The great Indo-Pacific hedge: Deeper defence ties as US doubts grow and China ascends

The United States, however, remains central to the region’s security.

China mine collapse kills five, days after deadly Shanxi blast

An illegal excavation site collapsed in Yunnan province, at about 4.30am local time on May 31.

Singaporean hiker fractures arm while descending Malaysia’s Gunung Datuk

The man was believed to have fallen at a rocky area near the summit staircase.

Japan says it remains open to dialogue with China, rejects ‘new militarism’ label

Japan rejects 'new militarism' label as its defense minister says Tokyo is open to talks with China.

Thai Lion Air cutting flights on 15 routes, including Phuket-Singapore, as jet fuel costs surge

Flights between Singapore and Phuket will be suspended from June 3 to Aug 1.

Taiwan vows not to be ‘silenced’ after China expels NYT reporter

The expulsion was over an interview that NYT conducted with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te.

China patrols Scarborough Shoal after Philippines warns of threat

The shoal become a frequent flashpoint between China and the Philippines over sovereignty and fishing rights.

The US says ships and submarines trump summits. South-east Asia politely says ‘no’

Hegseth's "model ally" rankings unsettled South-east Asian delegates over trade leverage fears.

Japan defence minister denies militarism and criticises China's 'huge arsenal'

Shinjiro Koizumi makes some of Tokyo's most pointed remarks yet in the dispute over Japan's military build-up.

Two decades later, impacts from Indonesia mud volcano linger

Dozen of residents gathered to mark two decades since mud volcano eruptions began displacing thousands.

US to send only used nuclear subs to Australia in amended defence deal

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles branded the move as a “cost-effective” measure.

Malaysia slams 'deafening silence' over scrapped Norway missile deal

Malaysia and Norway have fallen into a diplomatic dispute this month since the latter revoked export approvals for certain technologies.

Malaysia rebukes Norway over cancelled missile deal; calls out global ‘hypocrisy’ on war crimes

The US is exploring selling Malaysia missiles to fill the gap Norway's exit left, said the Malaysian defence minister.

Energy crunch fuels car pool growth

The world’s largest carpooling platform BlaBlaCar said soaring energy costs have pushed 600,000 additional drivers onto the app in 2026.

Mining turns India’s heat-shield hills to dust

Residents have long protested that the hills are being torn apart by unchecked mining.

Watch: Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing speaks at Shangri-La Dialogue on security partnerships

The plenary session at the Shangri-La Dialogue focused on how security partnerships are adapting in an increasingly fragmented global landscape.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery: What to know about this iconic Buddhist landmark in Bhutan

A woman from Singapore died while making the trek to the landmark on May 30.

Australian researchers teach brain cells to play ‘Doom’

Researchers say they are just scratching the surface of what the neurons could be capable of doing.

‘Totally hooked’: Hong Kong targets claw machine addiction

The colourfully lit machines, often seen drawing people, have come under regulatory scrutiny in May.

Ceasefires by other means

The week began with the ceasefire in Iran seeming more a negotiation over what the meaning of the war was in the first place, rather than a straightforward attempt at peace. It ended in a similarly surreal position. In between, Iran accused the US of continuing strikes.

US says it struck another vessel in eastern Pacific, killing three

May 30 - The U.S. military said on Saturday it had carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific killing three men, the second strike in as many days.

Japan pushes back against accusations of 'new militarism'

"Think about it. There's a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled 'new militarism'?," said Japanese defence minister Koizumi Shinjirō.

Japan refutes 'new militarism', accuses China of rapidly arming

"Think about it. There's a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled 'new militarism'?," said Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.

New Zealand lacks billions ‘under the couch’ for greater defence spending: Finance Minister

She was responding to the US' accusation that New Zealand’s defence spending is not enough.

ASEAN set to sign landmark regional digital economy framework agreement in November 2026

The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement is targeted to be signed at the 47th ASEAN Summit later this year.

How stamps and postcards helped India count its people

India's post office turned stamps, postcards and letters into tools for counting a nation after independence in 1947.

UK foreign minister due to visit China and India to discuss global issues

LONDON, May 31 - British foreign minister Yvette Cooper will travel to China on Monday, and then onwards to India later in the week, with the visits to focus on global issues from the Strait of Hormuz and the Russia-Ukraine war to the recent Ebola outbreak.

Ferrari wanted to take on Chinese EVs with the Luce - then the backlash started

The brand's first EV has been heavily criticised, with some saying it has abandoned Ferrari's roots.

Malaysia’s LGBTQ groups tread more carefully amid recent enforcement, ministers’ rhetoric

Recent moves by the Malaysian authorities point to a more restrictive climate for LGBTQ people in the country, analysts say, and this could be due to political competition as well as the visibility of some events.

Brain stunting – a crisis threatening many Filipino children

Brain stunting is one of malnutrition’s most consequential and irreversible effects.

'It's like a decaying body': Australian farmers battle mouse plague

Farmers report thousands of mice per hectare destroying crops and invading homes.

Sri Lanka's top monk suspended over alleged child sex abuse

What China hears in Hegseth’s Shangri-La speech

Many of America's allies and partners are likely to draw a different conclusion.

Taiwan’s more relaxed than most of us about Trumpian deal-making

The most common worry expressed around the world concerning the summit meeting in Beijing on May 14-15 was the fear that the future of Taiwan and its 23 million residents might be traded off in a deal between the men leading the world’s two true superpowers, Xi Jinping and

Japan, South Korea to resume search-and-rescue drill after 9 years in sign of warming ties

Defence exchanges between both sides stalled after a 2018 dispute in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Philippines remains under threat from China despite Trump-Xi summit, minister says

He said the country has "no choice but really to be resilient and to stand up against Chinese aggression".

Sri Lanka’s top monk suspended over alleged child sex abuse

Pallegama Hemarathana allegedly sexually abused an 11-year-old girl in 2022.

India says signed BrahMos missile deal with Vietnam

NEW DELHI, May 30 - India has signed a deal with Vietnam under which it will supply BrahMos missiles which it has jointly developed with Russia, and is in \"final stages\" for a similar deal with Indonesia, India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Saturday.

US, UK and Australia to develop underwater drone technology

The technology, developed under the Aukus military pact, is aimed at protecting undersea cables and boosting naval defence.

No deal announced after Trump meeting to make 'final determination' on Iran

The US president met his advisers, after officials confirmed the US and Iran had agreed a framework of a deal.

With world leaders’ ‘abysmal failure’ to uphold global order, ASEAN holds lessons: Timor-Leste president

President José Ramos-Horta also called on the Southeast Asian grouping to have the “audacity to declare the South China Sea a zone of peace” and touched on the Myanmar crisis in a special address at the Shangri-La Dialogue on May 30.

Vietnam to release nearly 10,000 prisoners

Japan PM vows ‘breakthrough’ with N. Korea in abduction issue

Japan lists 17 Japanese nationals as having been abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.

Four more men freed from flooded Laos cave after 10 days

Two of the seven villagers who entered the narrow tunnels in search for gold on 20 May are still missing.

Rescuers free 4 more men trapped in semi-submerged Laos cave

A total of five people have now been rescued, while two remain missing.