Australian stocks opened higher, extending gains in the previous session. Futures show, Japan stocks to open higher. Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China markets are closed for Lunar New Year holidays.

Economists polled by Reuters expect Australia's inflation to rise 2.5% in the 12 months to the December quarter, from 2.8% in the previous year.

Israel urged Australia to do more to halt an "epidemic of antisemitism" in the country as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was doing all it could to combat attacks that he says include domestic terrorism.

Sri Lanka was staring down the barrel at 44-3 after Australia achieved its largest ever total in Asia — 654-6 declared — on day two of the first test on Thursday. Fatigued after spending five and a half sessions under the scorching sun,

Dozens of refugees who arrived in Australia by boat a decade ago and expected to resettle in the United States have been affected by the Trump Administration's freeze on refugee programs, an Australian official told Reuters.

Could US rules limiting high-end chip sales to China have fuelled the development of superior AI? Investors say the Chinese start-up should be closely watched.

Australia's Usman Khawaja struck a maiden double hundred and Josh Inglis got a century on his test debut against Sri Lanka to power the tourists to a mammoth 654 for six before they declared their first innings on day two of the opening test on Thursday.

Denmark-based sales agency LevelK has acquired Asia and Australia-New Zealand rights to Second World War thriller Nr. 24, after the film’s successful run at the Norwegian box office.

Asian shares are trading mixed after Wall Street’s tech superstars tumbled as a competitor from China raised doubts over the recent artificial-intelligence market frenzy.

The total of 654 scored against Sri Lanka in the first innings in Galle is Australia’s 13th highest in Test history and their highest ever in the subcontinent. Their previous best in Asia came back in 1980 in Faisalabad against Pakistan, where they posted 617.

232 by Usman Khawaja is the third highest by a visiting batter in Sri Lanka behind Chris Gayle's 333 at the same venue in 2010 and Stephen Fleming's unbeaten 274 at Colombo PSS in 2003. The previous highest for Australia in the country was Justin Langer's 166 at Colombo SSC in 2004.

SINGAPORE: Australia-based academic website East Asia Forum has been ordered to publish a correction notice on an article titled "Singapore’s new prime minister entangled in old politics", after the Singapore government said it contained false statements about the country's governance.