By Aidan Jones Thailand’s slump in visitors from China has become so acute that Chinese tourism workers in Phuket are learning English for the first time to attract new customers, according to a boat tour organiser. Chanchanat Boonlon said her catamaran business was once a cash cow, fully booked each day during high season by […]
Read MoreBy Maria Siow A visit by a United States warship to a Cambodian port built with major Chinese backing has underscored Phnom Penh’s superpower balancing act, but observers say American concerns will linger over the facility’s usage being dominated by Beijing. The USS Cincinnati arrived on Saturday at Ream Naval Base as part of a […]
Read MoreBy Alyssa Chen China ramped up its South China Sea patrols in 2025, maintaining an “unprecedented” nearly year-round presence at contested sites like Scarborough Shoal to assert maritime claims, according to a new US-based think tank report. An analysis published on Thursday by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) – a research programme affiliated with […]
Read MoreNearly half of Bangladesh’s voters believe BNP chairman Tarique Rahman is the most likely to become the country’s next prime minister, according to a latest survey. The Round 3 findings of the People’s Election Pulse Survey (PEPS), released today (30 January) at an event in the capital’s BDBL Bhaban, show that 47.6% of respondents identified […]
Read MoreCUCUTA, Colombia, Jan 29, 2026 : Investigators were battling thick fog in the Colombian mountains Thursday to reach the site of a plane crash that killed all 15 people on board, including a politician. Images shared online show the wreckage of the fuselage surrounded by bushes and mud. Locals and farmers were the first to […]
Read MoreBy Aisyah Llewellyn Concerns about baby trafficking networks in Indonesia have resurfaced amid renewed scrutiny of cross-border adoptions involving Singapore, with experts warning that illegal syndicates continue to exploit economic vulnerability and gaps in enforcement. The issue has drawn particular attention in Singapore following allegations that infants were trafficked from Indonesia into the city state […]
Read MoreBy Julian Ryall A record share of the Japanese public now supports strengthening the country’s Self-Defence Forces, a new government survey shows, highlighting how sharply attitudes on national security have shifted amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s expanding military activities and rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Analysts said the shift reflects a growing sense […]
Read MoreDHAKA: From her exile in India, Bangladesh’s ousted leader Sheikh Hasina has slammed the country’s upcoming election after her party was barred from the polls, remarks that could deepen tensions ahead of the pivotal vote next month. Hasina, who was sentenced to death for her crackdown on a student uprising in 2024 that killed hundreds […]
Read MoreLAHORE/HANOI: Authorities in Pakistan have ordered enhanced screening of people entering the country for signs of infections of the deadly Nipah virus after India confirmed two cases, adding to the number of Asian countries stepping up controls. Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam have also tightened screening at airports. The Nipah virus can […]
Read MoreKazakhstan’s National Security Committee has placed Yerkin Dlimbetov, the founder and head of Ordamed, on a wanted list. Dlimbetov, 44, was declared wanted on January 28, with the search case registered in Astana. The initiator of the search is the National Security Committee, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media. Earlier, the National Security Committee […]
Read More
