https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325309/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rains and flooding along Mexico’s Pacific Coast from Hurricane Simon and Tropical Storm Rachel have left five people dead, authorities said Monday. The El Nino phenomenon, characterised by rising water temperatures in the Pacific, is fuelling a more intense hurricanes this season in the region. Simon claimed the life of a 71-year-old man who “died when a wall collapsed in Chilpancingo” in the southern state of Guerrero, Governor Evelyn Salgado said during the daily presidential press... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370651/2-dead-10-missing-hurricane-and-tropical-storm-hit-mexico?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370651/2-dead-10-missing-hurricane-and-tropical-storm-hit-mexico?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 22:23:52 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Indian factories, smelters and households are being hit by blackouts and rising energy costs as the impact of plunging coal stockpiles at the country’s power stations ripples through the economy. The weakest monsoon since 2015 has curbed hydropower output, while hotter-than-normal weather has buoyed demand for air conditioning and farm irrigation. That has seen coal-fired power stations, which supply about two-thirds of India’s electricity, rapidly burn through their inventories. Smaller... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3370592/indian-homes-factories-hit-hours-blackouts-amid-more-demand-coal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3370592/indian-homes-factories-hit-hours-blackouts-amid-more-demand-coal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:13:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indonesian authorities and conservation workers have successfully moved eight ⁠orangutans to a safe ⁠location after the endangered ⁠primates’ homes were destroyed by wildfires in the forests of Borneo. The Southeast Asian nation is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, mainly on Sumatra and Borneo islands, and the ‌government has warned the blazes could continue until November, aggravated by the El Nino weather pattern. Three mother-child pairs and two adolescent male orangutans were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3370526/indonesia-finds-orangutans-saved-wildfires-new-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3370526/indonesia-finds-orangutans-saved-wildfires-new-home?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 02:42:54 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia is facing renewed pressure to clamp down on its companies over their alleged links to forest fires abroad, as recurring haze from Indonesia continues to disrupt schools and daily life despite years of regional efforts to tackle the problem. On Thursday, Malaysia ordered schools to close across several states, including Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and the Rompin district in Pahang, while sporting events scheduled for the weekend were cancelled. The latest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370388/malaysia-urged-police-its-firms-indonesia-haze-shuts-schools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3370388/malaysia-urged-police-its-firms-indonesia-haze-shuts-schools?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Oct 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Environmentalists and academics have voiced concerns over the omission of a systemic heat-health action plan in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and latest policy address, warning that relying on “common sense” is failing to protect vulnerable residents from rising temperatures. Their comments came as new research from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) found that extreme heat might have contributed to as many as 3,238 excess deaths in the city over 10-year study period. In response to the South... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3370406/lack-heat-action-plan-leaves-hong-kongs-vulnerable-residents-risk-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3370406/lack-heat-action-plan-leaves-hong-kongs-vulnerable-residents-risk-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Oct 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma The Hong Kong Observatory issued an amber rainstorm warning on Sunday evening, with the signal remaining in place for more than two hours. The weather forecaster issued the alert – the lowest level in a three-tier warning system – at 8.20pm and cancelled it at 10.30pm. “A few squally thunderstorms are expected to occur over Hong Kong,” a spokesman for the Observatory said in the evening. Showers would be heavy at times. The forecaster also warned that intense gusts reaching 70km/h (43mph) could... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3369718/hong-kong-issues-amber-rainstorm-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3369718/hong-kong-issues-amber-rainstorm-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:05:38 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg For Ajay Kumar Chutani, whose family has run a sari shop in the north Indian market town of Karnal since the 1970s, the months after the monsoon are always his busiest. During these cool weeks, he sells enough lengths of silk and embroidered cotton to tide him over the leaner seasons, as farming families prepare for weddings and the frenetic festival season. This year, after erratic rains through the wet season and the country’s weakest rainfall since 2015, Chutani is keeping a close eye on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369432/indias-erratic-monsoon-plays-havoc-harvests-raising-fears-spending-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369432/indias-erratic-monsoon-plays-havoc-harvests-raising-fears-spending-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:00:58 +0000 Reuters Reuters Standing water ⁠in Thailand’s capital is expected ⁠to clear within three days if there is no additional rainfall, the government has said, as flag carrier Thai Airways struggled to resume regular services following heavy rain and flooding. The ‌cabinet would discuss long-term plans to address flooding and recovery measures on Tuesday, government spokesman Ekkapob Pianpises told a news briefing on Tuesday. Bangkok was hit by around 320mm (12.6 inches) of rain over two to three days last week,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369161/one-bangkok-flood-battle-after-another-thai-airways-races-clear-baggage-backlog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369161/one-bangkok-flood-battle-after-another-thai-airways-races-clear-baggage-backlog?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 06:33:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Residents of Mexico’s Baja California Sur state boarded up homes and workers hauled dirt and rubble to shore up embankments as Hurricane Polo bore down on the peninsula on Monday, threatening high winds, floods and mudslides. Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo could still bring torrential rain to parts of Hawaii even as the storm edged away from the state. In Mexico’s Puerto San Carlos, a fishing town of about 5,700 people, some feared high tides and pounding waves from Polo could breach barriers and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3369107/mexico-could-see-life-threatening-floods-due-hurricane-polo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3369107/mexico-could-see-life-threatening-floods-due-hurricane-polo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 15:53:00 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones A Thai man who zipped a jet ski across flooded Bangkok streets received a suspended jail sentence on Monday for causing a public nuisance after he used the capital – where tens of thousands of households remain submerged – as a backdrop for social media content. The stunt, widely shared on social media on Sunday evening, became a conduit for public anger over both the handling of the flood response and how climate calamities are experienced unevenly in the capital of one of Asia’s least equal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3369083/thai-mans-jet-ski-stunt-fuels-anger-unequal-bangkok-poor-hit-hardest-floods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3369083/thai-mans-jet-ski-stunt-fuels-anger-unequal-bangkok-poor-hit-hardest-floods?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:20:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rescue teams on Monday searched for a dozen people swept away by an avalanche that killed at least four on a Nepalese mountain during severe weather. Rescuers from the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, which is leading the efforts, said they recovered two more bodies on Monday in addition to two others who were found on Sunday. The tragedy happened at Mount Himlung, a 7,126-metre (23,380-foot) peak in north central Nepal. Twelve people were missing. Eight experienced mountain guides... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369014/avalanche-nepals-himlung-mountain-leaves-2-workers-dead-14-missing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369014/avalanche-nepals-himlung-mountain-leaves-2-workers-dead-14-missing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 05:11:12 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan This year’s haze crisis has added to the heat woes squeezing livestock farmers in Malaysia and Indonesia as they struggle to keep their animals cool, fed and productive. While it is difficult to separately assess the effects of haze-related smoke from heat, water shortages, feed and disease, farmers and industry groups say the cumulative strain is severely affecting animal health, productivity and their finances. In Selama, Perak, poultry keeper Zaiful Zakaria, 42, had begun installing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368925/chickens-malaysia-are-producing-fewer-eggs-haze-leading-cause?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368925/chickens-malaysia-are-producing-fewer-eggs-haze-leading-cause?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Around 100,000 ornamental koi carp ready for sale were swept away after heavy rain caused by a typhoon breached some levees at a lake in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, it has been revealed as authorities assess the widespread damage to local farming and fisheries. Typhoon Dujuan, which approached the region about a week ago, inundated rice paddy fields and other farmland while flooding facilities where carp and eels were being cultivated near Lake Imbanuma in northern Chiba. Kenji Tani, who runs... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368986/japanese-carp-farm-loses-100000-nishikigoi-typhoon-dujuan-flood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368986/japanese-carp-farm-loses-100000-nishikigoi-typhoon-dujuan-flood?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:49:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Deep floodwaters in Bangkok drove thousands of residents into shelters as others scrambled to buy groceries or dry out their homes on Sunday after days of heavy rain inundated markets, roads, and residences. Pedestrians in plastic rain ponchos waded through murky knee-deep water in the Thai capital, some venturing into a supermarket while others floated their belongings in plastic tubs. “People cannot get out of their homes. We are running out of food, so I came out to purchase some,” Aduenan... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3368955/bangkok-flood-warnings-came-too-late-thais-say-worst-flood-15-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3368955/bangkok-flood-warnings-came-too-late-thais-say-worst-flood-15-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 10:57:27 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Bangkok residents stranded by neck-deep floodwaters on Sunday appealed for clean water and food, as Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short a diplomatic trip to the United Kingdom to monitor the response amid growing criticism online. In the worst floods to hit the Thai capital in 15 years, life has ground to a standstill in parts of the city since Friday evening, prompting the town hall to declare a disaster in all 50 districts. Days of incessant rains that overwhelmed Bangkok’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368937/bangkok-floods-trap-residents-pm-anutin-cuts-uk-trip-short-tackle-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368937/bangkok-floods-trap-residents-pm-anutin-cuts-uk-trip-short-tackle-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 07:37:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Heavy rain and strong winds battered the northeastern US on Saturday as an unusually powerful autumn storm intensified, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and leaving tens of thousands of people without power. New York, Boston and Philadelphia were all in the firing line of the “nor'easter” – so labelled for its northeasterly winds – as authorities warned of potential major flooding and road closures. “This storm is expected to bring major coastal flooding to the mid-Atlantic coast... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368922/powerful-storm-pummels-northeast-us-rain-and-high-winds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368922/powerful-storm-pummels-northeast-us-rain-and-high-winds?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 22:17:40 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Entire Bangkok neighbourhoods were inundated on Saturday as the city government declared a flood disaster after the worst rains in years overwhelmed the Thai capital, submerging roads, cars and forcing thousands to leave their homes. Bangkok is flood-prone, especially during the monsoon season, but waters rarely linger for long. Nonetheless, the city’s drainage is notoriously ill-equipped to handle storm bursts as it struggles to cope with waters that have reached at least two feet (60cm) and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368898/thailands-bangkok-declares-flood-disaster-across-city-thousands-flee-homes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368898/thailands-bangkok-declares-flood-disaster-across-city-thousands-flee-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 09:02:20 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh Hong Kong deserves credit for its first five-year plan, accompanied by a detailed policy address. The plan establishes a useful framework beyond the annual policy cycle. Precisely because this is an important first effort, it is worth asking what could make the framework even stronger. One striking omission is that the five-year plan never explicitly mentions climate change. This does not mean Hong Kong is failing to act. On the contrary, the plan and policy address contain many measures dealing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368261/hong-kong-lacks-climate-narrative-unify-its-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368261/hong-kong-lacks-climate-narrative-unify-its-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Residents of a wide swathe of eastern Japan were picking up the pieces on Tuesday after Typhoon Dujuan tore through the area the previous day, causing extensive flooding, landslides, power outages, flight cancellations and at least four deaths. Nearly 2 million people were instructed to evacuate their homes in low-lying coastal areas, or be prepared to move at short notice, after the Japan Meteorological Agency had warned that the typhoon posed an “imminent threat to life”. While the evacuation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368348/japan-begins-clean-after-typhoon-dujuan-kills-4-batters-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368348/japan-begins-clean-after-typhoon-dujuan-kills-4-batters-east?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 06:51:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse More than 1 million people were under evacuation advisories in Japan early on Tuesday and hundreds of flights have been cancelled as Typhoon Dujuan brushed past Tokyo, bringing torrential rain, flooding and landslides to the region. Four people have been confirmed dead as heavy rainfall triggered landslides in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures near Tokyo, local governments reported according to Japanese media including the Kyodo News agency. Japan often sees strong typhoons in the late summer and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368271/over-16-million-japan-urged-evacuate-typhoon-dujuan-nears-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368271/over-16-million-japan-urged-evacuate-typhoon-dujuan-nears-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:44:38 +0000 Emma White Emma White As heatwaves become more frequent and intense across Asia, the region faces a dangerous power paradox. Soaring demand for air conditioning threatens to push electricity grids closer to failure just as extreme heat puts the infrastructure under greater strain, raising the risk of cooling disappearing when people need it most. That risk has been visible across the region this summer. In South Korea, President Lee Jae Myung called a record heatwave a “national disaster” in August after the death... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368133/cooling-trap-how-asias-air-conditioners-are-making-heatwaves-worse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368133/cooling-trap-how-asias-air-conditioners-are-making-heatwaves-worse?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides across northern Vietnam, killing three people and damaging thousands of homes as well as more than 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) of crops. The northern region has experienced downpours since Monday, with some areas receiving as much as 653mm (26 inches) of rain, according to a statement on the government’s website. More than 16,000 houses have been inundated while rice and other crops have been damaged. National and provincial roads have been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367958/torrential-rain-vietnam-leaves-3-dead-16000-homes-flooded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367958/torrential-rain-vietnam-leaves-3-dead-16000-homes-flooded?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 05:46:04 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for stricter regulations and sanctions against those who use slash and burn methods to clear land, as the country struggles to contain wildfires that have been raging for weeks. Indonesia is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, with “super El Nino” weather parching ‌the country’s forests and fields. The islands of Borneo and Sumatra have been the worst hit, with the hazardous haze causing a spike in respiratory illnesses. Transboundary... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367819/indonesias-prabowo-mulls-labelling-wildfires-ecological-terrorism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367819/indonesias-prabowo-mulls-labelling-wildfires-ecological-terrorism?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 05:38:26 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Severe weather disruptions will amplify food security risks in Asia, potentially triggering civil unrest and political instability in vulnerable countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, according to consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. The warning comes as the war in Iran has already disrupted fuel and fertiliser supplies, both of which are key agricultural inputs. Now, weather extremes linked to a powerful El Nino are further threatening crops across the region. Indonesia, the world’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3367791/risk-unrest-asia-iran-war-el-nino-threaten-food-supplies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3367791/risk-unrest-asia-iran-war-el-nino-threaten-food-supplies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 02:08:05 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Forest and peatland fires raging across Indonesia are threatening to become more than an environmental emergency, with analysts warning that the thickening haze could weigh on economic activity, strain public health and test confidence in the nation’s fledgling carbon market. Indonesia is no stranger to forest and peat fires, but this year’s super El Nino has helped make it the country’s most intense wildfire season in 11 years. Toxic haze and smoke have also drifted to neighbouring countries... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3367729/how-wildfires-are-threatening-indonesias-economy-and-carbon-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3367729/how-wildfires-are-threatening-indonesias-economy-and-carbon-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:37:00 +0000 Tilman Leo Hohenberger,Kimberly Tasha Jiayi Tang Tilman Leo Hohenberger,Kimberly Tasha Jiayi Tang At the beginning of August, when temperatures in Hong Kong hit highs not seen for at least 140 years, the Labour Department’s Heat Stress at Work Warning system remained at the amber level, the lowest of three tiers. The controversy that followed raised a broader question: are our heat warnings adequately protecting people who work outdoors? The Labour Department has since announced changes that will lead to earlier heat-stress warnings. These improvements to worker protection are welcome. But... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3367306/hong-kong-must-prepare-impact-heat-related-work-stoppages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3367306/hong-kong-must-prepare-impact-heat-related-work-stoppages?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Himalayas are approaching a tipping point as glaciers melt faster than a decade ago, threatening water security as the region approaches “peak water” by mid-century, according to a study released this month. The findings come after the collapse of a Himalayan glacier in late August along the ‌Nepal-Tibet border, which caused cascading landslides and flash floods in the valleys below. At least 1,300 people have been confirmed dead and more than 5,300 are missing across Nepal and China’s Tibet... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3367426/himalayan-glacier-bankruptcy-threatens-water-security-2-billion-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3367426/himalayan-glacier-bankruptcy-threatens-water-security-2-billion-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:20:20 +0000 Aidan Jones,Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Kolette Lim,Ushar Daniele Aidan Jones,Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Kolette Lim,Ushar Daniele Dr Asma Zafirah doesn’t need satellite images to know when Kalimantan is burning. She sees it in the watery eyes and laboured breaths of the patients at her clinic in Sarawak, and the children who are kept home from school to protect them from the toxic air. Southeast Asia’s transboundary haze crisis was meant to have been brought under control six years ago. But Borneo is once again belching out dangerous emissions, as fires in the peatlands and forests of Kalimantan – Indonesia’s section of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3367217/smoke-how-southeast-asia-bungled-its-haze-response?