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Breaking news, analysis and opinion from the SCMP's Asia edition.
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US denies it tried to influence Malaysia’s political leadership in 2014
Published: September 6, 2026 05:40
The US rejected a claim by Malaysia’s opposition Islamist party that Washington once sought to influence the country’s choice of political leadership, calling the allegation false. “The United States has never sought to decide Malaysia’s political…
Young Malaysians brew goal for traditional tuak drink to become national success
Published: September 6, 2026 05:00
At Raffly Langi’s family longhouse in Sarawak, on Malaysian Borneo, the tuak rice wine did not come in a branded bottle or a tasting flight. His aunt has brewed the drink for Gawai, the harvest festival celebrated by Dayak communities, an umbrella term for…
Filipino-Americans rattled by Trump’s migrant-chasing ‘xenophobia’ games
Published: September 6, 2026 04:46
The recent release of classic arcade games on the White House website, which allow players to deport migrants and build a border wall, has stoked more fear and anger among Filipino-Americans, as observers call out the “xenophobic” tactics in US President…
Cold comfort: Japan’s Hokkaido battles cockroach surge amid global warming
Published: September 6, 2026 04:00
In all his five decades of living in Hokkaido, Makoto Watanabe cannot recall ever being confronted by a cockroach. But he admits being alarmed by reports that the despised insects are taking advantage of global warming to gain a foothold in a part of Japan…
Hired, then what? Malaysia’s deaf workers push past entry-level jobs
Published: September 6, 2026 02:00
Yap Yee Lin has been serving espresso at a Starbucks in Malaysia since 2012, longer than many of his colleagues have worked anywhere. But it was only last year, after 13 years with the company, that he was promoted to shift manager at a branch in Kuala…
In an era of extreme summers, it’s time to look beyond air conditioning
Published: September 6, 2026 01:30
The Labour Department recently upgraded its Heat Stress at Work Warning system, making it easier for higher-tier alerts to be sent out, so that employers and workers, especially those who have to work outdoors, can react quickly during very hot weather.…
Viral Jennie clip tests limits of South Korea’s AI deepfake laws
Published: September 6, 2026 00:00
For a few seconds during Blackpink member Jennie’s headline set at Tokyo’s Summer Sonic festival last month, it looked like something had come undone. She turned away from the crowd, adjusted herself and then, the moment was gone. But online, the clip…
Chinese man, Nepali woman found alive 10 days after flood
Published: September 5, 2026 11:10
Rescuers pulled out a 64-year-old Nepali woman alive on Saturday from her home, buried under thick mud and debris when the region was struck by massive flooding 10 days ago, killing over 1,300 people and leaving at least 5,500 missing. Emergency personnel…
Singapore investigates racism related to China-Nepal disaster, Air India investment
Published: September 5, 2026 10:30
Police are investigating “shameful” racist and xenophobic online comments about the China-Nepal disaster and Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) investment in Air India, Senior Minister K Shanmugam said on Saturday. Mr Shanmugam told reporters that the Ministry of…
Philippine Vice-President Duterte-Carpio posts bail over alleged Marcos death threat
Published: September 5, 2026 07:46
Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio posted bail at a Manila courthouse on Saturday, a day after an arrest warrant was issued over her alleged death threat against the country’s president. Duterte-Carpio was charged last month with “grave threats”…
Malaysia’s PAS eyes new pecking order as it rekindles ties with Umno
Published: September 5, 2026 07:04
Malaysia’s biggest Islamist opposition party has used its annual convention to reopen the door to former rival Umno, while signalling that any reunion will come with a new pecking order as the party sets its sights on leading the federal government. The…
Japan, US to advance cooperation on US$550 billion trade deal
Published: September 5, 2026 05:00
Japan and the United States have confirmed they will advance cooperation on investing in strategic sectors and honour the other terms of a trade deal they reached last year, even though President Donald Trump’s tariff policies have changed significantly…
