Asia stock markets slide as tech shares slump
Trading on South Korea's Kospi index was halted for the third time this week to prevent panic selling.
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Italy to join US-led Pax Silica AI initiative despite Trump row
ROME, June 26 - Italy will join the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative on artificial intelligence supply chains despite a row between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump, a foreign ministry official said.
Bitcoin dips as Iran oil returns to the dollar system
Bitcoin’s latest weakness cannot be explained only by ETF outflows or a cooling of large-holder demand. There is another layer that has not been sufficiently priced into the discussion: Iran’s partial return to legal, dollar-linked oil settlement. I would not call it the single
Iran deal grants access to nuclear inspectors, IAEA chief says
TOKYO, June 26 - The interim U.S.-Iran peace accord gives U.N. nuclear inspectors access to Iran, the watchdog's top official said on Friday, after Tehran indicated key sites would remain off-limits until a final deal with Washington was reached and sanctions lifted.
TikTok, YouTube deactivate 4.7 million child accounts in Indonesia following government curbs: Minister
Indonesia in May mandated that high-risk social media platforms deactivate accounts of users under 16.
TikTok, YouTube deactivate 4.7 million child accounts in Indonesia following government curbs, minister says
JAKARTA, June 26 - Social media companies TikTok and YouTube have deactivated a total of around 4.7 million accounts belonging to children under the age of 16 in Indonesia, the country's communications minister said, as its social media curbs began to take effect.
Rare school shooting in Philippines reignites debate over age of criminal liability
A rare and deadly school shooting has reignited debate over whether children as young as 10 should face criminal charges.
China tests Scarborough as Manila casts beyond US for help
China’s makeshift platform at Scarborough Shoal may have disappeared, but it has exposed a far more enduring strategy to cement its control of the South China Sea. This month, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that a temporary Chinese floating platform deployed at the
Global trade in cocaine, methamphetamine is booming, UN drug report shows
VIENNA, June 26 - The global trade in illicit drugs is booming, with cocaine production and seizures of methamphetamine at an all-time high, a United Nations report showed on Friday, warning of a surge in new drugs filling a gap left by the collapse in heroin supply.
MSCI clock ticking on Indonesia’s broken and untrusted IDX
For decades, Indonesia Stock Exchange’s (IDX) institutional structure has acted as a brake on the growth and global competitiveness of Indonesia’s capital market. The exchange still operates under a mutual ownership model, in which brokerage firms that use it are also its
Football fans in Myanmar boycott the World Cup on TV
FIFA awarded World Cup broadcast rights to Mytel, which is partly owned by Myanmar's military.
CPTPP ministers welcome US-Iran deal, urge safe passage through Strait of Hormuz
The ministers also reaffirmed plans to expand the trade pact and strengthen supply chain resilience.
North Korea readies beach resort for more tourists after Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s trip
Its leader Kim Jong Un praised workers for their efforts in building a modern railway station in one year.
Chinese travellers swop luxury for short Asian trips this summer
The move was driven by flight disruptions, geopolitical tensions and a pragmatic approach to travel spending.
Bangladesh urges China to reduce trade gap
BEIJING, June 26 - Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, where he urged a reduction of the trade gap, diversification of exports and China's support in implementing his country's major projects.
‘Good politics but bad economics’?: Why Malaysia is rolling out new diesel subsidies
Malaysia’s move to lower diesel prices to RM2.10 (US$0.50) per litre for all citizens could squeeze the government’s fiscal space if oil prices rise again, analysts warn.
Indonesia charges 24 foreigners as suspects in illegal gold mining case, ministry says
JAKARTA, June 26 - Indonesia has charged 24 foreign nationals as criminal suspects in an illegal gold mining operation in the country's Maluku region, its energy ministry said.
EU warns Turkey over 'unacceptable' snub of Cyprus in climate summit preparations
LUXEMBOURG, June 26 - The European Union has rebuked Turkey for excluding Cyprus from preparations for this year's U.N. climate summit, as diplomatic tensions mount over the issue ahead of the global climate talks.
South Korea's KOSPI plunges more than 8% in new tech rout
Asian tech stocks also sank on Friday as the rollercoaster ride that has characterised the week continued into the weekend, while crude prices edged back down after a brief rally sparked by news of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
China built Indonesia’s nickel boom. Will it stay for the bust?
When PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (GNI) began operating in North Morowali, it represented everything Indonesia wanted its nickel industry to become. Built with US$2.7 billion in Chinese investment, inaugurated by then-President Joko Widodo in 2021 and designated a National
China's top auditor says major state banks have committed tax evasion or lending violations
Bank of China evaded paying 2.4 billion yuan (US$352 million) in tax while Agricultural Bank of China illegally issued 11 billion yuan in loans to farmland projects, says China's top audit body.
‘Iron termites’: Wave of public facility theft raises concerns over investment in Riau Islands
The Riau Islands Police created the Public Order and Security task force involving various parties.
