Thitu Island and its residents have come under the spotlight after the Philippines, in a bid to reinforce its claims in the South China Sea, announced plans to file an updated maritime chart with the United Nations. Observers say the filing would not establish Philippine sovereignty but could help Manila identify and challenge competing claims in more precise legal terms. More than just a technical document, the updated map is a means for the government to formally document its presence and...

The ruler is accused of interfering in Rembau luak internal affairs, among others.

In the 2026 edition, Việt Nam won the title of Asia's Leading Destination for the eighth time and Asia's Leading Heritage Destination for the fourth time.

Politburo Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW dated January 7, 2026 on developing Vietnamese culture designated November 24 each year as Vietnamese Culture Day to honour traditional cultural values, foster patriotism, national solidarity and pride, and affirm culture as the spiritual foundation, endogenous resource and driving force for national development.

Việt Nam views culture as both the spiritual foundation of society and an important goal, driving force and resource for national development. The country is working to build an advanced culture imbued with national identity while actively absorbing the cultural quintessence of humanity and expanding international cultural exchange and cooperation.

Police in northern Vietnam have rescued 46 karaoke hostesses, at least 12 of them under 16, and instituted criminal proceedings against eight people accused of running a ring that bought and resold girls between karaoke parlors.

Two new islands have appeared off Anak Krakatoa, potentially the first in nearly a century to emerge within the caldera left by Krakatoa’s catastrophic 1883 eruption. The formations, discovered following a 25-hour eruption in early September, sit hundreds of metres off opposite sides of Anak Krakatoa – one to the northwest and the other to the southeast – almost on a straight line through the volcano’s crater, according to Indonesia’s Geological Agency. The agency places one about 760 metres...

Maj Trang Olson – Continuing Her Father’s Path exhibition offers an intimate artistic world where meticulous craftsmanship meets elegance, refinement and a distinctly feminine sensibility.

Singapore’s biggest crackdown so far on fake online reviews has exposed how businesses exploit the appeal of five-star ratings to game the system, with experts warning generative AI will make fake reviews more rampant and consumers need to be more discerning about what they read online. The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) has taken action against 45 companies – including a funeral parlour, a law firm and an aesthetics clinic – after finding they bought reviews from a...