Bangladesh measles outbreak nears 1,000 child deaths as hospital wards overflow
Published: September 5, 2026 03:45
Bangladesh’s deadliest measles outbreak in decades is nearing the grim milestone of 1,000 child deaths, as a devastating epidemic sweeps through the country and crowded hospital wards fill with struggling babies. Cries of sick children and the hiss of…
Southeast Asia’s extreme heat exposes holes in safety net for outdoor workers
Published: September 5, 2026 03:00
When the day heats up, small business owner Chung Kee Wa, 68, changes how he tends his oil palm plantation in Yong Peng, in Malaysia’s southern Johor state. Oil palms younger than three years offer little shade, so he tends them in the early mornings and…
‘Can’t live without fighting’: Myanmar youth find solace in bareknuckle lethwei
Published: September 5, 2026 02:00
In a country consumed by conflict, a sport defined by brutality dominates: Myanmar’s lethwei martial art, where headbutts are encouraged and knockout blows are the aim of the game. “I can’t live without fighting,” said 19-year-old Su Luck, who enters the…
India and Japan swap young workers for expertise to meet each other’s needs
Published: September 5, 2026 01:30
India’s largest-ever business delegation, 200 executives strong, touched down in Japan late last month in search of money, machinery and manufacturing know-how. At its head was Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, whose four-day tour from August 24 to 27 not…
Silver linings: in Southeast Asia, ageing is big business
Published: September 5, 2026 00:00
Helen Fung’s home felt empty. After her husband died last October, she found herself rattling around a house in Singapore with only a domestic helper she could not get along with for company. She turned down her children’s invitations to move to England,…
Thailand suspends building of 49 data centres as resource strain concerns grow
Published: September 4, 2026 13:40
Thailand’s embrace of data centres hit a speed bump after the government suspended construction of 49 server farms as public concerns about the power-hungry facilities’ impact on communities intensify. The projects were halted to give officials time to…
How US military presence spurred Pattaya’s rise into Thailand’s city of pleasure
Published: September 4, 2026 11:32
The Amazon deliveries stopped reaching the USS Abraham Lincoln in February as it entered the conflict zone with Iran. A few weeks later – much to the chagrin of the sailors on board – even that most American of meals, the hamburger, was compromised by…
Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak town as haze pollution level hits 521
Published: September 4, 2026 10:15
Malaysia declared an emergency on Friday in a town in Sarawak state on Borneo Island after air pollution breached the country’s emergency-level threshold linked to fires in neighbouring Indonesia. The Air Pollutant Index in Serian, a small agricultural…
India’s push to secure place in global chip supply has ‘secret weapon’: its people
Published: September 4, 2026 10:09
India is betting big on domestic manufacturing of semiconductors – the microscopic brains that power everything electronic from cars to AI processing – in an ambitious bid to slash imports and boost its local industry. But observers say the country should…
Malaysian prince ‘more than happy’ to pay US$1.6 billion levy linked to Singapore land deal
Published: September 4, 2026 09:15
The son of Malaysia’s king has dismissed a report that a potential tax bill of more than S$2 billion (US$1.6 billion) is complicating his plans to sell 16.6 hectares (41 acres) of land in Singapore, saying he was “more than happy” to absorb levies on both…
South Korea weighs ‘contributions’ to Hormuz as US pressure mounts
Published: September 4, 2026 08:19
South Korea is moving towards the possible deployment of naval assets to the Strait of Hormuz under mounting pressure from Washington, potentially making it one of the first US allies to contribute militarily to the strategically vital waterway, observers…
Sara Duterte faces arrest warrant for threatening Philippines’ Marcos, his wife
Published: September 4, 2026 07:58
A Philippine court on Friday ordered the arrest of Vice-President Sara Duterte in connection with a criminal case accusing her of making threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, the first lady and a former House speaker. A trial court issued a…
2 US sailors sent back to Abraham Lincoln warship after drunken Pattaya fight
Published: September 4, 2026 07:37
