https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/3/feed Breaking news, analysis and opinion from the SCMP's Asia edition. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Sam Beltran Sam Beltran US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday proposed a new US-Asean defence framework to guide cooperation over what he called “critically important years” ahead, but offered few details on what it would entail. The proposal faces questions over whether members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will embrace a bloc-wide initiative, with analysts suggesting they would prefer bilateral arrangements that preserve their flexibility as they navigate ties with Washington and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372484/hegseth-pitches-us-asean-defence-framework-will-it-be-hard-sell https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372484/hegseth-pitches-us-asean-defence-framework-will-it-be-hard-sell Wed, 28 Oct 2026 15:45:41 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim In a rare move, Singapore on Wednesday summoned top executives from 10 locally registered companies potentially linked to haze-causing fires in Indonesia to a meeting with three ministers. The executives all agreed to cooperate fully in an investigation by the city state into the regional environmental crisis that has caused air quality to dip to “very unhealthy” levels earlier this month. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Senior Minister K. Shanmugam and Minister for Sustainability and the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3372479/not-find-scapegoats-singapore-ministers-summon-bosses-10-firms-over-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3372479/not-find-scapegoats-singapore-ministers-summon-bosses-10-firms-over-haze Wed, 28 Oct 2026 14:51:30 +0000 Reuters Reuters Hundreds of people permanently living aboard a touring cruise ship were forced to disembark in Cambodia this week after the vessel’s operator said fuel price increases from the Iran war had made operations prohibitively expensive. The Villa Vie Odyssey had been cruising the world for at least ‌755 days as one of only a handful of ships that offered passengers the opportunity to rent or buy long-term or even permanent residences on board. On Tuesday, the ship’s owner, Villa Vie Residences,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372472/cruise-ship-suspends-global-voyage-cambodia-over-fuel-prices-hundreds-disembark https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372472/cruise-ship-suspends-global-voyage-cambodia-over-fuel-prices-hundreds-disembark Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:50:34 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Rising ketamine abuse and a series of major drug seizures in Indonesia have fuelled calls for tighter controls on the substance, but a proposed reclassification has raised concerns that tougher penalties could further strain the country’s overcrowded prisons. Last week, Indonesian police and customs officials intercepted the Mongolian-flagged vessel MT Global 168 in the Malacca Strait, seizing 1.16 tonnes of ketamine hydrochloride packed in 58 sacks. National police chief Suyudi Ario Seto said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3372468/indonesia-weighs-tighter-ketamine-controls-amid-surge-seizures-abuse-cases https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3372468/indonesia-weighs-tighter-ketamine-controls-amid-surge-seizures-abuse-cases Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:26:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Philippines is in talks with Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States to store oil in the fuel-import-dependent nation, in a bid to hedge against fuel price spikes driven by the Iran war. The Southeast Asian nation, which imports nearly all ‌its energy needs, also planned to increase diesel and gas-fired power output to make up for an estimated 60 per cent decline in hydropower and 20 per cent fall in solar output in the first half of 2027 due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, Energy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372455/philippines-holds-oil-storage-talks-saudi-arabia-russia-us https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372455/philippines-holds-oil-storage-talks-saudi-arabia-russia-us Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:12:33 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Japan’s push to expand industrial and port cooperation with Bangladesh could transform the South Asian country into a regional trade gateway, analysts say, connecting markets in Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific while diversifying Dhaka’s economic ties. The plan was announced during Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official visit to Japan this week. Rahman welcomed Tokyo’s pledge of US$6 billion in investment over the next five years, which could help revive an economy hit by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372449/japans-us6-billion-port-plan-aims-revive-bangladeshs-bruised-economy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372449/japans-us6-billion-port-plan-aims-revive-bangladeshs-bruised-economy Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:24 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China said it would seek India’s help to “maintain peace and stability in the border areas” after new stand-offs in a long-disputed region threatened to undermine improved relations. “We hope that India will work with China in the same direction by jointly implementing the common understandings between the two sides,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a daily media briefing on Monday. China “strictly abides by the relevant agreements”, he said. Guo also said that China... