https://www.scmp.com/rss/323045/feed Your source for credible news and authoritative insights from across Asia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Francis E. Hutchinson Francis E. Hutchinson Eyebrows were raised and pulses quickened in Malaysia when the Negeri Sembilan state government teetered last month. Like several other states, Negeri Sembilan has been jointly run by Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) – the two pillars of the national unity government. The state has since become the latest to call a local election, raising questions about the national coalition’s solidity and whether the country is heading towards a snap poll some 18 months before the next general... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3356133/can-malaysias-unity-government-survive-state-poll-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3356133/can-malaysias-unity-government-survive-state-poll-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un’s recent display of nuclear-processing capabilities appears timed with reports of an impending visit by China’s leader and fuelled by insecurities about Seoul’s nuclear submarine talks with Washington. Analysts also say that mounting trilateral talks involving the United States, Japan and South Korea have galvanised Kim into doubling down on Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced on Friday that Xi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356181/why-north-koreas-kim-doubling-down-nuclear-might-xi-visit-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356181/why-north-koreas-kim-doubling-down-nuclear-might-xi-visit-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Waves break along Cenang Beach as the sun drops over the Andaman Sea, washing Langkawi’s white sand in gold. Tourists sip fresh coconuts beneath rows of bright umbrellas, gazing out at the “Jewel of Kedah”: a duty-free archipelago long sold as one of Malaysia’s premier tropical escapes. Out on the water, meanwhile, small boats traverse the 8km (five miles) of open water that separates Langkawi from Thailand’s Koh Tarutao. On fast boats, the crossing takes a matter of minutes. No navigation... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356122/how-malaysias-langkawi-became-paradise-smugglers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356122/how-malaysias-langkawi-became-paradise-smugglers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim While a wave of job cuts across Asia’s finance and other industries due to wider use of artificial intelligence has spurred concerns, a new study shows that the technology’s net impact on employment is not as clear-cut. Recruiters and industry observers say many companies are adding AI-related roles without having to lay off workers. A study by professional services firm Aon released on Wednesday shows that 74 per cent of 504 companies surveyed across industries in the Asia-Pacific region have... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356163/most-asia-pacific-firms-use-ai-tasks-without-cutting-jobs-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356163/most-asia-pacific-firms-use-ai-tasks-without-cutting-jobs-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:16:15 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Asia’s governments have spent years promising to protect the seas that feed their people, shelter their coasts and support some of the world’s richest marine life. World Ocean Day on Monday will put those promises back in the public spotlight, but the more consequential test will come days later in Mombasa, Kenya, where governments, donors, companies and conservation groups will gather for the 11th annual Our Ocean Conference from June 16 to 18. The conference has become a key stage for global... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356153/asias-marine-pledges-face-credibility-test-global-ocean-conference?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356153/asias-marine-pledges-face-credibility-test-global-ocean-conference?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:35 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines’ landslide defeat to Kyrgyzstan for a UN Security Council seat has dealt a blow to Manila’s long-running campaign to raise its international diplomatic profile through the prestigious body, prompting questions about President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s foreign policy legacy. Analysts said the loss reflected the appeal of having under-represented Central Asia play a role in the council, Kyrgyzstan’s perceived neutrality and the geopolitical baggage attached to the Philippines as a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356150/why-philippines-political-circus-may-have-led-un-loss-kyrgyzstan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356150/why-philippines-political-circus-may-have-led-un-loss-kyrgyzstan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:23:25 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Pig farmers in the central state of Selangor have spent years trying to keep their business out of Malaysia’s culture wars. A royal decree has dragged them straight into one. The state’s decision to shut down pig farms, prompted by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, Selangor’s hereditary ruler, has transformed a long-standing local dispute over pollution and odour into a flashpoint touching on royal influence, the livelihoods of a minority community and the delicate balancing act facing Malaysia’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356127/how-pig-farm-dispute-exposed-fault-lines-malaysias-multiracial-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356127/how-pig-farm-dispute-exposed-fault-lines-malaysias-multiracial-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:11:29 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A proposal by the Quad to build a port in Fiji, seen by analysts as a move to counter China’s rising economic clout in the Pacific region, has fuelled doubts about whether the four-member