Residents recount guilt, chaos in hearing on deadly Hong Kong fire
The fire at Wang Fuk Court in 2025 was the world’s deadliest residential building fire since 1980.
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Modi, Trump discuss importance of keeping Strait of Hormuz open
March 24 - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Tuesday and discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, U.S. envoy to India Sergio Gor and Modi said in separate posts
Philippines declares energy emergency over Iran conflict
The war has caused "imminent danger" to the country's energy supplies, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr says.
Afghan Taliban to release US detainee Dennis Coyle after plea from his mother
KABUL, March 24 - The Afghan Taliban government said on Tuesday that it has decided to release U.S. detainee Dennis Coyle in response to a request from his mother, weeks after Washington censured Afghanistan over its detention of American citizens.
Thailand battles forest fires as hot spots in Myanmar threaten to worsen kingdom’s haze situation
Of the 1,488 hotspots detected across Thailand, 614 were found in conservation forests.
Amid global chaos, interest in China is rising among investors and consumers: Forum
The interest comes amid China’s relative stability and the likelihood that its economic slowdown has bottomed out.
Philippines declares national energy emergency as Iran war fuels oil shock fears
Manila sets aside 20 billion pesos to build a diesel buffer as the Middle East crisis persists.
Qatar is not directly mediating between US and Iran, ministry spokesperson says
March 24 - There is no direct Qatari mediation between the United States and Iran, but Doha supports all formal and informal diplomatic channels to end the war, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Melaka residents told to limit outdoor activities due to rising UV levels and heat
The current hot spell saw temperatures reaching up to 35 deg C.
BMW recalls 180,000 cars in China over fire risk
It is due to a possible wiring fault in air conditioning units that poses a fire risk.
A million SpaceX satellites will ruin the night sky
More than 10,000 Starlink satellites currently orbit the Earth. We see them crawling across dark skies, no matter how remote our location, and streaking through images from research telescopes. SpaceX recently announced that it wants to launch one million more of these
‘I didn’t want to raise her’: Woman in South Korea confesses to killing 3-year-old daughter
The woman is also accused of burying the child’s body.
South Korea expresses ‘regret’ over Japan’s approval of history textbooks, urges rectification
South Korea took issue with matters such as Japan’s claim of sovereignty over the Dokdo islets.
US Democrats risk flubbing Trump’s flailing on Iran
Donald Trump is flailing. Despite easy battlefield victories, the Iran War is quickly turning into a quagmire; the regime has not fallen, and threats against oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz are causing gasoline prices to soar and threatening to reignite inflation. This
Iran war exposing deeper risks of US financial dominance
War exposes truth faster than any policy paper ever could. The US-Israeli confrontation with Iran is stripping away assumptions that have underpinned global capital allocation for decades. Oil above $100 and disruption through the Strait of Hormuz are only part of the story.
PM Wong to visit Hainan, Hong Kong, and speak at Boao Forum
Mr Wong will also meet China’s National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji, the country’s third-ranking leader.
Prabowo hits back at criticism of his frequent overseas trips, says they reap economic gains for Indonesians
Since assuming office, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has attended at least nine international summits and made more than 40 official visits to more than 20 countries.
PM Wong to visit Hainan, Hong Kong in four-day China trip
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be delivering a keynote address at the Boao Forum for Asia’s annual conference, often touted as Asia’s version of the Davos World Economic Forum.
Forest fires sweep Batam, threatening electrical supply, flights
Even a small spark could ignite a major blaze amid the region’s drying vegetation.
India rice exports hit by Middle East conflict as shipments stall and prices fall
What was expected to be a bumper year for Indian rice exporters – on the back of a strong harvest – has instead been upended by the ongoing war in Iran.
Gas shortages push India’s poor back to wood and coal
It will cause health risks and worsening air quality in highly polluted New Delhi.
