Asia - South China Morning Post

Sri Lanka began transferring more than 200 sailors from an Iranian vessel to shore on Friday after the ship sought help while anchored outside the country’s waters, as tensions mounted in the Indian Ocean following the sinking of an Iranian warship by a US submarine.

Sri Lanka navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath said the sailors of the IRIS Bushehr were being brought first to the port of Colombo and the ship will later be moved to an eastern port on the island.

“The disembarkation is in...

Asia is bracing itself for another energy shock after a disruption to Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) output sent regional gas prices to their highest level in about three years, exposing what observers say is a dangerous reliance on Middle Eastern fuel supplies.

The increase follows Iran’s drone strikes on Qatar in retaliation for Israeli and US attacks in a widening conflict, alongside a blockade of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a key artery for global oil and gas trade.

Spot LNG...

Malaysia’s football association said ⁠on Friday it ⁠was disappointed by a Court ⁠of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling to partially uphold sanctions on seven footballers who played for the national team using falsified naturalisation documents.

Deportivo Alaves’ Facundo Garces was among seven players banned for ‌a year by Fifa in September after it found that doctored documentation had been used so that they could play in an Asian Cup qualifier for Malaysia against Vietnam last year.

The other...

Indonesia could face a sharp fiscal squeeze if the US-Israel war on Iran pushes oil prices higher, analysts warn, as this risks inflating the country’s fuel subsidy bill at a time when global ratings agencies and investors are already scrutinising Jakarta’s budgetary discipline.

A prolonged war could force policymakers into a difficult choice: maintain fuel subsidies and risk breaching the legal deficit ceiling – potentially unsettling investors further – or cut funding to keep the budget within...

A Malaysian mother who allowed her underage son to drive her car, which later got into an accident claiming three lives, was fined 1,500 ringgit (US$379) by the Magistrate’s Court in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan state.

Magistrate Nurul Azuin Mohd Talhah also ordered 40-year-old Nur Farahidayah A Rahman to be jailed for three months in the event she was unable to pay the fine.

“After considering the guilty plea by the accused, mitigating factors and submissions by parties and the aggravating...

What began as a US-Israeli assault on Iran is rapidly evolving into a conflict with the potential to spread far beyond the Middle East.

Iranian missiles and drones have already struck or reached Turkey and Azerbaijan, while European powers are rushing additional warships, fighter jets and air defences to the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf to contain the fallout.

Analysts warn the longer the war continues, the greater the risk that long-simmering regional fault lines – from Kurdish militancy to...

The Philippines is looking at ways to save on energy as tensions in the Middle East push global fuel costs higher, with the government suggesting people use their air conditioners less and shy away from non-essential travel.

The Southeast Asian nation imports nearly all of its oil requirements and the war in Iran could spur inflation that already hit a 13-month high in February.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration this week ordered government offices to set their air conditioners to...

Reports that Washington could redirect some US military assets from South Korea to the Middle East have stirred unease in Seoul, reviving concerns that a crisis elsewhere could compromise deterrence on the Korean peninsula.

Analysts said a redeployment of missile-defence systems could leave South Korea feeling vulnerable to North Korean “adventurism” and signal Washington’s “shifting priorities and lack of seriousness” towards its Indo-Pacific allies.

Citing a South Korean government official,...

One of Japan’s largest manga publishers is facing mounting backlash after it emerged that a writer convicted of sexually assaulting a minor had continued producing work for the company under a different name.

The controversy has prompted some observers to ask whether Japan’s manga industry is experiencing a belated “#MeToo moment”, as prominent creators pull their works from the publisher’s Manga One digital platform in protest.

Tokyo-based Shogakukan said on Tuesday it would set up a...

With the escalating tensions in the Middle East, there have been flight cancellations, closures of several airports and an increasing fear of flying abroad.

Malaysia’s tourism industry, however, is confident the country’s diversified visitor base will help cushion any potential impact on the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.

The conflict has disrupted thousands of flights, prompting travellers to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach, said Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Nigel...