to lose the crucial Seoul mayoralty amid a controversy over a shortage of ballot papers.

North Korea's Kim vows 'exponential' boost in nuclear forces

Local media reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un noted an "ambitious future plan designed to beef up our state's nuclear forces at an exponential rate".

New Zealand expresses concern after China bans its lawmakers who visited Taiwan

The four New Zealand lawmakers have been banned from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau for a year.

China bans four New Zealand lawmakers after Taiwan visit, media reports

SYDNEY, June 4 - China has barred four New Zealand lawmakers from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau for a year after they visited Taiwan in May, New Zealand media reported.

Rubio says China cannot erase memories of Tiananmen Square crackdown

WASHINGTON, June 3 - Beijing's censorship cannot erase memories of its 1989 military assault on peaceful demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday, ahead of the anniversary of China's violent suppression there.

US House approves measure to restrain Trump action in Iran

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House passed a resolution Wednesday to force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran and require congressional approval for further military action in the country. The 215-208 vote, in which four Republicans voted with all Democrats to

Grab what you can while you can: The new reality in the South China Sea

After years of watching China create land to back its expansive claims, others are doing the same.

Nvidia GPU crackdown hits China-linked Southeast Asia data centers

Washington has moved to close a one-year-old loophole that allowed Chinese technology companies to acquire banned high-end Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) by routing purchases through subsidiaries based in Singapore and Malaysia. The US Commerce Department’s Bureau of

North Korea’s Kim calls for ‘exponential’ nuclear expansion after inspecting new plant

He inspected a newly operating nuclear material production facility.

North Korea's Kim calls for 'exponential' nuclear expansion after inspecting new plant, KCNA says

SEOUL, June 4 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a newly operational nuclear material production facility and called for an \"exponential\" expansion of the country's atomic arsenal, state media KCNA said on Thursday.

Expats’ Iran war reactions show how Gulf states instill loyalty

When the US and Israel launched their strikes on Iran on February 28 and Iran retaliated by targeting the Gulf Arab states, I was closely monitoring social media accounts from the region. I research Middle East politics, with a focus on the Gulf, and the social media platforms

No vigils: Hong Kong’s Victoria Park silent on Tiananmen crackdown anniversary

Since National Security Law went into effect, the government silenced the yearly protest that once drew 180,000.

Satellite pix said to show Israel’s overt Gaza territorial goals

Satellite images published Wednesday by Al Jazeera show that Israel, instead of leaving Gaza as required under the ceasefire deal it signed last October, is quietly building dozens of heavily fortified permanent military bases around the entire inner perimeter of the coastal

Malaysia’s waste-to-energy push eases landfill strain but raises pollution fears

The first of 18 WTE plants nationwide will tackle growing waste and boost renewable energy capacity.

Five Eyes security alliance warns of Chinese espionage threat

LONDON, June 3 - Security agencies from the \"Five Eyes\" alliance which includes the United States and Britain issued a warning on Wednesday about Chinese spies aggressively using online job platforms to recruit people with access to sensitive information.

The human security crisis emerging from the Strait of Hormuz

When discussions turn to the Strait of Hormuz, the language is almost always strategic. Analysts debate naval deployments, military deterrence, freedom of navigation and the balance of power between Iran and the United States. Markets track oil prices and shipping insurers

Trump will attend the NATO summit in Turkey in July, Rubio says

WASHINGTON, June 3 - U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the NATO meeting of heads of state that is taking place in Turkey in early July, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday, providing a confirmation that will likely lead to a sigh of relief across the

Five countries elected to UN Security Council; Germany misses out

June 3 - The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe to the 15-member U.N. Security Council for two-year terms starting on January 1, 2027.

Oil ‘powder keg’: Trump says Hormuz blockade may last all summer

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tried to project optimism about reaching a deal to end the illegal war he started against Iran, even while acknowledging the crisis could last for several more months. In an interview with The New York Post, Trump was asked whether the

Why bringing down oil’s price is so hard

Between assurances from President Donald Trump that a peace agreement is all but wrapped up and renewed skirmishes, the price of oil rises and falls. Even at recent lows, crude’s price is 40% higher than in late February when the Iran war began. Someday – tomorrow? next week?

