South Korea's president to attend NATO summit in Ankara and visit Mongolia

SEOUL, July 3 - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will attend a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, from July 7 to 8, Seoul's national security adviser said on Friday.

Philippine sea strategy needs to put results above optics

Much has been said about the importance of the West Philippine Sea for Manila’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and resource access. However, there is a gap between those goals and the means to achieve them. The West Philippine Sea is Manila’s term for the portion of the

Mumbai battered by heavy rain: Two dead including 11-year-old boy, govt issues orange alert

The authorities have advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

US envoy says Cook Islands minerals are a top priority

WELLINGTON, July 3 - The new U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and several Pacific island nations said on Friday that securing Cook Islands seabed minerals was a top priority, and that China's push for influence in the Pacific carried risks for small island states.

Indonesian military says recovers body of American pilot killed by rebels in Papua

6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes off eastern Indonesia, no tsunami threat

The jolt struck at a depth of 120km, around 58km west of Tobelo, in North Maluku province at 11.31am local time.

Russian attacks kill 4, injure 10 in Ukraine overnight, officials say

July 3 - Four people were killed and another 10 injured in Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine, officials said on Telegram in the early hours of Friday.

Malaysia’s low unemployment masks deeper crisis of underemployed graduates

Some 2.06 million people in Malaysia were in skill-related underemployment in 2024, a figure that is trending up.

Catholic order faces financial ruin in Australia over abuse claims

It halted abuse compensation, leaving some victims feeling like their “suffering is being extended”.

Alleged bullying death of 16-year-old in Indonesia renews fears of school violence

The 16-year-old died from a blunt-force injury to the head.

Cossacks, volunteers help keep order at petrol stations in Russian Black Sea resort

July 3 - Cossacks and volunteers have stepped in to help city officials and police keep order and prevent conflicts at petrol stations in the popular Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa, as Ukrainian attacks worsen a countrywide fuel crisis.

Should workers get time off to mourn pets? South Korea remains divided

Around 29.2 per cent of households in South Korea had pets in 2025, the highest figure on record.

A realist reading of the Israel-Turkey rupture

There is a temptation, whenever two regional powers start hurling accusations of genocide and dictatorship at each other, to read the moment as a clash of civilizations or of irreconcilable values. The Turkey-Israel rupture invites exactly that kind of reading: Recep Tayyip

Afghans come home but risk exclusion without any ID

Afghan returnees deported from Pakistan often require an ID card to access work or education.

Magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes off eastern Indonesia: USGS

The jolt struck at a depth of 120km, around 58km west of Tobelo.

Death toll hits 10 in Thai monk procession crash

Police said the truck was driven by an 11-year-old who had taken the vehicle without permission.

Instagram running ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India, BBC finds

The ads use terms including “rape” and “child video” and link to content on the messaging app Telegram.

Thailand on alert for heavier rain with tropical storm expected from July 4 to 6

Those in Thailand are advised to follow official updates closely.

Inside Taiwan’s nightmare scenario: Chinese blockade, earthquake, sabotage and invasion

Taiwan has been ramping up its so-called “resilience” exercises to prepare civilians and officials for crises.

Asian markets rise as beaten tech stocks enjoy respite from selling

Oil prices edged up but held recent losses fuelled by increased traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and on hopes for progress in US-Iran talks.

U.S. still China’s main rival despite report on Japan and Philippines’ capabilities

Experts say Beijing’s scrutiny of Tokyo and Manila reflects concerns of military integration in the South China Sea

Indonesian military says body of American pilot killed by rebels in Papua recovered

The separatist group had said the attack was a “message” to the US and Indonesian governments.

Indian PM Modi to make first official visit to New Zealand next week

SYDNEY, July 3 - New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Friday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make his first official visit to New Zealand next week.

Roll-out of Malaysia’s new 10-year passport smooth and efficient, say applicants

The new Malaysian international passport, offering up to 10 years’ validity, was rolled out on July 1.

A $580 taxi fare sparks fresh concerns over tourist scams in South Korea

A broader pattern of complaints over unfair pricing and service practices facing foreign visitors has emerged.

Tokyo school blaze: Teacher had brought own heater to school before fire

The teacher routinely dried items there after using the washing machine in the home economics room.

China ramps up warning to Japan, Philippines over maritime talks

Japan and the Philippines have suggested they would likely be drawn into any fight over Taiwan.

