How a northern Philippine town learned to live with the world’s rarest crocodile

In Manila, the crocodile is shorthand for a greedy official. But in the town of San Mariano, it is a shy, critically endangered animal.

Ukraine offers Russia truce in Black Sea as food supply fears mount, source says

KYIV, Aug 13 - Ukraine has sent Russia an offer suggesting they both halt attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea, a source said, after mounting strikes on vessels and ports there raised fears over global food supplies.

Air India to test all pilots for banned substances

It comes after one of its planes suddenly lost altitude last week, with a number of passengers injured.

Shipyard explosion in southeastern China kills fire and rescue worker

BEIJING, Aug 13 - An explosion at a shipyard in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian on Thursday killed one fire and rescue worker, local authorities said.

Taiwan warns against Uganda travel as passport disputes grow

Three Taiwanese business travellers and their family members had their passports seized by immigration officials on Aug 12.

Heavy rain soaks eastern Japan, prompting highest-level warning

The JMA issued its highest-level heavy rain warning for the Chiba region for the first time ever.

Johor villagers grapple with dumping of illegal construction waste allegedly from Singapore

After the issue was reported by media, Johor has clamped down on sites used for the illegal disposal of construction waste.

Taiwan throttles mobile internet speeds in defence drill

Island tests the public's reaction to a digital blockade but the drill appears ineffective

A quarter of Japan museums mull over disposing war materials amid lack of space: Poll

Donations of materials are leaving many facilities at or near capacity.

Bangladesh curbs power use as gas shortages worsen

Under a government directive, shops, markets and shopping malls must close by 8pm local time.

Air India mandates drug tests for all pilots after mid-air plunge

Air India expands drug testing to all pilots after captain tests positive for marijuana

The tests will screen for substances and medications prohibited under aviation regulations.

Former Nepal prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba returns home, faces graft probe

In April, police issued an arrest warrant for Deuba over money laundering charges.

Turkey lays out plans for defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

ANKARA, Aug 13 - Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will group senior ministers, hold joint exercises and deepen defence industry cooperation under a military pact signed between the regional powers last week, Turkey's defence ministry said on Thursday.

Thai PM suspends permits to buy guns after school shooting. But will this work?

Freeze on new gun purchases may not address millions of firearms already in Thai homes, experts say.

China to tighten entry and exit controls from Sept 15

The local authorities may question visa applicants and require them to present or provide documents.

Taiwan says it was targeted last month in AI-driven hacking campaign

Human Rights Watch urges Taliban to release detained UN, NGO staff

KABUL, Aug 13 - Human Rights Watch called for the release of two UN staffers and six NGO workers in Afghanistan following a string of Taliban detentions in recent weeks.

Xi Jinping’s secretive graft purges spawn underground market for leaks

It underscores the anxiety among Chinese officials as Xi’s anti-graft purges reach far and wide.

Putin threatens tit-for-tat seizures of foreign vessels

The West’s spree of “shadow fleet” seizures might finally be coming to an end after what Putin just told his Pacific Fleet commanders during his visit to the Russian Far East. As he phrased it, “We can see that the officials of some countries are attempting to restrict the

Social media trends to blame? Why Malaysia is tightening hiking rules and what it means for hikers

Malaysia is tightening hiking rules after a rise in search-and-rescue cases, and experts have linked these to people underestimating the risks of mountaineering while pursuing aesthetic content for social media.

Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control, Fars news reports

DUBAI, Aug 13 - The Strait of Hormuz is \"under Iran's control and management\", the head of Iran's Basij paramilitary unit, Hossein Taeb, said on Thursday, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Can Iran’s ‘Asian friends’ reopen Hormuz when the US cannot?

For a fortnight beginning August 30, Tehran gets to feel wanted – first in Bishkek, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, then in New Delhi at the BRICS summit, Iran’s leadership will sit among presidents and prime ministers who need something from Tehran just as

New Zealand PM Luxon calls leadership challenge response ‘decisive’

He reiterated he has the full support of his caucus and said he has confidence in all of his ministers.

