FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman. (Photo: FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto)

Singapore, FAO sign milestone deal on food safety, illegal fishing

Singapore, FAO to tackle food security issues This is the first agreement signed between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Singapore since the latter joined in 2013... Read more »

Malaysia earthquake death toll rises to 16

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities said on Sunday 16 bodies had been recovered from the country’s highest peak Mount Kinabalu after a magnitude 6 earthquake caused landslides and aftershocks. The victims were 6... Read more »
MERS virus has claimed the lives of five people, with another 64 people suffering from the illness in South Korea.

South Korea declares ‘war’ on Mers virus as 2300 in quarantine

Seoul, (South Korea) – Fears of MERS in South Korea are growing by the day, with more than 2,300 people quarantined as the country grapples with the outbreak. At least 1,381 schools will... Read more »
A passenger ship carrying 458 people, has sunk in the Yangtze river in China

Most of 458 passengers feared dead as Chinese ferry sinks in Yangtze

A passenger ship carrying 458 people, mainly elderly Chinese tourists, has sunk in the Yangtze river in what could be one of China’s worst disasters in years. WUHAN, (China) — Rescuers pulled... Read more »
The Burma government has refused to grant citizenship to the Rohingya minority, saying they are recent illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Migrant crisis: Who are the Rohingya boat people of Asia?

The 1.1 million Rohingya community – a Muslim group which claims to be descended from Arab traders – has fled in droves from their homes in Burma across south-east Asia following increasing... Read more »

Air NZ to boost Perth-Auckland route to 10 times a week

Air New Zealand is adding extra flights to Perth to support the Kiwi flag carrier’s services to the Americas. The new three times a week Perth-Auckland offering, which starts on December 11 2015 and... Read more »

India asks China to “reconsider its approach” on some issues

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his country and China have been successful in settling some differences between the two Asian giants, as New Delhi and Beijing move to introduce a new... Read more »

Chinese builder assembled 57-storey skyscraper in 19 days

CHANGSHA, (China) — A Chinese construction company is claiming to be the world’s fastest builder after erecting a 57-storey skyscraper in 19 working days in central China. The Broad Sustainable Building Co.... Read more »

Australia sends aid for Nepal quake victims

More than 1.4 million victims of the Nepalese earthquake are in need of urgent help, say aid ­agencies, as the death toll climbs above 5000 and the world rallies to ­assist the... Read more »

Indonesia executes Bali nine duo, Australia warns of ‘consequences’

Australia-Indonesia relations strained after executions Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran and six other men are executed by firing squad, as Filipina Mary Jane Velosa wins a last-minute reprieve The families of Bali... Read more »
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop speaks during a joint news conference at the conclusion of the AUSMIN meeting at Admiralty.

Bali Nine: Australia pleads for stay in executions

There is still hope that the imminent executions of two Australian prisoners on death row in Indonesia could be delayed after an appeal date was set for next month. A lawyer for Myuran Sukumaran,... Read more »

Chinese rescue team rushes aid to Nepal after devastating earthquake

KATHMANDU, (Nepal) — China this weekend rushed a 62-person team to Nepal to help with the ongoing search rescue operation after Saturday’s 7.9-magnitude earthquake. They landed in Kathmandu early Sunday and set... Read more »

China’s Xi Jinping and Japan’s Shinzo Abe hold rare meeting, call for better ties

The Chinese and Japanese leaders have held another rare meeting in a sign of easing tensions between the two East Asian powers over the disputed islands and the wartime legacy. Chinese President... Read more »

Tsunami warning lifted after magnitude-6.8 quake rocks southern Japan

Japan’s Miyakojima and Yaeyama areas have been placed on high alert with tsunami advisories being issued following a shallow 6.8-magnitude underwater earthquake off Taiwan’s coast. Warnings were lifted after no significant wave... Read more »
The Maglev (magnetic levitation) train speeds during a test run on the experimental track in Tsuru, 100km west of Tokyo, on May 11, 2010. US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took a test ride on Japan's super-fast magnetic train, a contender for President Barack Obama's multi-billion-dollar national railway project. Japan is up against China, France, Germany and other bidders as it seeks to sell its "Shinkansen" bullet and magnetic trains for the 13-billion-USD US high-speed national rail grid. AFP PHOTO/Toru YAMANAKA (Photo credit should read TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images)

Japan’s Maglev Train sets new speed record at 590 kph

A magnetic levitation (maglev) train in Japan has broken the world speed record by hitting 366mph. The Central Japan Railway Company said the seven-car train completed a test run on an experimental... Read more »

China, Japan, South Korea agree to boost Tourism ties

The three countries launch ‘Visit East Asia Campaign’ as they seek to enhance visitor goal of 30 million by 2020 East Asian nations, China, Japan and South Korea, have decided to briefly... Read more »

China evacuates foreign nationals from war-torn Yemen

A Chinese naval frigate has evacuated 225 foreign citizens from war-torn Yemen, its foreign ministry said, marking the first time that China’s military has helped other countries evacuate their people during an... Read more »

Vietnam set to become Asia’s new Manufacturing Powerhouse

Vietnam’s manufacturing is on a steady uptick fueled by its young population and cheaper wages HANOI, Vietnam — If you thought Asia’s manufacturing giants are just China, South Korea and Thailand, say hello to a new... Read more »

New Zealand bans Cosmetic testing on Animals

The government of New Zealand is the latest to move toward banning animal testing for “finished cosmetic products and their ingredients” — which has not historically happened in the country — and... Read more »

New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori announces retirement from international cricket

AUCKLAND (New Zealand) — Long-serving New Zealand cricketer Daniel Vettori has called time on his international career, saying the World Cup final against Australia was his last appearance for the Black Caps.... Read more »

New Zealand’s Grant Elliott sinks South Africa to steer NZ into World Cup Final

The Black Caps dream lives on after they won what must rate as one of the most memorable of all World Cup games by four wickets. Grant Elliott, perceived by some to... Read more »

New Zealand reach first World Cup final after dramatic win over South Africa

AUCKLAND (New Zealand) – New Zealand and South Africa have played out a World Cup semi-final thriller at Eden Park, with the Black Caps claiming a place in the final with a dramatic... Read more »

Netflix launched in Australia and New Zealand

First Launch of Netflix in Asia Pacific SYDNEY (Australia) – The world’s largest streaming film and television service went live in Australia and New Zealand for the first time on  March 24.... Read more »

Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew dies at 91

SINGAPORE – Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore and one of Asia’s most influential politicians, has died at age 91, according to the Singapore Prime Minister’s office. Lee Kuan... Read more »