https://www.scmp.com/rss/318216/feed South Asia's latest news, current affairs, politics and regional issues. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press Hundreds of supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an online joke that drew millions across India, gathered for the first time in the national capital on Saturday, taking the social media movement off screens and into its biggest real-world test yet. The protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, marks the movement’s first foray into street politics after weeks of dominating social media feeds and news headlines, attracting millions of online followers and widespread support among young... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3356192/viral-indian-youth-movement-cockroach-janta-party-hits-delhi-streets-first-protest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3356192/viral-indian-youth-movement-cockroach-janta-party-hits-delhi-streets-first-protest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:13:53 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The Quad’s newly announced US$20 billion critical minerals framework aims to loosen China’s near-monopoly on the materials that power modern defence, technology and clean energy industries. But analysts say its success will depend on the ability of Australia, the United States, India and Japan – the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’s four members – to move beyond policy declarations and deliver measurable outcomes. The initiative, announced after a meeting of Quad foreign ministers on May 27, has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356128/past-failures-haunt-quads-us20-billion-critical-minerals-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356128/past-failures-haunt-quads-us20-billion-critical-minerals-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The threat by the US to impose additional tariffs on imports from India over forced labour supply-chain concerns is a “pressure” tactic deployed by Washington to drive a harder bargain in its trade talks with New Delhi, according to analysts. Following a Section 301 unfair trade practices investigation, the Trump administration proposed that products from India, China, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Switzerland would be subject to a 12.5 per cent levy, while a 10 per cent rate would apply to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356049/us-wielding-new-tariff-threat-secure-big-bargain-india-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356049/us-wielding-new-tariff-threat-secure-big-bargain-india-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 05:27:02 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju A new India-US pact on critical minerals has put the spotlight on New Delhi’s potential as an alternative to China, but analysts say despite the country’s significant resources, it is unlikely to dent Beijing’s dominance in the sector any time soon. Delhi and Washington signed a framework agreement on May 26 during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India to secure supplies of critical minerals and rare earths, including their mining and processing. According to a US embassy statement,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355981/india-rises-critical-minerals-race-can-it-dent-chinas-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355981/india-rises-critical-minerals-race-can-it-dent-chinas-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:15:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters A ⁠dozen people ⁠have died in a fire at a home for older people in ‌Sri Lanka, police said on Thursday, while another eight have been hospitalised. The fire, which broke out at ⁠a home in Anguruwatota 55km (34 miles) from the commercial capital Colombo, ‌has been put out and ⁠the ⁠director of the establishment has ‌been arrested, police said. “A total of 51 ‌people were ‌rescued from the ‌home and they are being ⁠looked after by the military ⁠and public officials in the area,” police... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355974/sri-lanka-nursing-home-fire-kills-12?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355974/sri-lanka-nursing-home-fire-kills-12?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:09:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Nepali climbing guide who went missing on Mount Everest for six days and was feared dead has been found alive after crawling alone almost to Base Camp, officials said on Thursday. His wife had even begun to offer last rite prayers for his soul, she said at the hospital in the capital Kathmandu, where he is recovering from “some frostbite”. Mountaineer Dawa Sherpa – who is in his 50s, and is better known as “Hillary” after famed climber Edmund Hillary due to his experience – vanished on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355922/missing-mount-everest-guide-feared-dead-crawls-back-base-camp-after-6-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355922/missing-mount-everest-guide-feared-dead-crawls-back-base-camp-after-6-days?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:55:11 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh Since the Ukraine war began in 2022, Asia has been watching conflict as if enrolled in a study course. We have heard every argument: Nato enlargement, Russian insecurity, Ukrainian sovereignty, European fear, American power, energy politics, sanctions, nationalism and resistance. We have watched Gaza burn. We have watched the United States capture Venezuela’s president and defend the act as lawful. We have watched Iran absorb attacks and retaliate. For Asians, these are no longer distant events.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355563/5-lessons-asia-it-studies-wars-privilege-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355563/5-lessons-asia-it-studies-wars-privilege-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A fire ripped through a hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people, many of them foreign nationals, police and local media said. Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations. The fire broke out in the morning at Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast in a congested neighbourhood in the south of the city, Delhi Police said in a statement. “It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355829/india-hotel-fire-kills-least-21?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355829/india-hotel-fire-kills-least-21?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:28:51 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The measles outbreak in Bangladesh is one of its deadliest health crises in decades, and experts are warning that the lack of measures to increase vaccinations and enhance immunisation across the country could lead to a further spike in cases. There have been over 60,000 suspected cases of measles, and nearly 600 people have died from the disease since mid-March, according to media reports. The outbreak has been particularly severe among malnourished children and communities with limited access... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3355742/bangladesh-faces-further-measles-risk-due-lack-vaccinations-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3355742/bangladesh-faces-further-measles-risk-due-lack-vaccinations-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:10:22 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Oil prices have eased sharply on hopes that the US and Iran will agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but analysts say Asian economies are unlikely to quickly shake off the effects of the energy shock even if the key waterway returns to normal. Benchmark Brent crude oil fell 11.15 per cent to US$92.13 per barrel on Friday, from its level a week earlier, its steepest weekly drop since early April. Prices edged up again on Monday, trading at about US$93 per barrel during Asian afternoon trading... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355584/oil-prices-rally-hormuz-talks-will-asias-energy-woes-ease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355584/oil-prices-rally-hormuz-talks-will-asias-energy-woes-ease?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:46:24 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing’s first trip to India since being sworn in as president signals New Delhi’s recognition of the strongman’s political status as it seeks to counter mounting Chinese influence, according to analysts. The five-day visit, which began on Saturday at the personal invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is aimed at strengthening ties with one of Myanmar’s key regional partners. Despite Western sanctions imposed after the February 2021 coup, India has maintained... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355552/india-rolls-out-welcome-mat-myanmars-min-aung-hlaing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355552/india-rolls-out-welcome-mat-myanmars-min-aung-hlaing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:55:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters India ⁠has signed ⁠a deal with Vietnam under which it will supply BrahMos missiles which it has jointly ‌developed with Russia and is in “final stages” for a similar deal with Indonesia, India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on ⁠Saturday. India has a strong commitment ‌to Asean nations, Singh said, without disclosing more details ‌of the deals related to BrahMos. Singh ⁠was ⁠speaking at Asia’s premier defence forum, ‌the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. India, which has been... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355438/india-seals-brahmos-missile-deal-vietnam-eyes-indonesia-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355438/india-seals-brahmos-missile-deal-vietnam-eyes-indonesia-next?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 02:51:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Sri Lanka’s Buddhist hierarchy suspended on Saturday a senior monk accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl, in a high-profile case that has shocked the religiously conservative nation. In a rare disciplinary move, 71-year-old Pallegama Hemarathana was stripped of his responsibilities as the chief custodian of a highly venerated ficus grown from a sapling of a tree believed to have sheltered the Buddha. “The Council of Monks of the Malwatte Chapter decided today to suspend Ven.... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355423/sri-lankas-top-monk-suspended-over-alleged-child-sex-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355423/sri-lankas-top-monk-suspended-over-alleged-child-sex-abuse?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 12:28:47 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell There seems to be no end to the harm arising from US President Donald Trump’s madcap war on Iran. Go beyond the direct tragic impact across Iran itself, the collateral damage from Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and its ad hoc assaults on US allies in the region: beyond the burgeoning impact of shortages of oil, gas, hydrogen, helium and sulphur, and the prospect of food shortages arising from the collapse in fertiliser supplies; beyond the hardships of tens of thousands of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355220/how-trumps-war-iran-jeopardising-asias-remittance-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355220/how-trumps-war-iran-jeopardising-asias-remittance-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji For many years, India was a key training ground for many of Bangladesh’s senior officials, as well as a source of support and regional guidance. Now, some are being trained in Pakistan, a symbolic shift that has unsettled New Delhi and offered an early clue to how Dhaka’s new government wants to deal with its neighbours. A delegation of 12 senior Bangladeshi bureaucrats attended an executive training programme at the Civil Services Academy in Lahore from May 4 to May 21, a move analysts said... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355203/bangladesh-seeks-more-diplomatic-room-pakistan-outreach-amid-india-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355203/bangladesh-seeks-more-diplomatic-room-pakistan-outreach-amid-india-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 12:13:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A buffalo in Bangladesh nicknamed “Donald Trump” for its flowing blond hair has been spared from sacrifice after shooting to fame, and will instead be cared for at the national zoo. Muslim-majority Bangladesh, a South Asian nation of 170 million people, celebrates Eid al-Adha, the “feast of the sacrifice”, on Thursday. The 700kg (1,500-pound) bull, a rare albino buffalo with a flowing helmet of light hair resembling the signature look of the US president, was due to be slaughtered to mark the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355086/celebrity-trump-buffalo-spared-sacrifice-sent-bangladesh-zoo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355086/celebrity-trump-buffalo-spared-sacrifice-sent-bangladesh-zoo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 16:46:22 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A wave of AI-generated deepfakes and fake endorsements has pushed Indian celebrities, from cricket stars to Bollywood actors, towards the courts seeking stronger protection for their name, image, voice and likeness. Lawyers say the litigation has exposed a widening gap in Indian law, with courts increasingly recognising personality rights even though the country lacks a dedicated statute to enforce them. The campaign gained momentum last December, when Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355061/ai-deepfakes-expose-legal-vacuum-indias-celebrity-rights-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355061/ai-deepfakes-expose-legal-vacuum-indias-celebrity-rights-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse At least six newborn babies died in the same hospital ward in Bangladesh within hours of each other on Wednesday, said health officials, who launched an investigation. The newborns, aged between one and three days, were in the post-delivery ward of Ad-Din Hospital, a private facility in the capital Dhaka. “An investigation is under way, and we need some time to determine the cause of the deaths of the newborns,” Nahida Yasmin, a director at the hospital, told reporters. Prabhat Chandra Biswas,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355064/bangladesh-probes-hospital-deaths-6-newborns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3355064/bangladesh-probes-hospital-deaths-6-newborns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 11:33:49 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju As India and China work to steady their relationship after years of border tension, Indian filmmakers say projects inspired by the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes are being reworked, delayed or shelved following official warnings against “China-bashing”. Bollywood heavyweight Salman Khan’s war drama, initially titled Battle of Galwan, was reportedly asked to change its name to Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, with several scenes requiring reshoots. A separate film, The Lion of Galwan, has been... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355053/india-tells-filmmakers-drop-china-bashing-ties-warm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355053/india-tells-filmmakers-drop-china-bashing-ties-warm?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 10:53:14 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan The foreign ministers of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, nations gathered in New Delhi on Tuesday in a coordinated display of unity aimed at reaffirming the bloc’s relevance amid recent shifts in geopolitical dynamics. The Quad, comprising the United States, Japan, Australia and India, aims to promote a “free and open” Indo-Pacific and balance China’s expanding influence in the strategically vital region. With US President Donald Trump fresh from talks with Chinese President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3354953/quad-foreign-ministers-fight-relevance-new-delhi-leaders-summit-remains-elusive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3354953/quad-foreign-ministers-fight-relevance-new-delhi-leaders-summit-remains-elusive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 19:41:02 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India this week will give Washington an opportunity to “get the optics right” regarding ties between the two sides, amid friction over unresolved trade issues and broader international cooperation. Rubio stressed cooperation on trade, energy, defence and maritime security in meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Sunday as he arrived in New Delhi. Jaishankar said that the two... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354866/rubio-looks-repair-lens-us-india-ties-amid-quad-talks-energy-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354866/rubio-looks-repair-lens-us-india-ties-amid-quad-talks-energy-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 06:11:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse India’s ruling Hindu-nationalist party has ordered detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in West Bengal state, sparking fear among minorities that it could lead to arbitrary expulsions. The directive comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won power in the eastern state for the first time since the country’s independence in 1947. The order calls on local authorities to set up “holding centres” for “apprehended foreigners” awaiting... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354785/india-orders-new-deportation-centres-days-after-bjp-election-victory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354785/india-orders-new-deportation-centres-days-after-bjp-election-victory?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 11:37:17 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A new US immigration policy could force many green card applicants to leave the country and apply from abroad, disrupting families, careers and long-term settlement plans for Asian workers already facing years-long backlogs for visas. US Citizenship and Immigration Services said on May 22 that it would only grant “adjustment of status” – the process that allows prospective immigrants already in the US to apply for permanent residence without leaving the country – in “extraordinary... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354773/trumps-overseas-application-us-green-card-rule-unnerves-asian-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354773/trumps-overseas-application-us-green-card-rule-unnerves-asian-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 10:34:53 +0000 Reuters Reuters In a cluster of villages in Pakistan’s largely ⁠rural Chakwal district, more than 100 Shiite Muslims have returned from the United Arab Emirates without jobs, luggage or access to the savings they spent years building abroad. They are among potentially thousands of Shi’ites deported from the UAE to Pakistan during the Iran war, raising alarm in Pakistan’s Shiite community and prompting Human Rights Watch to investigate. Journalists reviewed immigration documents, visa-status screenshots and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354750/uae-deports-pakistani-shiites-jobs-lost-and-savings-frozen-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354750/uae-deports-pakistani-shiites-jobs-lost-and-savings-frozen-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 08:39:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A blast targeting a train carrying military personnel killed at least 24 people on Sunday in Pakistan’s turbulent southwestern province of Balochistan, a senior official said. Army servicemen and their relatives were among the victims of the attack in the provincial capital Quetta, with over 50 people wounded, the official told AFP. The attack, claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militant group, was branded a “cowardly” act of terrorism by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Images... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354680/pakistan-attack-kills-least-24-explosive-laden-car-hits-train-carriage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354680/pakistan-attack-kills-least-24-explosive-laden-car-hits-train-carriage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 10:23:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday called India a natural partner and invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington, turning the page at least rhetorically on friction despite new-found US warmth towards China. One week after joining US President Donald Trump on a state visit to Beijing, Rubio – visiting both Asian powers for the first time – flew to New Delhi and met Modi for more than an hour, inviting the premier to visit the White House soon. “The world’s oldest democracy in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354649/rubio-renews-us-ties-india-after-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354649/rubio-renews-us-ties-india-after-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 16:51:04 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg India’s state-run refiners raised retail prices again of diesel and petrol on Saturday to help processors cut losses on discounted sales and to control a spike in demand. Prices of both fuels rose by nearly one per cent, or less than 1 rupee, with petrol now sold at 99.51 rupees (US$1.0399) and diesel at 92.49 rupees per litre in New Delhi, according to the website of Indian Oil Corporation, the country’s largest fuel retailer. Prices vary across India due to local taxes. Smaller peers Bharat... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354640/india-raises-diesel-petrol-prices-3rd-time-8-days-amid-tense-us-iran-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354640/india-raises-diesel-petrol-prices-3rd-time-8-days-amid-tense-us-iran-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 13:03:44 +0000 Reuters Reuters A rare albino buffalo with flowing blond hair ⁠has become an unlikely ⁠celebrity in Bangladesh ahead of the ⁠Eid al-Adha festival, drawing crowds of curious visitors who say the animal bears a striking resemblance to US President Donald Trump. The nearly 700kg (1,540lbs) buffalo, raised at a farm in Narayanganj district near the ‌capital Dhaka, has been nicknamed “Donald Trump” because of the tuft of pale hair falling across its forehead – a feature many say mirrors the American leader’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354604/bangladeshs-rare-donald-trump-buffalo-draws-crowds-over-resemblance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354604/bangladeshs-rare-donald-trump-buffalo-draws-crowds-over-resemblance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 03:26:01 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A mock political party erupted across Indian social media this week, becoming a symbol of Gen Z disillusionment with the country’s political establishment and anger over a worsening jobs crisis in the world’s most populous nation. The Cockroach Janta Party, as the satirical movement is known, has already overtaken the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Instagram, racking up nearly 20 million followers and attracting attention from rivals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Cockroach Janta Party... