Philippines eyes ‘temporary’ coal push to counter energy turmoil

The “temporary measure” could start as early as April 1.

Manila’s jeepney drivers struggle as Middle East war sends diesel cost soaring

On March 24, fuel prices jumped again in the country by around 16 per cent.

US to continue Iran strikes, pause applies only to energy sites, Semafor reports

March 24 - The United States will continue its strikes on Iran, with the pause applying only to attacks on Tehran's energy sites, Semafor reported on Monday, citing a U.S. official, during what President Donald Trump has described as \"productive\" talks with unidentified

China positions itself as a stable economic force amid global uncertainty at Beijing forum

SHANGHAI/BEIJING, March 24 - Global corporate executives attending China's flagship annual business conference this week were reassured by leaders of the world's second-largest economy that it remains a predictable anchor at a time of geopolitical flux and global uncertainty.

Manila's jeepney drivers struggle as Mideast war sends diesel cost soaring

The sun was not quite up as Eric Helera unlocked the doors of his jeepney, wiped down its two long passenger benches, and checked his brake fluid before another day ferrying Manila commuters. The makeshift minibus named Princess is part of a smoke-belching, colourfully

Agricultural soils exposed to controversial weedkiller may be unexpected breeding ground for hospital 'superbugs'

Each year, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for an estimated 1.1 to 1.4 million deaths worldwide. Now, scientists have found evidence that the spread of AMR isn't always driven by bacteria evolving to resist the antibiotics themselves: rather, certain weedkillers

Couple who were caught naked at cemetery in Malaysia remanded for three days

The couple, who are not married to each other, were picked up on the night of March 23.

Bad Bunny Seeks $465,000 in Legal Fees After Winning ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ Copyright Case

The Puerto Rican superstar prevailed last month in a lawsuit over “Enséñame a Bailar" from his 2022 album

Pakistan ranked most polluted country in 2025, data shows

The world’s top 25 most polluted cities were all in India, Pakistan and China.

Africa: 'At Africa's First Our Ocean Conference, a Test of Global Will On High Seas Protection and Deep-Sea Mining'

[IPS] Victoria, Seychelles -- When the 11th Our Ocean Conference opens in Mombasa and Kilifi, Kenya, from June 16-18, 2026, it will mark the first time this influential meeting has been held on African soil. For coastal and island nations across the continent and the wider

Africa: Moniepoint Acquires Orda to Embed Payments Into Restaurant Operations

[Daba Finance] Moniepoint has acquired Orda in a move to integrate payments directly into merchant operations and expand its business management platform.

Africa: Coethnics Covote in Africa

[Afrobarometer] Studying electoral cleavages with a covoting regression model

Africa: African Cities Are Diverse and Thriving, but Face Many Challenges. How to Make Them Healthier

[The Conversation Africa] A new book called Urban Health in Africa explores how rapid urbanisation across the continent shapes public health and wellbeing. Drawing on diverse research and case studies, the book reframes African cities not just as sites of challenge, but as

Africa: Why Africa Needs a Green Bank to Fund Climate Action and Build Its Own Renewable Technology

[The Conversation Africa] Climate change is a profound challenge to the livelihoods of many people in African countries who have contributed so little to its cause. More frequent extreme weather events (floods, heatwaves and droughts) are making hunger, insecurity and

Japan PM Takaichi orders review of entire supply chain for oil products

Most of Japan’s oil imports originate in the Middle East and pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran sends waves of missiles into Israel, dismisses Trump's talk of negotiations as 'fake news'

WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM/TEL AVIV, March 24 (Reuters) - Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, the Israeli military said, after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed a threat to bomb the Islamic Republic's power grid because of what he described as productive talks

Japan to require ID checks for data-only SIM cards amid fraudulent use

This comes amid reports of the use of the SIM cards in fraud schemes.

Oil back above $100 as conflicting reports emerge on US-Iran talks

Stock markets had originally rebounded on Monday said Trump said he would hold off strikes on Iran.

Jon Stewart Jokes the ‘Only Thing Giving Me Joy’ in Trump’s America Is ‘Looking Forward’ to Watching Taylor Frankie Paul on ‘The Bachelorette’: ‘Hold on, I’m Getting a Call’

On this week’s episode of “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart poked fun at ABC pulling the latest season of “The Bachelorette” from its schedule amid the explosive fallout between would-be star Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen. Stewart teed up the joke by outlining

India’s historic haveli homes caught between revival and ruin

Each haveli once formed part of a larger social ecosystem of neighbourhoods, crafts and traditions.

Vietnam Airlines to suspend some routes as jet fuel risks rise

Around 70 per cent of Vietnam’s jet fuel is imported, primarily from China and Thailand.

Emily Osment Couldn’t Attend ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th Anniversary Premiere Due to CBS Sitcom Filming; Mitchel Musso Also Skipped as Duo Sends Love to Fans

Although they were absent from Monday night’s “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” premiere in Hollywood, Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso took to social media to reminisce about their time starring on the iconic Disney Channel series. Osment, who couldn’t attend the

America’s Iran quagmire and the failure of strategic memory

There is a particular frustration that comes with being a Cassandra in Washington. You spend three decades writing books titled “Quagmire” and “Sandstorm”, you warn in magazine after magazine, op-ed after op-ed, that America’s compulsive entanglement in Middle Eastern politics

Only 13 countries in the world breathe safe air. Three of them are in Europe

India is home to the world's most polluted city, according to IQAir's newly released World Air Quality Report.

