SEOUL: South Korean officials are considering creating a domestic fund to compensate Koreans who were enslaved by Japanese companies before the end of World War II, as they desperately try to repair relations with Tokyo that have deteriorated in recent years over historical grievances. The…

BEIJING: People in China worried on Thursday (Jan 12) about spreading COVID-19 to aged relatives as they planned returns to their hometowns for holidays that the World Health Organization (WHO) warns could inflame a raging outbreak. The Chinese New Year holiday, which officially starts from…

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian arm of Swedish retail giant H&M has filed a police report amid concerns that footage from hidden cameras in changing rooms at its Kuala Lumpur stores were being sold online.  “Our customers’ safety is of utmost importance to us. All findings…

Environmental activists blame the industry for rampant clearing of Southeast Asian rainforests, though Indonesia and Malaysia have created sustainability certification standards mandatory for all plantations. The industry is a major employer, and provides a source of income for smallholder farmers. Fadillah, who is also deputy…

Austin noted that the agreement affirms America’s “ironclad commitment to defend Japan with a full range of capabilities, including nuclear” and underscores that Article 5 of the mutual security treaty applies to the Senkaku Islands. The disputed islands outside Japanese territorial waters are also claimed…

LONDON: The British and Japanese prime ministers signed what Downing Street called a “hugely significant” new defence deal allowing UK troops to deploy in Japan as the pair met in London on Wednesday (Jan 11). Rishi Sunak and Fumio Kishida signed the agreement at the…