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372433/china-seeks-indias-help-defusing-border-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372433/china-seeks-indias-help-defusing-border-tensions Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:13:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia’s national broadcaster ABC called on the far-right One Nation party on Wednesday to stop using children’s TV character Bluey in its political cartoons. Bluey is the popular star of an Australian cartoon series featuring canines navigating childhood and parenting in the suburbs. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party has come under fire for a 2024 political cartoon depicting Bluey driving a car over an Australian politician. That cartoon in particular has come into the spotlight since a man... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372420/stop-using-bluey-australian-broadcaster-tells-pauline-hansons-far-right-party https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372420/stop-using-bluey-australian-broadcaster-tells-pauline-hansons-far-right-party Wed, 28 Oct 2026 07:36:24 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is up against it in next month’s Melaka state poll, as his ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition risks yet another electoral wipeout at the hands of its federal partner Umno. The two are competing head-to-head in nearly all of the 28 state assembly seats up for grabs on November 14, in a contest widely seen as favouring an incumbent state administration led by the United Malays National Organisation’s Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. Whether BN holds onto... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372413/melaka-avoiding-another-umno-rout-anwars-best-hope https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372413/melaka-avoiding-another-umno-rout-anwars-best-hope Wed, 28 Oct 2026 07:17:37 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia will still lose tens of billions of ringgit to the 1MDB scandal even after further overseas asset recoveries, its second finance minister said on Wednesday, as disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak prepares to move to house arrest. Najib has been imprisoned since 2022 following his conviction for corruption and money laundering tied to SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The sovereign wealth fund was co-founded by Najib in 2009 during his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372408/malaysia-still-deep-1mdb-red-najib-heads-home https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372408/malaysia-still-deep-1mdb-red-najib-heads-home Wed, 28 Oct 2026 06:51:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysian customs said on Wednesday ⁠that it ⁠had seized about 49.5 ⁠million ringgit (US$12 million) worth of advanced artificial intelligence chips this month, as authorities close in on a syndicate suspected of smuggling high-performance semiconductors through the country’s main airport. Malaysia imposed export controls last year on the movement of advanced AI chips of US origin, following pressure from the United States to stem their flow into China. On October 15, authorities found 30 server... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372404/malaysia-seizes-smuggled-ai-chips-worth-us12-million-kuala-lumpur-airport https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372404/malaysia-seizes-smuggled-ai-chips-worth-us12-million-kuala-lumpur-airport Wed, 28 Oct 2026 06:30:31 +0000 CNA CNA A Singaporean behavioural therapist who was repeatedly hit in the face by a four-year-old boy with special needs grabbed his hand and dragged him off his chair and onto the floor. Tricia Lee Hsien, 29, was fined S$5,000 (US$3,900) by a court on Wednesday. She pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to a minor. The prosecution sought only a fine, saying this was an “exceptional case” as the harm caused was low and the woman’s culpability was low in this isolated act of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372397/singapore-court-fines-behavioural-therapist-hurting-autistic-boy-who-hit-her https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372397/singapore-court-fines-behavioural-therapist-hurting-autistic-boy-who-hit-her Wed, 28 Oct 2026 05:50:33 +0000 Anand Mathai,Johannes Nugroho Anand Mathai,Johannes Nugroho Yosafat Menteng travelled from Kalimantan on Indonesia’s Borneo island with five fellow students to join Wednesday’s protest in Jakarta against the government’s handling of forest fires that have blanketed parts of Indonesia and neighbouring countries in toxic haze. Back home in Palangka Raya, one of the worst-affected cities by the haze, he heads the students’ council at the University of Palangkaraya’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. “We in Kalimantan strongly urge the government to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372390/indonesia-deploys-hundreds-security-staff-ahead-jakarta-student-protests https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372390/indonesia-deploys-hundreds-security-staff-ahead-jakarta-student-protests Wed, 28 Oct 2026 04:43:14 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju India has emerged as a major exporter of ammunition and other weapons to Europe since the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russia war, but analysts caution that New Delhi has yet to secure a lasting foothold in Europe’s defence market. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh cited a Bloomberg report last Friday stating that India had become the third-largest arms exporter to Europe under the “ReArm Europe” initiative – also known as Readiness 2030 – largely because of ammunition demand. Bloomberg, citing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372348/can-india-turn-wartime-ammo-sales-lasting-european-defence-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372348/can-india-turn-wartime-ammo-sales-lasting-european-defence-ties Wed, 28 Oct 2026 04:30:07 +0000 The Star The Star A total of 2,097 Malaysian police officers and personnel have been arrested for drug-related offences, robbery and corruption between 2021 and August this year, according to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. Of the total, 1,551 were arrested for drug offences, 64 for robbery and 482 by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Saifuddin Nasution said in a written parliamentary reply to Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng on Tuesday that the drug-related arrests were made under the Dangerous... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372385/over-2000-rogue-malaysian-police-officers-arrested-past-5-years https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372385/over-2000-rogue-malaysian-police-officers-arrested-past-5-years Wed, 28 Oct 2026 04:06:56 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is bracing for a more unpredictable ally in Washington, as the US midterm elections threaten to deepen political gridlock and complicate Tokyo’s long-term security calculations, analysts say. Observers warn that post-election political battles, ranging from a possible repeat of impeachment proceedings to the mounting legal battles ensnaring the administration of US President Donald Trump, risk diverting the White House’s attention from foreign policy and its long-standing commitments to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372360/will-us-midterm-battles-blind-washington-asia-japan-isnt-taking-any-chances https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372360/will-us-midterm-battles-blind-washington-asia-japan-isnt-taking-any-chances Wed, 28 Oct 2026 03:00:21 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Parents in Japan are taking an increasingly active role in their children’s lives – helping them find marriage partners, navigate job hunting and secure housing – as the line between parental support and personal decision-making continues to blur. In a practice known as “proxy matchmaking”, parents attend social events armed with photos and profiles of their children, hoping to find suitable marriage partners through conversations with other parents. The Association of Parents of Marriage... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372372/cradle-career-japanese-parents-take-over-dating-job-hunting-children https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372372/cradle-career-japanese-parents-take-over-dating-job-hunting-children Wed, 28 Oct 2026 02:58:21 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ferocious winds and torrential rain lashed India’s southeastern coast as Cyclone Arnab made landfall on Wednesday, forcing nearly 100,000 people to evacuate their homes in two states, authorities said. Arnab hit Andhra Pradesh as a “very severe cyclonic storm”, with winds of 125-135km/h (78-84 mph) and gusts reaching 150km/h, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. A storm surge of 1.5 to 2.5 ‌metres (5-8 feet) above normal tide is very ⁠likely to ⁠inundate low-lying areas of the state... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372365/100000-evacuated-india-cyclone-arnab-makes-landfall-southeast-coast https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372365/100000-evacuated-india-cyclone-arnab-makes-landfall-southeast-coast Wed, 28 Oct 2026 01:58:16 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Immigration restrictions, rising living costs and strains in US-India relations are testing support for President Donald Trump among some Indian-Americans who backed the Republican Party in 2024, analysts say, ahead of November’s midterm elections. A survey released in August by AAPI Data and Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote found that 66 per cent of Indian-American respondents favoured Democratic candidates for the US House of Representatives, compared with 18 per cent for Republicans.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372349/why-indian-american-support-trump-slipping-midterms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372349/why-indian-american-support-trump-slipping-midterms Wed, 28 Oct 2026 01:30:12 +0000 Mengzhen Liu,Ziya Guo Mengzhen Liu,Ziya Guo Manila sent two strikingly different messages to Beijing on October 13. At the Malacanang Palace, a presidential spokeswoman reaffirmed Manila’s commitment to sustaining diplomatic and economic ties with China, saying “China needs the Philippines, and the Philippines needs China”. That same day, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr rejected a call for military-to-military communication with China, a move that received public support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Teodoro... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3372147/manila-speaks-2-voices-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3372147/manila-speaks-2-voices-china Wed, 28 Oct 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo More than 1,000 people are still taking shelter in evacuation centres, awaiting temporary housing three months after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture, damaging their homes. The quake occurred at 4.27pm on July 28. As of Monday, the death toll stood at 38 – 36 from confirmed disaster-related causes and two suspected to be disaster-related – bringing the number of casualties to 420. Evacuation centres remain open at 21 locations in seven cities and towns. In... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372363/over-1000-still-japan-shelters-3-months-after-kumamoto-quake-exhausted-all-time https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372363/over-1000-still-japan-shelters-3-months-after-kumamoto-quake-exhausted-all-time Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:56:31 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea wants to take back wartime command of its troops from the United States within the next two years, but analysts say Washington is refusing to commit to a date to keep a hold on a military it sees as vital to countering China. The dispute is over wartime operational control, known as OPCON, which the US has held since shortly after the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950. If fighting were to break out again under the current arrangements, designated South Korean units would be assigned... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372297/why-us-reluctant-give-south-korea-wartime-control-its-troops https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372297/why-us-reluctant-give-south-korea-wartime-control-its-troops Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:21 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has retained its core executive team in what is seen as a cautious approach despite pledges of renewal, with observers pointing to ministerial promotions as a better indication of leadership plans. The PAP emerged from an internal election on Sunday with an unchanged slate for the Central Executive Committee (CEC), its highest decision-making body, as rising ministers Jeffrey Siow and Jasmin Lau failed to secure seats, though four remaining co-opted... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372335/why-singapores-pap-internal-vote-wrong-place-look-signs-leadership-renewal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372335/why-singapores-pap-internal-vote-wrong-place-look-signs-leadership-renewal Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:11:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indonesia and Singapore are looking to set up a joint task force to deal with haze from Indonesia’s wildfires, the countries’ foreign ministers said on Tuesday, as they met to reaffirm their ties after weeks of simmering tensions. The visit to Jakarta by Singapore Foreign Minister ‌Vivian Balakrishnan came amid mounting frustrations in the city state over the transboundary haze generated by Indonesia’s most intense forest fires in 11 years. After a two-hour meeting, Singapore and Indonesia’s top... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372331/singapore-indonesia-plan-create-haze-task-force-share-data-amid-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372331/singapore-indonesia-plan-create-haze-task-force-share-data-amid-tensions Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:52:04 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A 50-million-peso (US$780,000) bounty for information leading to the arrest of fugitive Philippine senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has raised questions over the Marcos administration’s ability to enforce the law against high-profile political figures, with analysts warning the move risks making Manila appear weak and reactive. Dela Rosa, who served as national police chief under former president Rodrigo Duterte, faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for alleged crimes... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372324/philippines-bounty-bato-dela-rosa-exposes-marcos-dilemma-duterte-feud https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372324/philippines-bounty-bato-dela-rosa-exposes-marcos-dilemma-duterte-feud Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:00:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters A court in India has ordered the ⁠takedown of an online documentary posted by Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire Gautam Adani of cronyism, after Adani Enterprises sued, calling it defamatory. Adani’s flagship firm, Adani Enterprises, told the High Court in the eastern city of Kolkata that the documentary, which garnered millions of views on social media in recent days, was riddled with false content and had prompted ‌inquiries from some... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372312/indian-court-orders-documentary-modi-tycoon-adani-removed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372312/indian-court-orders-documentary-modi-tycoon-adani-removed Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:55:27 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia could gain critical defence technology, investment and export opportunities through a new multi-nation defence pact with Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan, but analysts warn its success hinges on turning high-level ambition into concrete projects. The four Muslim-majority nations signed the Badr Memorandum of Understanding in Doha on Wednesday. The agreement outlines a framework for defence “cooperation and integration” across joint research and development, training exchanges and industrial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372306/indonesias-4-nation-defence-pact-strategic-coup-or-paper-tiger https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372306/indonesias-4-nation-defence-pact-strategic-coup-or-paper-tiger Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:30:06 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The collision of two Philippine Air Force training aircraft that killed four pilots has raised questions about whether the service’s training, maintenance and safety systems can keep pace with Manila’s ambitions to acquire more advanced combat aircraft. The crash, which occurred during a fly-by rehearsal at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas province, south of Manila, on Friday has renewed calls for a comprehensive review of the Air Force’s ageing fleet, pilot instruction, maintenance... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372299/air-force-crash-revives-debate-philippine-militarys-modernisation-limits https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372299/air-force-crash-revives-debate-philippine-militarys-modernisation-limits Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:45:50 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk South Korea’s embrace of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs appears particularly pronounced among younger adults, with roughly one in six Gen Z respondents reporting they had used or been prescribed the medication in 2025, according to a new report. The 2026 Korea Wellness Report, released by KB Financial Group on Sunday and cited by The Korea Times, surveyed 2,000 men and women aged 25 to 69 between July and August. Across all age brackets, the overall uptake stood at 10.3 per cent. Gen Z adults – defined... