South Koreans back male parental leave, but not for colleagues

Workers at private companies were less open to male parental leave than those in the public sector.

Australia ramps up bird flu surveillance, testing after first mainland cases reported

Two cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu were confirmed in migratory seabirds.

India urges crop shift for monsoon planting as rains falter

The government is also stepping up water-conservation efforts and monitoring reservoir levels.

Bali’s rabies crisis in spotlight following Jembrana dog attack

In May, a housewife died from rabies after self-treating a cat bite and not seeking medical help.

Malaysian monk wins $312,000 through bank’s lucky draw campaign

The monk had no immediate plans for the prize money but intended to use part of it to help those in need.

Johor state election expected to boost its economy

Local business have begun seeing encouraging increases in customers since the date of the state election was announced.

Asian stocks wobble after tech-led selloff, volatility risk highlighted

South Korea's KOSPI surges 4.1% as chip stocks recover

The KOSPI gained more than 330 points moments after trading began on Wednesday (Jun 24), instantly recouping a massive chunk of the losses from a nearly 10 per cent plunge a day earlier.

Malaysia’s ‘durian tsunami’ season to last till August

But industry players say the sharpest drops are affecting lower-grade fruits rather than premium export-quality produce.

Residents in Johor Bahru cry foul over smelly river

The authorities found that several sewerage treatment plants and commercial premises failed to meet discharge standards.

Lorry driver who saved 21 bus passengers honoured at Malaysian Parliament

Wong Tuck Meng had used his lorry to stop a runaway express bus near the Menora Tunnel in Perak .

Xi pressures Takaichi by throttling key China mineral exports to Japan

The throttling of goods began after Takaichi angered Beijing last November with comments about Taiwan.

North Korea’s Kim unveils plans for 10,000-ton warships, nuclear navy

Kim attended a commissioning ceremony of a destroyer on June 23, according to state media KCNA.

North Korea should build two warships a year in next five years, Kim says

SEOUL, June 24 - North Korea should build two warships as large as its 5,000-metric-ton Choe Hyon vessel every year in the next five years, leader Kim Jong Un said at a commissioning ceremony of a destroyer on Tuesday, according to state media KCNA.

AirBorneo disruptions risk undermining Sarawak’s aim for greater autonomy

Sarawak-owned AirBorneo has irked passengers with high prices and flight disruptions. But the East Malaysian state can still prevent bad optics from turning into a political problem, analysts say.

Commentary: ASEAN-Russia summit is not a tilt toward Moscow

The significance of the ASEAN-Russia summit lies in the grouping's desire to preserve room for manoeuvre, says an ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute academic.

Indonesia clings to emerging markets mantle as MSCI extends review to November

Index provider MSCI on Tuesday (Jun 23) extended its review to assess the slate of measures rolled out by Jakarta, leaving the market facing prolonged uncertainty.

‘ASEAN’s gift to the world’: Hormuz crisis sharpens Philippines push for South China Sea code

Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro lays out Manila's ambitions – and the obstacles still standing in the way.

US fights the battles South Korean conservatives have abandoned

On June 3, at a US House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the State Department budget, Representative Darrell Issa made a request. “Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the Wall Street Journal article entitled ‘South Korea Takes a Hard Left Turn Against America’ be

The future of peace on the Korean Peninsula

As South Korea hosts the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity from June 24 to 26, an important question confronts policymakers across Asia: What is the future of peace on the Korean Peninsula? Equally important is how South Korea’s evolving strategic and domestic realities will

Evacuation plan through Hormuz for stranded ships in Gulf underway, UN agency say

LONDON, June 23 - An evacuation plan to enable hundreds of ships with some 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf to sail through the Strait of Hormuz is underway after Iran and the U.S. reached a ceasefire deal, the United Nations' shipping agency said on Tuesday.

Climate-vulnerable countries push for global funding framework

LONDON, June 23 - The world’s most climate-vulnerable nations and a set of major development banks launched a new initiative on Tuesday aimed at unlocking cheaper and more predictable funding for countries increasingly facing climate shocks and rising debt costs.

Bangladesh says $389 billion climate finance goal falls short, calls for more support

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change.

EU hosts Taliban officials in Brussels for first time

BRUSSELS, June 23 - A delegation from Afghanistan's Taliban met on Tuesday with EU officials in Brussels for the first time, an event rights groups denounced as legitimising the Islamists but the EU has defended as a step to make it easier to repatriate failed asylum seekers.

