Pakistan's military said it carried out a "training launch" of a surface-to-surface missile weapons system on Saturday, further heightening tensions with India after last month's deadly attack in disputed Kashmir.

South Korea's conservative party on Saturday named its former labor minister as its candidate for June's snap election to replace former president Yoon Suk Yeol who was ousted over his martial law declaration.

Japan's annual "Golden Week" holiday period gets into full swing Saturday, but inflation and hotel prices sent soaring by record inbound tourism have left domestic travelers less eager to pack their bags.

Millions of Australians voted Saturday in a bitterly contested general election, following a campaign shaped by living costs, climate anxiety and US President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Singaporeans cast their votes Saturday in an election where Prime Minister Lawrence Wong faces his first major test against a rejuvenated opposition in uncertain economic times for the trade-centered nation.

As the BRICS foreign ministers meeting concluded without a joint statement portending internal rifts, experts suggest that Indonesia, as the bloc’s newest and nonaligned member, should tread carefully as it navigates deepening global divides.

Foreign Minister Sugiono has urged BRICS to deepen cooperation and strengthen its leadership in fostering global peace, amid the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Ukraine as well as the trade tensions under United States President Donald Trump, marking Indonesia’s debut at the bloc’s ministerial talks held this week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Friday said its coast guard had landed on Sandy Cay as part of maritime control operations to exercise its sovereignty. It did not say China was occupying the feature. 

The world's two biggest economies are locked in an escalating tit-for-tat trade battle triggered by Trump's levies on Chinese goods, which have reached 145 percent on many products.

Relations between the nuclear-armed rivals have plunged to their lowest level in years.

Relations have plunged to their lowest level in years, with India accusing Pakistan of supporting "cross-border terrorism" after gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in contested Muslim-majority Kashmir for a quarter of a century.

The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh has reported a significant increase in cases involving Indonesian nationals in Cambodia during the first three months of this year, surpassing 1,300, with most cases linked to online scams.

India has said there were Pakistani elements in Tuesday's attack, when militants shot 26 men in a meadow in the Pahalgam area, and Islamabad has denied any involvement.

Indonesia and Fiji promised to strengthen their ties, including in areas such as agriculture and defense, during a bilateral meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Sugiono is scheduled to attend the BRICS foreign ministers meeting next week in Brazil, marking his first participation since Indonesia officially became a member of the group of emerging economies three months ago.

President Prabowo Subianto hosted Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the State Palace on Tuesday, during which they discussed bilateral ties, global trade tensions and the crisis in Gaza.

"Not only the Catholics of Timor Leste but all religions and all communities feel the loss of the pope," the Nobel Laureate said in a video statement during a state visit to Bulgaria.

Indonesia and China reiterated their commitment to intensify their strategic cooperation and high-level dialogues on Monday amid an increasingly intense geopolitical landscape.

The annual "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises will run for three weeks until May 9, showcasing an array of US weapons that include the NMESIS anti-ship missile system and HIMARS rocket launchers.

The two sides should jointly accelerate regional economic integration and maintain the stability of industrial chain and supply chain, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

While the rest of the world has been slapped with a blanket 10 percent tariff, China faces levies of up to 145 percent on many products. Beijing has responded with duties of 125 percent on US goods.

International relations experts from Global South countries attending the 70th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung, West Java, have said the “Bandung Spirit” concept of non-interference and building mutually beneficial cooperation should guide developing countries in facing global challenges, including through BRICS.

Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin held a closed-door meeting of senior officials on April 8 to deliver a directive from the President Prabowo Subianto instructing them to identify US weapons that could be imported or fast-tracked for purchase, the report said, citing people with knowledge of the gathering.

The suspects are facing a number of charges, notably "taking part in illegal rallies and marches" and "failing to disperse despite police warnings"; offences that could carry between six months to four years behind bars.

Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the chair of the ASEAN regional bloc, revealed the outcome of talks he has held since Thursday with Myanmar's junta chief and the prime minister of its shadow government in a rare outreach effort.

China has said it is "tearing down walls" and expanding its circle of trading partners amid the trade war.

Diplomats and academicians called for the “Bandung Spirit” produced in the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference to be used as guidance for Global South leaders to commit practical action, such as intensifying communication among each other and consolidating common interests amid the current geopolitical situation.

President Prabowo Subianto and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchange congratulations and warm wishes on the 75th anniversary of Indonesia and China’s diplomatic relations, vowing to deepen the two countries’ bilateral ties.

Earlier on Monday, Manturov made a joint appearance with Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto at the Russia-Indonesia Business Forum during which the two senior officials pledged to expand cooperation on health, tourism, technology and education.

Janes reported that Jakarta has received an official request from Moscow, seeking permission for Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) aircraft to be based at a facility in Papua.