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 ..

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...

Malaysias anti-corruption investigation into a flagship chip-design deal with Britains 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 Malaysias 1MDB scandal came as the countrys anti-corruption agency pushed back against his claims and allies of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned the investigation risked appearing heavy handed. The dispute has dragged one...

The Philippine government said on Wednesday it had apprehended some of its citizens on suspicion of spying for China in a serious national security matter that underscores the need for stricter laws against espionage and foreign interference. Authorities did not provide details about the case, including how many people had been apprehended or whether charges had been filed. The operations of these individuals acting on the behest of Chinese intelligence have been addressed and terminated,...

Singaporean fashion photographer and former model Chuando Tan has turned 60, and his birthday photos are once again fuelling disbelief online over the youthful appearance that first made him a social media sensation nearly a decade ago. Tan shared a reflective message alongside photos posted to Instagram on Tuesday to mark the milestone, quickly attracting hundreds of thousands of likes and a wave of comments from followers marvelling at how little he appears to have aged. Today, on my 60th...

A Philippine lawmaker has provoked outrage for what critics said were misogynistic remarks about one of the countrys most famous celebrities while attempting to defend Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio at a hearing deliberating her impeachment charges. The remarks, made during deliberations of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice on Tuesday, prompted objections from female lawmakers, calls for his statement to be removed from the record and warnings from officials that such...

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may face growing difficulty pushing through major reforms as Malaysia edges closer to its next general election, analysts have said, after a parliamentary setback exposed strains within his broad but fragile ruling coalition. The warning signs emerged when lawmakers failed to pass a constitutional amendment to limit the prime ministers tenure to two terms a reform widely expected to succeed given the governments commanding majority. Anwars administration fell...

For years, debates about US-China competition have defaulted to the obvious categories: ships, chips, tariffs and security pacts. Soft power was often treated as Americas home turf, the domain of Hollywood, top universities, global brands and a political ideal that still attracts even when it disappoints. That assumption is getting riskier. The world has entered a new emotional weather pattern: fatigue. Its a structural condition shaped by overlapping shocks: pandemic after-effects, inflation...

Philippine lawmakers ordered Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday to respond to impeachment complaints against her after finding substance to allegations involving unexplained wealth, the misuse of public funds and making public threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. The daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte is seen as a front runner for the 2028 presidential election, and has said she will run for the top post. She survived a similar impeachment bid last year, ..

The founder of failed oil trading firm Hin Leong Trading, 84-year-old Lim Oon Kuin, had his jail term cut by four years after a partially successful appeal against his conviction and sentence in a criminal case. Singapores High Court on Wednesday rejected his appeal against conviction but allowed his appeal against his sentence of 17 years. Justice Hoo Sheau Peng said this sentence, when considering his age and the fact he was unlikely to reoffend, was crushing, even with remission. She...

Passengers stranded on the Indonesian resort island of Bali clamoured for flight news on Tuesday as the outbreak of war in the Middle East grounded planes and turned a tropical holiday dream into an ordeal for many. Hundreds were crowded at Ngurah Rai International Airport, many dressed in shorts, flip-flops and summer dresses, their expressions dour. Many sat on the floor, exhausted, and one man repeatedly hit a wall in frustration. I just kind of want to see my family right now its a bit...

A group of quick-thinking villagers swooped to the rescue of a runaway train in the East Malaysian state of Sabah on Tuesday, sacrificing a vital motorised rail trolley to force the carriage to stop. The incident unfolded at about 7.30am as the train was carrying passengers including teachers and families with young children on their regular morning commute from Tenom to the Pangi subdistrict in southwest Sabah, on the island of Borneo. The train suffered a brake failure, according to local...

A Malaysian national and a Filipino were killed Tuesday when a helicopter crashed in a vacant lot about two hours southeast of Manila. The Bell 505 helicopter carrying five people, including two Malaysians, took off from the capital and was en route to Quezon province, more than 400km (248 miles) southeast of the capital, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and other officials said. It was not immediately clear what caused the forced landing in clear weather in a grassy area of ..

A Thai court issued arrest warrants for a foreign businessman and his wife accused of investment fraud and money laundering, with one victim allegedly conned out of more than US$30 million, police said. Thailands Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) accused Ben Smith, also identified in news reports as South African Benjamin Mauerberger, and his wife, Cattaliya Beevor, of cross-border investment fraud dating back to 2016, according to a statement from the bureau on Monday. Media reports have...

