Daily Asia briefing

Not a sudden, major crash but a series of mini-crises. That, according to some, is the prospect facing the global economy and financial system in the wake of conflict in the Middle East. But what if these mini-crises cas...

Hezbollah’s cheap fibre-optic drones are creating new challenges for Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, forcing the military to adapt its tactics against an increasingly lethal threat. The Israeli military – considered...

Israel has reportedly sent its advanced 'Iron Beam' laser defence system and surveillance tech to the UAE to counter Iranian threats, marking a significant defence cooperation step. This deployment, alongside US military...

A pact between India and Russia on reciprocal access to military facilities is expected to boost Moscow’s influence in the Indian Ocean and increase New Delhi’s presence in the Arctic. However, it does not mean the two c...

Eight technology companies, including Google, Nvidia and SpaceX, have struck deals with the Pentagon to help the US military gain an edge on the battlefield. “These agreements accelerate the transformation towards establ...

US President Trump presented a stark choice on Iran: negotiate a settlement or face military escalation, though he personally prefers avoiding conflict. He expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's deal proposals, citing int...

Japan and South Korea are closing ranks as they prepare for high-level meetings aimed at steadying ties amid growing regional volatility, with analysts saying the diplomatic push reflects shared concern over China, North...

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview broadcast on Saturday that banning some pro-Palestinian marches could be justified, especially when they call for the intifada to spread. Labour leader Starmer i...

The Hong Kong government is confident that at least three-quarters of homeowners of Wang Chi House – the only block unscathed in the Wang Fuk Court fire – will accept its buy-back package by the end of June. Speaking on...

When Malaysia’s government announced a ban on two books in mid-April, the move raised eyebrows, with some questioning the intent of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration and his reformist credentials. The home af...

Experts welcome Chinese investment, but stress environmental and social safeguards are necessary.

Times of India World is tracking Economy & Trade developments tied to British comedian Peter Kay show evacuated mid-performance as ‘suspicious bag’ prompts Birmingham arena alert.

A celebrity cat in China which died following a medical blunder has prompted the hospital involved to offer compensation and provide free sterilisation for stray cats. The feline’s owner, Deng Feng, a Shenzhen-based catt...

Times of India World is tracking Economy & Trade developments tied to World’s massive Mississippi River shockingly reversed its flow during Hurricane Isaac in 2012 in the United States: Scientists explain what happened.

Times of India World is tracking Economy & Trade developments tied to 2026 London Marathon raises £87.5m for charity, sets new fundraising world record.

Hong Kong authorities have issued four HK$3,000 (US$382) fines in the first two days of an expanded ban on alternative smoking products, while assuring the public that inspectors will not conduct arbitrary body searches...

Times of India World is tracking Economy & Trade developments tied to World’s rarest hybrid blood type discovered in Thailand: Study found in just 3 people out of a massive research of 544,000 samples.

With his broad smile, Tatsumi Hokuto helps an elderly woman in a Japanese care home almost effortlessly to her feet and makes sure she is steady. At first glance, Hokuto cuts an unlikely figure for a carer role: a powerf...

ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, is pushing deeper into artificial intelligence with Anew Labs, a drug-discovery unit that has begun presenting its AI-designed therapies at international conferences. The unit – al...

Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is preparing to visit the United States in June, aiming to leverage the political momentum from last month’s meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Cheng, who...

Almost half of notices filed to deactivate fire-fighting systems over the past two years for maintenance involved renovation projects that lasted longer than the maximum two months allowed under new rules introduced afte...

An old Thai proverb says, “If you love your cow, tie it up; if you love your child, beat them”. It is meant to convey that a loving and responsible guardian should discipline their child and that corporal punishment is a...

Southeast Asian growers can now ship durians to China faster than before using a new cold-storage rail service linking Thailand, Laos and southwest China’s Yunnan province, slashing prices for the pungent fruit. The firs...

“You could do with some international exposure. China, maybe,” a law firm partner said as we stood over the water cooler. His offhand comment was so blasé. I wasn’t sure what unsettled me more – the comment or my reactio...

Residents of Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court are wrestling with a fresh sense of loss after returning to their former homes damaged in last November’s fire, as they are forced to choose what to pack and what to leave behind w...