Two sailors from the US aircraft carrier making a port call to Thailand were sent back to the ship after a drunken altercation, Thai police said on Friday. Police were alerted to a “small scuffle” involving the sailors in the early hours of Thursday near…
Philippines’ Duterte-Quiboloy ties on show at world’s largest arena launch
Published: September 4, 2026 07:09
The presence of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest son at the opening of detained televangelist Apollo Quiboloy’s 75,000-seat Kingdome stadium this week offered a striking display of how ties between the Duterte family and the Kingdom…
Snow in Malaysia? Viral highway fun dampened by soapy truth
Published: September 4, 2026 05:44
A “wintry wonderland” on a highway in tropical Malaysia left motorists awestruck – until a police revelation melted away the viral moment and turned it into a road safety warning. Social media videos showed thick white foam carpeting several lanes of the…
2 trapped workers rescued alive from Nepal tunnel 9 days after floods
Published: September 4, 2026 04:51
Two hydropower workers were pulled from a tunnel buried by debris in Nepal on Friday, more than a week after catastrophic flooding swept through the area, government ministers said. Rescuers cheered as one man was pulled from a muddy opening, video…
Malaysia arrests 6 over drugs supplied to pilot caught with Ecstasy pills in Jakarta
Published: September 4, 2026 03:02
Six Malaysian men have been detained in connection with a drug smuggling case involving a 39-year-old Malaysia Airlines pilot detained at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia. The six were arrested following information obtained during…
US wants foreign warships for its navy. Japan is hoping to be picked
Published: September 4, 2026 02:30
Japan’s Mogami-class warship is turning out to be a hot item among global navies. Australia is buying 11, New Zealand is considering putting in an order – and now, even the United States is showing interest. According to a US Naval Institute report…
‘Point of grievance’: Philippines urged to rethink school safety approach
Published: September 4, 2026 00:00
As pressure mounts in the Philippines for authorities to act on strengthening school security after two fatal shootings in eight weeks, safety experts say any measure must look at mitigating violence much earlier, even before a child brings a weapon to the…
Mercury-bound spacecraft on home stretch of nearly decade-long voyage: ‘brilliant moment’
Published: September 3, 2026 17:29
Two Mercury-bound spacecraft left their mother ship behind on Thursday and headed down the home stretch of their nearly decade-long voyage to the solar system’s smallest and closest-to-the-sun planet. The linked European and Japanese spacecraft separated…
Over 1,700 Indonesians get food poisoning after eating state-issued free meals
Published: September 3, 2026 13:56
Another 777 students and teachers contracted food poisoning in Indonesia’s Central Java after consuming government-issued free meals, a school principal said on Thursday, bringing the total number of people made ill by the scheme to more than 1,700 in…
Orangutan in Indonesia dies after exposure to haze fires, abnormalities in lungs
Published: September 3, 2026 12:29
An adult male orangutan found struggling to breathe in a palm oil plantation on Indonesia’s Borneo died hours after being rescued, authorities said on Thursday. The orangutan, named Sampurna and believed to be around 20 years old, was found by residents on…
India targets weapons self-reliance with fully local assault rifle
Published: September 3, 2026 11:00
India is touting its locally manufactured AK-203 Sher assault rifle – an advanced version of Russia’s powerful Kalashnikov – as an important milestone for the “Make in India” initiative to reduce reliance on foreign-made weapon systems. The Sher, or Tiger,…
‘Nepal is not closed’: tour operators battle flood fallout, urge visitors to return
Published: September 3, 2026 10:00
Rajendra Lama’s phone has barely stopped buzzing. In between coordinating rescue operations for flood survivors with the Nepal Mountaineering Association and running his travel company, he spends his days communicating with anxious tour groups, trying to…
For India, Bangladesh’s talk of joining ‘Islamic Nato’ raises red flags
Published: September 3, 2026 09:27
Bangladesh’s potential entry into a defence pact with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan could give Dhaka fresh leverage in its dealings with India, but observers warn the move risks fracturing its long-standing strategic neutrality and alarming a hawkish…
