Three crew members 'believed trapped' aboard Thai ship attacked in Gulf: Shipping firm
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had struck the Thai-registered Mayuree Naree for ignored "warnings".
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Air New Zealand cuts 1,100 flights over fuel price fears
Oil prices have hit US$100 again on March 12.
Mass stranding kills 21 protected pilot whales in Indonesia
Rescuers managed to save 34 whales.
Australia police recover two bodies in search for missing Chinese tourists
The bodies were found inside a car in Queensland’s flood-hit Gympie region.
America and Israel share an enemy — not a strategy
As fighting spreads across the Gulf, the war is often portrayed as a unified campaign against Iran. It is not. The reality, as is often the case in the Middle East, is more complicated. The United States and Israel both view Iran as a dangerous adversary. But dangerous to whom,
Bodies of two Chinese backpackers found in Australian floodwaters
The pair had been reported missing on Tuesday after failing to reach their destination.
Seoul’s aging poor driven toward bankruptcy by living costs
Those in their 60s accounted for the largest share of bankruptcy applicants at 36.5 per cent.
Natural fortress: How geography protects Iran’s regime
Iran’s strategic outlook is undeniably linked to its physical topography. The Iranian Plateau is a vast geographical region characterized by its mountainous terrain, with the Zagros and Elburz mountain ranges. Shielded from the north and west are zones of large deserts, fertile
Indonesia braces itself for wildfire, drought ahead of longer dry season
Some areas are expected to experience a dry season lasting 10 months.
‘I’m scared to go back’: How some Myanmar workers end up exploited in Singapore
Non-governmental organisations say they are receiving more complaints from Myanmar nationals over issues like unpaid wages, as well as allegations of recruitment scams that lure workers into illegal work such as sexual services.
China’s first North Korea-bound train in six years set to depart from Beijing
The train service was suspended when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in 2020.
Illegal teardown sparks outrage in Penang heritage enclave
Demolition of a pre-war house has drawn criticism from the public.
War in Iran squeezing China’s oil lifeline
China’s energy security may be put to its first true test in 2026 with the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January and joint US-Israeli military action against Iran beginning in late February. These events have disrupted two sources of China’s oil supply. Coupled
1 dead, 2 in critical condition after possible chemo errors at Japan children’s hospital
A cancer drug, vincristine, was found to have been wrongly used in marrow cavity injections.
Trump and Iran signal no quick end to war as tankers burn in Iraqi waters
DUBAI/TEL AVIV/WASHINGTON, March 12 - The United States and Iran have signaled no quick end to their war, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying it was necessary to finish the job and Iran warning that the world should be ready for oil at $200 a barrel after striking tankers
Malaysian experts warn caution over limiting fuel purchases amid Mid-East war
An expert suggested that the government should explore various options to safeguard fuel supply.
North Korea unveils image of leader's daughter firing pistol
Kim Jong Un's teenage daughter Ju Ae has long been seen as next in line to rule the country.
Oil prices surge as supply fears offset IEA's record stockpile release
Oil prices jumped more than 9 per cent on Thursday to break back above US$100 a barrel as Iran struck two tankers in Iraq and threatened to bring down the global economy.
North Korean leader Kim test fires handguns during visit to munitions factory, KCNA reports
SEOUL, March 12 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a munitions factory on Wednesday, state media KCNA reported, releasing photographs that showed him touring the facility with his teenage daughter and the pair test-firing handguns.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un test-fires handguns during visit to munitions factory
His daughter, known as Ju Ae, accompanied her father during the visit to the munitions factory.
Former Indonesian communications ministry officials jailed in data centre graft case
An investigation was launched in March 2025, months after a ransomware attack against the temporary data centres.
Japan’s JR East railway to raise train fares for first time since 1987
Fares will increase by an average of 7.1 per cent in a bid to boost company revenues.
In Malaysia, regular commuters to Singapore hope for lower RTS fare
The RTS trip is expected to take between five and six minutes for each direction.
