Asia - South China Morning Post

Japan’s ability to communicate effectively in English has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to a global ranking that paints a worrying picture for a nation that prides itself on being an economic and educational powerhouse.

The latest survey by Swiss education company EF Education First places Japan 96th out of 123 nations, relegating it to the lowest of five proficiency tiers – “very low” – and behind Laos, Bhutan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam. China ranks 86th, while the...

Despite a high-level phone call between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 2025 is likely to end without the long-promised US-India trade deal, as the “America first” leader continues to stall the agreement while working to cement improved ties with Beijing.

The call came just days after Modi hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the Indian Prime Minister described his conversation with Trump as “warm and engaging” in a social media post,...

One-time cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon was sentenced on Thursday to 15 years in prison after a US$40 billion crash revealed his crypto ecosystem to be a fraud.

Victims said the 34-year-old financial technology whiz weaponised their trust to convince them that the investment – secretly propped up by cash infusions – was safe.

Kwon, a Stanford graduate known by some as “the cryptocurrency king”, apologised after listening as victims – one in court and others by telephone – described the scam’s...

At the Islamabad Conclave earlier this month, Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, urged a rethink of how South Asia approaches security, trade, climate and connectivity. He called for practical cooperation, disaster response mechanisms and economic integration rather than allowing old rivalries to dictate every interaction.

This reimagined vision for South Asia seems to have emerged from a renewed confidence in Pakistan given that the country has recently achieved a...

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved parliament on Friday, setting the stage for an early election after a major political party backing his minority government threatened to withdraw its support.

Anutin said in a Facebook post late on Thursday that he would “return power to the people”. Hours later, King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin’s recommendation to dissolve the 500-member House of Representatives – a formality under the Thai constitution.

Under Thai rules, an election...

Mexico’s move to place tariffs of up to 50 per cent on Chinese and other Asian goods underscores US efforts to pressure other countries to take action against China – and Beijing may well retaliate, analysts said.

The Mexican Senate on Wednesday approved duties between 5 and 50 per cent on 1,463 product categories – including auto parts, textiles and plastics – starting from January 2026. President Claudia Sheinbaum had proposed the tariffs in the name of protecting local industries, subject to...

The killing of a pet dog in the northern Philippines has ignited widespread outrage and reopened debate on the country’s weak animal welfare protections after disturbing footage of the incident went viral online.

The video shows an American Bully named Axle being beaten with a wooden plank in the remote town of Sadanga in Mountain Province, prompting an outpouring of grief from animal lovers and a wave of calls for authorities to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act.

Closed-circuit...

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day state visit to New Delhi last week, for the 23rd Russia-India Summit, was heavy on optics, symbolism and multilayered signals, while tangible outcomes were relatively modest.

First and foremost, Putin signalled to the West that Russia is not isolated, despite the US-led criticism of the war his government has unleashed against Ukraine since 2022. In an unusual departure from customary diplomatic practice, three European ambassadors to India – from...

A woman is drawing praise online for saving her two dogs before escaping herself from a burning building in the Philippines. Viral images show the woman tossing the animals to safety and then finally climbing down a fire ladder during the December 10 incident.

Aerial footage released by the Thai military shows what was described as drones striking a casino complex and a Cambodian military bunker near the nations’ shared border.

Thai officials said the recent clashes have killed at least 15 people and forced more than 500,000 to evacuate from border areas, where fighting continues despite a recent truce brokered by the US and Asean.