South Korean police seek tycoon behind K-pop supergroup BTS to be indicted
Published: September 3, 2026 09:21
South Korean police are pushing for an indictment of music tycoon Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of the agency behind K-pop supergroup BTS, over alleged investor fraud. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency referred Bang to the Seoul Southern District…
US military’s cyber unit plan threatens South Korea’s diplomatic balancing act
Published: September 3, 2026 08:00
The potential deployment of an American army specialist unit capable of integrated operations across domains, including cyberspace, to South Korea could further reorient the US military’s role on the peninsula from deterring North Korea towards containing…
US$1.6 billion levy complicates sale of Singapore land by Malaysian king’s son
Published: September 3, 2026 07:43
A Malaysian royal’s plan to sell a tract of land in the heart of Singapore faces a complication: a tax bill that may exceed US$1 billion. A levy known as a land betterment charge has emerged as a sticking point in negotiations between some prospective…
Luxury homes in Singapore’s largest money laundering case hit the auction block
Published: September 3, 2026 06:03
Another 14 luxury condominium units and a grade A office at Suntec Tower One forfeited in connection with Singapore’s largest money laundering case will be put up for sale at auctions this month. The properties, located in prime areas such as River Valley…
Meet the other OFWs offering humorous takes on ‘crazy’ life in Philippines’ Makati
Published: September 3, 2026 04:30
Young professionals in Makati City are humorously redefining OFW as “overworked” or “on-site” Filipino workers, parodying the high costs and urban convenience of Metro Manila’s premier financial district. In the Philippines, OFW generally refers to…
From gym workouts to shopping, Thailand’s friend-for-hire does it all for a fee
Published: September 3, 2026 01:42
“Friend-for-hire” services have started taking off in Thailand as the country’s social landscape changes with an ageing population and a rise in the number of unmarried people. The service is a new type of gig work in which people are paid to act as…
Japan goes on student suicide watch as school term starts
Published: September 3, 2026 01:30
Sayoko is watching her 13-year-old son more closely than he probably realises as he settles into his first year of junior high school in Yokohama. He is keeping up with his classes and is fortunate to be popular because of his sporting prowess. But Sayoko,…
New Zealand ‘must never be seen as a proxy’, former PM Helen Clark warns
Published: September 3, 2026 00:00
Helen Clark spent nine years running New Zealand and eight more running the United Nations’ development arm. Now, the former prime minister has a warning for the country she once led: do not let the scramble for Pacific security deals crowd out its…
Vietnam arrests deputy minister over probe into huge bribes
Published: September 2, 2026 15:24
Vietnamese police arrested a deputy health minister on Wednesday for allegedly accepting huge bribes, part of an investigation into a company accused of smuggling medical equipment, authorities said. Vietnam has pursued a high-profile anti-corruption…
Can Singapore be the ‘natural choice’ to bridge Asean and Central Asia?
Published: September 2, 2026 14:06
Singapore is positioning itself as a bridge between Central Asia and Asean, as both regions increasingly look to each other amid growing disruption to global trade and intensifying superpower rivalry. The political appetite exists, but analysts say trade…
Indonesian wildfire haze forces 1.4 million students to move to online learning
Published: September 2, 2026 12:01
About 1.4 million students in six Indonesian provinces had shifted to online learning due to poor air quality triggered by forest and land fires, an official said on Wednesday. As of September 2, around 1.43 million students from 12,874 schools in six…
China’s US$10.8b trade short cut: new Pinglu Canal prepares to supercharge Asean shipments
Published: September 2, 2026 12:00
Aptly dubbed the Pinglu 001, the first command and management vessel for the Pinglu Canal was delivered on Monday and will soon enter service as China prepares to open the strategic waterway designed to support surging trade with Southeast Asia. The…
Has India’s Modi found new mediator clout after talks with Putin, Iran?
