News Headlines

Malaysia is facing its own agricultural workforce crisis and plans to replace foreign plantation workers with local labour, and Australia's schemes complicates things, says this observer.

The country’s economic energy, powered by youth since the 1980s, is on the line as birth rates fall to record lows and its population is about to age the fastest in the world. The programme Insight explores whether the one-child family is as good as it gets for China.

The country’s economic energy, powered by youth since the 1980s, is on the line as birth rates fall to record lows and its population is about to age the fastest in the world. The programme Insight explores whether the one-child family is as good as it gets for China.

Better handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is the reason why Asia has not seen such sharp price rises worrying Europe and the Americas, says the Financial Times' Robin Harding.

Thailand has amended its law to allow abortion in the first trimester. But with the social stigma against it, termination of pregnancy remains challenging.

The Solomon Islands government has advised all public servants to stay at home as violent protests continued for a third day on Friday, with crowds gathering at the Prime Minister's residence.

Five of these countries have already reopened their borders to vaccinated travellers from Singapore.

If you're planning a trip to Japan, here's what you'll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Solomon Islands imposed a 36-hour lockdown in the capital, Honiara, after protesters calling for the Prime Minister to resign looted stores and set fire to buildings, including in the Pacific nation's Parliament.

Luxury brands have unsurprisingly tried to tap into the lucrative Chinese social media industry by recruiting celebrities to promote products, leading to unforeseen consequences, says an observer.

Travellers have to be citizens, permanent residents or long-term pass holders of the country that they are entering.

Former South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan, whose iron-fisted rule of the country following a 1979 military coup sparked massive democracy protests, died on Tuesday at the age of 90, his former press aide said.

There are huge economic pressures for the kingdom to reopen after COVID-19-induced travel restrictions have had crushing effects on Cambodia’s tourism industry, says a Cambodia researcher.

The Philippines' defense chief said on Sunday a military resupply mission for the country's troops stationed on an atoll in the South China Sea will resume this week, after it was aborted last week when it was blocked by Chinese coast guard.

In Shanghai's sprawling Jiangnan Shipyard, workers are fitting the catapults that will separate China's latest and most advanced aircraft carrier from its two outdated sister ships.

Burberry shades, LV bags and Macbooks may be the solution for the 7 million single women in Urban China to fight the social stigma of shaming "leftover women", says researchers.

Jakarta’s poor air quality prompted a group of residents to sue the government and they won. CNA explores the root causes and impacts of the smog which regularly blankets the city.

Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte declared on Thursday in a televised speech that an unnamed candidate for next year's presidential election was a cocaine user.

What documents should you print out? When do you schedule the PCR tests? And what can you expect when you arrive? CNA Lifestyle answers your travel questions.

They were poor but on track to beat the odds. Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The programme Insight meets young Indians whose once-promising futures, like graduating from a top university, are slipping out of reach.

Peluang endorsement meroket tinggi, tetapi segala tuntutan yang menyertainya bisa sangat memberatkan.

There will be a deficit of RM286.47 million for the southern state’s budget next year.  

A comedian's powerful monologue addressing some of India's most sensitive issues including rape and farmers' protests has split opinion in the country, with right-wing activists calling for his arrest while supporters rally to his defense.

As polar ice caps continue to melt, rising sea levels will swallow up islands in the Indonesian archipelago, says researchers.

The call between Biden and Xi reinforced the new reality for Sino-US relations, with selective collaboration and broad competition, says Christian Le Miere.

The meeting has been dismissed as lacking in breakthroughs. But both sides had significant domestic priorities to square off and could have taken a strident tone, says East Asian Institute director Bert Hofman.

Former boxing champion turned senator, Manny Pacquiao says he will seek corruption charges against some of his former political allies within the Duterte government if he wins the Philippine presidential election next year.

The Malaysian authorities have just issued the health protocols for the pilot project and industry players are hoping that more tourists will come next month.

Cambodia will stop requiring quarantine for travelers who have been vaccinated for Covid-19 starting on November 15, Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Sunday.

Former Japanese Princess Mako moved to the United States on Sunday with her newlywed husband, commoner Kei Kumuro, after Mako exited Japan's royal family, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

China’s heavy infrastructure involvement in developing economies has been widely criticised as debt-traps for foreign influence, but the reality is that Chinese aid genuinely helps, says economist.

Hong Kong is becoming more Chinese, and as a result may become less of a draw for multinational corporations, says Christian Le Miere.

Endorsement opportunities are growing exponentially, but the demands of the job can sometimes be overwhelming.

Hong Kong is becoming more Chinese, and as a result may become less of a draw for multinational corporations, says Christian Le Miere.

They have suffered during the pandemic, from grief over losing their parents to setbacks in learning. But grit and stoicism are not in short supply among Malaysia’s youth, the programme Insight finds out.

Kim Jong Un's initiatives have stalled after floods, food shortages and a pandemic-induced lockdown, and time is not on his side, says a former CIA analyst.

While international tourists are again visiting Thailand, places that rely on nightlife to draw people have yet to reap the benefits.

A military court has sentenced American journalist Danny Fenster to 11 years in prison, his lawyer said on Friday.

Indonesia and Singapore are set to discuss a travel corridor arrangement in the upcoming leaders' retreat.

With high vaccination rates and falling infections, Cambodia has decided to reopen. Learning to live with the virus may be the right decision but ending random testing can create other issues, says a researcher.

Indonesia’s transition from coal won’t be easy, given its reliance on coal for cheap electricity and challenges to replacing it with renewables, says Norton Rose Fulbright’s Andrew Digges.

The newly launched digital travel pass may hinder Thailand’s attempt to lure tourists back to its pristine beaches and vibrant nightlife due to poor system design, says Financial Times' John Reed.  

This is despite many workers already “giving up” returning to Singapore for work, says ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Serina Rahman.

After decades of embracing globalisation and active participation in the international community, the recent lack of foreign engagement hints at a U-turn in Beijing’s attitude towards the world stage, says the Financial Times' Gideon Rachman.

At least 89 people, including 17 children, have tested positive for the Zika virus in a surge of cases in the Indian city of Kanpur, its health department said on Monday.

The incident invoked fear not of the lone madman, but of an institutional failure to be flexible in emergency situations, says the Financial Times’ Leo Lewis.

India's manufacturing capital Chennai came to a standstill on Sunday, with many areas flooded after the southern Indian coast was battered by heavy rainfall overnight, prompting authorities to issue warnings and evacuate people from low-lying areas.

The Japanese Prime Minister's party now enjoys a majority in the Diet. But questions linger over the his domestic agenda, says former Abe adviser Koichi Hamada.

South Korea authorities are coming under pressure to keep the economy open after an uptick in cases. They’ll need some gumption to press on with plans to live endemically with COVID-19, says Steven Borowiec.

Some submariners call the USS Connecticut the luxury sports car of submarines. It's a $3 billion piece of American military hardware that's fast and outfitted with the latest electronic gadgetry only available when price is not a consideration.