News Headlines

In a statement on Sunday (Feb 22), South Korea's foreign ministry said it strongly objected to the Takeshima Day event held by Japan's Shimane prefecture and urged Japan to abolish the ceremony immediately.

It is the latest transit of the sensitive waterway by a US ally, which Chinese state-backed media said was tracked and monitored by the nation's military.

According to data from the Indonesian Financial Services Authority, outstanding peer-to-peer (P2P) loans stood at almost 90 trillion rupiah as of September 2025. Just a year prior, the figure stood at about 74.5 trillion rupiah. 

Cat Day, which is set on Feb 22 in Japan, has exploded in recent years, with companies embracing a growing market for felines, says Gearoid Reidy for Bloomberg Opinion.

The US Supreme Court's ruling invalidated a number of tariffs that the Trump administration had imposed on Asian export powerhouses from China and South Korea to Japan and Taiwan.

The government also offered an apartment exchange programme for the 4,600 affected tenants, who lived in nearly 2,000 housing units at the complex, Wang Fuk Court.

The provincial livestock office in Chiang Mai said that testing detected the highly infectious canine distemper virus as well as bacteria affecting the respiratory system.

US President Donald Trump and Vietnam's top leader To Lam met in person for the first time at the White House on Friday, after Lam attended the inaugural meeting of Trump's "Board of Peace" in Washington.

Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hosted Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong on Friday (Feb 20) at the Seri Negara estate in Kuala Lumpur, where they held a one-on-one meeting.

An expert said that India's growing cooperation with Brazil on critical minerals complements recent supply chain engagements with the United States, France and the European Union.

As the country's biggest political event held every five years, the congress sets policy and can bring changes in leadership roles beneath supreme commander Kim Jong Un.

It is unclear what happens to the deals made with trading partners now that President Donald Trump’s tariffs have been found illegal by the US Supreme Court, says Hinrich Foundation’s Deborah Elms.

Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa rose to prominence in youth-led protests that saw tens of thousands take to the streets in 2020, calling for reform of the military-drafted constitution and the monarchy.

He said North Korea had overcome its "worst difficulties" in the last five years, and was now entering a new stage of "optimism and confidence in the future".

The gold bars weighed a total of 21kg.

The Philippine foreign ministry says it will uphold "effective and principled diplomacy" in advancing the country's interests amid recent ill-tempered exchanges between government officials and the Chinese embassy in Manila.

The abandoned macaque became an internet sensation after footage of him clinging forlornly to zookeepers and dragging around a stuffed orangutan toy was widely shared on X.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in her inaugural address to parliament on Friday that Japan aims to resolve the territorial issue and conclude a peace treaty.

In a statement released by his lawyers, Yoon said that while he was sorry for the "frustration and hardship" brought upon the people by his martial law decree, he stood behind the "sincerity and purpose" behind his actions.

Thai police said Quentin Griffiths had been involved in two ongoing court cases that might have caused him stress.

A Seoul court that sentenced Yoon to life behind bars said the former president damaged South Korea’s democracy, but analysts say the landmark ruling proves the nation’s institutions are resilient, even as political divisions persist.

Indian AI startups unveiled homegrown models at the AI Impact Summit, signalling global ambitions, though analysts say a China-style “DeepSeek moment” may still be some way off.

"China is intensifying its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea and the South China Sea," says Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously said that the country’s military will be deployed strictly for humanitarian purposes and not combat operations.  

The deal takes effect 90 days after both sides complete the related legal procedures, but changes could still occur if both sides agree, said Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.

On Friday (Feb 20) morning, Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng and his lawyer wife, Sabrina Ahmed, jointly announced that they are expecting their first child.

A video released by police showed festive lion dancers approaching the suspect before an officer suddenly emerged from the head of the costume and pinned him to the ground.

A large contraction in domestic air travel within Indonesia will impact the regional outlook in Southeast Asia, says aviation analyst Brendan Sobie.

Announced in India’s Union Budget this month, the proposed Rare Earth Corridor across Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu marks what analysts say is New Delhi’s bid to convert mineral reserves into strategic clout.

Behind the star-studded AI Impact Summit, there’s a question of whether India can shape the future of AI and be a model for the Global South, says former foreign correspondent Nirmal Ghosh.

Nine members of the Board of Peace have agreed to pledge US$7 billion toward a Gaza relief package and five countries have agreed to deploy troops, says the US president. 

There were 111 Filipinos, 71 Thais, four Vietnamese, two Singaporeans and one Indonesian enlisted in the Israel Defence Forces as of March 2025, according to official data obtained by an Israeli non-governmental organisation.

The leaders are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation and issues of mutual interest during Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's "special visit", said Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

An official said the three-storey building collapsed after an "unknown" explosion.

The 11 deals involving sectors such as textile, energy and mining were signed at a dinner attended by Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce on Feb 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at India's AI Impact Summit that artificial intelligence must be made widely accessible, stressing that it should serve as a tool for inclusion and empowerment, especially for countries in the Global South.

The latest killing of family members took place on Tuesday (Feb 17) in Pahang, in which a 32-year-old man allegedly murdered his wife, mother and two young daughters aged two and four with a sharp blade before killing himself.

Yoon Suk Yeol was found guilty on charges of abuse of authority and masterminding an insurrection, stemming from his December 2024 attempt to impose martial law.

The officers allegedly forced a group of Chinese nationals to transfer cryptocurrency in exchange for their release after a house raid.

Fares for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link are expected to be announced in the second-half of 2026, said Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Top graft-busters are quietly stepping up scrutiny of "quasi-naked" officials with children living overseas, with some losing promotion opportunities and jobs.

Masterminding an insurrection carries a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life imprisonment under South Korean law.

The move by Galgotias University prompted sharp criticism, with social media users quickly identifying the robot as the Unitree Go2, sold by China's Unitree Robotics.