This Week in Asia /
People
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Anwar Ibrahim
Xi Jinping
Narendra Modi
Bangladesh
Will Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh ease tensions, restore stability?
Rahman could help consolidate the BNP’s position as the dominant electoral force, while tempering a volatile political climate, analysts say.
29 Dec 2025 - 6:50PM
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Nepal
Nepal probes illegal matchmaking as China cautions citizens over ‘bride buying’
29 Dec 2025 - 12:25PM
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The Philippines
Corruption, floods and clan wars rock Philippines in 2025
28 Dec 2025 - 4:00PM
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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
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The Khoo elders observe the Tung Chen prayer ceremony in the ancestral hall of the Long San Tong Khoo Kongsi on December 20. Photo: Ushar Daniele
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
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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
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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
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Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto closed the year on firm footing despite challenges in his first full year in office. Photo: Reuters
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
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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
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
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Filipino policemen (from left) Jeremiah Pereda, Arnel Oares and Jerwin Cruz attend a Senate inquiry in Pasay City on August 24, 2017. Photo: EPA
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
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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
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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
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Malaysian rapper Namewee has been under investigation for drug-related charges and over the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Handout
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
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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
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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
Brittany Porter poses with Sultan Muhammad V. Photo: Instagram/its.brook.lynn
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
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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
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A television screen shows a file image of Yoon Suk-yeol in court at a railway station in Seoul on Monday. Photo: AP
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
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The Philippines
Can UN anti-corruption pact bring Zaldy Co back to Philippines?
The former lawmaker, who is facing charges linked to the Philippines’ flood control scandal, is suspected to have fled to Portugal.
16 Dec 2025 - 9:04PM
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Malaysia
‘Just say thank you’: Malaysians fume as Indonesian minister belittles flood aid
Tito Karnavian dismissed the US$60,000 aid package as ‘not much’ compared to Jakarta’s own disaster response, touching a raw nerve online.
17 Dec 2025 - 5:59PM
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