Asia - South China Morning Post

Asia’s economies may unintentionally benefit from the United States’ confrontational foreign policy across several continents, even as analysts warn of near-term volatile commodity prices.

President Donald Trump has said the US wants to seize control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, amid tensions between Washington and the European Union over his intention.

It comes after the US captured Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, and said it would take control of the South American...

Five Singaporeans are among 55 people booked for littering in Johor Bahru since January 1, as Malaysia steps up enforcement under newly gazetted rules that send offenders to court rather than allowing on-the-spot settlements.

Johor Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) director Zainal Fitri Ahmad said the Singaporeans had offered a range of excuses when caught, including claims that they were picking up rubbish rather than discarding it.

“One said they were not...

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday accepted the Workers’ Party’s (WP) rejection of his invitation to nominate a replacement for the Leader of the Opposition (LO) role, saying that it would be left vacant.

In a statement hours after the WP turned down the offer, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said: “The office of the LO will therefore remain vacant until such time that the WP is ready to nominate someone to take on this responsibility.”

The PMO agreed that the leader of the...

The United States on Tuesday announced the approval of a US$2.3 billion sale of P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, torpedoes and related equipment to Singapore.

“The proposed sale will improve Singapore’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible maritime force capable of deterring adversaries,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.

It will “enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the...

This month, a telling scene unfolded in Addis Ababa. The African Union and China held their ninth strategic dialogue in the Ethiopian capital and launched the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, framing the agenda around modernisation, connectivity and industrialisation rather than bloc politics.

The moment captures what many smaller states are doing in today’s fractured world: choosing workable partnership over performative rivalry.

The loudest conversations in global politics...

A sweeping shake-up on when Malaysian children can start school and how they are assessed has sparked fresh anxiety among parents, many of whom fear an “optional” earlier entry would fuel a de facto race, while schools may struggle with space and staffing.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday that children would be allowed to enter Year One of primary school at age six from 2027, a year earlier than the current norm, alongside a new standardised assessment framework known as the Malaysia...

At first glance, South Korea’s Incheon International Airport appears every bit the image of global glamour. Trains to the airport, which serves more than 70 million passengers a year, are filled with travellers – and with flight attendants commuting to work in full uniform.

Even in freezing weather, they can be seen wearing thin jackets and low shoes that leave their ankles exposed. The sight has become a familiar part of the airport’s daily rhythm.

Behind the scenes, however, lies a less...

Media groups have urged Malaysia’s government to clamp down on acts of intimidation and violence by its officials, after a journalist was allegedly assaulted by the chief executive of a government-linked company over a question asked at a news conference.

The incident has sharpened scrutiny of press freedom in the country, coming days after another journalist was detained under a colonial-era Sedition Act for asking a “sensitive question” at a public forum.

In the latest case, the chief...

Southeast Asian countries invited to join Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” should think carefully before entering what looks like a “more exclusive version” of the United Nations Security Council with the US president in ultimate control, analysts caution.

Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam are among about 60 countries that have reportedly received invitations, alongside South Korea and India.

The initiative, presented by Trump as a new international body to promote global...

A South Korean court sentenced former prime minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison on Wednesday for aiding and abetting a declaration of martial law that briefly suspended civilian rule.

The defendant “disregarded his duty and responsibility as prime minister until the very end”, said Judge Lee Jin-gwan of the Seoul Central District Court.

“We sentence the defendant to 23 years in prison.”

The sentence is eight years longer than prosecutors’ demand.

The 76-year-old career technocrat was...