Australian regulator probes Facebook, YouTube over teen social media ban

Long queues in Myanmar as Iran war fuel crisis deepens

Drivers are queuing for hours at petrol stations in Myanmar as the Iran war continues to send shockwaves across the globe.

Can Malaysia afford to keep subsidising fuel amid energy crunch caused by Iran war?

Continuing entrenched petrol subsidies may undermine Putrajaya’s long-term fiscal health but cutting them could provoke significant backlash against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, say experts.

Social media firms must better enforce Australia under-16 ban, watchdog says

Regulator eSafety says it has concerns about how Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube are complying with the ban.

‘The mosque, the river, the sea’: Why Terengganu folk say they need little else to be happy

Despite its low GDP, gas-rich Terengganu state topped Malaysia's 2024 Happiness Index.

Shock, sadness and relief in town at centre of Australia's seven-month police manhunt

The Australian town has been in the spotlight since Dezi Freeman shot dead two police officers last year.

The rockets’ red glare, Mighty Mouse and counter-drone warfare

Americans sing about it at ball games and patriotic events: And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. The red glare describes the rocket bombardment of Fort McHenry by HMS Erebus on the night of September

Gas pipeline blown up in southern Pakistan, says official

QUETTA, Pakistan, March 30 - A natural gas pipeline was blown up in southern Pakistan on Monday, suspending supply to several districts, an official said.

Worst-case, a dreaded term could apply to the 2026 energy shock

In the war between Iran, the United States and Israel, economics has become as much of a weapon as are missiles, bombs and drones. Iran’s current control over the flow of one-fifth of the world’s oil supply through the narrow Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman is really a

India declares victory over Maoist insurgency

India in the last two years stepped up its campaign against the last remnants of the rebellion that began nearly six decades ago.

India is 'free' of Maoist insurgency: interior minister

Letting Russian tanker through, Trump declares ‘Cuba is finished’

President Donald Trump said Sunday that his administration would let a Russia-owned tanker carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of oil to reach Cuba, loosening the illegal fuel blockade that has intensified the island’s already-grave humanitarian crisis. Speaking to reporters

A ‘warmer spring’ for cross-strait ties? Taiwan opposition leader talks up visit to Beijing

All eyes will be on whether she secures a meeting with the Chinese President during the trip.

3 million Indian officials to begin counting world’s largest population

The census is expected to conclude in March 2027.

Chinese container ships pass through Strait of Hormuz at second attempt, data shows

LONDON, March 30 - Two Chinese container ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday on their second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back on Friday, ship-tracking data showed.

Thai undertaker reveals corpse to justify fuel buy

He had stopped to fill 3 18-litre jerrycans for each body, but the attendant won't sell initially.

Dissident artist on trial in China for satirical Mao sculptures, says rights group

Artist Gao Zhen’s relatives were apparently barred from attending. Verdicts are often announced months later in such trials.

Baby monkey Punch getting used to life without stuffed orang utan ‘mother’ in Japan zoo

Punch has been seen spending more time grooming his peers.

EU's Costa discusses Iran situation with Pakistan's Prime Minister

BRUSSELS, March 30 - European Council President Antonio Costa said he had held a 'good call' with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the war in Iran.

How office chair racing in Japan is attracting thrill-seekers

No souped-up chairs are allowed in this competition.

Hydrogen energy is a tough sell for now. China doubles down anyway

It sees hydrogen energy as a "future industry" poised to drive growth in the longer run.

Bangladesh PM orders probe into measles outbreak

There have been 674 measles cases across the country in 2026.

Best places to enjoy spring in Seoul

Seoul unveiled its annual guide to seasonal strolls, featuring 175 paths spanning 251km.

Canadian tourist dies during Krabi’s Tiger Cave Temple climb; second fatal incident there in days

The man reportedly collapsed near the 1,100th step of the temple’s 1,260-step staircase.