With good weather and internet access, record number of climbers scale Everest

More than 1,000 climbers reached the summit, making 2026 the busiest season on record.

Indonesian parrot, seen once in a century, reappears in mountain forest

For the past century, the blue-fronted lorikeet was one of Indonesia’s most elusive birds.

Lebanon audits MEA safety as pilot groups voice conflict concerns

June 3 - Lebanon's aviation regulator has carried out a safety audit of Middle East Airlines as pilot groups raised concerns that crews were being asked to fly close to airstrikes and penalized for reporting safety incidents, letters seen by Reuters show.

Philippines probes possible new structure at disputed Scarborough Shoal

Images showed what appeared to be a structure near the shoal’s entrance.

Indonesia arrests officials over alleged corruption in free meals programme

JAKARTA, June 3 - Indonesian authorities arrested the recently dismissed head of an agency overseeing President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free meals programme on Wednesday along with two other former officials, hours after a raid put the agency's offices under lockdown.

The Shangri-La shockwave and the death of automatic assurance

When US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth took the podium at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, his words signaled a profound structural shift in the global security landscape. Declaring that the era of America subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is officially

Bangladesh raises electricity prices in latest Middle East war-related hike

Repeated price hikes have added strain on people struggling with long-running inflation.

Indonesia arrests former head of President Prabowo’s flagship free meal scheme

The scheme was linked to cases of food poisoning that have reportedly affected at least 33,000 children as of April.

Hari Raya korban controversy reignites wave of anti-Rohingya sentiment in Malaysia

Malaysia hosts more than 120,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

AirAsia reviewing policy after family with cerebral palsy child removed from flight due to 'safety requirements'

The woman said that her daughter had flown with AirAsia before, and questioned if that meant the policy was breached during those earlier flights.

Thai PM calls for urgent talks with Malaysia after shrimp import ban sparks concerns for farmers’ livelihoods

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed his ministers to seek a bilateral trade solution with Malaysia.

Thailand ready for UN mediation on maritime dispute with Cambodia

Japan fertility rate falls again to record low

Fire in Delhi hotel kills at least 21, police say

NEW DELHI, June 3 - At least 21 people were killed in a fire at a hotel in Delhi on Wednesday, police said, in one of the worst such incidents in the national capital in recent years.

Sri Lanka slaps travel ban on ex-president over Easter bombings

The 2019 bombings killed 279 people.

Indonesia really can’t afford another air pollution crisis

In August 2023, Jakarta briefly became a symbol of what happens when governments ignore environmental warning signs for too long. The city ranked among the most polluted places in the world. Schools adjusted activities. Some offices asked employees to work from home. Parents

Foreign nationals among at least 21 killed in Delhi fire

Many victims were South Asians who had travelled to India for treatment or to accompany relatives.

Celebrity dog with over 1.5 million followers stolen, slaughtered in China as thief mistook it for a stray

The alleged thief reportedly said: “The dog is dead, so stop making a fuss. I did not break the law.”

Australia is the victim of an AUKUS ‘bait and switch’

At a security conference in Singapore over the weekend, the three AUKUS partners – the United States, United Kingdom and Australia – announced a tweak to their partnership that has generated quite a lot of attention in Canberra. Australia will now receive three second-hand

UMNO defends Johor polls timing as newly relaunched Bersama party says it will contest state election

Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) - helmed by former federal ministers Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad - said that further discussions would be held with party representatives in Johor to identify the seats the party would contest.

Japan’s fertility falls for a 10th year despite government push

Tokyo remained the lowest among Japan’s prefectures, with a fertility rate of 0.96.

All the reasons Cambodia should join the CPTPP

The natural instinct of any government facing a more fragmented global system is to guard its policy flexibility and keep its hands free to respond to whatever comes next. But the countries that consistently attract long-term investment tend to choose a different path. They

Solomon Islands' PM says to review secretive security pact with China

US, South Korea discuss nuclear cooperation in security talks

SEOUL, June 3 - South Korea and the U.S. held inaugural talks this week to discuss nuclear cooperation under a joint fact sheet on security agreed by U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung last year, Seoul said on Wednesday.