SCMP Asia·Saturday, January 3, 2026

SCMP Asia - Saturday, January 3, 2026

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Cambodia accuses Thailand of ‘annexing’ Chouk Chey border village despite ceasefire

Cambodia said on Friday that Thai forces had taken control of a disputed border village, accusing Thailand of “annexing” the area after a truce halted deadly fighting along their contested frontier a week ago. The decades-old border dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted into military clashes several times last year, with fighting in December killing dozens of people and displacing more than one million on both sides. The two countries agreed a truce on December 27, pledging to..

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Japan snowstorm traps 3,000 vehicles in 23km traffic jam on highway over New Year

Heavy snowfall caused a traffic jam to form on Friday on a highway in western Japan that stretched for up to 23km (14 miles) overnight, involving an estimated 3,000 vehicles, according to the highway operator and local firefighters. Lanes were subsequently closed on the Sanyo Expressway between Hiroshima Prefecture, where the incident happened, and neighbouring Yamaguchi Prefecture, but they reopened on Saturday afternoon, West Nippon Expressway said. The traffic jam hit as some drivers were...

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India’s military upgrade to counter regional threats gathers pace

India’s defence modernisation is on track even as it faces the challenges of ensuring that weapon systems are deployed quickly and boosting its military’s capabilities to counter external threats, according to analysts. Last year, the Indian government approved three major defence packages totalling US$30 billion out of the country’s total defence budget of US$78.7 billion for the current financial year, which was ratified by parliament in February. The three packages were cleared in the second.

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Workers’ Party in Singapore rules on Pritam Singh, disciplinary panel to be formed

The top decision-making body of the Workers’ Party (WP) in Singapore has directed that a disciplinary panel be formed to determine if party chief Pritam Singh has contravened the WP’s constitution, following his recent court conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee. In a media statement on Saturday, the WP said its central executive committee (CEC) met on Friday to discuss matters arising from Singh’s conviction after the High Court dismissed his appeal against it on December 4. Party..

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Ageing Asia needs domestic helpers, but can it keep them safe?

In March last year, Erica Cheong and her husband, Harris Zainol, welcomed their firstborn son, Isaac. Like many new Malaysian parents living and working in Kuala Lumpur, the couple found the transition to parenthood overwhelming. “We needed someone to help care for the baby, given that my parents are elderly and my in-laws work full time,” Cheong told This Week in Asia. After speaking to friends who have employed domestic helpers, the couple, both 35, decided that doing the same was their best..

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Myanmar military-backed party leads in election’s first phase by wide margin

Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is leading after the first phase of a contentious general ‍election, early results cited by state media showed, in the first vote since a 2021 coup. Having sparked a nationwide rebellion after crushing pro-democracy protests in the wake of its coup, the ruling junta has said the three-phase vote would bring political stability to the impoverished Southeast Asian ⁠nation. Partial results from Myanmar’s first election since 2020,...

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Singapore’s animal shelters struggle with costs, falling adoption

At the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Singapore, it was yet another busy Monday as volunteers cleaned cages and leashed dogs for walks around the shelter. Squinty, a seven-year-old male crossbreed, stretched his hind legs – which were covered in partially healed burn wounds – in anticipation. The canine’s energetic jaunt belied his kidney disease, which required him to take daily fluids and supplements. The docile pooch is among many animals housed by the SPCA,...

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Lawrence Wong thanks Trump for G20 invitation, Singapore-US mark 60th milestone

Singapore and the United States have started the new year by reaffirming their partnership, with 2026 marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the nations. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had a telephone call with US President Donald Trump on Friday, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said. “PM Wong and President Trump noted that 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Singapore and the United States,” the ministry said in a press statement. “They...

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Why talk of a Japanese nuclear option is resurfacing – and why it alarms critics

An editorial in the Sankei Shimbun has reopened a long-taboo debate in Japan over whether the country should even discuss acquiring nuclear weapons, after off-the-record remarks by a senior security official arguing the country should have them sparked domestic and regional backlash. The conservative daily argued that growing threats from Japan’s neighbours meant no option for protecting the public should be beyond discussion, a stance that has drawn praise from some on the right and alarm from.

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Fair or fowl? Malaysia struggles to stomach its US trade pact

Janice, a Kuala Lumpur-based food entrepreneur and chef, is in a foul mood as she laments the inferior quality and taste of US-produced chicken and eggs. Yet she concedes that she may have to stomach this unwelcome change in the local poultry market, at least for now. Malaysia is bracing itself for a surge in American poultry shipments under an “agreement on reciprocal trade” signed with Washington in October. The deal opens the Southeast Asian nation to more US exports of food, cars and...

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