Australian petrol stations running dry despite assurances of well supplied market
The government released fuel from its reserve and has 30 days of diesel stored.
Cathay extends Dubai, Riyadh flight suspensions to May 31
It said that it was “monitoring the situation closely and will remain agile”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urges progress in his 'city of the future' project
Official documents and state media have highlighted Xi’s personal role in planning, making decisions and advancing the Xiongan New Area in Hebei.
Iran’s Hormuz pain is China’s yuan gain
TOKYO — Say what you want about the Iranian regime, it’s a master troller in ways for which US President Donald Trump surely didn’t foresee. Nowhere is that more apparent — or potentially impactful — than Iran’s reported plan to showcase the yuan by requiring all oil tankers
Pakistan seeks to mediate peace talks between US and Iran in Islamabad
Pakistan is leveraging close ties with Mr Trump, together with its longstanding bonds with neighbour Iran.
China protests to Japan about Tokyo embassy break-in
BEIJING, March 24 - China has lodged a strong protest and made representations with the Japanese after what it described as a \"forceful break-in\" at its embassy in Tokyo, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Chinese rights lawyer sentenced to 5 years in prison: HRW
The court sentenced Xie Yang to five years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power”.
China’s Xi urges progress in his ‘city of the future’ project
Central Xiongan remains sparsely populated, but the city is targeted for basic completion in 2035.
China's Xi urges progress in his 'city of the future' project
BEIJING, March 24 - Chinese President Xi Jinping made a rare visit to the ambitious Xiongan project still under construction near Beijing, calling on officials to \"throw themselves\" into completing a task on which he has staked his name and legacy.
Fears of plastic bag shortage in South Korea as Iran war disrupts naphtha supply
Manufacturers of govt-regulated garbage bags said they have only about one month of raw material inventories remaining.
Philippines’ Marcos says Mid-East war may spur energy talks with China in disputed sea
The Philippines is also exploring the possibility of sourcing crude oil from Russia.
China complains to Japan about Tokyo embassy break-in
An individual scaled the wall and forcibly entered the Chinese Embassy in Japan.
India warns of misuse risk from cheap weight-loss jabs
The warning comes after patents on semaglutide, the ingredient in weight-loss drugs, expired on March 20 in India.
Japan to drop ‘most important’ tag for China ties
The 2026 Diplomatic Bluebook will instead describe China as an important neighbour.
Japan to drop 'most important' tag for China ties
TOKYO, March 24 - Japan will downgrade its description of ties with China from \"one of its most important\" in an annual diplomatic report, according to a draft reviewed by Reuters, as relations with Beijing worsen.
South Korea’s Lee calls for energy saving campaign, including shorter showers, car curbs
The government is calling on people to use washing machines and vacuums over the weekend.
No tsunami threat after deep 7.6 magnitude earthquake near Tonga
March 24 - A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck near the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey, triggering sirens in the capital though no tsunami was expected.
UN looks to boost food security for Rohingya in Bangladesh
The WFP supports nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Qatar gas terminal bombing will push prices higher for years
On March 19, Ras Laffan, the largest liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal in the world, supplying one-fifth of the world’s super-chilled fuel, was hit by Iranian missiles and drones. The Qatari terminal suffered substantial damage in the strikes – fires were raging across the
With the Iran crisis, has India’s Middle East balancing act hit a roadblock?
Critics note India's pivot to the US and Israel has had its downsides.
Philippines says grounding planes is a ‘distinct possibility’ due to Iran war
The Philippines relies heavily on imported crude, so it’s more exposed to energy shortages.
China dials back on fuel price hikes to 'reduce burden' on drivers
It comes as countries across the region are taking various measures to weather the soaring cost of fuel.
412 million barrels will soon flood oil markets — will it matter?
In the second week of the Iran war – with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, cutting off shipping of 20% of the world’s oil supply – the International Energy Agency announced the largest release of strategic oil reserves in history. Thirty-two countries will sell a