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3367217/smoke-how-southeast-asia-bungled-its-haze-response?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The EU’s climate monitor said on Thursday that August was the hottest single month ever recorded globally, with ocean temperatures also reaching unprecedented highs as western Europe capped its warmest summer. In response to the assessment by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the UN warned that until humanity weaned off fossil fuels, the planet would only push deeper into uncharted territory. Copernicus observations go back to 1940 but other evidence – such as ice cores, tree rings and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3366992/august-was-hottest-month-ever-recorded-globally-scientists-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3366992/august-was-hottest-month-ever-recorded-globally-scientists-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:25:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indonesia is facing ⁠a surge in emissions from wildfires burning through parched stretches of forest and peatland on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, with carbon dioxide readings currently the highest in the world, data has shown. Fire emissions from Indonesia from September 1 to September 7 reached 19.7 million metric tons, overtaking Russia this week and making up more than a third of the global total, according to Fire Emissions Watch, a portal developed by the European Union’s Copernicus... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3366962/indonesias-wildfire-emissions-surge-worlds-highest-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3366962/indonesias-wildfire-emissions-surge-worlds-highest-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:30:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Schools in the capital of Indonesia’s South Sumatra province switched to remote learning on Wednesday as worsening haze from forest and peatland fires pushed air pollution to unhealthy levels, adding to disruptions that had already affected more than 1.4 million students across the country, officials said. Indonesia has been plagued by forest and land fires for decades but an intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season made the impact of the fires especially dire this year. Toxic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3366931/more-schools-close-indonesia-haze-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3366931/more-schools-close-indonesia-haze-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:10:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The number of ships sailing through the Panama Canal could be cut further due to drought caused by the El Nino weather pattern, the new administrator of the waterway said on Monday. Panama has declared a nationwide emergency over El Nino, a phenomenon developing over the Pacific Ocean that is affecting worldwide weather patterns and pushing up global temperatures. This year’s El Nino is expected to be the strongest since record-keeping began four decades ago. Panama’s restrictions come even as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3366692/new-panama-canal-chief-considers-more-cuts-transits-due-el-nino?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3366692/new-panama-canal-chief-considers-more-cuts-transits-due-el-nino?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 19:43:10 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang A surge in global agricultural prices has sparked fears of a global food crisis in recent weeks. But China’s limited reliance on staple grain imports and robust domestic reserves should cushion the blow of any external shocks, analysts said, though unpredictable weather, geopolitics and US-China trade tensions could still pose risks. The assessment comes as Beijing steps up efforts to diversify grain trade with other countries. On Saturday, China and Kazakhstan launched a grain trading platform... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366599/china-has-14-billion-mouths-feed-how-vulnerable-it-global-food-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366599/china-has-14-billion-mouths-feed-how-vulnerable-it-global-food-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 06:00:33 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Heavy rainfall hit eastern Japan and elsewhere on Monday, with the weather agency urging maximum vigilance against landslides on Niijima and Oshima islands, south of Tokyo, and a woman dying in Iwaki in the northeast after her car became submerged. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special landslide warning for Niijima after more than 480mm (19 inches) of rain fell there over 24 hours, the largest amount since local records began. Heavy rain also hit eastern Japan including Tokyo from the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3366600/woman-found-dead-submerged-car-japan-amid-record-rainfall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3366600/woman-found-dead-submerged-car-japan-amid-record-rainfall?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 05:45:11 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong authorities are open to classifying heatstroke as an occupational disease, the city’s labour chief has said, acknowledging that the recently revamped heat warning system would have triggered stronger alerts on two exceptionally hot days last month. Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui Chark-shum said retrospective modelling showed the revised system would have issued a black warning on August 8 and a red alert on August 9, when the Observatory recorded 36.9 degrees Celsius (98.4 Fahrenheit)... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3366525/hong-kong-open-classifying-heatstroke-occupational-disease-labour-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3366525/hong-kong-open-classifying-heatstroke-occupational-disease-labour-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 06:58:23 +0000 Dennis Lee Dennis Lee 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. Unfortunately, the most we seem to be able to do is issue warnings and recommend passive mitigation measures such as relaxing the work schedule, resting in the shade and staying hydrated. We are sitting ducks as temperatures peak year after... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3365989/era-extreme-summers-its-time-look-beyond-air-conditioning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3365989/era-extreme-summers-its-time-look-beyond-air-conditioning?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 01:30:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The record temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius logged by the Hong Kong Observatory last month is the strongest evidence yet that extreme heat is not just a distant or occasional inconvenience. The rising temperature underlines a growing challenge that many authorities around the world are still grappling with. The city must respond not merely with improved mechanisms for alerts when the mercury soars but with a complete climate-resilience strategy that protects workers, older people, low-income... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3366343/hong-kong-feels-heat-it-needs-robust-climate-resilience-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3366343/hong-kong-feels-heat-it-needs-robust-climate-resilience-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Sep 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan 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 evenings, spraying pesticide, applying fertiliser or weeding. “We try our best to avoid going to the plantation around noon,” Chung said. He carries extra drinking water and, as a smallholder, decides when to slow down or change his hours. But... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3366451/southeast-asias-extreme-heat-exposes-holes-safety-net-outdoor-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3366451/southeast-asias-extreme-heat-exposes-holes-safety-net-outdoor-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Sep 2026 03:00:17 +0000 dpa dpa 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 Sunday morning in Ketapang district, West Kalimantan, an area affected by wildfires. He was unable to stand and was struggling to breathe when a joint team from the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency and the Indonesian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3366268/orangutan-indonesia-dies-after-exposure-haze-fires-abnormalities-lungs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3366268/orangutan-indonesia-dies-after-exposure-haze-fires-abnormalities-lungs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:29:06 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles 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, carried by southwesterly winds from fires in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo, prompted health experts to urge people to wear N95 masks outdoors as air quality deteriorated across parts of Metro Manila. In parts of the capital region,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3366016/philippine-capitals-acutely-unhealthy-air-due-indonesian-haze-spurs-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3366016/philippine-capitals-acutely-unhealthy-air-due-indonesian-haze-spurs-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:43:39 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press 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, a parent arrived to take her child home. The danger had not yet been confirmed, but Dawadi, the principal, had little time to act. He rang the school bell and ordered his students and staff out of the building and towards higher ground. “I... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3365908/nepal-floods-meet-principal-whose-quick-thinking-saved-900-students?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3365908/nepal-floods-meet-principal-whose-quick-thinking-saved-900-students?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 01:26:04 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles 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 singing became a public-relations crisis. Observers told This Week in Asia that Marcos’ celebration of his wife, Marie Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos, on her 67th birthday struck the wrong chord with a public already angered by deadly floods,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3365880/flood-hit-philippines-out-touch-marcos-slammed-private-birthday-serenade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3365880/flood-hit-philippines-out-touch-marcos-slammed-private-birthday-serenade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:00:39 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has passed its first law on farmland protection and improvement amid intensified efforts to ensure its food security as climate change and geopolitical tensions increase global concerns over food supplies. The law, which will take effect from the beginning of next year, tightens control on the use of China’s arable land – a limited resource relative to the country’s huge population – and seeks to develop new farmland as Beijing places increasing importance on self-sufficiency amid... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365840/amid-food-security-concerns-china-passes-first-law-farmland-protection-and-improvement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365840/amid-food-security-concerns-china-passes-first-law-farmland-protection-and-improvement?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:06:53 +0000 Eric Jiang,Jess Ma Eric Jiang,Jess Ma Hong Kong’s weather forecaster will keep the No 1 typhoon warning signal in force until Wednesday morning, with alerts likely extending further into the week. The Observatory said on Tuesday afternoon that the signal would remain in force for the rest of today and Wednesday morning, but the chance of issuing a No 3 strong wind signal was low. “There are rather large uncertainties in its subsequent movement and intensity. The tropical cyclone warning signal may remain in force until later this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/weather/hong-kong/article/3365833/hong-kong-issue-no-1-typhoon-signal-610pm-saudel-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/weather/hong-kong/article/3365833/hong-kong-issue-no-1-typhoon-signal-610pm-saudel-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:54:26 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele 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. Serian in Sarawak, closest to the frontier with Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, recorded the highest reading of 476 as of Monday morning. Kuching, Samarahan and Sri Aman all logged readings above 300 as of 10am, according to Malaysia’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3365818/malaysias-air-quality-turns-hazardous-indonesian-wildfires-burn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3365818/malaysias-air-quality-turns-hazardous-indonesian-wildfires-burn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:10:04 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari 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 catastrophic flash flooding at the border with China last week. Kathmandu’s apparent reversal reflects caution born from its chaotic experience with foreign teams after the 2015 earthquake, according to observers. Other factors include the government’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3365787/nepal-floods-could-foreign-rescue-teams-have-been-brought-earlier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3365787/nepal-floods-could-foreign-rescue-teams-have-been-brought-earlier?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 02:45:21 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang China’s factory activity improved in August but remained in contraction territory for a second straight month, as a pickup in orders could not fully offset the impact of overall weak domestic demand and disruptions from extreme weather. The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) was 49.8 in August, up from 49.2 in July, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. The reading was largely in line with the 49.85 projection from economists polled by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/economic-indicators/article/3365785/chinas-factory-activity-stays-contraction-august-despite-improvement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/economic-indicators/article/3365785/chinas-factory-activity-stays-contraction-august-despite-improvement?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 02:21:09 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma After the intense European heatwave beginning in late May fuelled a surge in imports of Chinese air conditioners, drought across the continent is now driving unexpected overseas demand for Chinese-made water-saving hardware. In Yiwu – a city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province known as the world’s small-goods capital – Liu Junming has spent more than two decades exporting kitchen and bathroom hardware. He said exports of taps and showerheads had risen unusually sharply this summer. Taps bound... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365653/europe-drought-drives-demand-chinese-water-saving-goods-eu-trade-tensions-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365653/europe-drought-drives-demand-chinese-water-saving-goods-eu-trade-tensions-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Mukti Patel has huddled with family and friends at her parents’ Richmond, Virginia, home since her dad, sister and two other relatives went missing in the catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-China border. She knows the hotel they were staying in was swept away. But as she shared memories of them on Friday, she caught herself. “I shouldn’t talk in past tense yet,” she said. “We don’t know anything.” As rescuers continued pulling survivors from the mud, family members of some of the more... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3365688/us-families-hold-out-hope-relatives-lost-nepal-floods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3365688/us-families-hold-out-hope-relatives-lost-nepal-floods?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 05:12:13 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin Typhoon Saudel made landfall in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang on Friday morning, disrupting flights and ferry services across major urban centres, including the industrial hub of Ningbo and the economic powerhouse of Shanghai. Ningbo Lishe International Airport suspended all flight operations from 11.30pm on Thursday. Even though services resumed at 11am on Friday, some 16 inbound and 28 outbound flights were cancelled for the day. In the Zhejiang city of Wenzhou, a base for private... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3365546/storm-travel-chaos-typhoon-saudel-makes-double-landfall-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3365546/storm-travel-chaos-typhoon-saudel-makes-double-landfall-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 05:15:41 +0000