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354602/mock-cockroach-theme-political-party-draws-indias-jobless-youth-modis-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354602/mock-cockroach-theme-political-party-draws-indias-jobless-youth-modis-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 02:59:30 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan When Marco Rubio was confirmed as US Secretary of State last year, fireworks of optimism went off in New Delhi. Given his years as a senator championing a pro-India, staunchly anti-China posture, policymakers anticipated an unprecedented alignment. However, as Rubio arrives in India on Saturday for a four-day visit spanning Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, he enters a relationship strained by transactional politics, structural deadlock and mounting strategic unease over Washington’s recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354590/rubio-expected-brief-new-delhi-xi-trump-summit-during-india-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354590/rubio-expected-brief-new-delhi-xi-trump-summit-during-india-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 19:41:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two Indian climbers have died on Mount Everest during a record-breaking period of ascents via Nepal’s southern route, as experts warn of overcrowding on the world’s highest peak. “They fell ill while descending at high altitude. We are working out how to retrieve the bodies,” Nivesh Karki, director at Pioneer Adventures, said. He named them as Sandeep Are, who he said summited on Wednesday, and Arun Kumar Tiwari, who reached the peak on Thursday. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354557/2-climbers-die-everest-record-breaker-warns-overcrowding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354557/2-climbers-die-everest-record-breaker-warns-overcrowding?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 11:05:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh clashed with police in a bid to seize a suspect accused of raping a four-year-old girl, officials said on Friday. In recent months, the South Asian country has seen a spike in reported cases of violence against women and children, fuelling widespread anger. Police said the suspect, Monir Hossain, was detained by locals in Bangladesh’s second-largest city of Chattogram and was being handed over to the authorities on Thursday when tensions boiled over among... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354554/bangladesh-protestors-clash-police-over-alleged-child-rape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354554/bangladesh-protestors-clash-police-over-alleged-child-rape?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 10:31:39 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Perhaps the most fascinating and important aspects of US President Donald Trump’s jolt to the global economy have been its unintended consequences, especially the impact on relations between China and India. Two consistent aspects of Trump’s meandering narrative are to “make America great again” by bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, and to hobble China as an economic and strategic threat. A decade later, there has been negligible progress on either objective. Instead, the unintended... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354474/india-and-china-are-cautiously-getting-closer-thanks-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354474/india-and-china-are-cautiously-getting-closer-thanks-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press It began as a satirical online project. Now millions of young Indians are flocking to it as an outlet for their frustration. A parody political party called the Cockroach Janta Party, with the insect as its symbol, has exploded across India’s social media by turning absurdist humour into protest. Memes and short videos mocking corruption, joblessness and political dysfunction have flooded social media sites, where millions of users are embracing the cockroach – known for its ability to survive... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354417/young-indians-protest-through-parody-cockroach-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354417/young-indians-protest-through-parody-cockroach-party?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 14:18:40 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press In New Delhi’s chaotic traffic, where the backs of autorickshaws sometimes double as mobile billboards, some commuters are now being greeted by an unlikely face: US President Donald Trump. Splashed beneath his portrait is the slogan: “Happy Birthday America!” About 100 autorickshaws carrying large images of Trump and the Statue of Liberty have appeared across the Indian capital in recent weeks. In a city where the backs of thousands of three-wheelers are routinely covered with ads for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354268/why-trumps-face-popping-indian-autorickshaws?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354268/why-trumps-face-popping-indian-autorickshaws?