security bloc is committed to completing the project amid differing policy priorities. At a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, in New Delhi last week, the foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the United States – Penny Wong, S. Jaishankar, Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356101/another-empty-promise-quads-proposed-fiji-port-project-raises-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356101/another-empty-promise-quads-proposed-fiji-port-project-raises-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:58:33 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones A race to dig rare earths and metals in the mineral-rich mountains of eastern Myanmar is polluting waterways that millions of people living downstream depend on after a new tungsten mine reportedly began operations near the Thai border, according to environmental groups. Myanmar is among the top three producing nations of rare earths and other critical minerals used to make magnets and other components that power products ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles, with most of its output... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356085/race-rare-earths-myanmars-borders-fuels-pollution-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356085/race-rare-earths-myanmars-borders-fuels-pollution-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:07:46 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia is heading into a run of state elections, including two triggered by early assembly dissolutions, after Negeri Sembilan became the latest state to call a snap poll amid fraying ties inside Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance. While the polls will not directly affect Anwar’s parliamentary majority, they will test whether his federal partners can keep their coalition functioning at the state level or whether local disputes will deepen the fractures between them. On Friday,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356084/malaysian-state-polls-loom-negeri-sembilan-snap-vote-tests-anwars-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356084/malaysian-state-polls-loom-negeri-sembilan-snap-vote-tests-anwars-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:51:09 +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 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond 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. Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi US President Donald Trump personally urged President Xi Jinping to help end the Ukraine war, seeking to leverage Beijing’s influence over Moscow to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356025/trump-urged-xi-help-end-ukraine-war-chinas-tech-sanctions-list-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356025/trump-urged-xi-help-end-ukraine-war-chinas-tech-sanctions-list-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:34:05 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele A revision to Malaysia’s public university admissions rules has reopened one of the multicultural country’s most sensitive political debates: how far its national education system should accommodate Chinese-language schooling. Malaysia’s government on May 15 said students from Chinese independent secondary schools could apply to public universities through specified pathways using the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), the school-leaving qualification used by those institutions. The decision... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3356005/malaysias-new-university-rules-rekindle-multilingualism-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3356005/malaysias-new-university-rules-rekindle-multilingualism-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 03:02:03 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asia-Pacific is expected to drive global retail sales over the next five years, even as the Middle East conflict is hurting consumer confidence, according to business analysts. The war could continue to weigh on consumer and business sentiment for now due to higher energy prices and supply chain disruption, Anand Ramanathan, Deloitte Asia-Pacific’s retail and consumer products sector leader, said in an interview. “As borrowing costs rise and financial conditions tighten, consumers and businesses... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355990/asia-pacific-lead-global-retail-sales-weather-middle-east-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355990/asia-pacific-lead-global-retail-sales-weather-middle-east-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn The recent deaths of two men from crocodile attacks in North Sumatra have put a spotlight on Indonesia’s record as the country with the world’s highest number of such killings annually, raising questions over whether habitat destruction is pushing people and wildlife into increasingly dangerous contact. Environmental groups said the deaths reflected a wider pattern across the archipelago, where logging, plantations and other land-use changes had destabilised ecosystems. The first incident was on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356002/fatal-crocodile-attacks-indonesia-put-spotlight-habitat-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3356002/fatal-crocodile-attacks-indonesia-put-spotlight-habitat-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:18 +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 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s ruling party swept most of the country’s major local elections, but a narrow defeat in Seoul has given conservatives a foothold to challenge his reform agenda. The loss in the capital, South Korea’s political and property-market centre, has taken the shine off an otherwise dominant performance by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), dealing a blow to Lee’s plans for tougher real estate taxation, according to observers. Across the country, the DPK won... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Aidan Jones,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Aidan Jones,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Thailand’s shrimp industry is reeling from the latest blow to its once market-dominant business after Malaysia this week suspended imports from its northern neighbour, triggering fresh despair from a sector whose revenue has nosedived in the 15 years since it claimed the crown as the world’s largest exporter. Malaysia’s temporary ban on five shrimp species – as well as tightened import requirements for Thai sea bass – came into force on Monday. The trade row comes as Thailand’s fisheries sector... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355950/thailands-shrimp-industry-lowest-point-it-reels-malaysia-import-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355950/thailands-shrimp-industry-lowest-point-it-reels-malaysia-import-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:54:26 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof For Chinese parents worn down by exam pressure, the solution now being offered by many creators on RedNote is not another tutoring strategy but another country: Malaysia. On the Chinese lifestyle app, mainland creators living in Malaysia are pitching the country as a softer landing for family life. They highlight international schools, Mandarin-speaking clinics, familiar food and lower living costs in Malaysia, speaking directly to compatriots anxious about schooling and affordability – and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355931/why-malaysia-winning-praise-rednotes-chinese-influencers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355931/why-malaysia-winning-praise-rednotes-chinese-influencers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:03:51 +0000 Johannes Nugroho Johannes Nugroho Indonesia’s free meals programme has long been beset with governance problems, quality issues and mass food poisoning cases. Now, corruption allegations and the arrests of top former officials overseeing Prabowo Subianto’s flagship scheme risk turning it into a political hot potato for the president. Prabowo sacked former National Nutrition Agency chief Dadan Hindayana and his two ex-deputies, Sonny Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, on Tuesday. The trio were charged with corruption and taken into... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355916/will-prabowos-free-meals-scheme-survive-amid-indonesia-corruption-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355916/will-prabowos-free-meals-scheme-survive-amid-indonesia-corruption-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:26:24 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Just over a year after consolidating its status as Singapore’s main opposition, the Workers’ Party (WP) is grappling with internal fissures as chief Pritam Singh’s role is being questioned by his own members. Singh, who has led the WP since 2018, is facing a special conference later this month called by 25 cadre members pushing for him to step down as secretary general for breaching the party constitution, according to local media. Sources say there is a generational divide in the party, with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355875/singapores-pritam-singh-facing-cracks-his-party-what-does-say-about-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355875/singapores-pritam-singh-facing-cracks-his-party-what-does-say-about-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A citizen watchdog has been launched in the Philippines to monitor Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, as turmoil inside the Senate threatens to deepen public doubts over whether the politically explosive proceedings can be handled fairly and constitutionally. Members of civil society launched the coalition, called Bantay Senado (Senate Watch), on Monday, saying it would “help ensure that the impeachment trial is conducted transparently, fairly and forthwith, in keeping with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355857/citizen-group-press-transparency-philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355857/citizen-group-press-transparency-philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:13:37 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian power systems specialist has struck a deal with a Hong Kong battery storage firm to pursue large-scale projects aimed at helping the country prepare its electricity grid for more renewable energy. The two-year agreement between Mikro MSC Berhad and Hong Kong Cospower Technology Co Ltd (HKCT) makes the company HKCT’s exclusive strategic partner in Malaysia for utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. Such battery systems are meant to address one of solar power’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355831/malaysia-taps-hong-kong-battery-expertise-power-ambitions-electricity-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355831/malaysia-taps-hong-kong-battery-expertise-power-ambitions-electricity-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:30:50 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Thailand’s divisive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was freed from parole on Wednesday after receiving a royal pardon from King Maha Vajiralongkorn, as the 76-year-old billionaire businessman’s plans remain unclear. Thaksin, who stood at the heart of a two-decade power struggle with rival sections of the Thai elite, served eight months of a one-year jail term for corruption and abuse of power. He was released from jail early last month due to his advancing age, with his term originally... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355807/thai-ex-pm-thaksin-granted-royal-pardon-mark-queens-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355807/thai-ex-pm-thaksin-granted-royal-pardon-mark-queens-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:51:40 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Britain’s Sikh community has rejected calls to strip them of the rights to carry a ceremonial knife – known as the kirpan – as outrage snowballs over the murder of an 18-year-old student by a Sikh man. Vickrum Singh Digwa, 23, was handed a life sentence by a judge on Tuesday for stabbing to death Henry Nowak, an accountancy student, in Southampton in December 2025. The murder case has reopened a debate over race, religion and identity in the UK. Far-right figureheads, populist political leaders... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355798/uk-sikhs-defend-right-carry-sacred-dagger-after-student-murder-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355798/uk-sikhs-defend-right-carry-sacred-dagger-after-student-murder-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:17:59 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally received the country’s AFC Women’s Champions League winners in Pyongyang earlier this week, embracing the players and posing for photographs with them as they wept with joy and leapt in celebration. Naegohyang Women’s FC clinched Asia’s top club title with a 1-0 defeat of Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan in the final in Suwon on May 23, becoming the first North Korean side to win the AFC Women’s Champions League. Kim congratulated the players on their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355792/tears-north-korea-kim-meets-footballers-after-historic-title-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355792/tears-north-korea-kim-meets-footballers-after-historic-title-win?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:52:18 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow New Zealand’s defence minister was sitting in the front row at Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue when his US counterpart called his country a “freeloader”. “If I’m being honest, 2 per cent is not enough,” Pete Hegseth declared from the stage on Saturday, referring to Wellington’s plan to double its defence spending as a percentage of gross domestic product. “So 2 per cent is freeloading.” But analysts counter that this label ignores the Trump administration’s exploitative track record, from taking... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355774/new-zealand-rejects-us-freeloader-swipe-over-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355774/new-zealand-rejects-us-freeloader-swipe-over-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:09:13 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Two siblings allegedly racing each other in luxury cars have sparked fresh outrage in Malaysia after a multivehicle crash in Johor state killed five people – including four members of the same family – reigniting debate over what the government itself has called a “serious public health challenge” on the country’s roads. Police arrested the 19-year-old driver of a Mercedes-Benz A250, identified by local media as a Singapore university student, in connection with Monday’s crash on the Kluang –... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355767/alleged-luxury-car-race-crash-killed-5-renews-malaysias-road-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355767/alleged-luxury-car-race-crash-killed-5-renews-malaysias-road-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 03:31:24 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Japanese lawmaker’s claim that China has its eyes on “a treasure trove” of resource wealth hidden beneath the Antarctic ice sheet has been dismissed by a polar law expert as a misreading of international obligations. But the claims made in parliament by Mitsuhiro Yokota, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, have also raised questions about what might happen to the world’s last great wilderness in future. “Beneath Antarctica lies a treasure trove of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, gold and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:16 +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 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Mohamad Syawal Samsuddin, a 37-year-old father of two young boys, said he supported Malaysia’s new under-16 social media ban because of concerns about harmful content and its effect on his children’s safety, mental health and privacy. But he said the policy was not a substitute for parental supervision. “The onus is on parents to monitor and observe their children’s behaviour online,” he said. Cybersecurity and digital rights experts also question whether the ban can fully protect children,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3355727/could-malaysias-under-16-social-media-ban-expose-children-new-online-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3355727/could-malaysias-under-16-social-media-ban-expose-children-new-online-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:40:33 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s deepening ties with France have given President Prabowo Subianto a chance to advance Jakarta’s defence modernisation, strengthen relations with Europe and expand its international footprint. But analysts say the Paris visit has also fuelled a debate at home on whether deals and diplomatic goodwill arising from Prabowo’s frequent foreign trips can translate into benefits for ordinary Indonesians. Prabowo, who has visited France four times as president, met his French counterpart... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355720/prabowos-overseas-visits-spark-debate-indonesia-over-benefits-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355720/prabowos-overseas-visits-spark-debate-indonesia-over-benefits-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:37:42 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof For decades, Umno was the party that defined power in Malaysia. Now, after years of scandal, defeat and uneasy coalition politics, it is turning to its birthplace of Johor to prove it can still win on its own terms. The southern state’s snap election will test whether the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) can still attract Malay voters, defend its strongest remaining state government and hold off both Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s allies and the Malay-Muslim opposition, analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355690/malaysias-umno-hedges-johor-state-election-lure-malay-votes-stronghold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355690/malaysias-umno-hedges-johor-state-election-lure-malay-votes-stronghold?