South Korean football is dead, say furious fans, as they demand sweeping reform

An early World Cup exit has triggered what some say is a long overdue reckoning for the Korean Football Association.

A mayor in Japan announced her maternity leave - and got the whole country talking

In the face of criticism, Shoko Kawata, 35, says she loves her job and is proud to be taking time off to have a baby.

Johor state election: Racial issues in the spotlight as battle for Chinese vote intensifies

Campaign debates in the Johor state election have increasingly centred on issues sensitive to Chinese Malaysians. This could prove decisive in some mixed and Chinese-majority constituencies, say analysts.

Commentary: At 250, America could use a birthday resolution in Southeast Asia

As the US celebrates its 250th anniversary of independence, Southeast Asia still has questions about its reliability as a partner, says Kevin Chen from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

China’s housing market free-falls as buyers wait for floor prices

China’s home prices continued to fall in the first half of 2026 as buyers held back, betting that values would drop farther. With sales volumes and prices both in decline, analysts see little sign of a near-term recovery. Data released on Wednesday by the China Index Academy

US says it supports Pakistan's right to defend itself against 'terrorist attacks'

WASHINGTON, July 2 - The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that Washington \"supports Pakistan's right to defend itself against terrorist attacks\" as an intermittent conflict between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan continues.

No composer, no singer, no studio – just AI behind Johor’s election campaign songs

AI use by political parties in the Malaysian state's elections is raising questions on ethics and misinformation.

India’s Hindu nationalists confront fraud claims at controversial Ram temple

Revelations that devotees’ donations worth tens of millions of rupees may have been embezzled have shocked many people.

China’s bathhouse boom: How a centuries-old tradition became a trendy 24-hour hangout

China’s bathhouses have evolved into all-day leisure destinations.

Kazakh mine deal latest manifestation of Trump enrichment syndrome

The Trump administration concluded a recent mineral deal with Kazakhstan that, not surprisingly, enriches not only Trump’s own family but that of his secretary of commerce, Howard Lutnick. Trump’s two eldest sons, part owners of Dominari Securities, are set to profit from the

Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee, once detained by China, dies in Taipei, report says

July 2 - Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee, who fled to Taiwan amid fears of Chinese persecution, has died at the age of 70, the South China Morning Post reported on Thursday, citing Taiwanese media.

Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing Kee, once detained by China, dies in Taipei, report says

Lam disclosed in 2025 that his lung cancer had returned and advanced to stage four.

Europe targets shadow fleet tankers falsely using Cameroon flag, sources say

PARIS/LONDON, July 2 - Europe is taking tougher action against tankers falsely using Cameroon's flag registry to transport Russian oil, including boarding vessels at sea, prompting Cameroon to dump 39 such vessels from its ship registry, according to officials and documents.

Ag mantra with China cutting US imports: Fix – don’t scrap – USMCA

Even if President Donald J. Trump was indulging in negotiating talk when he said he is “not looking to renew” the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the remark gave US agriculture a case of nerves. And now he has officially decided against renewal, putting the free-trade

PNG received millions after Cyclone Maila, but some residents still wait for relief

Cash donations from China and Australia made headlines, but government has helped only ‘severely affected’ areas.

Ambani-Trump Jr. investigation encountered a Google AI surprise

This article was first published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. It is republished under a Creative Commons license. Last month, my colleagues and I published an investigation into a Texas oil refinery startup, America First Refining,

Rebels in Indonesia’s Papua kill American pilot, burn plane, spokesperson says

A spokesman for a local separatist group described it as a "message" to the US and Indonesian governments.

Rebels in Indonesia's Papua kill American pilot, burn plane, spokesperson says

JAKARTA, July 2 - Rebels in Indonesia's restive easternmost region of Papua on Thursday shot dead an American pilot and set a civilian plane on fire in what a spokesperson for a local separatist group described as a \"message\" to the U.S. and Indonesian governments.

Thailand to tighten anti-drug measures at airports after Australia-linked smuggling cases

Screening of airline crew is done under the same standards as passenger screening, say the authorities.

Indonesia seizes 3.37 tonnes of cannabis buds intended for vapes

The cannabis was hidden in suitcases and latex boxes.

Coffee with a view: Tourists flock to Starbucks overlooking North Korea

Cathay Pacific to resume Middle East flights