Hong Kong's Joshua Wong: From teenage protest leader to a decade behind bars

Jailed since 2020, Joshua Wong will be 40 when he is released under his latest sentence.

China-Laos military cooperation should contribute to regional stability, Vietnam says

HANOI, Nov 5 - Vietnam's foreign ministry said on Thursday that cooperation between countries should comply with international law and contribute to peace and stability, after China and Laos recently established a joint training facility.

G7 foreign ministers meeting moved from Marseille to Paris, sources say

PARIS, Nov 5 - The G7 foreign ministers meeting that was due to be held in Marseille on Nov. 9-10 has been moved to Paris for \"logistical and operational reasons\", a correspondence sent to participants seen by Reuters and three diplomats said on Thursday.

India in final-stage talks to expand BrahMos missile sale to Philippines, sources say

BrahMos, developed jointly by India and Russia, is among the world’s fastest cruise missiles.

Births in Japan increased year on year in first 6 months of 2026, first time in 11 years

The number of births nationwide increased 0.4% to 320,458 in the first half of 2026.

IHH Healthcare to shed over 300 employees across Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia

The healthcare provider is also moving some employees into redesigned roles as it consolidates its business support services.

Why US midterm results may bring little relief for South Korea

A divided Washington could add to uncertainty for South Korea.

ASEAN’s peace plan for Myanmar lacks ‘clear-cut strategy’ for implementation: Thai foreign minister

The Myanmar situation is a reminder that ASEAN’s principle of non-interference should not mean inaction or indifference, he added.

India flags Chinese-linked AI tools in hacking campaign against financial firms

India's cybersecurity agency said the attackers used publicly available AI tools to automate break-ins "at machine speed", calling the threat "active and ongoing".

Has Bukang-i returned to sea? Busan shark not seen for over a week

Officials believe cooling waters may have prompted the shark to move.

Thailand bans textbook on national security grounds

The exiled editor said the textbook was banned was due to its content on the Thai monarchy.

Prehistoric 'giant rat' found in Thailand from fossil teeth

The cream-coloured fossil stood out against the dark coal deposits.

Jokowi testifies in fake diploma trial as supporters throng Jakarta court

It was his first public appearance since news broke on Nov 3 of an explosive wiretapping scandal.

South Korean audit reveals friction in US alliance as Washington's priorities shift

SEOUL, Nov 5 - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has come under fire from the opposition over his management of the US alliance following revelations of strains in ties during a month-long parliamentary audit that ended last week.

China says US farm purchases hinge on tariff-cut deal

BEIJING, Nov 5 - China is open to buying more US farm goods, but only if the two sides implement their reciprocal tariff-cut agreement, the commerce ministry said on Thursday, signalling tariff concessions remain central to Beijing's aims.

US midterms: Will Trump take a tougher stance on China after his election setback?

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet for the third time in November.

Trump's political humbling signals short-term gain, long-term pain for China

BEIJING, Nov 5 - The midterm drubbing of Donald Trump's Republicans may strengthen China's hand in trade talks with Washington, but Beijing is unlikely to revel in the misfortunes of a US president whose successor could prove less accommodating.

Dozens of homes damaged as rare hailstorms hit West Java, Lampung

An estimated 90 to 100 buildings were damaged in West Java.

Seeds from Japan’s only tree to survive the 2011 tsunami to be stored at a British seed bank

The original tree died in 2012, just a year after the massive earthquake.

Italian chef fired after refusing to put pineapple on pizza

He had told his employer, an Australian restaurant, that pineapple on pizza was "offensive" to Italian culture.

South Korean army faces backlash over soldiers’ runway training

Special forces soldiers were taught runway walks and model poses in what the army says was training intended to improve posture.

Dozens of pilot whales stranded on New Zealand coast

Nov 5 - Dozens of pilot whales have been found stranded on a beach in New Zealand's North Island and rescuers are trying to refloat a handful of the survivors, the country's conservation department said on Thursday.

