Asia - South China Morning Post

Malaysia’s scramble to tighten school rules after a disturbing wave of violent and sexual assaults among pupils is a short-term fix for deeper social and institutional decay, experts and teachers say, warning of a “systemic collapse” that has exposed students to grave dangers.

Several brutal incidents this month – including the alleged murder of a girl and two gang-rape cases inside schools – have prodded the government to introduce new measures like installing surveillance cameras in schools,...

Malaysia is set to host one of the most consequential Asean summits ever as US President Donald Trump and a coterie of world leaders converge on Kuala Lumpur this weekend, bringing fresh urgency to talks on trade, security and the shifting global order.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is expected to use the three-day summit starting on Sunday to ease tensions with Trump over trade imbalances, while also pursuing deals with other...

The head of Japan’s largest umbrella group for labour unions on Thursday countered Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s wish to ease restrictions on overtime work, warning that it will go against the recent push for workstyle reforms.

“It is unacceptable,” Tomoko Yoshino told a press conference after Takaichi instructed her labour minister to consider relaxing the rules.

Before becoming prime minister on Tuesday, Takaichi caused a stir when she vowed to dispense with the phrase “work-life balance”...

Singapore’s Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli on Thursday apologised and acknowledged that agencies involved in the case of four-year-old Megan Khung’s fatal abuse could have done more when handling the matter.

“As the lead for the national child protection system, I would like to say that we are sorry for the outcome,” he said. “We cannot eradicate every risk of a child loss. But our resolve is absolute. We will do everything possible to prevent the recurrence of such...

Sanae Takaichi has made a strong debut as Japan’s first female prime minister, with early polls showing widespread public confidence in her leadership – despite her decision to appoint several politicians who have been embroiled in scandal.

A Yomiuri Shimbun survey released this week found 71 per cent of respondents backed her administration, climbing to 80 per cent among voters aged 18 to 39.

That places Takaichi’s debut as the fifth most popular of any new government since 1978 – surpassing...

A long-awaited trade deal between India and the United States may be facing political delays, despite broad agreement that would cut the steep 50 per cent duties imposed on New Delhi by US President Donald Trump to about 15-16 per cent, according to two people familiar with the talks.

The sources, who declined to be identified given sensitive negotiations, said that while Washington is eager to conclude the deal quickly to appease US farmers caught in the crossfire with trade frictions with...

A spate of powerful earthquakes across the Philippines has triggered widespread panic, sparked a flood of misinformation and prompted officials to take decisions that experts warn could undermine long-term disaster readiness.

Analysts say the anxious public reaction – from mass hysteria in schools to viral conspiracy theories about “The Big One” – underscores a pressing need for better science communication and coordination between government agencies, especially in a country highly exposed to...

Indian refiners are poised to sharply curtail imports of Russian oil to comply with new US sanctions on two top Russian producers, industry sources have said, potentially removing a major hurdle to a trade deal with the United States.

The change comes as India faces punishing 50 per cent tariffs on its exports to the US – with half of those duties in retaliation for Russian oil purchases – and negotiates a potential trade deal that could bring those tariffs in line with Asian peers in exchange...

Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s coming visit to South Korea, speculation is mounting about a possible meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. CNN reported that Trump administration officials have privately discussed arranging such an encounter. Meanwhile, the suspension of trips to Panmunjom next week has only fuelled rumours that a repeat of the dramatic 2019 summit is imminent. Back then, Trump tweeted an invitation to Kim within 48 hours before they met at the truce village.

Yet...

The peak of Japan’s Mount Fuji was capped with snow for the first time this winter on Thursday, reaching the milestone 21 days later than the average since records began in 1894, the meteorological agency said.

This year’s snowfall came two weeks earlier than 2024, when snow settled on the 3,776-metre (12,388-ft) mountain only on November 7, the latest since records began.

The sacred mountain is among Japan’s most enduring symbols – its snow-capped summit has inspired some of Japan’s greatest...