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 12:48:30 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji For generations of Indian tech workers, the H-1B visa has been a golden ticket, turning ambitious engineers from Hyderabad and Bengaluru into Silicon Valley professionals, as it transformed Indian IT firms into global powerhouses. Now, a Trump administration proposal to sharply raise the minimum salaries required to qualify for the programme threatens to close that door to the United States, redirecting Indian talent towards Europe, Australia, New Zealand and beyond instead. Under the new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354237/trumps-h-1b-visa-squeeze-paves-way-indian-tech-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354237/trumps-h-1b-visa-squeeze-paves-way-indian-tech-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Governments across Asia are tightening border screening and quarantine preparedness as health authorities work to contain a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. Several governments have expanded screening and reporting requirements for travellers arriving from affected countries, though officials say the likelihood of local transmission remains low and no cases have been publicly confirmed in Asia. In Hong Kong, a Lantau Island isolation facility used for quarantine during the Covid-19... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354178/singapore-japan-south-korea-boost-ebola-screening-after-who-alert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354178/singapore-japan-south-korea-boost-ebola-screening-after-who-alert?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 04:39:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Pakistani court sentenced a man to death on Tuesday for murdering a teenage influencer last year after she had repeatedly rejected his advances. Sana Yousaf’s murder in June drew nationwide condemnation and reignited debate over women’s safety, after some online comments – alongside condolences – blamed her for her own death. A judge announced to a cramped Islamabad courtroom on Tuesday afternoon that 22-year-old Umar Hayat was sentenced to death and fined US$7,200. “This verdict is a lesson... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354130/pakistani-man-who-killed-tiktok-star-sana-yousaf-rejecting-him-sentenced-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354130/pakistani-man-who-killed-tiktok-star-sana-yousaf-rejecting-him-sentenced-death?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 12:47:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Finnish divers on Tuesday recovered the bodies of two of the four remaining Italians who died deep inside an underwater cave in an atoll in the Maldives, an official said. The bodies were located on Monday, when searches resumed after being suspended following the death of a local military diver during a perilous mission to try to reach them. Five Italian divers went missing on Thursday, with one of the bodies recovered earlier. The plan is to recover the remaining two bodies on Wednesday. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354104/bodies-2-italian-divers-recovered-well-inside-underwater-cave-maldives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354104/bodies-2-italian-divers-recovered-well-inside-underwater-cave-maldives?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 09:46:04 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Asian airlines need government support to cope with the more than doubling of jet fuel prices that otherwise risks some carriers collapsing like US-based Spirit Airlines, according to the new head of the region’s industry body. Wong Hong, who took over as director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines last month, said carriers needed varying levels of help and relief, from direct financial support to being able to cut flight schedules without negative consequences. “Nobody wants to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354056/some-asian-airlines-could-collapse-spirit-without-help-rising-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354056/some-asian-airlines-could-collapse-spirit-without-help-rising-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 05:19:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US prosecutors asked a judge on Monday to dismiss criminal fraud and conspiracy charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, who had been accused of duping investors in a major solar project in India. Adani, one of the world’s richest people, was accused in 2024 of paying massive bribes to ensure the project’s success. He was charged with conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud charges in connection with a lucrative arrangement for Adani Green Energy and another firm to sell 12 gigawatts... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354017/us-prosecutors-drop-fraud-charges-against-billionaire-indian-businessman-gautaum-adani?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354017/us-prosecutors-drop-fraud-charges-against-billionaire-indian-businessman-gautaum-adani?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 17:01:13 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s whirlwind visit to the United Arab Emirates on Friday – the opening leg of a five-nation tour that will also take him through the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy – arrived at what analysts characterise as a moment of acute strategic opportunity. With oil prices spiralling amid the fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran and the Middle East’s diplomatic landscape shifting beneath everyone’s feet, Modi brought with him not just diplomatic pleasantries but... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353946/modis-grand-tour-india-links-uae-europe-hedge-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353946/modis-grand-tour-india-links-uae-europe-hedge-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters India may be the world’s most populous country, with 1.42 billion people and challenges like high youth unemployment, but powerful allies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are championing larger families to counter a declining fertility rate. Even though the United Nations projects India’s population would keep rising for ‌about four decades, peaking at around 1.7 billion, some policymakers and Hindu groups say the shift away from smaller families should begin now, including through government... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353938/india-has-142-billion-people-some-modi-allies-want-bigger-families?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353938/india-has-142-billion-people-some-modi-allies-want-bigger-families?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 06:10:05 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Calls by hardline Indian political figures to resume backchannel talks with Pakistan, a year after their latest conflict, reflect the realisation that both countries cannot afford another war for the time being, analysts say. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) secretary general Dattatreya Hosabale’s push earlier this week for so-called Track 2 diplomatic engagement with Pakistan has raised hopes for a reduction in the tensions between the two countries. In an Indian media interview on Wednesday,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353849/will-geopolitical-shifts-push-india-pakistan-towards-cautious-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353849/will-geopolitical-shifts-push-india-pakistan-towards-cautious-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A surge in arrests of suspected foreign scammers in Sri Lanka has authorities concerned that the island is fast becoming a hub for online crime, following sweeping crackdowns in hotspots Cambodia and Myanmar. Officials say some scam networks forced out of countries in Southeast Asia have simply shifted to new bases, increasingly moving operations to Sri Lanka – an attractive destination due to a relaxed visa regime and reliable, high-speed internet. Since the start of the year, police have... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353862/next-stop-sri-lanka-how-scammers-fleeing-cambodia-myanmar-found-new-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353862/next-stop-sri-lanka-how-scammers-fleeing-cambodia-myanmar-found-new-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 06:37:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Maldivian military diver died Saturday while searching for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave. The group of five Italian divers is believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 meters (160 feet) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 meters (98 feet). Maldives presidential spokesman Mohammed Hussain Shareef said that Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353830/maldivian-military-diver-dies-search-bodies-four-italian-divers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353830/maldivian-military-diver-dies-search-bodies-four-italian-divers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 13:31:17 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Every dry season, the Teesta River shrinks a little more – and with it, the livelihoods of millions of Bangladeshis who depend on its waters to survive. Dhaka has been asking India to help for years. Now, it is asking Beijing instead. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who took office in February, formally asked China earlier this month to help with its Teesta River restoration project, Bangladeshi state media reported. The US$1 billion scheme aims to dredge and rehabilitate more than... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353738/bangladesh-tests-its-india-ties-seeking-chinas-aid-teesta-river?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353738/bangladesh-tests-its-india-ties-seeking-chinas-aid-teesta-river?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 05:30:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Taxi driver Ravi Ranjan, who lives with his wife and child in New Delhi, said shipping disruptions caused by the Iran war had forced him to pay higher prices for cooking fuel at a time when India’s prime minister was also urging residents to reduce driving and travel. It was all hitting his bottom line, Ranjan said, as he was paying three times as much for liquid petroleum gas after facing delays on delivery of the cooking fuel. “I used to get a cylinder of LPG for 1,000 rupees (US$10), now I... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353785/iran-war-fallout-triggers-massive-biofuel-shift-across-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353785/iran-war-fallout-triggers-massive-biofuel-shift-across-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 00:59:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rescue teams in the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives searched for a second day Friday for the bodies of four missing Italians following the country’s deadliest diving accident, officials said. Italy’s foreign ministry said on Thursday night that five citizens had died while diving, with Maldivian authorities recovering one body. Maldives Minister of Tourism Mohamed Ameen said coastguard officers and security forces were scouring remote seas around where the divers were reported missing... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3353751/maldives-rescuers-search-missing-italian-divers-underwater-cave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3353751/maldives-rescuers-search-missing-italian-divers-underwater-cave?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 12:28:25 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Most readers of foreign news pages this weekend will be assuming that US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing has been dominating everyone’s attention. But across Asia, Trump, with his massive business entourage, was not the only act in town this week. At least two other major sets of meetings should not be overlooked. First, in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosting foreign ministers from the 10 Brics economies and a growing community... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000