Asia

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded a five‑day diplomatic tour of Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar on April 26, underscoring Beijing’s push to strengthen strategic partnerships across Southeast Asia amid intensifying great‑power competition. • Analysts quoted in regional reports said Wang’s visit aimed to counterbalance growing US influence by reinforcing economic and security cooperation, including support for infrastructure and connectivity projects under the Belt and Road Initiative. • Wang affirmed China’s commitment to ASEAN centrality in regional affairs and pledged continued dialogue on maritime disputes in the South China Sea, while also offering political backing to military‑backed governments such as Myanmar’s junta.

• Asia-Pacific's cross-border payments market, valued at $13.5 trillion in 2025, is forecast to surge to $24 trillion by 2033, fueled by QR payments and digital adoption.• Thailand ranks second in regional economic optimism, supporting robust growth in transaction volumes across Southeast Asia.• Expansion driven by e-commerce boom and fintech innovations enhances trade efficiency in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.• Regulators eye next steps in harmonizing standards to sustain projected CAGR amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Democrat led Hawaii from 1973 to 1986, coinciding with the party’s rise to power in the stateGeorge R Ariyoshi – Hawaii’s former governor and the nation’s first Asian American governor – has died at age 100.Ariyoshi, a Democrat who led the state from 1973 to 1986, died peacefully while surrounded by family on Sunday night, according to a statement Monday from the current governor, Josh Green. Continue reading...

Shipments of fuel into Australia secure until at least the middle of May, energy minister saysFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia could get more fuel from the US, Mexico or its Asian neighbours, with a new government policy helping refineries bid for oil shipments as diesel prices spike to new record highs.Anthony Albanese is flying to Singapore on Thursday to lock in ongoing petrol supplies from our biggest source of refined fuels. On his way out of Australia, the prime minister confirmed that the government had used new powers to extend assistance to Ampol and Viva refineries, with Canberra to underwrite their efforts to buy new shipments of oil on the open market. Continue reading...

Federal government chases supply guarantees from countries including Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan amid Iran warGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAsian trading partners have reassured Australia that the “normal supply” of fuel will continue amid the Middle East conflict, as the government prepares to intensify efforts to avert shortages of petrol and diesel.The federal government has been chasing supply guarantees from countries including Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan as the Iran war and closure of the strait of Hormuz wreaks havoc on the global oil market. Continue reading...

From farms in New Zealand to factories in Delhi, the affects of the oil crisis triggered by the Iran war are rippling across Asia Continue reading...

• Asian equity markets surged following signals from Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian indicating willingness to pursue a ceasefire with the United States, with Trump stating military action could conclude within two to three weeks. • South Korea's Kospi jumped 8.1% to 5,461.51, Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 4.5% to 53,352.96, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 2% amid improved investor sentiment. • The geopolitical shift triggered broad rallies across Asia-Pacific exchanges including Australia's ASX 200 climbing 2% and Taiwan's Taiex jumping 4.4%.

South Korea will delay the shutdown of coal-fired plants, while the Philippines also plans to boost the output of its coal-burning plantsGovernments across Asia are ramping up their use of coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, as they try to cover huge energy shortfalls triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.The move has triggered warnings from climate experts who point to coal’s devastating environmental impact, and say the energy crisis should be a wake up call for governments to invest in renewables, which can offer a more stable supply that is not exposed to price shocks. Continue reading...

As the original event faces discord and boycotts on its 70th anniversary, Bangkok will host the inaugural spin-offEurovision is seeking to expand into the Asian market by hosting a version of its song contest in Bangkok this year, just as the original annual event is being buffeted by discord and boycotts on the eve of its 70th anniversary edition.The grand final of the inaugural Eurovision song contest Asia will take place in Thailand’s capital on Saturday 14 November, the Switzerland-based organisation announced on Tuesday. Broadcasters from 10 countries have confirmed their participation. Continue reading...

• Asian stock markets declined sharply as geopolitical tensions persisted, with South Korea's Kospi dropping 3.4%, Japan's Nikkei 225 falling 1.2%, and Taiwan's Taiex losing 2.2%, erasing year-to-date gains for some indexes. • Oil markets remained elevated with Brent crude holding near $113 per barrel and US benchmark crude at approximately $103, marking a surge of more than 40% since the Iran conflict began five weeks ago. • A reported drone strike on a Kuwaiti oil tanker and ongoing regional attacks reinforced supply security concerns, keeping markets highly sensitive to geopolitical developments despite signals the US may seek conflict resolution.

Noelia Castillo, 25, has struggled with psychiatric illness since she was young and tried to kill herself in October 2022A Spanish woman who spent months fighting her father for the right to euthanasia after being sexually assaulted and becoming paraplegic is expected to end to her life on Thursday.Noelia Castillo, 25, has struggled with psychiatric illness since she was a teenager and tried to kill herself in October 2022 after being sexually assaulted. The attempt left her in constant pain and using a wheelchair. Eighteen months later, she used Spain’s euthanasia law – which was introduced in 2021 – to secure permission to end her life.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Energy minister says war on Iran creating ‘uncertain environment’ but insists government doing ‘all the preparatory work’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSix oil ships bound for Australia have been cancelled in recent days but the federal government is not yet considering any drastic measures, the energy minister, Chris Bowen, says.Bowen said on Sunday that six ships from Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea, that had been expected to arrive next month, were cancelled or deferred. The federal government was working to replace the ships, with some already substituted, the minister told ABC TV. Continue reading...

• U.S. stock markets closed lower Thursday as an energy shock continued weighing on investor sentiment, with the S&P 500 falling 0.27%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 0.44%, and the Nasdaq Composite declining 0.28%. • Commodity-linked stocks experienced severe selloffs: gold fell 4.94%, aluminum dropped over 5%, mining shares plummeted with Hycroft Mining sliding 12.4% and Century Aluminum falling 10.3%. • Asian markets showed mixed performance Friday, with South Korea's Kospi rising 0.6% and China's Shanghai Composite edging 0.2% higher, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 0.6%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.5%, and Taiwan's Taiex declined 0.2%, with Japan's markets closed for a holiday.

Governments in countries heavily reliant on Middle Eastern oil introduce measures to shield public from soaring costsMiddle East crisis – live updatesIn Thailand, news anchors ditched their jackets on air as the government called on the public to reduce their use of air conditioning to save energy. In the Philippines, many government workers are now operating on a four-day week. In Vietnam, officials have urged employers to allow staff to work from home.Across south-east Asia, governments are scrambling to find ways to conserve energy and shield the public from soaring costs as war in the Middle East causes what the International Energy Agency has described as the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. Continue reading...

From fuel caps to four-day work weeks, the Middle East conflict has left the world’s top crude oil importing region desperate to shore up suppliesDonald Trump has scrambled in recent days to reassure the world that the economic impact of his war on Iran can be contained.Sure, one of the most important waterways in global trade has, in effect, been shut for almost two weeks – but it might reopen before long. In the meantime, US oil-related sanctions on “some countries” will be lifted. And besides, the entire conflict could be over soon. Continue reading...

ByteDance is assembling high-end Nvidia chip clusters outside China, partnering with Southeast Asian firms for black-white computing systems in Malaysia to fuel AI development, reported March 13, 2026. The Wall Street Journal detailed efforts to bypass US export restrictions. This expansion supports TikTok parent’s global AI ambitions amid geopolitical tensions. US regulators monitor for compliance.