Asia - South China Morning Post

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received warm congratulations from US President Donald Trump on his birthday on Tuesday and praise for his efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, as tense trade talks continued between the two countries.

“Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine!” Trump said in a social media post, describing his call with Modi as “wonderful” and praising India’s leader for doing a “tremendous job”.

Modi, also on social media, thanked Trump for...

The fields are full but the paddy rice is brown and wilted, and the air thick with the stench of rotting crops and livestock - the aftermath of record monsoon rains that have devastated India’s breadbasket.

In Punjab, often dubbed the country’s granary, the damage is unprecedented: floods have swallowed farmlands almost the size of London and New York City combined.

India’s agriculture minister said in a recent visit to the state that “the crops have been destroyed and ruined”, and Punjab’s...

Thaksin Shinawatra is being held under the same conditions as other inmates and has not received any special privileges during his first week back in prison, his lawyer has said, amid speculation over whether Thailand’s former prime minister may request to serve his sentence outside jail.

Attorney Winyat Chartmontree on Monday said Thaksin’s family had not sought any special treatment and that his client had only requested rights afforded to other inmates.

“People can say what they like, but...

Alibaba Group Holding is looking to ramp up its cross-border e-commerce strategy by getting merchants on its premium Tmall shopping site to sell to consumers in Southeast Asia through subsidiary Lazada.

“This is the first time that Tmall has established a direct connection to Lazada’s platform to facilitate the seamless onboarding of sellers,” a representative from Singapore-based Lazada said on Tuesday, adding that this initiative started last month. Alibaba owns the Post.

The cross-border...

A surge of deadly floods in Bali has reignited concerns over the Indonesian resort island’s overdevelopment, with planning and green experts warning that rapid urbanisation, weak environmental controls and mass tourism have pushed it towards an ecological tipping point.

Flash floods hit parts of the island last Wednesday, killing 18 people and displacing 149 others, the national disaster agency said on Monday. The disaster was caused by extreme rainfall on September 9 to 10, which was recorded...

A South Korean worker detained in a large-scale US immigration raid earlier this month has alleged mistreatment by American authorities, describing several days spent in degrading conditions under psychological duress at a federal detention centre in Georgia.

The man, who declined to be identified, was among more than 300 South Korean nationals arrested during a surprise raid on September 4 at HL-GA Battery Company, a joint venture of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, near Savannah,...

The Philippines has taken delivery of its most modern warship yet, marking a milestone in efforts to strengthen its maritime defences in the South China Sea.

The arrival of the BRP Diego Silang, a 3,200-tonne guided-missile frigate built in South Korea, offers the promise of greater surveillance and deterrence – even as analysts say the Philippines continues to lag behind its regional peers.

At a ceremony held on Monday in a naval base in Subic Bay, Philippine military chief General Romeo...

At least 13 people – including seven children – have died in an unprecedented spate of landslides across Malaysia’s Sabah as heavy rain batters its western coast in the deadliest storms to hit the state in nearly 30 years.

Nearly 90 incidents of landslides, flash flooding and road collapses have been reported over the past week, according to state authorities, as residents brace for worse to come after the Malaysian Meteorological Department issued a fresh storm warning on Tuesday.

The death...

In Seoul, alarm bells are ringing. Washington is demanding an eye-watering US$350 billion in direct investment, a sum so vast that economists warn it could tip South Korea into a crisis unseen in its modern history.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick bluntly asserted last week that South Korea must accept the deal or face higher tariffs – pointing out that Japan had already agreed to similar terms.

Under a framework agreement reached in July, the United States offered to reduce proposed...

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

1. ‘Do you want a boycott?’: Malaysia’s top mall rolls dice with flag ban

Malaysia’s most famous shopping centre edged closer to a damaging boycott after threatening to throw out a second group of pro-Palestinian protesters carrying flags, prompting calls for a mass...