Asia - South China Morning Post

Malaysian users are among victims targeted by a newly uncovered iPhone spyware operation that researchers say was used by multiple threat actors across countries, in a sign that sophisticated mobile-hacking tools are spreading through a murkier commercial and criminal ecosystem.

The spyware, known as DarkSword, was observed targeting entities in Malaysia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and was uncovered by investigators shortly after they exposed another exploit kit, Coruna, linked to the...

The Japanese government said it will start releasing 30 days’ worth of state-held oil from Thursday to cushion the impact on the economy as concerns over supply mount and oil prices soar amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.

On Tuesday, the industry ministry announced that the government plans to sell a total of about 8.5 million kilolitres of oil from 11 storage bases across the country, following the private sector’s release of 15 days’ worth of oil stockpiles last week.

According to the...

Philippine ⁠President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on ⁠Tuesday declared a state of national energy emergency in response to the Middle East conflict and what he called an “imminent danger” posed to the country’s energy supply.

Marcos ‌Jnr said a committee has been formed to ensure the orderly movement, supply, distribution and availability of fuel, food, medicines, agricultural products and other essential goods.

In an executive order shared with media, Marcos Jnr said the conflict had created...

Vietnam is among Southeast Asian countries most hard-hit by the global energy crisis, with Hanoi’s bid to forge deals with Russia this week laying bare its urgency to stem the bleed that may threaten its objective of double-digit economic growth.

Observers also say the fallout in fuel supply caused by the Iran war could even chip away at the legitimacy of Hanoi’s new leadership.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Russia this week reportedly saw the signing of several...

People’s Daily, a mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, has warned Japan that higher military spending and what the newspaper called a looming “defence bubble” will not save an economy weakened by the falling yen and Iran war energy crisis, amid a protracted diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo.

In a Tuesday commentary published under the “Zhong Sheng” pen name – a pseudonym used to voice Beijing’s position on global affairs – the paper said the administration of Japanese Prime...

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing accusations of diplomatic sycophancy after White House footage showed her giggling at a portrait of an autopen – placed by US President Donald Trump in the spot reserved for his predecessor Joe Biden – during summit talks last week.

The clip, posted on the official White House website, shows Takaichi pointing at the framed picture, then laughing and covering her mouth.

It was filmed on the “Presidential Walk of Fame”, a gallery unveiled by Trump...

Singapore authorities warned on Tuesday that involvement in organisations linked to the Israeli military, such as Sar-El, would not be acceptable under current conditions and could attract action under the law.

In a joint media release, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Defence (Mindef) noted that Sar-El’s website states that it is “deeply committed to supporting the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces)”, and its volunteers “work side-by-side with soldiers on IDF bases”.

“Being involved...

He accused the United States of “state terror”. He vowed North Korea would never surrender its nuclear weapons. And yet Kim Jong-un’s address to the Supreme People’s Assembly contained one notable omission: any direct attack on Donald Trump.

That absence was an attempt to leave the door to diplomacy ajar, analysts said, even as North Korea’s supreme leader slammed it shut on the notion that his nuclear-armed nation could be pressured, coerced or subdued like other US adversaries.

“The United...

The Philippines says grounding planes due to a shortage of jet fuel brought on by the war in Iran is a “distinct possibility”, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.

“Several countries have already told our airlines they cannot fuel their aircraft, so they have to carry fuel there and back,” Marcos said in an interview on Tuesday. “Long haul is going to be a much more serious problem.”

Asked whether, inevitably, planes may have to be grounded, Marcos said, “We’re hoping not, but it’s a...

Two years ago, Vina Arazas found her dog’s lifeless body in a sack. The man responsible for beating her golden retriever Killua to death was made to pay a fine of just 1,000 pesos (US$17) – despite his crime being caught on camera and widely shared on social media.

Now, a coalition of animal welfare groups in the Philippines is rallying behind two new bills that would place dedicated animal protection officers in every police station and create a national oversight body for such cruelty...