Asia - South China Morning Post

Rescue teams including navy divers in Bangladesh have recovered 24 bodies from a bus that plunged into a river at a ferry crossing, officials said on Thursday.

The bus sank into the deep waters of the Padma river in Goalanda on Wednesday, about 65km (40 miles) west of the capital Dhaka. It had around 50 passengers on board, many of whom managed to escape.

A fire service report said that 24 bodies, including those of five children, had been recovered by midday on Thursday.

Some were pulled out by...

As the Iran war reshapes West Asian geopolitics, Pakistan has unexpectedly emerged as a backchannel mediator between Tehran and Washington, potentially sidelining India’s efforts to assert itself as a credible global diplomatic actor.

India, despite its growing partnerships with the US, Israel and the Gulf states, has been absent from any meaningful conflict-resolution initiative on Iran.

Umer Karim, a political science researcher at the University of Birmingham, said India’s strengthening...

For the second year in a row, Asia’s vulnerability to global shocks is a source of concern. Almost exactly a year since US President Donald Trump launched his assault on the global trading system, the external dependencies of leading Asian economies have once again dimmed the outlook for the region.

Early last year, analysts were worried about Asia’s heavy reliance on exports to the United States. Morgan Stanley pointed out that seven of the 10 countries running the largest trade surpluses with...

A man and woman caught engaging in a sexual act at the Batu Gantung Chinese Cemetery in Penang, Malaysia, have each been jailed for a year.

M. Jegathesan, 58, and Halila Abu Bakar, 37, pleaded guilty to committing the offence when the charges were read to them at the Magistrates’ Court in George Town at about 8.30am on Thursday.

Magistrate Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi sentenced both of them to 12 months’ imprisonment under Section 377D of the Penal Code for gross indecency in a public place.

In...

A visit by a top American official to India this week has raised expectations that bilateral defence ties are getting “back on track” amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

But analysts warn that both sides are unlikely to reach full agreement on New Delhi’s energy and security concerns, while the US-Israeli war against Iran could unsettle the relationship.

Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India would play a central role in...

A joke made on a major US talk show has triggered backlash just as BTS prepares for a high-profile American television return – prompting a swift apology from a comedian caught at the centre of the controversy.

Seth Herzog, a resident comedian on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, came under fire after making an improvised remark during a Wednesday taping.

While warming up the audience, Herzog asked, “Anyone here from the North?” – a line reportedly intended as a general question about...

As the US-Israeli war on Iran continues, China’s top legislator, Zhao Leji, has told the Boao Forum for Asia – a high-level gathering of governments and business leaders – that power politics should be rejected in favour of economic development and conflicts should be resolved through negotiations.

“The people of Asia, having endured the scourge of war and chaos, deeply understand the value of peace and stability,” said Zhao, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s...

“I hardly drink at all – one or two glasses of beer at most.”

Kim Min-ha, a 21-year-old student at Sookmyung Women’s University, recently headed to a cafe with fellow club members after a meet-up. They each ordered one of the newly released drinks and chatted for a while before parting ways.

On the rare occasions that they do go out for beer, only a few actually order alcohol. Kim said the gatherings usually start at 6pm and end around 8 or 9pm.

Kim’s experience reflects the growing spread of...

Japan should consider sending warships to help jointly secure the Strait of Hormuz with other nations and protect both its own vessels and those of other nations – even before a ceasefire, according to a former top national security adviser.

A special measures law would be needed to enable such a move, going beyond what Japan has done in past geopolitical conflicts, said Akihisa Nagashima, who served as a national security adviser to the predecessor of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The former...

Singapore is delaying a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) levy that airline customers were meant to start paying next month, citing the surge in fuel costs spurred by the Iran war.

Additional charges will now begin on October 1 as a result of the “impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on airlines and passengers”, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said on Wednesday.

The amount charged will depend on the class of travel or length of flight, and could total as much as...