This Week in Asia /
People
Related Topics:
Anwar Ibrahim
Xi Jinping
Narendra Modi
The Philippines
Singapore PM excited about Jessica Sanchez’s show in Cebu, Marcos’ wife says
The wife of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr says Filipino-American singer Jessica Sanchez will be performing at the Asean summit in 2026.
39 minutes ago
India
In India, New Delhi’s smog crisis exposes the high price of clean air
31 Dec 2025 - 10:30AM
videocam
4
Bangladesh
Will Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh ease tensions, restore stability?
29 Dec 2025 - 6:50PM
videocam
Nepal
Nepal probes illegal matchmaking as China cautions citizens over ‘bride buying’
Officials say online brokers are promoting Nepali women to Chinese men, prompting detentions and official warnings.
29 Dec 2025 - 12:25PM
videocam
Thamel, a commercial neighbourhood in Kathmandu, Nepal, is a hub for tourism in the capital. Photo: Shutterstock
The Philippines
Corruption, floods and clan wars rock Philippines in 2025
Deepening political feuds, ex-president Duterte’s ICC arrest and the South China Sea dispute have reshaped the Philippine landscape.
28 Dec 2025 - 4:00PM
videocam
Malaysia
How the Peranakan Chinese built one of Southeast Asia’s most powerful networks
Born of trade and migration, the Peranakan community has forged a distinct identity that has bridged China and Southeast Asia for centuries.
27 Dec 2025 - 4:00PM
13
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Malaysia
Trump’s dance, Najib’s 1MDB saga, influencer case: Malaysia leads Asean in 2025
The country hosts the region’s biggest event, sees a new twist in the 1MDB scandal and is at a critical political juncture.
27 Dec 2025 - 1:00PM
videocam
US President Donald Trump reacts to dancing performers at a welcoming ceremony after arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport to attend the Asean summit on October 26. Photo: AP
Singapore
Singapore in 2025: election fever, courtroom drama, pickleball mania
Local politics, tariff concerns, a horrific child abuse case and noise disputes dominate the headlines this year.
27 Dec 2025 - 11:00AM
Indonesia
Power, protests and policy shake-ups shape Indonesia’s 2025
President Prabowo Subianto asserts his authority as he navigates the global stage and domestic challenges in his first full year in office.
26 Dec 2025 - 4:00PM
videocam
Myanmar
Stay or go? Rohingya see no way out of predicament as Myanmar heads to poll
Myanmar’s phased election, set to start on Sunday, is likely to be steered by the same leaders responsible for driving the Rohingya out.
26 Dec 2025 - 5:05PM
videocam
Malaysia
With 1MDB verdict due, will Malaysia’s Najib have to ‘prepare for the worst’?
The High Court will rule on abuse of power and money laundering charges, with Najib facing the prospect of lengthy prison terms if found guilty.
25 Dec 2025 - 7:15PM
Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak attends the verdict of his house arrest bid at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Malaysia on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia
Red, white and Blue: Indonesia lodges complaint over porn star’s flag stunt
Bonnie Blue’s run-in with Indonesia began earlier this month when she was arrested for making pornographic content in a Bali studio.
25 Dec 2025 - 3:48PM
The Philippines
Philippine court upholds murder verdict in Duterte’s drug war case
While the ruling has been hailed as a win for human rights, it may not have much impact on Duterte’s ICC case, legal analysts say.
25 Dec 2025 - 2:53PM
videocam
Singapore
Gaffes, breaches and sinkhole stars: Singapore’s 2025 social storms
Passionate online discussions have revealed concerns about power, accountability and how the country sees itself.
25 Dec 2025 - 11:30AM
India
Indian doctor suspended, charged after allegedly assaulting patient
Dr Raghav Narula is accused of speaking disrespectfully to a patient at a hospital in Shimla, but has denied wrongdoing in the confrontation.
24 Dec 2025 - 7:35PM
6
Screenshot from a video filmed by an attendant at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital on Monday showing a masked doctor punching a man lying on a bed. Photo: X
Singapore
Singapore’s young graduates feel the heat in ‘draining’ job hunt
A dearth of entry-level jobs has forced some young Singaporeans to pivot to stopgap roles and entrepreneurship.
24 Dec 2025 - 1:00PM
7
Malaysia
Malaysian rapper Namewee acquitted of drug use charge after negative test
The 42-year-old still faces a drug possession charge and remains under investigation following the death of a Taiwanese influencer.
22 Dec 2025 - 3:44PM
videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Malaysia
Malaysian court blocks Najib’s bid for house arrest
Monday’s decision keeps the former prime minister behind bars as he awaits the outcome of the far larger 1MDB case on Friday.
22 Dec 2025 - 6:40PM
videocam
11
Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex on Monday. Photo: AP
Malaysia
‘We just want to live’: fear grips Malaysia’s LGBTQ community
With drag clubs closed and spas raided, the shrinking space for queer life in Malaysia leaves a community with nowhere left to turn.
21 Dec 2025 - 2:35PM
SCMP Highlights
US singer marries sultan, paraglider’s 28,000ft stunt: 8 viral stories in 2025
From US singer marrying Malaysian sultan to Chinese paraglider cheating death, here are our stories that have gone viral in 2025.
20 Dec 2025 - 11:00AM
Malaysia
‘Was he the Hulk?’: Malaysian officer goes viral after ripping off car door
The officer became an unlikely internet sensation when a dashcam video showed him ripping apart a suspect’s car door ‘like a banana leaf’.
19 Dec 2025 - 5:24PM
Indonesia
Indonesian helper who died in Hong Kong fire ‘was always there’ for others
Desi Widiana, one of nine Indonesian helpers killed in the Tai Po fire, was found huddled together with her elderly ward.
18 Dec 2025 - 3:51PM
videocam
Desi Widiana was one of nine Indonesian helpers who died in the fire at Wang Fuk Court. Photo: Handout
South Korea
Vietnamese woman’s death amid raid in South Korea spurs visa policy debate
The 25-year-old, who reportedly hid at a factory’s air-conditioning unit, was just two weeks into her illegal part-time job when she died.
17 Dec 2025 - 6:50PM
South Korea
South Korean court rules Yoon’s ‘self-coup’ illegal as walls close in
Judges are fast-tracking verdicts to beat statutory time limits, dashing the ex-president’s faint hopes of walking free early next year.
17 Dec 2025 - 3:02PM
videocam
Indonesia
Calls to halt Indonesia’s free meal drive after horror crash injures 21 children
One child lost 18 teeth and had to undergo reconstructive surgery. Critics blame the scheme’s ‘chaotic’ roll-out for the tragedy.
17 Dec 2025 - 5:06PM
videocam
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