China's biggest political meeting is ending - what have we learned?
BBC correspondents give us their biggest takeaways from China's National People's Congress.
Decoding Beijing's 2026 economic jargon - and why it matters
The language of China's 2026 government work report reveals the tensions shaping its economic strategy, say experts.
Commentary: What we can learn from how Iran and US have used cheap ‘disposable’ drones differently
While the Iran war has not spilled out of the Middle East, defence planners from Asia will look closely at how it is being fought, says defence writer Mike Yeo.
Why it’s unlikely that Saudi Arabia wanted the US to bomb Iran
A report in the Washington Post the day after the Iran war began suggested that Saudi Arabia and Israel had both lobbied Donald Trump to attack Iran. The Saudis swiftly denied that they had pushed for war. In the days since, as Iran lashed out in retaliation, Saudi Arabia came
Understanding who profits will be key to resolving the Iran war
When US and Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Iran, the shock waves were felt far beyond the region. As the conflict escalates, understanding who benefits from this crisis might be as important as counting its costs. Peace benefits ordinary citizens, small businesses,
‘This is me, very pretty’: Inside a Cambodian cyberscam site
AFP was invited to visit an office in the capital Phnom Penh a day after it was raided by police.
‘Lesson’ for Johor: Data centres should not be sited too near homes, says assemblyman after outcry
The state government should have consulted residents first, said Datuk Pandak Ahmad.
One-person firms and ‘raising lobsters’: China hunts for new ways to create jobs in AI era
But such solo entrepreneurs need a market for the products or services they want to sell, an expert cautioned.
Shadow tankers: the only ships still moving through Hormuz Strait
The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. Since the beginning of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, oil tanker traffic through the world’s most critical oil shipping choke point has collapsed, dropping by more than 90%. Iran has
Thailand's Phuket airport runway reopens after Air India Express plane fault
BANGKOK/NEW DELHI, March 11 - The sole runway of Thailand's Phuket airport reopened late on Tuesday, Phuket's governor said, after an Air India Express plane suffered a problem with its nose wheel when landing, causing the runway to close for several hours.
‘Social media is like fire’: Some wish Indonesia’s planned social media ban for youths can come sooner
Some parents and experts question how realistic enforcement will be, whether children will find ways to bypass the restrictions, and how digital literacy can go in ensuring young people’s online safety.
US energy chief’s deleted Hormuz X post called market manipulation
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former fracking executive, was accused on Tuesday of manipulating global markets after he posted a striking claim on social media. The American Navy, he wrote, had “successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure
China warns US AI military use can create ‘Terminator’ world
The Trump administration has sought the unconditional use of AI start-ups in the military.
Japan to release part of oil reserves ahead of IEA-led decision, PM says
Japan holds emergency oil reserves equivalent to 254 days of consumption.
Price hikes, outlook cuts: What airlines are doing as fuel costs surge
Several airlines, including Air New Zealand, Qantas and Thai Airways, have raised fares amid a surge in jet fuel prices driven by the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Thai navy says cargo ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz
Photos showed heavy black smoke billowing from the hull and superstructure of the Thai-registered Mayuree Naree, with life rafts floating in the water.
Pope laments death of children in Iran war, pledges closeness to Lebanon
VATICAN CITY, March 11 - Pope Leo on Wednesday lamented the death of numerous civilians in the Iran war and also expressed closeness to people in Lebanon, saying the country, targeted by Israeli strikes, was going through a \"great trial.\"
Italy’s Meloni criticises US war on Iran as part of dangerous trend
ROME, March 11 - Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday delivered her strongest criticism yet of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, describing it as part of a growing and dangerous trend of interventions \"outside the scope of international law\".
US navy aircraft transits Taiwan Strait ahead of Trump's planned China visit
TAIPEI, March 11 - A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Wednesday, in a move the U.S. 7th Fleet said \"demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.\"