Published: September 2, 2026 11:35
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian leader Masoud Pezeshkian at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit have put the spotlight on New Delhi’s ability to mediate major conflicts.…
Hello, sailor: Thailand’s Pattaya rolls out welcome mat for USS Abraham Lincoln crew
Published: September 2, 2026 11:20
At Risa’s Massage, Fai cancelled her holiday to be at work this week; suitmaker Tito has laid on a made-in-24-hours special for US Navy visitors and hawker Pui is aiming to sell 15 watches in the five days the USS Abraham Lincoln will be in Pattaya. On…
India defies Iran war oil shock to keep 8% growth on track
Published: September 2, 2026 09:34
India’s stronger-than-expected first quarter growth has bolstered analysts’ confidence that it can sustain its momentum through the rest of the financial year and remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy – even as it remains exposed to high oil…
How the SCO chips away at US power without an alliance system
Published: September 2, 2026 08:30
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was born 25 years ago as a modest mechanism for managing borders between China, Russia and four Central Asian states. At its anniversary summit in Bishkek this week, it looks more consequential – and harder for…
Indonesia investigates reports of 8 citizens fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine
Published: September 2, 2026 08:17
Indonesia on Wednesday said the government was ascertaining reports that eight of its citizens who applied for civilian jobs allegedly ended up fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration and…
South China Sea island build-up heightens Vietnam’s security concerns
Published: September 2, 2026 08:00
Vietnam faces heightened security in the South China Sea amid reports of construction works in the Paracels archipelago – which Beijing calls Xisha Islands – with analysts saying that the latest developments could alter the strategic balance in the…
Malaysian under fire for competing at transgender beauty pageant in Thailand
Published: September 2, 2026 07:43
The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) will summon a Malaysian participant in the Miss Equality World 2026 pageant in Thailand for questioning, following the circulation of social media posts. In a statement on Tuesday, Jakim director general…
Former Malaysian minister arrested in state haj fund corruption probe
Published: September 2, 2026 07:37
A former Malaysian minister has been remanded for five days as part of an anti-corruption inquiry into the management of the country’s state haj fund. The suspect, who is in his sixties, was detained at about 4.30pm on Tuesday after he went to the…
Southeast Asia’s scam gangs regroup after Cambodia’s purge
Published: September 2, 2026 06:19
Cambodia says it has flushed out a scam industry estimated to have stolen tens of billions of US dollars last year alone, but a string of arrests in recent days suggests the gangs behind it may have simply changed address. Scam centres proliferated across…
Flood-hit Nepal urges tourists to return: ‘our mountain trails are waiting for you’
Published: September 2, 2026 05:05
Nepal urged international travellers not to abandon the Himalayas, declaring the country open for tourism as it continues to assess the human and economic toll from catastrophic floods that killed hundreds and left thousands missing. “Our mountain trails,…
Malaysian heritage site caught in row over non-local staff
Published: September 2, 2026 05:03
Images of a migrant worker apparently guiding visitors around one of Kuala Lumpur’s best-known heritage sites have triggered a backlash in Malaysia, with critics asking why locals were not hired instead. The row erupted after photos and video circulated…
Singapore jails Indian man who hid US$154,000 diamond in mouth during heist
Published: September 2, 2026 01:48
A thief was sentenced to 26 months and two weeks’ jail on Tuesday for his role in a Singapore Chinatown diamond heist. He had hidden a custom-made fake gem in his mouth, switched it for the real diamond and concealed the genuine stone the same way.…
Japan’s deadliest delicacy is getting more dangerous
Published: September 2, 2026 01:30
Japan’s most dangerous delicacy is getting harder to prepare safely as warming seas push different pufferfish species into the same waters, where they are inbreeding to produce hybrids whose lethal toxins are not yet fully understood. Fugu – the collective…