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3372283/1-6-gen-z-south-koreans-took-glp-1-slimming-drugs-last-year https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3372283/1-6-gen-z-south-koreans-took-glp-1-slimming-drugs-last-year Tue, 27 Oct 2026 08:07:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters A bus fitted out ⁠with oxygen tanks is ⁠providing a sanctuary in a ⁠city on Indonesia’s Borneo island, where people are choking from forest-fire-induced haze and the blazes show no sign of letting up. Indonesia regularly battles seasonal forest fires, predominantly on Sumatra and Borneo islands, but this year the infernos are the most intense in ‌more than a decade. An intense El Nino weather phenomenon has driven up temperatures, leaving the country’s vast forests and peatlands more vulnerable... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372274/indonesias-oxygen-bus-offers-breather-residents-choking-toxic-haze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372274/indonesias-oxygen-bus-offers-breather-residents-choking-toxic-haze Tue, 27 Oct 2026 07:32:10 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung has been urged by critics to play the latest instalment in the blockbuster Call of Duty video game franchise to better appreciate the need for defences against an invasion by the North. The call from opposition lawmakers follows the release on Friday of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, a first-person shooter depicting a full-scale surprise attack by North Korea on the South. Players fight North Korean troops as Park Hyun-jun, a private in the South Korean... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3372272/south-koreas-president-urged-play-call-duty-war-wake-call https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3372272/south-koreas-president-urged-play-call-duty-war-wake-call Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:58:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse As the sun sets over Fiji’s tiny Serua Island, its climate-threatened inhabitants soak in one of the reasons they have rejected attempts to relocate their village – the “US$100 million views”. The island looks like a utopia from the mainland, two steep palm-covered knolls sandwiching its low-lying centre, flanked by coral reefs and rich fishing grounds. But it is on the island itself that the risk from rising seas becomes clearer, with a concrete sea wall providing the only defence against waves... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372264/fiji-islanders-brave-rising-seas-protect-their-us100-million-views https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372264/fiji-islanders-brave-rising-seas-protect-their-us100-million-views Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:14:35 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof More than one in 10 Malaysian men have borrowed money to pay for dates, while nearly six in 10 usually pick up the entire bill, a survey has found. The findings come as rising living costs place a financial strain on romance in Malaysia, where money worries are increasingly complicating plans for marriage and starting a family. According to the Dating Expenditure Survey in Malaysia, released on Tuesday by independent policy research firm LEGASI Research, 13.2 per cent of male respondents... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372261/price-romance-young-malaysian-men-borrow-fund-dates-study-finds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372261/price-romance-young-malaysian-men-borrow-fund-dates-study-finds Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:08:46 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The estranged half-brother of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has called their father a “disgusting monster” after handing over a trove of alleged child abuse material belonging to their shared parent to police in the Philippines. The four boxes containing mobile phones, computer equipment and other personal belongings were handed over to the Philippine National Police’s Women and Children Protection Centre last week by Thomas Markle Jnr, who was previously his father’s full-time carer. Markle... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3372251/disgusting-monster-meghan-markles-dad-slammed-son-amid-philippine-police-probe https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3372251/disgusting-monster-meghan-markles-dad-slammed-son-amid-philippine-police-probe Tue, 27 Oct 2026 05:11:53 +0000 SCMP SCMP 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. Filipinos split on Marcos’ sea handling amid row over Chinese envoy’s remarks Filipinos are almost evenly divided over the Marcos administration’s handling of the maritime dispute with China, even as nearly three in four favour diplomacy over confrontation, according to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:30:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean medical drama Doctor X: Mafia in White has become the latest target of political controversy over how fictional works portray history, after a National Assembly petition demanded a halt to its airing over its depiction of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. The petition, posted on Saturday on the National Assembly’s petition website, calls for a review of the drama’s production and a halt to its broadcast. It has gathered the 100 supporters required to be made public. The petitioner said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372238/south-korean-drama-doctor-x-triggers-fresh-row-over-gwangju-uprising-depiction https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372238/south-korean-drama-doctor-x-triggers-fresh-row-over-gwangju-uprising-depiction Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:02:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Myanmar citizen living in Denmark on Monday filed a complaint with Danish authorities against the country’s ruling military junta for alleged war crimes committed against minorities. The complainant, Ngun Siang Dim, who is from the Chin minority, claims she saw 40 houses burn down in her village in Chin State, in western Myanmar, and that several members of her family and friends were killed or left permanently disabled by landmines laid by the junta. The military junta “has done so many... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372230/myanmar-refugee-denmark-demands-justice-over-junta-war-crimes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372230/myanmar-refugee-denmark-demands-justice-over-junta-war-crimes Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:03:05 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain A decision by Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Indonesia to jointly develop and produce weapons systems marks a major push to reduce reliance on Western armaments that come with political strings attached, observers say. Following the signing of the Badr memorandum of understanding in Doha on Wednesday, the four governments separately said they would work towards integrating their defence industries and supply chains to meet military needs. “By leveraging the capabilities of each country in the field... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372228/why-are-turkey-pakistan-qatar-and-indonesia-joining-forces https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372228/why-are-turkey-pakistan-qatar-and-indonesia-joining-forces Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:23:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Pentagon has assigned the USS Colorado as the first US nuclear-powered attack submarine to join a rotating force to be based in Western Australia. The 115-metre (380-foot) Virginia-class submarine, armed with land-attack missiles and sophisticated torpedoes, would sail to the new Australian base in late 2027, officials said on Tuesday. The deployment was a “significant milestone” in building up a joint US-Australia-UK deterrence in the Pacific under their Aukus defence pact, the allies said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372225/australia-host-uss-colorado-first-us-nuclear-submarine-under-aukus-pact https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372225/australia-host-uss-colorado-first-us-nuclear-submarine-under-aukus-pact Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:25:06 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan In parts of Southeast Asia, unsold homes are piling up as developers struggle to clear housing stock – yet young buyers hoping to land their first property still cannot find an affordable home. The paradox reflects a growing mismatch between the homes being built and what aspiring buyers can afford, according to analysts, who point to speculative investment, financing hurdles and poor locations as factors leaving properties empty even amid demand for affordable housing. In Vietnam, the problem... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372208/southeast-asias-housing-paradox-too-many-homes-too-few-buyers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372208/southeast-asias-housing-paradox-too-many-homes-too-few-buyers Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Jim Au Yeung Jim Au Yeung A Singaporean woman pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiring with a friend and the friend’s boyfriend to abuse four-year-old Megan Khung, and helping to dispose of the child’s body after she died following months of abuse. Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi, 36, pleaded guilty to three charges, including conspiracy to commit child abuse, intentional disposal of a corpse and methamphetamine consumption, The Straits Times reported. Three further charges for conspiracy to commit child abuse will be considered when... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3372195/singaporean-woman-admits-conspiring-abuse-megan-khung-disposing-her-body https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3372195/singaporean-woman-admits-conspiring-abuse-megan-khung-disposing-her-body Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:40:38 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines faces the highest climate-driven port damage costs in Southeast Asia, with annual losses projected to hit US$70.2 billion by 2100, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned. Analysts say the damage could cripple supply chains, drive up food prices and threaten livelihoods, urging Manila to adopt a more coordinated approach to flood protection rather than simply strengthening port infrastructure. In its latest report titled “Asia-Pacific Climate Report 2026: Coastal Risks on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372185/climate-damage-philippine-ports-could-cost-us70b-year-2100 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372185/climate-damage-philippine-ports-could-cost-us70b-year-2100 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:46:33 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Indonesia has defended its decision to cut natural gas exports to Singapore, citing domestic electricity and industrial needs and arguing that the reduction remains within contractual limits. The cuts came days after Indonesia’s energy minister warned that his country could stop exports to nations that “did not respect” it. On Monday, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia defended the reduction of 31 million standard cubic feet per day in pipeline gas exports to Singapore, saying it represented about... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372181/indonesia-defends-singapore-gas-cuts-cites-rising-domestic-needs-and-contractual-limits https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372181/indonesia-defends-singapore-gas-cuts-cites-rising-domestic-needs-and-contractual-limits Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:44:13 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea earned US$116.63 billion more from the world than it spent in the second quarter of this year – exceeding the combined current account surpluses of Germany and Japan for the first time on record. The current account measures a country’s trade and income with the world. It counts goods and services sold abroad, money earned on overseas investments and payments flowing the other way. A surplus means more foreign currency is coming in than going out. Surging demand for semiconductors... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372150/ai-chip-surge-lifts-south-korea-record-surplus-behind-only-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372150/ai-chip-surge-lifts-south-korea-record-surplus-behind-only-china Mon, 26 Oct 2026 08:39:38 +0000 Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos For decades, China was one of the world’s largest sources of migrant labour. Its workers staffed factories at home and built infrastructure abroad. But demographic decline may eventually force China to contemplate a striking reversal: importing workers on a meaningful scale. That change is not imminent. China still has a vast labour force and substantial youth unemployment. It is investing heavily in industrial automation, extending working lives through a gradual increase in the retirement age,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371970/china-may-well-be-next-big-competitor-asian-migrant-labour https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371970/china-may-well-be-next-big-competitor-asian-migrant-labour Mon, 26 Oct 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian ruler is demanding accountability over the mismanagement of a pilgrimage fund, after a government rescue package, criminal proceedings against former officials and half-hearted reforms have fuelled concerns about political influence in an institution entrusted with the savings of millions of the country’s Muslims. Tabung Haji holds the savings of more than 9.8 million depositors and helps Malaysian Muslims finance and undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca, a religious obligation for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372160/fed-malaysian-sultan-rebukes-scandal-hit-pilgrimage-fund-demands-accountability https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372160/fed-malaysian-sultan-rebukes-scandal-hit-pilgrimage-fund-demands-accountability Mon, 26 Oct 2026 08:28:02 +0000 dpa dpa Sydney’s new multibillion-dollar airport has already confused some travellers, with passengers mistaking the new facility for the Australian city’s existing airport and even booking flights to the wrong side of the country. Western Sydney International Airport, which opened at the weekend after decades of planning, is about 60km (37 miles) from the city centre, compared with just 8km for the existing Kingsford Smith Airport. The new airport operates around the clock, while most passenger flights... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372145/australia-sydneys-second-airport-blows-some-passengers-course https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3372145/australia-sydneys-second-airport-blows-some-passengers-course Mon, 26 Oct 2026 07:40:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The villagers who first spotted the five baby orangutans in a casuarina forest in India in early September were puzzled by their reddish hair and unfamiliar faces. The three males and two females, aged six to eight months – were left on a plantation in eastern India’s Odisha, over 2,700km (1,700 miles) from their native rainforests in Borneo and Sumatra, evidence of a growing illicit trade of apes being trafficked into India. They are now at an Indian zoo, where keepers reportedly have been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372133/discovery-baby-orangutans-india-exposes-booming-illegal-pet-trade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3372133/discovery-baby-orangutans-india-exposes-booming-illegal-pet-trade Mon, 26 Oct 2026 07:06:05 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele The death of a 21-year-old delivery rider at an underground gig in Malaysia, now being investigated as murder, has highlighted concerns over crowd safety and regulatory flaws in the country’s independent live music scene, industry players say. Police reclassified the case on Sunday, four days after the man died from head injuries sustained at the gig in the southern state of Melaka, where the event was reportedly held without the necessary permits and local authority approval. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3372143/suspected-murder-man-malaysian-underground-gig-raises-safety-concerns https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3372143/suspected-murder-man-malaysian-underground-gig-raises-safety-concerns Mon, 26 Oct 2026 06:53:49 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda, who used ⁠his brief period ⁠in office to seek ⁠closer ties with Asian neighbours, particularly China, has died at the age of 90, according to the Nikkei business daily on Monday. The Japanese politician, the first son of a prime minister to become one ‌himself, died on Thursday from heart failure, the Nikkei reported. Following news of his death, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed “deep sorrow” when speaking to reporters in Tokyo, praising him as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372141/former-japanese-prime-minister-yasuo-fukuda-known-seeking-china-ties-dies-90 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3372141/former-japanese-prime-minister-yasuo-fukuda-known-seeking-china-ties-dies-90 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 06:37:40 +0000