Asia - South China Morning Post

Philippine lawmakers have moved two impeachment complaints against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio a step closer to formal proceedings, advancing a case that could ultimately threaten her political future as a potential contender for the presidency in 2028.

The drawn-out process also carries political risks for both camps, with some lawmakers arguing that a failed Senate conviction could ultimately strengthen Duterte-Carpio ahead of the 2028 race.

The House of Representatives’ justice...

The sinking of an Iranian warship by a US submarine off Sri Lanka’s coast has raised concerns across South and Southeast Asia that the Middle East conflict may be expanding into the Indian Ocean, while also intensifying political pressure in India for a stronger response.

Analysts said the strike’s location near key sea lanes linking Asia with the Gulf had heightened fears the conflict could spill into waters vital to regional trade while also raising doubts in New Delhi over its cautious...

Singapore police have announced arrests of three Singaporeans as part of investigations into ⁠alleged transnational scam syndicate Prince Group and its founder and chairman, Chen Zhi, who is in Chinese detention.

Police said the three men were arrested between November 2025 and January for their suspected involvement in money laundering and fraud offences in relation to the case.

Each offence is punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine or both.

Assets frozen include three properties,...

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a newly built destroyer and oversaw a test launch of what state media called a “strategic cruise missile” this week, casting the navy’s build-up as a key part of Pyongyang’s evolving nuclear deterrent, analysts said.

The two-day inspection of the 5,000-tonne destroyer Choe Hyon came as North Korea was closely watching recent US military strikes on Iran and ahead of US-South Korea joint exercises set to begin on March 9.

Kim hailed the warship as a “new...

Asian carriers like Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines (SIA) are among the best positioned airlines to weather the war in the Middle East as travellers scramble for flights – and pay huge premiums – to escape the conflict.

Asian airlines have emerged as one of the go-to choices for people leaving the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Extensive airspace closures mean carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways have essentially ground to a halt, creating opportunities for...

Malaysia’s anti-corruption investigation into a flagship chip-design deal with Britain’s Arm Holdings took a more combustible turn on Thursday after a former government aide declared: “I am not Jho Low 2.0.”

The remark – invoking the fugitive financier at the centre of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal – came as the country’s anti-corruption agency pushed back against his claims, while allies of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned the investigation risked appearing heavy-handed.

The dispute has dragged...

#SEAblings – short for “Southeast Asian siblings” – has increasingly been used by young Southeast Asians to signal regional solidarity, be it over a controversial concert or a political event. Whether such moments are fleeting or have the potential to morph into a sustainable movement is a subject of debate.

The hashtag’s latest surge in use followed a dispute over camera rules at a K-pop concert in Kuala Lumpur, which escalated into a much wider online clash.

For some sociologists, the point is...

Japan’s Space One said its Kairos rocket terminated its flight after lift-off on Thursday, failing to achieve the country’s first entirely commercial satellite launch on its third attempt in a row.

Three months after another state-run rocket launch ‌failure, the unsuccessful flight dealt a fresh blow to Japan’s efforts to establish domestic launch options and reduce its reliance on American rockets amid rising space-security needs to counter China.

Kairos, the 18-metre (59 ft) solid-propellant...

The United States has ordered non-emergency staff at two Pakistani consulates to leave the country and granted permission for staff to leave missions in Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Oman as Iran retaliates over US-Israeli raids.

The State Department ordered non-emergency US government employees and their family members at the consulates in Lahore and Karachi to leave Pakistan due to “safety risks”, the US embassy in Islamabad said in a statement on Wednesday.

It said there was no change to the...

In Singapore’s famous Takashimaya shopping centre, those looking for a quick caffeine fix are spoiled for choice. There is, of course, the ubiquitous Starbucks, as well as an outlet of China’s rapidly expanding Luckin Coffee franchise.

But it’s a third option, Kenangan Coffee – an upstart brand from Indonesia that opened its first branch in Singapore in 2023 – that most appeals to 27-year-old shopper Sarah Shah.

“I really like Kenangan’s range of drinks, especially how they balance classic...