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The arrest of Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada has deepened a stand-off in the Senate, leaving the chamber split between two 11-member blocs and raising the risk of a wider political crisis, analysts told This Week in Asia. They warned the stalemate could stall legislation, delay military appointments and complicate Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, leaving the Senate’s basic ability to do business hostage to a factional power struggle. Estrada, chairman of the Senate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355679/philippine-senate-deadlock-deepens-after-estrada-arrest-complicating-sara-dutertes-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355679/philippine-senate-deadlock-deepens-after-estrada-arrest-complicating-sara-dutertes-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:09:38 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s net satisfaction rating has hit an all-time low, with observers citing deep-seated economic anxieties as the main driver behind the slump – even as expanded media exposure has helped boost awareness of his foreign policy initiatives. The latest Social Weather Stations survey put Marcos’ net satisfaction rating at minus 15 in March: a 12-point drop from minus 3 in November 2025 and the worst figure of his presidency, eclipsing the previous nadir of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355665/philippine-president-marcos-ratings-hit-record-low-inflation-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355665/philippine-president-marcos-ratings-hit-record-low-inflation-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:55:44 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A top US general’s description of South Korea as a “dagger in the heart of Asia” aimed at China has laid bare the differences in how Washington and Seoul view their alliance and Beijing. US Forces Korea commander General Xavier Brunson made the blunt remarks in a podcast interview hosted by the US Army War College on May 22, drawing a backlash both from Beijing and from Seoul itself. South Korea’s presidential office said on Saturday that it was “aware” of Brunson’s remarks and that close... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:43:11 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Asia’s fuel needs may take priority over the strategic risks of relying on oil from heavily sanctioned Russia, according to experts. Currently, there is little political appetite to treat the surge of Moscow’s crude flowing eastward through a “dark fleet” of tankers as a potential security issue. The US-Israeli war on Iran has caused the price of Brent crude – the benchmark measure – to spike to above US$100 since March, although talks with Washington have seen the price soften in recent days to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355618/why-oil-hungry-asia-ignores-risks-linked-russias-dark-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355618/why-oil-hungry-asia-ignores-risks-linked-russias-dark-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:03:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s patience with Britain as a defence partner is being tested after reports that funding shortfalls in London could delay a next-generation fighter jet that both countries are developing with Italy. The Global Combat Air Programme, or GCAP, is intended to deliver a new fighter for the three countries by 2035, but The Telegraph reported on Saturday that the aircraft could be delayed by several years because of uncertainty over Britain’s defence spending plans. The report has raised concerns... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355617/reality-check-japan-britains-funding-shortfall-threatens-fighter-jet-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355617/reality-check-japan-britains-funding-shortfall-threatens-fighter-jet-project?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:06:19 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk An Australian man has been detained in Vietnam’s coastal city of Da Nang after allegedly going on a shirtless late-night rampage through a cafe, causing extensive damage and forcing frightened customers to flee. The incident unfolded at Ge Cafe on Le Hong Phong Street in central Da Nang shortly before midnight on Friday, according to a detailed account posted by the cafe on its social media account. Local news outlet Tuoi Tre reported that ward police had identified the man as an Australian... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3355593/vietnam-detains-australian-man-who-trashed-da-nang-cafe-late-night-rampage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3355593/vietnam-detains-australian-man-who-trashed-da-nang-cafe-late-night-rampage?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:11:46 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s southern state of Johor dissolved its legislature on Monday, setting up an election within 60 days that analysts said would test whether the once-dominant Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition can turn its state stronghold into a launch pad for a wider political comeback. The vote will also put Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) reformist alliance in an awkward contest against its federal partner BN, with both coalitions set to run against each other in Johor... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355587/snap-polls-malaysias-johor-tests-umno-comeback-bid-and-anwars-ruling-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355587/snap-polls-malaysias-johor-tests-umno-comeback-bid-and-anwars-ruling-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:29:25 +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 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia is unlikely to come close to a US call for Asian partners to spend 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence, analysts have said, as Putrajaya tries to modernise an ageing military without overwhelming public finances or appearing to align with Washington’s China strategy. Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the US had “every right” to ask allies to raise defence expenditure, but stressed that Malaysia faced limits as a developing economy. “For a country like Malaysia,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355559/we-are-small-country-why-malaysia-resisting-us-defence-spending-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355559/we-are-small-country-why-malaysia-resisting-us-defence-spending-call?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:15:46 +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 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian state chief minister is under police investigation after a viral video showed him shooting a sacrificial cow with a shotgun at an Eid ul-Adha event, triggering public anger and questions over gun use, animal welfare and Islamic slaughter rules. Police in Perlis, a small northern state bordering Thailand, said they had seized the shotgun believed to have been used by Chief Minister Abu Bakar Hamzah at the korban (ritual sacrifice of livestock) ceremony in Kuala Perlis on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355505/anger-malaysian-state-leader-shoots-eid-cow-shotgun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355505/anger-malaysian-state-leader-shoots-eid-cow-shotgun?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 03:53:41 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Malaysia began enforcing age verification requirements for social media platforms on Monday, barring children under 16 from opening new accounts and requiring all existing users to confirm their identities using official government documents. The measures come into force under the Online Safety Act 2025 and are being implemented by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) through two complementary frameworks: the Child Protection Code, which obliges platform providers to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355496/malaysia-bars-under-16s-social-media-new-rules-come-force?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355496/malaysia-bars-under-16s-social-media-new-rules-come-force?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:29:13 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Jakarta residents have largely welcomed a new police-military campaign against violent street crime, after a wave of brazen motorbike muggings struck fear into Indonesia’s capital. But rights advocates warn that deploying soldiers alongside police blurs a line between law enforcement and military power, reviving memories of extrajudicial killings in a country still haunted by its authoritarian past. On May 15, Jakarta police announced the formation of a special, 24-hour joint patrol task force... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355461/jakarta-deploys-troops-against-muggers-stirring-dark-memories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355461/jakarta-deploys-troops-against-muggers-stirring-dark-memories?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:00:27 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Deep in the forested highlands of northern Myanmar, where the Irrawaddy River rises from two tributaries in the hills of Kachin state, a contentious infrastructure project is stirring again – and threatening to reopen wounds that never fully healed. The Myitsone Dam, a US$3.6 billion Chinese-financed hydroelectric megaproject that was shelved more than a decade ago after igniting a storm of popular fury, is back on the table. Myanmar’s military rulers have begun holding public consultations on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355345/myanmars-china-backed-mega-dam-revival-risks-kachin-rebel-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355345/myanmars-china-backed-mega-dam-revival-risks-kachin-rebel-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Jean Iau,Kolette Lim As the Shangri-La Dialogue drew to a close on Sunday, two issues dominated discussions throughout the event: defence spending and the varying level of commitment of countries to maintain peace in the region after calls by Washington for its allies and others to pull their weight. Analysts said the 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product for defence spending proposed by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was not something that most Asean countries – aside from Singapore – could commit to. Hegseth... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355475/shangri-la-dialogue-can-asia-do-less-shangri-la-more-ships-more-subs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355475/shangri-la-dialogue-can-asia-do-less-shangri-la-more-ships-more-subs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 12:25:52 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Members of Asean might have conflicting claims in the South China Sea but mutual trust existed in the bloc, Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro Jnr said on Sunday, singling out Beijing as the biggest obstacle to a code of conduct in the disputed waterway. Teodoro delivered strong words for China in the final panel of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, taking aim at Manila’s long-time maritime rival for disregarding an international arbitral tribunal, which ruled in favour... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355456/philippines-says-beijing-main-hurdle-south-china-sea-code-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355456/philippines-says-beijing-main-hurdle-south-china-sea-code-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 08:02:02 +0000