Paetongtarn, daughter of billionaire ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was suspended from office last month after being accused of failing to stand up for Thailand in a June call with powerful former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, which was leaked online.

While acknowledging that the Singapore-Malaysia deal was a step forward in regional maritime security, several academics in the Riau Islands, which border vital waterways, have bemoaned that Indonesia was not involved in a potential three-way cooperation.

Among those detained was Mandinu Padmasiri Perera, better known as Kelehelbaddara Padme, who is accused of organizing the courtroom murder of a rival in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo.

Users of vapes laced with the substance will face a fine and mandatory rehabilitation of up to six months instead of just a fine, while importers of etomidate face up to 15 strokes of the cane and a maximum of 20 years in jail, up from a maximum of two years' jail.

Against the backdrop of China's growing military might during the "Victory Day" parade on September 3, the three leaders will project a major show of solidarity not just between China and the Global South, but also with sanctions-hit Russia and North Korea. 

Sports enthusiasts in Asia are in for a treat when they schedule their year-end holidays, as Hong Kong is set to host an exhilarating showcase of world-class athleticism and sportsmanship this November and December.

Bangladesh has recorded a surge of refugees from Myanmar since early 2024, with 150,000 more Rohingya arriving.

Heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent worldwide because of human-caused climate change, scientists say, and Japan is no exception.

Aside from Russian President Vladimir Putin, leaders from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia have been invited to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, to be held in the northern port city of Tianjin from August 31 to September 1.

It marks the first time Australia has expelled an ambassador since World War II.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he wanted to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year and was open to further trade talks with South Korea even as he lobbed new criticisms at the visiting Asian ally.

Typhoon Kajiki killed at least three people and injured 10 others in Vietnam, authorities said on Tuesday as they warned that heavy rains could cause flooding and landslides.

Japan and the United States have exchanged a commitment to bolstering security in the Indo-Pacific region, as both countries are among those participating in annual military drills hosted by Indonesia over the next two weeks.

The law "will have a disastrously chilling effect on the freedom of speech of all Cambodian citizens", a coalition of 50 rights groups warned in a statement on Sunday.

Children make up half the 1.3 million Rohingya refugees now living in Bangladesh, most of whom fled a brutal 2017 military crackdown in Buddhist-majority Myanmar that UN investigators called a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing".

The annual "Super Garuda Shield" drills will take place in the capital Jakarta and several locations on the western island of Sumatra and the Riau archipelago until September 4.

Japan's role as a stable partner for Africa, a key region for its economic security, has grown increasingly important amid concerns over China's aid programs and the US recent inward-looking policies.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed on Saturday to closer security and economic ties ahead of Lee's planned summit with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

Despite their differences, the two US allies rely heavily on Washington to counter China's growing regional influence.

During his two-day visit to Seoul, Foreign Minister Sugiono met with South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to talk about advancing cooperation between both countries, including advancing their special strategic partnership.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul wooed countries in the Indo-Pacific to deepen cooperation with Germany and uphold free and rule-based trade and diplomacy during his two-day visit to Jakarta.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba proposed an "economic zone" encompassing the Indian Ocean region and Africa during a major aid conference for African nations on Wednesday, seeking to tap into the economic potential of a continent where China is increasing its clout.

Any escalation in the Indo-Pacific region would have unforeseeable consequences that would threaten global prosperity and security as well as Germany and Europe’s interests in general, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said during his visit to Jakarta.

The embattled junta plans to hold elections in areas it controls starting on December 28 and has been pressing a series of counter-offensives to expand its territorial holdings.

China will stage a massive military parade next month in the heart of Beijing to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War Two following the surrender of Japan, mobilizing tens of thousands of people and showcasing never-seen-before weapons.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with Foreign Minister Sugiono in Jakarta as part of her trip to Indonesia and Vietnam to bolster ties with both countries, often deemed as important Southeast Asian partners for Australia.

The Philippine frigate BRP Jose Rizal, Australian destroyer HMAS Brisbane and Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec were participating in the operation, which a Philippine military official said was not directed at any country.

Modi will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit opening on August 31 in Tianjin, his first visit to China since 2018, Ajit Doval said, in public comments at the start of a meeting with Beijing's Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Myanmar's junta said Monday that long-promised elections will start on December 28, despite a raging civil war that has put much of the country out of its control, and international monitors slating the poll as a charade.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday discussed border peace, trade issues and bilateral exchanges, aiming to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.