As judges in The Hague consider whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Dutertes crimes against humanity case should proceed to trial, a parallel battle over the narrative has taken hold online. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have accused Duterte of overseeing a campaign of extrajudicial killings linked to his signature war on drugs. Rights groups say the campaign left thousands dead during his 2016-2022 presidency, allegations he has repeatedly denied. Analysts...

When Dujduan Ketsaro wed two men in a single ceremony in northeastern Thailand on Saturday, she was ready for the attention. Marry one and the world wont remember, the 37-year-old former singer-songwriter quipped to a guest. Marry two at once and they will. The three-way wedding, reported by Thai newspaper Khaosod, brought together Dujduan and two Austrian partners: Roman, a retired police officer she had lived with for five years and Macky, a police officer and Romans best friend who had...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnrs decision to promote coastguard officer Jay Tarriela despite Beijings calls for him to be sanctioned is being read by analysts as a calibrated signal of how the Philippines intends to manage its maritime dispute with China. Rather than a routine personnel move, they say, the elevation of one of the governments most outspoken maritime voices suggests Marcos is doubling down on a strategy that pairs public exposure of Beijings actions in the South China Sea...

Millions of migrant workers, who support some of the Middle Easts most crucial sectors, are in the line of fire as Iran retaliates against the US-Israeli strikes that killed the Islamic Republics supreme leader. Southeast and South Asian nations supply a large share of the labour in the Gulf, including medical practitioners, construction workers and household help that make up a migrant workforce the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates at over 24 million. The Philippines,...

Singapores long-standing effort to stay equidistant between the United States and China is entering a more volatile phase, with recent comments by officials reflecting their awareness of the mounting strain, analysts have said. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday told parliament that Singapore would not act as a proxy for any major power, stressing that the city state must be prepared to courteously stand up and say no. Observers say his remarks come at a time when geopolitical...

Myanmars military junta granted amnesty on Monday to more than 7,000 prisoners convicted of financing or sheltering a terrorist group, a designation it has used to outlaw pro-democracy factions opposing its rule. Thousands of dissenting civilians have been swept into jails since Myanmars military snatched power in a 2021 coup, ending a decade-long experiment with democracy and detaining elected figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi. Pro-democracy activists backing Suu Kyi and armed groups challenging...

A man has been arrested in Johor after an 11-second viral clip showed him clinging to the front of his ex-wifes moving car before tumbling onto the road in full view of onlookers. Police said the suspect had clung to the car for around 2km (1.2 miles) and that he had tested positive for ketamine. The incident unfolded at about 3.30pm on Saturday outside a supermarket in Bandar Seri Alam, a township in Johor, the southern Malaysian state bordering Singapore, after an argument between the pair...

The killing of Irans Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli air strikes has prompted governments across Muslim-majority South and Southeast Asia to reiterate calls for restraint as protests flared in several cities, with some religious and political movements hailing the cleric as a martyr. Iranian state media confirmed Khameneis death on Sunday and declared a 40-day mourning period, casting the assassination as a pivotal moment for the Islamic Republic he had led since...

The Philippines cannot afford an aircraft carrier, could not sustain one if it had it and, according to most analysts, does not need one. What it needs is messier, cheaper and harder to photograph, they say: a web of missiles, patrol boats, frigates and surveillance assets designed not to project power, but to deny it. Two recent developments have made that choice harder to ignore. Last month, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr openly mused that an aircraft carrier with accompanying...

Malaysias government said on Friday it would consider calls for a royal commission to investigate alleged abuses of power within the countrys anti- corruption agency, as pressure grew for the immediate removal of its chief commissioner. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has faced growing pressure from critics and allies alike since news reports earlier this month alleged that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki had bought corporate shares exceeding the limit permitted for...

Malaysias anti-corruption agency on Friday asked the public for help in locating the four children of the late tycoon and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, as it widened an investigation into the familys wealth. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said it was seeking information on the whereabouts of Asnida Abdul Daim, 63, Md Wira Dani Abdul Daim, 46, Muhammed Amir Zainuddin Daim, 29 and Muhammed Amin Zainuddin Daim, 26, to assist in investigations. The statement, however, did not...

Penangs youngest executive councillor Fahmi Zainol has been charged at the Magistrates Court in the Malaysian state with voluntarily causing hurt to his wife. The 35-year-old, who is the Pantai Jerejak assemblyman, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Magistrate Chia Huey Ting. Based on the charge sheet, he is charged with purposely causing injury to his wife, Nur Hidayah Abd Jabar, 35, at a house in Bayan Lepas at around 10pm on Sunday. The charge was framed under...

When 22-year-old Fandi Ramadhan phoned home from detention last May, he told his mother he did not know there were drugs on the ship where he had recently started work as an engine-room oiler. Indonesian prosecutors, however, allege he was aware of the illicit cargo and are now seeking the death penalty for him and five other crew members of the Thai-flagged vessel Sea Dragon, after authorities said they found nearly two tonnes of methamphetamines on board in what officials described as the...

An Indonesian court has jailed nine people in a major corruption case involving subsidiaries of state energy firm Pertamina, including two former chief executives of its units, which prosecutors say caused US$17 billion in state losses. The case, which centres on alleged illegal leasing of a fuel terminal and illegal imports of crude oil, among other offences, is one of the biggest launched under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, who has vowed to eradicate corruption. The nine...

Singapores unexpectedly large budget surplus arises from tough decisions to raise taxes earlier and means that the country is now in a position of strength, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has said, after MPs questioned the accuracy of his governments budget forecasts. Earlier this month, Wong revealed in his budget statement that Singapore expected a surplus of S$15.1 billion (US$12 billion), or 1.9 per cent of gross domestic product, for the 2025 financial year ending March, more than double ..

Two men were arrested on Thursday after shots were fired at a car carrying the Malaysian border police chief, in what authorities believe was retribution for a crackdown on rampant smuggling. The porous border between Malaysia and Thailand is a notorious crossing used by crime gangs trafficking people, drugs, weapons and other contraband, including food and subsidised diesel for sale into the Thai market. Before dawn on Wednesday, two suspects wearing helmets on a motorcycle fired shots at a ..

Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Wednesday that scam centres were destroying his countrys economy and giving the nation a bad name pushing back on allegations of government connivance. The nation has emerged as a hotspot for crime syndicates running a multibillion-dollar fraud industry that sees scammers lure internet users globally into fake romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investments. The scam network, what we call the black economy, is destroying our honest economy....

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, sales director Sabir Ansari relied on Deliveroo almost daily for burgers and pasta delivered to his door in Singapore. Over time, the 31-year-old said, it became harder to justify the services costs as rival platforms like Grab and Foodpanda offered more food options and aggressive promotions that made delivery fees way cheaper. It was a no-brainer, he said. For Deliveroo, that kind of calculation among consumers became increasingly consequential. On...

More than 8,000 personnel from 30 countries are taking part in Cobra Gold, one of the largest and longest running multinational military exercises in Southeast Asia. The annual exercises are being held in many provinces across Thailand until March 6, aiming to strengthen coordination among participating nations and develop military capabilities to align with current global circumstances. Thailand and the United States, which are co-hosts of the drill, along with Singapore, Indonesia, Japan,...

As Manila scrambles to investigate links between convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and a Philippines-based team he allegedly hired to scrub his criminal history from the web, a relatively obscure industry in the Southeast Asian country has come under the microscope due to the revelation. Emails released by the US Department of Justice have alarmed Filipino lawmakers on the potential exploitation of gig workers from the Philippines handling online-reputation work of a shady nature. The...

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing mounting pressure from within his own ruling coalition after a key partner called for an independent inquiry into allegations that a corporate mafia is operating within the countrys anti- corruption agency, placing his reform agenda under renewed scrutiny. The Democratic Action Party (DAP) the largest party in Anwars uneasy alliance said it would insist on a royal commission to investigate claims that senior figures in the Malaysian...

Malaysia has blocked access to LGBTQ networking and dating sites Grindr and Blued, with authorities reviewing legal measures to curb their apps in the Muslim-majority nation. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the countrys internet regulator, is examining several legislative measures to curb these applications, the communications ministry said in a written parliamentary reply on Tuesday. The commission may also engage with Google and Apple, it said. Google and...

Malaysias Communications Ministry has ordered an investigation and immediate action following a social media post showing the desecration of the Koran. Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government strongly condemned the act, describing it as disrespectful, insulting to Islam and a challenge to the sensitivities of Malaysias multiracial society. He said enforcement action had been directed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has...

The news rippled through Malaysian social media with something close to glee. Nick Adams, the Australian-born, self-described alpha male whom US President Donald Trump had nominated as ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, was not coming after all. They do listen sometimes, said Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim, a youth leader from the Peoples Justice Party who had been among the dozens who marched to the US embassy last July demanding Washington reconsider the appointment. Adams himself offered a very...