Seoul court upholds prison term for US live streamer Johnny Somali
He was accused of causing disturbances on buses, subways and at Lotte World, as well as live-streaming an obscene video.
Viral bullying videos test Bhutan’s digital transition
Footage of fighting pupils circulated across social media, sparking outrage and probes by authorities.
Australia considers tougher enforcement of social media ban for teens
SYDNEY, June 26 - Australia's prime minister said on Friday he was keen to make sure the country's social media ban for children was as strong as possible, as a new study found that the measure — the first of its kind and now six months old — had little impact on teen use.
Japan cancels 120 flights as twin storms approach
Severe Tropical Storm Mekkhala, downgraded from a typhoon, was packing gusts of up to 144kmh and could potentially converge with Tropical Storm Higos.
In South Korean classrooms, K-pop dance becomes a lesson in connection
Doodoomchit School, a K-pop dance education collective, launched in 2025 with teachers from Gyeonggi Province.
South Korea to train 500,000 ‘drone warriors’ to counter North Korea, says defence ministry
South Korea's defence minister said it would rely on 100 per cent domestically produced components.
South Korea says to train 500,000 'drone warriors' to counter North Korea
SEOUL, June 26 - South Korea will rapidly expand its drone and counter-drone capabilities to counter North Korea, including by training 500,000 \"drone warriors\" and distributing tens of thousands of unmanned systems across frontline units, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.
China’s top universities expand enrolment in AI, strategic fields
Emerging majors include intelligent manufacturing engineering and materials intelligence, which is a first in China.
New Zealand internal report warns of Chinese military forays in Pacific
New Zealand did not identify the type of one of the naval vessels deployed by China to the South Pacific.
‘Too good to be true’: A Chinese study on timing cancer therapy is retracted
The study had enrolled 210 patients with advanced lung cancer at Hunan Cancer Hospital.
Japan through to World Cup last 32 after 1-1 draw with Sweden
Japan will face five-time champions Brazil in the round of 32.
Row over alleged theft of donations from India's landmark Ram temple
Questions are being raised over the handling of cash, valuable jewellery, gold and silver offered by devotees.
Trump-backed golf resort advances as Vietnam seizes farmland
The area contains ancestral graves and orchards that have provided for generations of the same families.
Torrential rain from passing typhoon shuts down southern Taiwan, rail line cut
TAIPEI, June 26 - Torrential rains from a passing typhoon shut down a swathe of southern Taiwan on Friday, leaving more than five million people off work or school and flooding severing a section of a main rail line.
Torrential rain from passing storm shuts down parts of Taiwan and Japan
Over 200 flights were cancelled in Japan and dozens of train services suspended, while many expressways were closed.
Not your regular batik: This Indonesian fashion brand is making hand-drawn batik for a new generation
Batik Wolter works with artisans across Indonesia to create hand-drawn batik pieces that blend traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Founder Abel Hesed Tandadjaja hopes the approach will keep the centuries-old craft relevant for younger generations.
Quantum firms shun entanglement as Trump vows to outrun China
As the United States and China escalate their rivalry over quantum technology, companies across the sector are already repositioning to navigate the geopolitical storm, from building domestic manufacturing bases to carving out independent units for non-Western markets. In the
A Chinese box office hit sparks a debate about identity in Singapore
A nostalgic tale about family, hope and hardship has opened an unexpected conversation.
North Korea’s Kim hails tests of weapons that threaten Seoul
He supervised the tests of “major weapons” including a multiple rocket launcher and a warhead for a ballistic missile.
North Korean leader Kim oversees weapons tests, KCNA reports
SEOUL, June 26 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw tests of key weapons on Thursday as part of the country's goal for the modernisation of its missile program, state media KCNA reported on Friday.
Thailand’s Anutin at 100 days: Stability first, reform later?
Analysts see little sign that Anutin's government is tackling underlying economic problems.
Indians adore their deities. This one rides a motorcycle, loves whisky and grants wishes
Devotees believe Om Banna's spirit is embodied in the motorcycle that he was riding when he crashed and died.
Taiwan’s robodogs signal military shift to unmanned systems in rivalry with China
Taipei and Beijing are integrating autonomous tech to monitor remote outposts in the South China Sea.
UN agency says it pauses Hormuz ship evacuation initiative after vessel attacked
LONDON, June 25 - The United Nations shipping agency on Thursday paused an evacuation effort, which aimed to get hundreds of stranded ships and thousands of seafarers out through the Strait of Hormuz, after a vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Oman.
Senior US diplomat says Taiwan arms sale does not hinge on China
WASHINGTON, June 25 - The U.S. State Department's top diplomat for East Asia said on Thursday that a pending arms sale notification to Congress for Taiwan does not hinge on discussions with China, despite that suggestion from President Donald Trump.