A Chinese military helicopter flies past Pingtan island, one of mainland China's closest point from Taiwan, on Aug 4, 2022.
PHOTO: AFP
China has wrapped up its week-long military drills of unprecedented scale and intensity around Taiwan following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-ruled island last week. But Beijing has issued a stark warning: It will not tolerate any "separatist activities" and will take Taiwan by force if necessary.
Taiwan has rejected China’s stance and has since conducted its own military drills. Amid the heightened tensions, defence experts in Taipei have hashed out some possible invasion scenarios, writes Taiwan Correspondent Katherine Wei.
The worry remains that this episode signals a more confrontational relationship between Washington and Beijing, going forward. US Correspondent Charissa Yong and China Correspondent Danson Cheong look at how Mrs Pelosi's visit has affected the calculations of the US and China in their face-off over Taiwan.
The Littoral Combat Ship for the Royal Malaysian Navy under construction by Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation.
PHOTO: BERNAMA
A multibillion-dollar scandal in Malaysia over long-delayed naval vessels has ignited a political firestorm that jeopardises ruling party Umno's hopes of holding an early election this year and winning it.
Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa boarded a flight from Singapore to Bangkok on Thursday.
PHOTO: AFP
Former Sri Lanka president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has left Singapore for Thailand, after he fled his island nation last month amid mass protests. Thailand confirmed it had received a request from the current Sri Lankan government for Mr Rajapaksa to visit the country.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on nurses, leading them to resign in record numbers across the globe. This has led to a severe shortage of nurses in hospitals. In this Asian Insider special report, find out why they quit and where some of them have gone to.
Amid rising youth unemployment, more young Chinese are hoping to land government jobs.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Younger people in Japan and South Korea are shunning low-paying civil service jobs for a healthier work-life balance, report Japan correspondent Walter Sim and South Korea correspondent Chang May Choon.
However, it is a different story in China and India, where youths are hoping to land government jobs amidst growing unemployment. India Bureau Chief Nirmala Ganapathy shines the spotlight on Bihar - one of India's poorest states - where centres offer coaching and mock tests for youths hoping to do well in civil service exams.
Shipping rates ease
Ocean carriers have raised their rates since mid-2021, as demand rose amid restricted capacity following the lifting of pandemic restrictions across countries.
PHOTO: AFP
Shipping fees are finally on the ebb now as port backlogs ease following the lifting of pandemic restrictions across countries. Although the rates have come down from their pandemic peak, they are still about double pre-pandemic levels, writes regional correspondent Jeffrey Hutton.
Asia's sprint queen Lydia De Vega dies
Lydia de Vega became a track superstar in the Philippines at 18 years old.
PHOTOS: THE NEW PAPER
Track legend Lydia de Vega - once hailed as Asia's fastest woman and one of the Philippines' most decorated and beloved athletes - has died at the age of 57 after a four-year battle with breast cancer, reports Raul Dancel. Lithe and with movie star looks, she drew hordes of adoring fans. But it was her consistent performance on the tracks that turned her into a folk hero.
Lottery tickets are often sold by street vendors in Thailand for 100 baht (S$3.80) a piece, higher than the legal retail price of 80 baht.
ST PHOTO: TAN TAM MEI
Thailand's love for the lottery reached fever pitch in June when the government launched the first sale of tickets online. However, the move has not gone down well with vendors who sell the paper lottery tickets, reports Thailand Correspondent Tan Tam Mei in the latest dispatch of Letter from the Bureau.
Elsewhere in Asia
Tourists go through pre-departure procedures at Sanya Phoenix airport, on Aug 9, 2022.
