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SCMP

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Singapore begins ban on ‘undesirable’ visitors, airlines to comply or face fine
Singapore’s move to bar undesirable visitors from boarding planes to the city state has begun, with airlines flying into its airports required to deny access to passengers flagged as risks.
2. Malaysians lampoon minister linking work stress to gay people
A Malaysian minister has become the butt of jokes for claiming that work stress can turn people gay, as continued government intervention of what it describes as sexually deviant behaviour piles pressure on the country’s LGBTQ community.
3. Why Japan’s public is ‘happy’ to see a Chinese tourist drought

China’s instructions to citizens not to visit Japan during the coming Lunar New Year holiday has been welcomed by some Japanese weary of overcrowding at tourist hotspots, while local travel operators say the immediate impact on business is likely to be limited.
4. A tale of two cities: Singapore, Hong Kong and their contrasting paths

Historian Wang Gungwu reflects on how political legacies have shaped Hong Kong and Singapore, two of Asia’s economic “tigers”.
5. As US carrier fleet sails near Iran, Trump faces ‘no easy levers’ against Tehran
With the recent arrival of a US Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Middle East near Iran, President Donald Trump is set to have all the military assets in place needed to launch a war against Tehran by the end of this week.
6. Indonesian woman collapses after 140 lashes for sex and alcohol
A woman in Indonesia’s Aceh province collapsed after being caned 140 times last week for extramarital sex and drinking alcohol in one of the harshest sharia punishments on record.
7. Is Philippines falling behind in EV race as Southeast Asia revs up?

As Southeast Asia accelerates into electric vehicle manufacturing, industry leaders in the Philippines say their country risks falling behind neighbours that have moved quickly to support the sector, with policy uncertainty raising doubts about Manila’s commitment to long-term growth.


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SCMP Highlights

Singapore’s ‘undesirable’ visitor ban, Japan’s Chinese tourist drought: 7 Asia highlights

People gather around the Merlion statue at Marina Bay in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Travellers walk through a transit hall of Changi International Airport in Singapore. Photo: AFP

A Chinese tourist group is led by a tour guide in Asakusa, a popular sightseeing spot in Tokyo, Japan, in November 2025. Photo: Reuters

Heavy traffic on the streets of Manila. Electric vehicles accounted for only 12 per cent of vehicle sales in the Philippines last year. Photo: Shutterstock

Singapore to launch national space agency to capture piece of US$1.8 trillion global market

Singapore is set to launch a national space agency to cement its status as regional innovation hub. Shutterstock/Nasa

Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng announced that the city state will set up a national space agency in April. Photo: Jean Iau

An ST Engineering booth at the Space Summit in Singapore on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, delivers a keynote address at the Space Summit on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Nipah cases in India raise regional anxiety but experts say wider spread unlikely

Quarantine doctors monitor thermal screening of passengers from India at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday after Thailand increased health checks due to Nipah virus cases in West Bengal. Photo: AP

A health worker disposes of biohazard waste at a Nipah virus isolation centre in Kozhikode, Kerala, during a 2023 outbreak. The state closed schools and imposed restrictions after two deaths. Photo: AFP

Singapore’s Sentosa halts water fun after crocodile sighting

Singapore’s Sentosa island has suspended all water activities after a crocodile was spotted off Sentosa Cove. Photo: Facebook/coxie

Singapore court rules man, 97, mentally fit to marry mistress, dismisses son’s suit

A Singapore family court judge has ruled that a 97-year-old man possesses the mental capacity to decide for himself whether to marry his long-time secretary. Photo: Shutterstock

News

Asia

From a Malaysian minister linking stress and gay people to US-Iran tensions, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting


From a Malaysian minister linking stress and gay people to US-Iran tensions, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.


Singapore’s ‘undesirable’ visitor ban, Japan’s Chinese tourist drought: 7 Asia highlights

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From a Malaysian minister linking stress and gay people to US-Iran tensions, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting

1. Singapore begins ban on ‘undesirable’ visitors, airlines to comply or face fine

From a Malaysian minister linking stress and gay people to US-Iran tensions, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting