North Korea announced on Wednesday that it has tested a nuclear device, after reports of a non-natural earthquake near a previously-used test site.

North Korea confirms hydrogen bomb test after earthquake report

North Korea today revealed it had detonated a hydrogen bomb, triggering a 5.1-magnitude earthquake and propelling the dictatorship on a new collision course with world powers. The thermonuclear weapon is believed to... Read more »
Fireworks lit up the sky in Sydney

New Year 2016: Australia and New Zealand lit up with stunning fireworks

Australians have ushered in the new year, with hundreds of thousands of people gathering for fireworks displays around the country. Australia and New Zealand were one of the first countries to welcome... Read more »

Australia and New Zealand dollar forecasts for 2016

Risks include the weather, the global scene, low export prices and deteriorating structural metrics, but there are reasons for cautious optimism too By Precious Silva (IBTimes) Analysts remain mixed on how the... Read more »

Thai Govt targets Thailand’s Halal business and trade up to ASEAN top five in 2019

Bangkok, Dec 29,2015; Considered, not only Thailand’s, but ASEAN’s largest Halal exposition, ‘Thailand Halal Assembly 2015’ was held with an aim to reflect the idea of ‘Halal Culture & Innovations for Halal Economy... Read more »
Dozens of people are missing after a landslide engulfed 22 buildings in Chinese city of Shenzhen.

China landslide leaves at least 85 missing after buildings collapse in Shenzhen

Dozens of people are missing after a landslide engulfed 22 buildings at an industrial park in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. HONG KONG — As rescuers searched Monday for survivors of... Read more »
In the neighbourhood: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joins the meeting of defence and foreign ministers from Australia and Indonesia. Photo: Ben Rushton

Australia, Indonesia boost anti-terror cooperation

Australia and Indonesia have agreed to boost intelligence-sharing in the fight against terrorism, days after police arrested several men allegedly linked to a planned suicide bombing in Jakarta. SYDNEY – Australia and... Read more »

Indonesia ferry sinks: 80 missing, 3 dead, dozens rescued

Rescuers pulled out 39 survivors from a passenger boat that sank in the nation’s central region. The boat was carrying 110 passengers and 12 crew members, including 14 children MAKASSAR, Indonesia — A... Read more »
South China Sea

Australia sent surveillance plane over South China Sea

A radio recording of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) surveillance plane conducting a freedom-of-navigation flight over the South China Sea has emerged for the first time. The audio has been published... Read more »
Silver fern tops New Zealand flag referendum

Silver fern tops New Zealand flag referendum

New Zealand flag referendum: blue and black silver fern design wins Silver Fern (black, white and blue) beat four other shortlisted designs to go up against the current version — which features... Read more »
Malaysia welcomes first group of Syrian refugees

Malaysia welcomes first group of Syrian refugees

Malaysia has received the first batch of Syrian migrants out of a total of 3,000 it plans to allow into the country. Malaysia will open its doors to 3,000 Syrian migrants over... Read more »

1,000 Women Representatives join the Peace Agreement Ceremony

Seoul, Republic of Korea – On 5 November 2015 the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) hosted the ‘2015 IWPG Network Peace Forum’ to urge the ‘Implementation of the International Convention on the Cessation... Read more »

Australia to help Pacific Island states to counter drought & frosts

Australia will provide assistance to Pacific Island countries as they strive to deal with the challenges caused by the El Niño weather pattern. Last week Australian Foreign and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato... Read more »

“ASEAN must make bold decision to combat transnational crime”

KUALA LUMPUR: With transnational organised crime having gone global and reached macroeconomic proportions, Asean countries are at a critical juncture to decide whether they should also focus on new types of such... Read more »

Australia-Japan Foundation announces grants, worth around $620,000

The Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF) is pleased to announce the successful grant recipients for 2015-16 worth around $620,000 . In a message of congratulation the Murray McLean, AO Chair of the AJF Foundation  said: “On... Read more »

Australia-ASEAN Council launched to boost regional relationship

CANBERRA — Australia has announced the launching of the Australia-ASEAN Council with a new initiative to strengthen Australia’s links with the countries of South-East Asia. The Australia-ASEAN Council (AAC), launched by Foreign... Read more »

Australia, Republic of Korea Foreign & Defence Ministerial Meeting on Sept. 11

SYDNEY — Australia will host the second Australia-Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign and Defence Ministerial (2+2) Consultations on September 11, 2015. Welcoming the important strategic and defence cooperation between the two countries,... Read more »

Indonesia to participate in developing Timor Leste`s infrastructure

JAKARTA — President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has reiterated that “Indonesia is always committed to participating in the development of infrastructure in Timor Leste.” “We will encourage investment between the two countries,” he... Read more »
Malaysian police have launched a series of raids across the country against suspected ISIS militants, detaining 10 individuals. Above, Malaysian police take position outside the federal court ahead of a controversial ruling in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 10, 2015. Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images

Malaysian police arrests 10 suspected of ISIS links

At least 10 Malaysians, suspected of links to ISIS, have been arrested by Malaysian police on Thursday. Among them six members of the country’s security forces who are now being investigated. “They are suspected to be... Read more »

Launch of ‘Why ASEAN and Why Now? Insights for Australian Business’

The Hon Andrew Robb AO MP, the Minister for Trade and Investment, has launched the joint Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade publication, Why ASEAN and Why Now? Insights for... Read more »

Afghan government says Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, died in 2013

KABUL, (Afghanistan) — After months of deliberation, Afghan officials announced on Wednesday that they were now certain that the Taliban’s longtime leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, died in Pakistan in 2013. The announcement... Read more »
hinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2015. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Chinese president meets Fijian PM in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping held meeting with Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on Wednesday in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2015. Fiji is keen to attach Chinese investment in the IT... Read more »
Emergency workers and partygoers tend to the injured at the Formosa Water Park. Photograph: AP

More than 200 injured in fire at Taiwan’s amusement park

More than 200 people were injured — scores of them seriously — after flammable powder apparently exploded in midair at a recreational water park in Taiwan, the East Asian nation’s official Central... Read more »

10-year multiple-entry visas for Chinese travellers to boost Australian tourism

The federal government has extended multiple entry visas to Chinese nationals from three to 10 years to better compete with the US, which is also clamouring for more Asian tourists. Trade and... Read more »
Australia's Northern Territory

Northern Australia vision to make region an ‘economic powerhouse’

The government has released a $1.2bn plan to make northern Australia an “economic powerhouse”, which includes greater temporary migration and expediting native title claims. The white paper on developing northern Australia also... Read more »