The regulations also require "stronger content governance" on social media. Failure to comply could result in financial penalties for the companies of up to 10 million Malaysian ringgit ($2.5 million).

"Such patrols serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights violation and provocative acts," the military's Southern Theatre Command said in a statement on the WeChat platform.

A cruise ship which sparked a global health alert over a deadly outbreak of hantavirus was on Saturday cleared to put to sea again after cleaning and disinfection.

Japan's defense minister took a veiled swipe at China on Sunday, pledging to keep strengthening the military despite Beijing's criticism of Tokyo's increasingly muscular security stance.

The two nations met at Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together top defence officials and experts from about 45 countries.

UN health chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Saturday for more international help to combat the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Democratic Republic of Congo as he arrived in the eastern province worst-hit by a severe outbreak.

Washington does not seek "needless confrontation" but rather "a genuinely stable equilibrium that works for Americans as well as our allies", said Pete Hegseth. 

The United States warned on Saturday it was "more than capable" of resuming its war with Iran after President Donald Trump said any peace deal must adhere to his red lines, including Tehran never being able to develop nuclear weapons.

The United Nations on Friday added Israel and Russia to a UN blacklist of countries suspected of committing sexual violence in conflict zones, a move that prompted Israel's foreign ministry to say it would sever all ties with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday urged Asian allies to ramp up military spending to counter China's growing power and prevent its dominance in the region, warning of "rightful alarm" over its rapid military buildup.

US President Donald Trump will only make a peace deal with Iran if it meets all of his conditions, a White House official told AFP on Friday, as questions swirled about the state of negotiations to end the war.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is the headline speaker at Asia's premier defense summit, which began on Friday with top Chinese officials notably absent despite weighty questions over Taiwan and the war in Iran.

Describing Indonesia-France relations as being “at their strongest point yet”, Prabowo said the two countries shared similar views on a range of global and regional issues, while praising Macron’s leadership on the international stage.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed President Prabowo Subianto to the Élysée Palace on Thursday for talks focused on expanding defense ties and advancing a long-stalled trade agreement between Indonesia and the European Union.

Detainees said torture, physical violence, sexual abuse and restricted access to food and water became part of daily life during four days in custody

US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace has no cash in its official Gaza reconstruction fund, a source familiar with the board told AFP on Wednesday, despite member countries pledging billions of dollars.

Average global temperatures are forecast to reach near-record levels in the next five years, with Arctic temperatures expected to warm faster than other regions, a report by the UN weather agency and the UK’s Met Office said on Thursday.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said on Thursday it targeted a US airbase after the US military carried out what a Washington official said were strikes targeting an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, hours after President Donald Trump rejected a report he was close to a compromise deal with Tehran.

President Prabowo Subianto kicked off his state visit to France on Tuesday, seeking to elevate Indonesia-France relations as well as intensify cooperation in defense and renewable energy amid a volatile global landscape. 

New clothes for children, sacrificial sheep and Idul Adha biscuits, the hallmarks of the Muslim holiday, are all either unaffordable or unavailable in Gaza, casting a shadow over what is usually a time of celebration and joy.

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne ​Mullin said the Trump administration is drawing up plans to stop processing international travelers ‌and cargo at major US airports in "sanctuary cities" that have declined to cooperate with an immigration crackdown.

The foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the US have agreed to jointly build a port in Fiji and signed pacts covering critical minerals and energy security, as they sought to inject fresh energy into their grouping known as the Quad.

People in western Europe turned to fans and fountains as they sweltered through a record-breaking heatwave Tuesday, with temperatures set to soar even further.

The Brent benchmark oil price jumped up by more than three percent after US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the new wave of bombings targeting Iranian missile sites and mine-laying boats.

More than 1.5 million people have joined the haj this year despite the shadow of war across the Middle East created by the US and Israeli war with Iran.

Prabowo’s trip comes just over a month after his previous visit to Paris for talks with Macron, during which the two leaders discussed a broad range of cooperation, particularly in the defense sector.

Leo, the first US pope, warned against "a race for ever more powerful algorithms and larger datasets, driven by the desire to secure geopolitical or commercial dominance".