Voters angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the "Japanese first" Sanseito, which made strong gains with its "anti-globalist" drive reminiscent of US President Donald Trump's agenda.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955.

The United Nations has described Southeast Asia as the "ground zero" of cybercrime centers, where workers typically use romance or business cons to defraud web users of an estimated US$40 billion annually.

Trump nominated right-wing commentator Nick Adams, known for his outspoken views and strong pro-Israel stance, as ambassador to multicultural, Muslim-majority Malaysia a week ago.

Birthed on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, the party, Sanseito, is widening its appeal with a 'Japanese First' campaign ahead of Sunday's upper house vote.

Thaksin faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted in the closed-door trial in Bangkok, where he stands accused of breaching strict lese majeste laws that shield Thailand's royal family from abuse and criticism.

Aviation experts have said a preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) raised questions over whether one of the pilots of Air India flight 171 cut off fuel to the Boeing 787's engines seconds after takeoff, leading to an irrecoverable situation.

The ASEAN Regional Forum should not be only about dialogue about regional concerns, but also about prevention of and response to complicated multi-factor security challenges, Foreign Minister Sugiono said.

Relations between Beijing and Canberra have charted a bumpy course over the past decade, a period marked by repeated disagreements over national security and competing interests across the vast Pacific region.

The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) is the most prominent of more than 90 such areas established across the Mekong region in recent years, often offering people reduced taxes or government regulation.

Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov was visiting Beijing after a trip to North Korea, where he received assurances of support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Cambodia's parliament in 2006 approved a law that would require all Cambodians aged 18 to 30 to serve in the military for 18 months, although it has never been enforced.

The FAA's Continued Airworthiness Notification on July 11 came after a preliminary report into Air India's Boeing 787-8 crash, which killed 260 people last month, raised questions over engine fuel cutoff switches. 

Australia's exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore, and Albanese will travel with executives from mining giants Rio Tinto, BHP and Fortescue and hold business events in three cities over six days.

The sit-down between Wang and Rubio, a longtime China hawk, came as Asian foreign ministers wrapped up three days of talks at an ASEAN gathering in Kuala Lumpur.

Speaking on the final day of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, Indonesia stressed that ASEAN must remain committed to a rules-based order that emphasizes inclusivity and justice. 

Philippine foreign minister Theresa Lazaro, in an interview during a regional summit in Malaysia, confirmed the arrangement of what will be the first meeting between Trump and Marcos, whose nations have stepped up military engagements significantly of late. 

Rubio and Wang's first face-to-face meeting since US President Donald Trump returned to office comes as Washington and Beijing are locked in disputes on everything from trade and fentanyl to Taiwan and technology.

Representatives from Southeast Asian countries and their key partners, including the United States, China and Russia, have convened in Kuala Lumpur to discuss pressing global issues, just days after US President Donald Trump extended negotiation periods for his so-called “reciprocal tariff” policy. 

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is currently in Kuala Lumpur to attend meetings with his ASEAN counterparts.

Rubio's first visit to Asia as secretary of state also comes as US President Donald Trump ramps up his trade war, threatening more than 20 countries with punitive tariffs.

ASEAN’s stronger internal cooperation and potential expansion are on the discussion table as Southeast Asia's top diplomats gather in Kuala Lumpur this week for the 58th AMM, themed "Inclusivity and Sustainability".

Anwar described tariffs, export restrictions and investment barriers as "the sharpened instruments of geopolitical rivalry". He did not mention the United States specifically.

Experts warned that lingering, unresolved maritime disputes among ASEAN members, often kept outside established arbitration mechanisms, risk undermining regional unity at a time when global regard for territorial integrity and the rule of law is fading.

The global development landscape faces growing uncertainty, particularly following the United States’ announcement that it will dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID). A Foreign Ministry official said Indonesia, while still a developing country, sees this as an opportunity to expand its role as a development partner.

The State Department billed the July 8-12 trip as a move to reaffirm Washington's commitment to the Indo-Pacific. Hours later, Trump said he would impose 25 percent tariffs from August 1 on imports from Japan and South Korea, the key US regional allies and vital partners in countering China's growing might.

The president's trade war will likely be high on the agenda as foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gather in Kuala Lumpur for talks this week.

"I look forward to going to Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, which I will visit from Saturday," Albanese told reporters in Hobart. He did not give more details about his trip.

The Bandung Spirit, first articulated during the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference in West Java, was the first major political expression of unity among formerly colonized nations. It emphasized principles of self-determination, non-intervention and equality in global relations, advocating independence from great power domination.

Prabowo made the call in his speech at the second session of the BRICS summit in the Brazilian coastal city of Rio de Janeiro to discuss finance, artificial intelligence and multilateralism.