North Korea’s next ruler? Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Seoul’s spies say
Published: September 2, 2026 00:00
North Korea has never named her, confirmed her age or acknowledged her as Kim Jong-un’s heir. Yet South Korea’s spy agency says the evidence is now unmistakable: his daughter Kim Ju-ae has “effectively” become the successor-in-waiting. The assessment,…
Trump’s North Korea hope, US revokes visas, China’s rocket force: 7 global relations reads
Published: September 1, 2026 14:00
We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering global relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump says he plans to meet Kim Jong-un this year,…
Philippine capital’s ‘acutely unhealthy’ air due to Indonesian haze spurs warnings
Published: September 1, 2026 12:43
Smoke from Indonesian wildfires blanketed Manila on Tuesday, turning fires nearly 2,000km (1,242 miles) away into a public-health warning for the Philippine capital and reviving concerns over Southeast Asia’s recurring transboundary haze problem. The haze,…
As rice output falls, Malaysia looks to China’s ‘2 yields, 1 land’ model
Published: September 1, 2026 11:08
Malaysia is looking to China’s rice-prawn farms as a model to extract more from its shrinking paddy land as a slide in rice self-sufficiency has left it increasingly reliant on imports from its Southeast Asian neighbours. The experiment is also part of an…
Philippines’ Jollibee eyes Hong Kong over US to list international unit
Published: September 1, 2026 10:47
Philippine fast food giant Jollibee Foods Corp said on Tuesday it was planning to spin off and list its international operations on the Hong Kong stock exchange, abandoning earlier plans of a US listing. Jollibee Foods said it was progressing in…
UK-Philippines troop deal to boost Nato’s South China Sea reach
Published: September 1, 2026 09:31
A proposed troop access deal between the Philippines and Britain marks the latest step in Manila’s drive to draw more European and like-minded powers into its efforts to safeguard the free flow of trade through the South China Sea and neighbouring…
Thailand jails activist over royal motorcade live streaming
Published: September 1, 2026 08:28
A Thai court has sentenced a 25-year-old activist to two years in prison for violating the country’s strict royal insult law, a rights group said, with her lawyer on Tuesday vowing to appeal. A criminal court convicted Tantawan Tuatulanon on Monday over a…
Trump’s US visa pause; elephant’s 100km trek home; rise of SEA-pop: 7 Asia highlights
Published: September 1, 2026 07:40
We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Why US visa pause could…
Malaysian police smash cross-border drug ring, seize US$1 million of meth disguised as tea
Published: September 1, 2026 07:34
Malaysian police have crippled a cross-border drug syndicate with the seizure of 86.2kg of methamphetamine worth 4.31 million ringgit (US$1 million) in Penang and Selangor. The bust resulted from intelligence sharing between Malaysian and Thai police after…
‘Aloof’ but engaged: what India’s SCO comeback reveals
Published: September 1, 2026 07:19
Two years ago, Narendra Modi skipped the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) summit in Astana entirely, sending his foreign minister instead. That absence was redressed first at last year’s summit in Tianjin and again this week in Kyrgyzstan, where…
Japan relaxes overtime rules under workaholic Takaichi: ‘unacceptable shift’
Published: September 1, 2026 06:47
Japan eased overtime regulation starting on Tuesday in a move meant to help spur economic growth but criticised as a relapse into the country’s ingrained workaholic culture. The move comes after the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi – a…
Japan bear project aims to show coexistence, not culling, can prevent attacks
Published: September 1, 2026 05:42
As a sensor sounded, scientist Akiko Takii hurried to a bear trap deep in the forests of Nagano in Japan, where rising nationwide attacks have brought fear and resulted in the culling of thousands of the animals. “It’s a small bear, I think, about a year…
South Korea sets record US$600 billion budget, backed by chip windfall
Published: September 1, 2026 04:18
South Korea on Tuesday unveiled its most aggressive financial spending plan on record, setting total government expenditure for 2027 at 821 trillion won (US$600 billion) to strengthen the country’s technological edge amid the global AI race. In its annual…