US midterm elections: The ‘blue tsunami’ leaves Japan jittery over Trump’s next foreign policy moves

Tokyo braces for security shifts and market turmoil after Democratic midterm victory.

North Korea’s nomination of taekwondo for UNESCO listing expected to go through

South Korea filed its own nomination after considering a joint inscription with the North.

Indonesian parties weigh parliamentary inquiry into vice president's education credentials

Three parties within Prabowo's camp and one outside the coalition said they were currently considering three legislative courses of action, officials said.

New Zealand leaders make final appeals as election remains tight

WELLINGTON, Nov 5 - New Zealand's party leaders made final appeals to voters on Thursday, three days before a general election that polls show is too close to call as discontent around an ailing economy continues to swell.

How the Democrats will try to stop Trump’s Iran war

The Democrats’ sweeping victory in the US midterm elections puts them in a stronger position to interfere with President Donald Trump’s agenda. This includes his deeply unpopular and costly war against Iran, which could be among their first priorities. As president, Trump will

India’s $22 billion defense push can’t hide its missing fighter jets

India’s military modernization drive has a core problem. While officials keep approving billions of dollars in new weapons, the country’s aerospace industry is struggling to deliver aircraft ordered years ago The gap raises questions about the country’s industrial capacity, its

Japan police to share scam account data nationwide to prevent damage

Losses from such scams reached a provisional 261 billion yen (S$2.17 billion) during the January-September period.

Indonesia Q3 GDP growth at 5.47%, beats expectations

Indonesia has contended with weaker investor sentiment this year amid heightened scrutiny of the government's fiscal plans and its broader policy directions.

China’s amphibious surge confronts a Taiwan invasion’s hard math

China’s sudden surge in amphibious warship construction has thrust a foundational military question to the forefront: can sheer industrial mass and converted civilian shipping overcome the lethal tactical choke points of a cross-strait invasion? The South China Morning Post

Taiwan sees continued US arms sale support after midterm election

While US President Donald Trump last December approved US$11 billion in arms for Taiwan, a second package worth about US$14 billion has stalled.

Soaring petrol prices amid Middle East conflict drive highest Philippine inflation in years

The Philippine's latest inflation number is the highest since February 2023.

China expanding laser arsenal to blind and destroy US satellites

A recent unclassified US intelligence assessment warns that China is rapidly expanding an arsenal of ground- and space-based directed-energy weapons designed to blind, degrade, or permanently destroy US and allied satellites. The US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) notes that

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong sentenced to 10 more years in jail

Wong has already spent almost six years behind bars and turned 30 in October.

China indicts ex-Politburo member Ma Xingrui for bribery

He was among 33 officials listed as expelled.

Petrol prices drive highest Philippine inflation in years

The Middle East conflict has had a harsh impact on the oil import-dependent Philippines.

US Marine dies during training in Japan’s Okinawa

The cause “is still under investigation”, a spokesman said, declining to disclose further details.

South Korea’s President Lee to launch YouTube show

The aim is to give candid answers and explain the reasons behind policy choices.

Joshua Wong, face of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests, jailed for 10 years

Wong, 30, is among hundreds of Hongkongers detained under the controversial national security law.

Troops deployed in Indonesia as President sacks aide accused of wiretapping

Listyo Sigit Prabowo, appointed chief of staff a few weeks ago, was detained on Nov 3.

South Korea to deploy military mission to help keep Hormuz open

Seoul maintains it will not deploy troops to intervene militarily in the Iran war.

South Korea to expand anti-piracy unit operations closer to Strait of Hormuz

The move came after pressure from US President Donald Trump to provide support for the war in Iran.

Democrats gain influence over trade agenda, but tariff repeals to hit Trump veto wall

HOUSTON, Nov 4 - Democrats' resounding sweep to a majority in Congress gives them a big microphone and spotlight to scrutinize President Donald Trump's trade policies, but largely leaves them unable to override his veto on any vote to overturn his tariffs or rescind trade

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong to be sentenced for collusion