JAKARTA, Aug 16 — In his final State of the Nation address today, marking the 79th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence, President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, reflected on his decade-long presidency and the five-year tenure of Vice President Prof KH Ma’ruf Amin.

BANGKOK, Aug 16 — Thailand's parliament elected political neophyte Paetongtarn Shinawatra as its youngest Prime Minister today, only a day after she was thrust into the spotlight amid an unrelenting power struggle between the country's warring elites.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — The Malaysian Embassy in Tokyo has issued an advisory urging Malaysians in the Kanto region to remain vigilant as Typhoon Ampil approaches.

BANGKOK, Aug 16 — Pheu Thai party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra has secured majority votes in Parliament today to become Thailand’s 31st Prime Minister.

TOKYO, Aug 16 — Japan grounded hundreds of flights and advised nearly 10,000 households to evacuate in some areas near Tokyo on Friday, as a strong typhoon caused power blackouts in the middle of a major summer holiday week.

STOCKHOLM/CHICAGO, Aug 16 — Global health officials yesterday confirmed an infection with a new strain of the mpox virus in Sweden and linked it to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent a day after the World Health Organization declared the disease a global public health emergency.

SEOUL, Aug 15 — South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has offered to establish a working-level consultative body with North Korea to discuss ways to ease tension and resume economic cooperation, as he laid out his vision for unification of the neighbours.

BANGKOK, Aug 15 — The dismissal of Srettha Thavisin as the Prime Minister of Thailand, who only served 11 months, has shocked many Thais.

BANGKOK, Aug 15 — Thailand's governing alliance has agreed to back 37-year-old political newcomer Paetongtarn Shinawatra as its candidate for prime minister today, a day ahead of a pivotal vote in Parliament.

BANGKOK, Aug 15 — Thailand's largest opposition, the People's Party, will not support the ruling coalition's prime ministerial candidate in tomorrow's vote to elect the head of the government, party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said on Thursday, reported Sputnik.

MUMBAI, Aug 15 — Thousands of women marched across several Indian cities overnight and Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for strict punishment for crimes against women, as outrage and protests against the gruesome rape and murder of a doctor escalated.

BANGKOK, Aug 15 — Thai parliament will convene tomorrow for a special meeting to vote for a new prime minister following a court ruling dismissing Srettha Thavisin yesterday.

GENEVA, Aug 15 — The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries.

RAMALLAH, Aug 14 — Israel said its forces had hit Palestinian militants in Tamoun in the occupied West Bank today while Hamas said its fighters were engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in nearby Tubas city after one was killed in an Israeli raid.

JAKARTA, Aug 14 — The authorities of Myanmar have called the rumours about a coup in the country fake and reaffirmed that the government continues to carry out its responsibilities, reported Sputnik.

BANGKOK, Aug 14 — Thailand’s Constitutional Court today dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who served jail time, raising the spectre of more political upheaval and a reset of the governing alliance.

TOKYO, Aug 14 — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he will step down next month, succumbing to public disaffection over political scandals and rising living costs that marred his three-year term, and triggering a contest to replace him.

WASHINGTON, Aug 14 — The United States yesterday approved the sale of US$20 billion (RM88.5 billion) in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel as it prosecutes a 10-month war in the Gaza Strip although the Pentagon said deliveries would not begin for years.

GENEVA, Aug 14 — The World Health Organisation (WHO) has convened an emergency committee to discuss the outbreak of viral disease mpox, as cases are occurring globally, according to dpa.

SINGAPORE, Aug 13 — Motorcycle arrivals and departures via the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints can use QR codes generated on MyICA mobile app in lieu of passports from Thursday.