Australia’s biggest property downturn since pandemic threatens economic growth
Published: September 1, 2026 03:18
Australian home prices fell for a fifth month in August in the biggest downturn since the pandemic, and there is further pain ahead as stubborn inflation puts upward pressure on interest rates. Figures from property consultant Cotality released on Tuesday…
South Korea’s top presidential aide resigns following cabinet reshuffle
Published: September 1, 2026 02:15
South Korea’s chief presidential policy adviser has resigned, the presidential Blue House said on Tuesday, after President Lee Jae Myung reshuffled his cabinet and senior aides amid a drop in his approval rating. Kim Yong-beom was a key adviser to Lee on…
Thailand’s Pattaya pins hopes on arrival of 5,000 US sailors to boost tourism
Published: September 1, 2026 02:00
After more than 250 days at sea fighting the war on Iran – and amid reports of dire conditions on board – the USS Abraham Lincoln is finally set to dock near Pattaya this week, giving more than 5,000 American sailors and Marines shore leave as the Thai…
Nepal floods: meet the principal whose quick thinking saved 900 students
Published: September 1, 2026 01:26
Rajendra Dawadi was inside his classroom when a colleague rushed in with a warning: floodwaters were racing through Nepal’s Trishuli Valley, tearing apart homes, bridges and entire villages. Then a teacher received another warning by phone. Moments later,…
US Treasury’s Bessent calls on Japan to boost yen through interest rate hikes
Published: September 1, 2026 00:47
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he believes Japan’s government and central bank will take action that leads to a stronger yen, signalling a strong chance of a Bank of Japan (BOJ) interest rate hike in September. The remarks to CNBC on Monday…
Bullying mayor ousted as Japan’s voters reject political abuse
Published: September 1, 2026 00:00
Yokohama’s mayor has become the latest local official in Japan to be forced from office by scandal, as analysts say voters are no longer willing to look the other way. Takeharu Yamanaka reportedly called his staff “human trash” and told a senior official…
India needs to make up its mind about economic ties with China
Published: August 31, 2026 21:30
As India prepares for the Brics summit less than two weeks away, relations with China are warming up. On July 22, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the East Asia Summit; five days later,…
In flood-hit Philippines, ‘out of touch’ Marcos slammed for private birthday serenade
Published: August 31, 2026 15:00
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s birthday serenade for his wife might have been a private gesture, but as floodwaters overwhelmed much of Luzon – the country’s largest and most populous island and home to the capital Manila – a viral clip of him…
India rejects ruling on water-sharing treaty with Pakistan by international court
Published: August 31, 2026 14:50
India must uphold a water-sharing treaty with Pakistan it suspended amid bilateral tensions and must limit work on a hydroelectric plant it is building in the Kashmir region, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said on Monday. India in April…
How a tree in Hanoi points to flowering of dissent among Vietnam’s Gen Z
Published: August 31, 2026 10:30
A tree in Hanoi has become a symbol of how Vietnam’s Gen Z views its country – but it is not the enviable growth story sold by the government. Tree 55 on Nguyen Huy Tu Street – now dubbed the “Justice Tree” – was buried under bouquets earlier this month.…
Singapore to invest US$173m over 3 years to boost fintech innovation
Published: August 31, 2026 10:03
Singapore will commit S$220 million (US$173 million) over three years to boost its fintech sector, including co-funding at least 1,000 internships in a strong push to build talent for AI and other emerging technologies. The funds come under the latest…
Singapore may require social media firms to set daily time limits for teens
Published: August 31, 2026 09:27
Singapore plans to introduce legislation early next year requiring social media platforms to roll out stronger safeguards for teens, including possibly setting a daily time limit, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo has said. If…
Hong Kong and Singapore property shrug off fund tax breaks
Published: August 31, 2026 08:30