South Korea's president calls for energy saving campaign including curbs on cars

More Australian beef headed for Europe under new EU trade deal

Australian producers have also won the right to sell Italian-style sparkling wine as prosecco.

South Korea PM cancels China trip as energy concerns mount

He cited an urgent need to remain at home to manage the widening economic and livelihood impacts of the Iran war.

Highlights of EU-Australia trade agreement

SYDNEY, March 24 - The EU and Australia finalised a long-awaited free trade deal on Tuesday as Europe seeks to diversify its export markets and expand ties beyond its traditional partners.

Asian stocks rise as Trump pauses strike plans but unease sees oil bounce

US President Donald Trump on Monday delayed strikes on Iranian energy sites after hailing “good talks” with Tehran, although Iran later denied there had been any talks.

Japan to start releasing state oil reserves on March 26: PM Takaichi

This comes as concerns over supply mount amid the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran.

Preservation groups sue to block Trump Kennedy Center changes

A coalition of historic preservation and architectural groups sued President Trump and the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees on Monday, seeking to block the planned renovations of the performing arts center set to start in July. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in

‘Giant’ Broadway Review: John Lithgow as a Venomous Roald Dahl Animates a Staggering Production

Watching “Giant,” opening March 23 on Broadway after a much-hailed run on London’s West End, one is left with little wonder how its protagonist, Roald Dahl, achieved such success as a writer for children. The child within him is ever-present — in control of what is perhaps only

Noir City Hollywood Carries a Tune: Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode on the 2026 Fest’s ‘Face the Music!’ Theme, and How Jazz Lent a Serious Subtext to Classic Crime Films

For 28 years, the Noir City film festival has been unfolding every spring under the aegis of the American Cinematheque, give or take a couple of early name changes since it began in 1999. The festival has had enough themes over those years that you might imagine its curators

Senate GOP says Trump signals shift to backing DHS compromise with Democrats

Senate Republicans believe that President Trump is willing to accept a potential deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security following a White House meeting on Monday night. It would be a significant shift for Trump, who over the weekend repeatedly he would not make a deal

Missing cremation urns trigger alarm in Malaysia

It has prompted columbarium operators to review their surveillance and access controls.

Miley Cyrus Is Too ‘Tired’ to Think About ‘Hannah Montana’ Reboot After 20th Anniversary Special: ‘This Has Already Been a Lot’

Hannah Montana made her way back to Hollywood on Monday night. Miley Cyrus celebrated the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” with a blowout red carpet premiere at the El Capitan Theatre. Before the screening, the former Disney Channel star credited a Variety interview

Ultimatums, diplomacy and a trip to Graceland as Trump eyes a deal with Iran

America may be a nation at war, but the president's activities have been a mix of diplomacy and diversions - with the occasional swing toward the surreal.

When NASA's experimental technology detects a tsunami, it may help save lives

A new data visualization illustrates how an experimental NASA technology can provide extra lead time to communities in the path of a tsunami. Called GUARDIAN (GNSS Upper Atmospheric Real-time Disaster Information and Alert Network), the software detects slight distortions in

Schiff: Trump 'trying to bring down the price at the pump' with talks of Iran negotiations

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Monday expressed doubt about President Trump's claim that the U.S. and Iran are negotiating a resolution to the weekslong conflict. “If what the president is saying is true, that’s encouraging. But of course, we’ve heard the president say things

‘Moana’: New Trailer Shows Dwayne Johnson as a Live-Action Version of His Character Maui

The film stars newcomer Catherine Lagaʻaia as the wayfinder Moana.

Iconic fish species in Malaysia slip into rarity

Experts warn that some of the most familiar fish species could face local extinction within decades.

IPL Cricket Media Rights Set to Plateau at $5.4 Billion in Next Cycle, Media Partners Asia Report Finds

Two decades of compounding growth in Indian Premier League cricket media rights are coming to an end, according to a new report from Media Partners Asia. MPA published “The IPL: Teams, Rights & Valuations” on March 24, projecting that the 2028–32 rights cycle will hold flat at

Banquet For Fools review

Pen and paper at the ready.

Malaysia eyes rail links to strengthen role in Europe-Asia trade

As global shipping faces disruptions, the country is positioning itself as a transit hub linking Asia and Europe.

Yes, AI could boost productivity, but work is about more than maximizing output

Worries about the British economy have long been dominated by one persistent concern—weak productivity. Since the financial crisis of 2008, growth has stagnated, leaving the UK trailing well behind the US, France and Germany across that whole period.

Dollar falls and São Paulo stock exchange surges after Trump's truce signal with Iran

Brazilian financial markets posted one of their best sessions of the year on Monday after President Donald Trump announced a five-day postponement of strikes against Iran's energy infrastructure, citing "productive conversations" with Tehran.

Bannon says ICE at airports 'test run' for 2026 elections

Former White House strategist and podcaster Steve Bannon said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers assisting with airport operations is a “test run” for the 2026 midterms. During a conversation with conservative lawyer Mike Davis on his “War Room” program,