Asia - South China Morning Post

Washington’s latest national security blueprint may be one of its most consequential in years, yet it barely mentions Southeast Asia.

Analysts say that absence speaks volumes, signalling a narrowing of American priorities that risks turning the region into a “bargaining chip” in the US-China rivalry.

The National Security Strategy published by the White House on December 4 presents the Trump administration’s vision for restoring “American economic independence”, alongside preventing conflict in...

A year after Luke Littler became the youngest winner of the PDC World Darts Championship, 71-year-old Paul Lim became the oldest winner of a match in the tournament’s history.

Roared on by the usual raucous Alexandra Palace crowd on Saturday, the Singapore veteran stunned Dutch-born Swede Jeffrey de Graaf, winning 3-1.

Lim, who famously thew the first world championship nine-darter way back in 1990, eclipsed the mark set by Northern Irishman John MaGowan who beat Chris Mason in December 2008,...

The Japanese government’s plans to tighten espionage and secrecy legislation have been welcomed as a necessary bulwark at a time of deepening national security concerns, although analysts fear that any revisions will be too broad and could be used to stifle free speech and media freedom.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a long-time proponent of tightening rules on espionage and secrecy, was already formulating policies before she took office in October.

On November 26, Takaichi told a Diet session...

Bonnie Blue, the former OnlyFans star who made headlines for claiming to have slept with more than 1,000 men in just 12 hours, is back in her native UK after being deported from Indonesia, where she was arrested in Bali for allegedly violating “morality” laws.

Upon returning to England on Saturday, the 26-year-old adult content creator addressed the controversy in a press release sent to the media. She said it cost her less than “US$20 to get out of prison” in Indonesia, and joked that she...

From sold-out stadium tours in the US, Europe and Asia to history-making Grammy nominations, K-pop has never stood taller on the global stage.

Yet within South Korea, many say the music they once called their own now feels made for someone else.

For fans like 21-year-old university student Lee Ye-jin, that shift hits every time she turns on the radio or scrolls through new releases on her phone.

Lee has been a member of “Light” – the official fan club of popular boy band Highlight – since 2016....

Devastating floods and landslides have killed 1,003 people in Indonesia, rescuers said on Saturday as the Southeast Asian nation grapples with relief efforts.

The disaster, which has hit the northwestern island of Sumatra over the past fortnight, has also injured more than 5,400, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said in its latest toll.

The deadly torrential rains are one of the worst recent disasters to strike Sumatra, where a tsunami wreaked havoc in 2004 in Aceh province, which lies at...

An Italian defence company’s push to sell Eurofighter Typhoon jets to the Philippines could open the door to broader cooperation between Rome and Manila, with analysts calling the aircraft a promising choice for the country’s military modernisation.

Leonardo, a government-linked company, said it was committed to investing in the Philippines’ defence capabilities for the long term and offered to provide training, technology transfer and related facilities as part of the deal.

The company is...

Singapore’s Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh has apologised to the court over comments he made on CNA’s The Assembly programme after being informed that his statements were in contempt of court.

“I accept that my statements may be construed to be in contempt of court, including to impugn the integrity, propriety or impartiality of the court,” he said in a social media post on Saturday.

“Given that, I wholly and unreservedly apologise to the court and will avoid making comments to the same...

North Korea sent troops to clear mines in Russia’s Kursk region earlier this year, leader Kim Jong-un said in a speech carried on Saturday by state media, in a rare acknowledgement of the deadly tasks assigned to its soldiers there.

Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to fight for Moscow as it presses ahead with its nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies.

Analysts say Russia is giving North Korea financial aid, military technology,...

The magnitude 7.5 earthquake that occurred off northeastern Japan recently highlights the need for Japan to provide safety tips and evacuation information to foreign nationals more effectively, particularly as the country witnesses an inbound tourism boom.

Locals and foreign visitors alike were asked to evacuate as the weather agency issued tsunami warnings for part of the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, as well as Aomori and Iwate prefectures, on Monday.

Among them, Jose San Juan, a tourist from the...