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Shoppers walk along a street illuminated with decorative lights ahead of New Year celebrations in Bengaluru, India, last month. Photo: AFP

India overtakes Japan in economic size – while prosperity trails far behind

Becoming the No 4 economy is a source of pride. Now, the race is on to turn statistical success into 8 million new jobs a year.

10 Jan 2026 - 8:52AM

Bali’s toughest tourism proposal yet: checking foreign visitors’ bank accounts

9 Jan 2026 - 6:19PMvideocam

Malaysian military in firing line over procurement cartel claims

8 Jan 2026 - 6:30PMvideocam

Ankara anchor: Malaysia finds Turkey ‘reliable friend’ in stormy global waters

Trump’s tariffs and actions in Venezuela are causing the Global South to look for less mercurial partners, analysts say.

8 Jan 2026 - 5:33PM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim exchange a signed agreement in Ankara on Wednesday. Photo: Turkish Presidency/Xinhua

Nearly 94% of Malaysians who renounced citizenship chose Singapore, data shows

More than 61,000 Malaysians gave up their citizenship over the last five years, with officials citing jobs and family ties as key reasons.

8 Jan 2026 - 2:16PMvideocam

Why investors continue betting on Southeast Asia amid global tensions

The region’s young labour force, rapid urbanisation and emergence as a tech hotspot have made it attractive to investors, analysts say.

8 Jan 2026 - 5:14PMvideocam

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Asian economies to face volatile oil prices over Venezuela, US plans for Caracas

After the arrest of Nicolas Maduro, oil and gas prices are set to continue fluctuating this year due to geopolitical issues, analysts say.

5 Jan 2026 - 6:36PM

Venezuela’s captured President Nicolas Maduro is led by US Drug Enforcement Administration agents after arriving at a heliport in New York City on Saturday. Photo: Handout via Reuters

Gold rush: Malaysia’s Kelantan to let poor residents dig for precious metal

The move comes as gold prices soared and videos of local Kelantanese panning for the metal were shared online.

5 Jan 2026 - 12:10PM

‘It’s paying off’: India spreads its trade bets to beat Trump’s 50% tariff

With exports hitting a record US$825 billion and a spate of new trade pacts, India is finding success diversifying away from the US.

4 Jan 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Fair or fowl? Malaysia struggles to stomach its US trade pact

Local chefs fume over ‘lousy’ US poultry flooding the market, as critics call the trade agreement hastily reached and unfairly lopsided.

3 Jan 2026 - 10:47AM

A woman shops at a wet market in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is bracing itself for a surge in shipments of American poultry. Photo: Reuters

Netflix-Warner deal sparks concern in India’s entertainment sector

Films in Indian cinemas could be screened for a shorter period before they move to Netflix’s streaming platform, an association warns.

2 Jan 2026 - 8:58PM

A Netflix sign atop a building in Los Angeles, with the Hollywood sign in the distance. Photo: AP

Malaysia moves to regulate WhatsApp, Facebook and others under online safety law

The decision to deem major platforms licensed regardless of application closes a regulatory gap, but questions remain over enforcement.

1 Jan 2026 - 5:50PM

Muslim businesses in China target Malaysia as global halal gateway

The growing presence of China’s Muslim entrepreneurs at a festival in Kuala Lumpur reflects their trust in Malaysia’s strong halal standards.

31 Dec 2025 - 4:49PM

Mile-high crime club: theft syndicates target Asia’s airlines

Experts say rising passenger volumes, including an influx of Chinese travellers amid visa-free schemes, have attracted gangs operating in the skies.

30 Dec 2025 - 8:02PM

A man was jailed for 20 months for stealing luggage on a Singapore Airlines flight from Dubai to the city state. Photo: AFP

Border row aids Anutin as Shinawatras play catch up in Thai election

Caretaker PM Anutin rides nationalist wave over Cambodia; Pheu Thai taps Thaksin’s nephew to revive brand; reformists drop key vows to stay relevant.

30 Dec 2025 - 3:47PMvideocam

Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister and Bhumjaithai Party candidate Anutin Charnvirakul (centre) poses for photos on the first day of candidate registration in Bangkok on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Probe into South Korea’s Kim Keon-hee ends with ‘unresolved issues’

Analysts say the findings have raised questions about whether South Korea’s laws can deal with alleged abuses of power by a president’s spouse.

30 Dec 2025 - 10:08AM

Why Myanmar’s junta election cannot hide a collapsing economy

Analysts warn that conflict, power shortages and resource extraction under military rule are pushing Myanmar’s economy further into reverse.

29 Dec 2025 - 5:20PM

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The Philippines

Will Philippines’ ‘historic’ US$23 billion education budget make the grade?

Critics are worried that the massive budget would either fall prey to corruption or not be enough to tackle long-standing problems.

29 Dec 2025 - 5:37PMvideocam

Filipino children walk to school on Isla Pugad in Hagonoy town, Bulacan province. Photo: AFP

Can Japan’s space industry regain thrust after H3 rocket failure?

Failure is inevitable, aerospace experts say, so Japan needs to be less afraid of making mistakes and move on.

28 Dec 2025 - 5:41PMvideocam

Trump’s dance, Najib’s 1MDB saga, influencer case: Malaysia leads Asean in 2025

The country hosts the region’s biggest event, sees a new twist in the 1MDB scandal and is at a critical political juncture.

27 Dec 2025 - 1:00PMvideocam

Singapore in 2025: election fever, courtroom drama, pickleball mania

Local politics, tariff concerns, a horrific child abuse case and noise disputes dominate the headlines this year.

27 Dec 2025 - 11:00AM

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of the People’s Action Party thanks voters at an assembly area for the party’s supporters on general election day on May 3. Photo: AP

Indian rice could become costlier for US amid Trump’s tariff threat

Experts warn of wider repercussions, including efforts by importers to divert shipments and renewed strain in US-India trade talks.

26 Dec 2025 - 8:06PM

A worker gathers rice grain with a broom in a grain market at Mansa in the northern state of Punjab, India, in November. Photo: Reuters

Power, protests and policy shake-ups shape Indonesia’s 2025

President Prabowo Subianto asserts his authority as he navigates the global stage and domestic challenges in his first full year in office.

26 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Duopoly of Air India, IndiGo to face challenge from 2 new airlines

The approval for Al Hind Air and FlyExpress to operate in India comes amid mounting calls to challenge the dominance of Air India and IndiGo.

26 Dec 2025 - 12:40PM

India’s new law to fuel energy needs, drive nuclear power growth

The new law, which will end years of near-exclusive state control, could unlock stalled investment and boost nuclear capacity, analysts say.

24 Dec 2025 - 5:35PMvideocam

Fishermen tether a boat on the shore near the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, India. Photo: AP

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