Pakistan’s peace play more about desperation than diplomacy

Has Pakistan genuinely become important on the global stage, or is it being strategically projected as such? A closer look suggests that much of the current visibility around Pakistan is less about its rise in global influence or capabilities and more about a situational,

Japan’s cherry blossom season dazzles locals and tourists

“We love it, because it is so short ... it comes every year, something very special,” said a Tokyo resident.

Clock watching of a different kind: White-collar workers race on office chairs down Japan streets

Founded in 2010, the yearly races are now held at more than 20 locations across Japan.

Nepali protesters demand release of detained ex-PM

He was arrested over his alleged involvement in the protest crackdown in September.

China won’t supplant Australia in the Pacific anytime soon

Last year, Australia was reminded of China’s willingness to exercise its growing naval power in the region. In February, a Chinese flotilla circumnavigated the country and conducted live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea. And in November, a powerful Chinese task group came within a

Iran war forces Asian economies to confront sliding currencies and surging oil prices

Asia is set to face an oil shortage that will worsen until April and May.

Seoul seeks to calm rush to buy rubbish bags over fears of shortage amid Middle East war

Daily sales of the bags surged nearly fivefold to 2.7 million last week.

Seven dead after building collapses in China’s Heilongjiang province

All nine trapped individuals have been found.

Taiwan probes 11 Chinese firms for illegal poaching of tech talent

Taiwanese law prohibits Chinese investment in some parts of the semiconductor supply chain.

Is the US dollar really winning the Iran war?

Nearly a month after coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the human toll continues to rise. Yet beyond the battlefield, a more consequential struggle is unfolding — one that could reshape the global economic order. At the heart of this conflict lies energy. Iran’s

Heavy rain, floods kill 45 people in Afghanistan, Pakistan

The UN lists both of them among the countries most vulnerable to extreme weather and climate change.

Japan university to study health impact of rise in bear sightings, attacks on the elderly

Some elderly Akita residents claimed they had anxiety and health problems, and could not go out.

Thai government ramps up B20 biodiesel supply to tackle rising transport costs

B20 is a diesel blend containing 20 per cent domestically produced palm-based methyl ester

Israel’s nuclear bomb is the threat that dare not speak its name

The skies over Tehran and Natanz may still carry the lingering haze of joint US-Israeli bombing operations. Yet the world, filtered through the dominant lens of Western media, continues to be fed a singular narrative: the latent danger of Iran’s uranium enrichment, perpetually

Bangladesh turns off lights as Mideast war deepens energy crunch

Unaccredited international schools in S. Korea leave students without recognised diplomas

Officials estimate that about 130 such institutions are operating without government approval nationwide.

Bangladesh turns off lights as Middle East war deepens energy crunch

It also ordered that air-conditioning temperatures must be set at 25 deg C, or warmer.

South Korea considers nationwide driving curbs as oil prices soar

SEOUL, March 30 - South Korea is considering extending driving curbs to the general public if global oil prices climb further, senior officials said, as authorities seek to rein in energy demand amid supply strains due to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Myanmar military chief Min Aung Hlaing steps down, eyes presidency

Min Aung Hlaing spent a decade jostling with civilian leaders before mounting a 2021 coup, jailing Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and triggering a vicious civil war that is still being fought.

General, coup leader, soon to be president: Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing

He spent a decade jostling with civilian leaders before mounting his coup five years ago.

Indonesia to go ahead with B50 biodiesel mix in 2026, says Prabowo

The plan to launch B50 was scrapped in January due to technical and funding concerns.

Indonesia to loan endangered Komodo dragons to Japan for breeding programme, ministry says

In return, Japan will send several animals to Indonesia, including red pandas and giraffes.

Senator revives call for social media ban for children 16 and under in Philippines

The call follows Indonesia's implementation of a social media ban for children under 16.

Pakistan’s youth turn to gaming for income amid rising unemployment

With limited job opportunities and low wages, young Pakistanis are increasingly looking to online gaming to make ends meet.