Malaysia investigates naked dancing, ‘holy baths’ claims at Muslim motivational event

Malaysian police are investigating a complaint about deviant activities such as naked dancing and “holy cleansing baths” being performed during a family motivational event. Police said the report was filed at the end of February over an incident that was held at a convention centre in Shah Alam, a predominantly Malay-Muslim enclave about 30km (19 […]

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In US-China tug of war, Australia puts itself first

By Huw Watkin For much of its history, Australia’s identity has been defined by distance – geographical, political, psychological. Now, with global tensions rising, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is testing whether that distance might yet be a source of strength. The answer, he seems to believe, lies in recalibrating Australia’s relationships with friends and rivals […]

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Russia’s Lavrov meets Kim warns US, South Korea, Japan against anti-North Korea alliance

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a visit to North Korea on Saturday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said. The ministry published on Telegram a picture of the two men together, in a meeting it said had taken place in the North Korean port city of Wonsan. On Saturday, Lavrov warned […]

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How Air India flight 171 crashed and its fatal last moments

By Yashraj Sharma New Delhi, India – Just moments before a fatal Air India crash on June 12, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s fuel-control switches in the cockpit mysteriously moved from the “run” to the “cutoff” position, an early investigation into the disaster has revealed. Flipping to cutoff almost immediately cuts the engines. The investigation’s report, […]

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Why is govt allowing this?: Tarique calls for crackdown on mob violence

Dhaka :  Accusing the authorities of failing to arrest those allegedly forming violent mobs, BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has called for crackdown on mob violence. “Why is the government allowing these incidents to happen?” he asked, referring to the brutal murder of trader Lal Chand alias Sohag in front of Mitford Hospital. He made the […]

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Kazakh Foreign Minister Visits Kabul, Signs $500M Railway Deal as Mining Push Gathers Momentum

By Stephen M. Bland In a major step toward deepening regional engagement, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu arrived in Kabul this week, signaling a continuing shift towards pragmatic engagement in Astana’s policy towards Afghanistan. The visit resulted in significant diplomatic and economic developments, including the signing of a $500 million agreement on the Herat-Torghundi railway. […]

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Philippines urged to ‘double down’ in talks over 20% tariff with Trump

By Sam Beltran The move by US President Donald Trump to impose a higher-than-expected tariff on the Philippines signals his unwavering determination to pressure Washington’s trade partners to do their part in reducing the US deficit in tandem with its intensifying rivalry with China, according to analysts. Trump announced on Wednesday that the tariff on […]

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Rubio to meet China’s foreign minister in Malaysia as US-Chinese tensions mount

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is wrapping his up his second and final day at a Southeast Asian security conference with a high-stakes meeting with his Chinese counterpart as tensions grow between Washington and Beijing over issues from trade to security and China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. After discussions with regional countries […]

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Is Singapore key for the US to fight against China as Tammy Duckworth says?

By Jean Iau Remarks by a US senator labelling Singapore as a key place for “fighting against” major rival China have offered a revealing glimpse into how some American politicians view the city state, amid Washington’s regional power struggle with Beijing. The comments came to light after clips of a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday […]

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