Penang ready to step up measures as air quality hits unhealthy level

The state's chief minister said Penang would step up measures if readings reached critical levels.

Climate change and AI add to pressures on Asia Pacific’s health systems

Extreme weather is exacerbating disease risks and threatening healthcare infrastructure, warned WHO officials at the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health.

Pentatgon funded a $533 million artillery plant that made nothing

This article was originally published by ProPublica, a Pulitzer-prizewinning investigative newsroom. A robot was on fire. Again. It was the summer of 2024, and the cutting-edge robots inside General Dynamics’ sweltering artillery factory near Dallas were catching fire with

Emails reveal Indian carmakers' fuel contamination worries before public retreat

NEW DELHI, Aug 13 - Hours after India made public assurances last week that its ethanol-blended petrol was safe, the country's main auto lobby withdrew a complaint about fuel contamination it had sent to the government a week earlier. The group said some figures needed more

Rescuers comb waters near Bali for 5 missing after ferry blaze

A total of 211 people were rescued and brought ashore by vessels that rushed to the scene on Wednesday (Aug 12), including a navy ship and another ferry in the vicinity. A 19-year-old Indonesian woman was found dead.

‘Our real friend. Our PM’: Modi’s BJP attempts to mend bridges with India’s youth

Modi and his party have realised they need to engage youth, which are a powerful voting bloc.

South Korea's Incheon airport becomes world's busiest for global traffic

The airport said diversions caused by the Middle East conflict helped boost its traffic, while Heathrow was ranked second.

Japan protests Putin's first visit to disputed islands

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a fish-processing plant where he was given caviar.

Singapore PM Wong sends condolences to China over death of former premier Zhu Rongji

Zhu Rongji, who served as China's premier from 1998 to 2003, died from illness on Wednesday at the age of 97.

Singaporean man rescued in Malaysia wanted by CNB, believed to know kidnapper

The Singapore Police Force said the 32-year-old man had no valid travel document and is believed to know one of the alleged kidnappers; he and a 33-year-old Singaporean woman were rescued by Malaysian police.

Chinese state-linked observatory sought New Zealand site, spy agency says

It said China was the only country New Zealand had detected conducting espionage “at scale”.

Chinese state-linked observatory sought NZ site, spy agency says

WELLINGTON, Aug 13 - New Zealand's security agency said it disrupted an attempt by a Chinese state-linked observatory to install satellite-tracking infrastructure in the country, highlighting the case in its annual assessment of an increasingly dangerous espionage environment.

Japan PM says Putin's visit to disputed islands 'absolutely unacceptable'

It was the first time the Russian leader had visited the Kuril islands, according to state media.

BTS star V reveals hearing loss battle during livestream

The K-pop star says he has suffered hearing issues for over two years before revealing it publicly this week.

Meta says it has taken down 756,000 Australian teen accounts as ban enforcement looms

The Facebook and Instagram owner promised more action in the face of possible regulatory intervention.

North Korea may increase western Russia deployment to 50,000 troops

Moscow is seeking reinforcements from North Korea to continue the war.

Russia's Putin visits disputed Kuril Islands, samples fish roe, media say

Aug 13 - Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, an island in the disputed Kuril Islands chain claimed by both Russia and Japan, state news agency TASS said on Thursday.

South Korea unveils package to boost housing supply, support young buyers

It is part of efforts to stabilise a red-hot housing market.

North Korea doubles down on its alliance with Russia, for now

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has doubled down on his military and strategic alliance with Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime, betting that this axis will strengthen his own position for now. However, Kim’s strategic calculus depends on the outcome of the war in Ukraine

Outflanked by AI, stars fade for South Korea’s blind fortune-tellers

The community was once home to 70 or 80 practitioners, but fewer than 20 remain.

South Korea’s Incheon overtakes London’s Heathrow as world’s busiest international airport

Singapore's Changi Airport came in at third place.

Taiwan says it was targeted in AI-driven hacking campaign in July

The island has in recent years complained about what it sees as China’s “hybrid warfare”.