Asia - South China Morning Post

A Filipino blogger has been arrested and accused of inciting sedition over a Facebook post authorities described as making a veiled death threat against the president.

In the October 3 post, video blogger Michael “Mike” Romero shared a picture of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr standing with other officials outside the earthquake-ravaged city hall in Bogo, in the central Philippines.

The photo was overlaid with a red arrow pointing at Marcos’ head with the single-word caption reading “headshot”,...

First it was alcohol, now it is beef facing calls for a ban from Malaysian government functions, out of respect for the country’s Buddhists and Hindus, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration is asked to adjudicate over culture wars to appease the multiracial country’s different religions.

The government came under fire over the weekend after complaints that beer and wine were served in front of Muslim guests at a gala dinner that was part of the Global Travel Meet 2025, organised by...

Indonesia has backed US President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to end the war in Gaza, presenting it as a constructive step towards resolving the two-year conflict and easing humanitarian suffering in the besieged enclave.

But the decision has stirred backlash at home, with analysts suggesting that Indonesia – long a vocal supporter of Palestinian statehood – may have stepped into a “diplomatic trap” that benefits Israeli and US interests more than those of Palestinians.

“The government’s...

Scientists Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M Yaghi won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for their work in the development of metal-organic frameworks that dates back to 1989.

The Nobel Committee said that the three laureates “developed a new form of molecular architecture.”

“They have created molecular constructions with large spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow,” the committee said.

Hans Ellegren, secretary general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences,...

An Indonesian official is planning to shame the “laziest” civil servants in his province on social media in a bid to push them to improve their performance, with the move drawing praise from the public and criticism from several politicians.

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi intends to publish the details of underachievers on the provincial government’s social media accounts from next month, according to a Jakarta Globe report. He also plans to put out a monthly list of top-performing...

The Philippines and Japan have activated their new defence pact through a joint mission focused on delivering humanitarian aid following the deadly earthquake in Cebu, in a move that analysts say can lay the groundwork for deeper security cooperation in the region.

The deployment marks the start of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a landmark deal that allows troops from both countries to conduct joint exercises on each other’s territory. Signed in July 2024 and in force since September 11,...

At least 15 people were killed late on Tuesday after debris from a massive landslide hit a bus in India’s northern state of Himachal Pradesh, local authorities said.

The bus was travelling on a hilly stretch near Bilaspur district when a landslide struck following days of torrential rain. There were at least 20 to 25 passengers on the bus at the time. Nine men, four women and two children were among those killed, police said.

Three injured children were rescued and admitted to a local hospital...

Singapore has executed 38-year-old Malaysian Pannir Selvam Pranthaman for smuggling drugs into the island republic in 2014.

Singapore-based non-governmental organisation Transformative Justice Collective member Rocky Howe confirmed the execution on Wednesday.

“Pannir Selvam has been executed this morning,” he said.

He was convicted by the High Court on May 2, 2017, for importing not less than 51.84 grams of diamorphine into Singapore in 2014 and was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty.

The...

SoftBank Group Corp on Wednesday said it has agreed to buy the robotics business of Swiss engineering group ABB in a US$5.4 billion deal.

The deal marks a major push by SoftBank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son into robotics, as he expands investment activity after a period of retrenchment.

SoftBank, whose forays into robotics include the humanoid Pepper, has investments in the segment, including in Berkshire Grey and AutoStore.

The deal means ABB has abandoned its original decision to spin off and...

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer began a two-day visit to India on Wednesday, his first official trip to the country as leader, with a sweeping bilateral trade agreement and broader economic cooperation at the top of the agenda.

Analysts say the visit offers both strategic and economic significance, coming amid rising global trade tensions and pressure on Starmer to deliver growth without inflaming Britain’s immigration debate. While the UK hopes to boost exports and investment ties with...