The long-standing rivalry between Asia’s two leading financial centres is heating up. As Hong Kong and Singapore compete harder for investment talent, tax incentives for fund managers have emerged as the new battleground. A government bill working its way…
South Korea’s Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja jailed 2 years for bribing officials
Published: August 31, 2026 07:22
A South Korean court sentenced the leader of the secretive and powerful Unification Church on Monday to two years in prison on charges of bribing officials, including the then president’s wife. Han Hak-ja, 83, was accused of providing luxury items,…
Malaysia’s air quality turns hazardous as Indonesian wildfires burn
Published: August 31, 2026 07:10
Air pollution in Malaysia’s Bornean state of Sarawak has surged into hazardous territory, with the air pollutant index (API) topping 400 in the worst-hit district, as forest fires raging in Indonesia continue to send thick smoke drifting across the border.…
Indonesia-US joint military drills with allies kick off with 4,700 soldiers
Published: August 31, 2026 07:01
Indonesia, the United States and more than a dozen allies launched annual joint military exercises on Monday to boost defence capabilities and “deter aggression” in the Asia-Pacific region. Jakarta maintains a neutral foreign policy, what it calls “free…
Malaysian state’s cash handouts for teen weddings triggers backlash
Published: August 31, 2026 05:46
A proposal in Malaysia’s Perak state to pay young people 500 ringgit (US$124) for marrying for the first time has triggered a backlash after officials confirmed the scheme could apply to children as young as 15. Critics say extending the state-funded…
Pakistani nurse to be honoured for saving newborn from deadly hospital fire
Published: August 31, 2026 04:37
A Pakistani nurse who rescued the sole surviving newborn from a hospital nursery fire that killed 14 other infants will receive one of the country’s most prestigious civil awards. Fire engulfed Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, a major government…
Asean urged to take on Big Tech after Meta’s record payout
Published: August 31, 2026 04:29
Calls are growing for Asean to collectively crack down on Big Tech platforms that spread scams and harmful content, spurred on by Meta Platforms’ landmark US$18 billion US settlement last week. Meta agreed on Wednesday to enact sweeping changes to…
Seoul district offers foreigners multilingual help to navigate South Korean rental market
Published: August 31, 2026 03:56
Navigating the intricacies of South Korea’s residential real estate market is notoriously complex even for long-time local residents. For the country’s steadily growing international population, however, steep language barriers, unfamiliar administrative…
Nepal floods: could foreign rescue teams have been brought in earlier?
Published: August 31, 2026 02:45
The Nepalese government has appealed for rescue aid from other countries just two days after it reportedly refused help, as several hundred people are still believed to be trapped in hydropower tunnels and thousands remain missing following the…
Japan opposition alliance on brink of collapse after merger talks stall
Published: August 31, 2026 02:03
Japan’s centrist opposition alliance stood on the brink of falling apart on Monday, with sources saying members who joined from the Komeito party just months ago could leave the group. The development follows the collapse of talks on the incorporation by…
Small state, big agenda: Singapore prepares to steer Asean through crisis
Published: August 31, 2026 00:00
Every bloc needs a chair capable of getting things done – and Southeast Asia watchers say that description fits no country better than Singapore. The city state will get the chance to prove it in the bloc’s 60th anniversary year, after it takes the Asean…
Orangutan rescued from Borneo fire battles respiratory illness
Published: August 30, 2026 13:38
On Sunday morning, Jais, a farmer in Ketapang, West Kalimantan on Borneo island – the province hardest-hit by raging forest fires – was en route to his farm when he found an orangutan writhing on the ground in a weak state on a palm-oil plantation near…
Malaysia’s Anwar unveils cost of living measures as opposition rises
Published: August 30, 2026 10:39
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday introduced measures to address rising living costs and support businesses, including restoring higher quotas for subsidised petrol and diesel purchases, as well as more funding for schools and small…
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