Here are a few stories from around Asia you may have missed this week.

IEA says oil from emergency stocks to flow immediately in Asia

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has announced that oil from an unprecedented stockpile release will be made available in Asia, where buyers are eager to replace barrels lost due to war-related disruptions in the Middle East. The speed at which supplies hit the market is a key factor that traders are monitoring to assess how effective the effort will be in curbing oil price increases. 

The agency's statement on Sunday followed the receipt of implementation plans for a record 400-million-barrel reserve release announced last week. While supplies for Asia will start flowing immediately, barrels for Europe and the Americas will only become available from the end of March.

Sri Lanka declares Wednesdays off to save fuel

Sri Lanka has implemented a weekly Wednesday holiday for public sector employees starting this week as authorities try to manage the country's limited fuel supplies. 

According to measures announced by the Commissioner General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi, all government schools, universities and courts will also close on Wednesdays. However, this directive will not apply to essential sectors such as healthcare, ports, water supply and customs operations. The commissioner general said that heads of government agencies will have the authority to summon employees for duty on the other four working days of the week based on operational needs.

South Korea may need foreign workers to fill elderly care jobs

South Korea could face a shortage of about 110,000 elderly care workers by 2028, highlighting the importance of expanding the role of foreign caregivers and ensuring they have rights equal to those of local workers, according to a government-funded research institute. 

A report released on Sunday by the Korea Immigration Service Foundation stated that foreign care workers should be integrated into the country's long-term care system, with equal labor protections and increased social acceptance, as the nation faces rapid population aging. The data from the research institute cited in the report shows that approximately 800,000 care workers will be needed nationwide by 2028, while the available workforce is projected to be around 690,000, resulting in a gap of 110,000 workers.

Thailand warns of heatstroke risk as summer begins 

Thailand's Department of Disease Control (DDC) has issued a warning for the public to be extra cautious during the hot season, emphasizing that heatstroke remains a serious health threat that can be deadly, especially for outdoor workers, the elderly and other vulnerable groups. 

Dr. Montien Kanasawat, director-general of the DDC, said on Sunday that data from the Digital Disease Surveillance system reported 182 heat-related illness cases in 2025. More than half of these involved people working outdoors, including soldiers and laborers, highlighting the specific risks faced by those exposed to prolonged heat. The warning comes as Thailand enters summer, which typically lasts from late February to mid-May, bringing higher temperatures and an increased risk of heat-related illnesses.

(Cover: An oil tanker anchored off the shore of Singapore, March 17, 2026. /CFP)