China displaces US for world’s fastest supercomputer crown

It is the first time since 2017 that a Chinese supercomputer has led the TOP500 ranking list.

Longtime Fed chair, Ayn Rand disciple Alan Greenspan dead at 100

Alan Greenspan, whose policies during nearly 20 years as US Federal Reserve chair fueled soaring economic inequality and helped create the conditions for multiple economic crashes, died Monday at age 100 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. While many corporate media

Leading Pakistan activist given life sentence over soldier's killing at rally

Human rights campaigner Mahrang Baloch denied inciting protesters before the official's death.

Sri Lanka bans junk food in schools due to health concerns

The ban means hot dogs, burgers, pizzas, doughnuts, ice cream, biscuits and flavoured milk.

Japan PM Takaichi heckled with anti-war slogans at Okinawa ceremony

She was met with chants, “No to war” and “Protect Article 9“ of the pacifist Constitution that renounces war.

Japanese man suspected of senior role in ‘Luffy’ syndicate nabbed in Manila

He was carrying fake Philippine government-issued identification cards bearing a fictitious name.

North Korea’s Military Demarcation Line fortification violates 1953 armistice, says Seoul

It is the first time that North Korean fences have been confirmed to have been built within 100m north of the MDL.

More nations willing to join GCAP jet project, Italy says

ROME, June 23 - More countries could join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) fighter project involving Italy, Britain and Japan, the Italian defence minister said on Tuesday, stressing that opening the venture to other nations would allow greater sharing of costs.

How a new tourist ferry from Taiwan to Japan could play a different role in times of crisis

It is on Toyko's list of ships to evacuate islanders to mainland Japan in the event of a crisis.

Oman and Iran to pursue talks on managing navigation in Strait of Hormuz

DUBAI, June 23 - Oman and Iran agreed on Tuesday to press on with discussions about the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, including maritime services in the strategic waterway and the costs associated with them.

China’s most advanced aircraft carrier sails through Taiwan Strait, Taipei says

The Fujian is last known to have sailed through the strait in mid-December.

China's most advanced aircraft carrier sails through Taiwan Strait, Taipei says

TAIPEI, June 23 - China's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier the Fujian sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, the Taiwanese defence ministry said, the first such mission in the sensitive waterway since April.

China's foreign minister calls on BRICS to strengthen strategic minerals cooperation

BEIJING, June 23 - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on BRICS countries on Tuesday to jointly respond to global challenges from Ebola to AI, and to strengthen cooperation on strategic mineral resources, according to a statement from his ministry.

Explainer-The health risks of extreme heat

June 23 - The world is baking under extreme heat, with Europe, Asia and parts of the U.S. all dealing with scorching temperatures.

Japan Supreme Court upholds disbandment decision for controversial Unification Church

The Supreme Court called the group's dissolution "necessary and inevitable".

GoTo, Grab to cut driver commissions to 8% in Indonesia

The companies will begin implementing the new commissions on July 1.

Concrete canopy collapses from abandoned building in Bangkok, days after fatal incident

An initial inspection found that the building was unoccupied at the time of the collapse.

Former Indonesian president Sukarno’s wife expresses regret at assault trial

Dewi allegedly threw a champagne glass at her assistant in 2025.

Israel is out of control — and no, it’s not just Netanyahu

When looking at today’s Middle East, it is important to recognize that Israel is completely out of control, and no one has the will to rein them in. This should have been understood back in July of 2024, in the waning days of the Biden administration, when Israeli Prime

Over 5,000 people trapped in Myanmar scam centres near Thai border: Rights group

‘New reality for the region’: What roles will China and India play in the Middle East after the Iran war?

The influence of rising powers in the Middle East is unlikely to take the form of the military presence traditionally associated with the United States, say analysts at the Middle East Institute’s annual conference.

Israeli gunfire kills two people in south Lebanon, civil defence says

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, June 23 - Israeli gunfire killed two people in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanon's Civil Defence and state media said, the first reported fatalities resulting from Israeli fire in Lebanon in three days.

Over 5,300 people trapped in Myanmar scam centres near Thai border, says rights group

Many facilities along parts of the Myanmar-Thailand border are operated by foreign nationals trafficked there.

Japan to fully digitalise airport customs declaration by 2030

Although it introduced electronic declarations in 2019, about half are still submitted on paper.

Deadly Philippine school shooting planned in advance: Police