Politics

North Korea is the subject of United Nations and other international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. The sanctions restrict its imports of oil and other items.
31 July 2021
The visit to Southeast Asia will be U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris's second trip overseas in the post.
International relations

Harris to visit Singapore and Vietnam as US courts Southeast Asia

August trip by VP follows Defense Secretary Austin's tour to underscore engagement

31 July 2021
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin delivered the 40th Fullerton Lecture to Singapore's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
International relations

Transcript: US Defense Secretary Austin's speech in Singapore

Address calls for ASEAN cooperation on 'stronger rules-based international order'

27 July 2021
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin: He is on a Southeast Asia tour that includes Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines.
International relations

Austin in Singapore: US seeks no China fight but 'will not flinch'

Defense secretary rebukes Beijing over South China Sea, Taiwan and Uyghurs

27 July 2021
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will soon travel to Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines in the first visit to Southeast Asia by a top member of the Biden administration. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense)
Indo-Pacific

US defense chief Austin to visit Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines

Washington seeks coordinated approach to Beijing in South China Sea

20 July 2021
Bangladesh has ample electric power for now but wants to add more renewables to its energy mix of the future.
International relations

Bangladesh scraps plans for 10 coal-fired power plants

Projects involving China, Japan and others axed due to environmental concerns

8 July 2021
Singapore is home to at least 28 high-tech, indoor urban vegetable farms that a food resilience official said allow the city-state to "grow more with less."
Asia Insight

Singapore cultivates 'Silicon Valley of food' in a hungry Asia

Lab meat and indoor greens thrive as COVID highlights regional challenge

6 July 2021
A teenager receives a COVID-19 vaccine dose in Tel Aviv on June 21, after authorities urged parents to get their kids inoculated amid school outbreaks.
Coronavirus

Israel COVID uptick shows vaccines help but are no panacea

As Asia accelerates shots, signs point to virus becoming endemic like flu

25 June 2021
ASEAN's emblem, center, features stalks of rice that symbolize the 10 member countries' solidarity. 
Asia Insight

ASEAN defends its Indo-Pacific 'centrality' between Quad and China

Myanmar and COVID crises threaten bloc's role in regional order

22 June 2021
China regards Taiwan as a "core interest" not subject to outside interference.
International relations

China fends off pressure over Taiwan in ASEAN-led defense talks

Japan criticizes Beijing's sea legislation; nations vow 'respect for international law'

17 June 2021
A thick cloud of smoke billows from a coal-burning power station in Beijing. Transitioning to green technology could be costly for companies. 
Climate Change

Japan and Singapore to push decarbonization investments in Asia

Industry ministries support gradual steps to curb emissions in emerging economies

17 June 2021
ASEAN defense ministers attend a virtual meeting on June 15. (Image courtesy of Brunei's Defense Ministry)
South China Sea

ASEAN defense ministers urge quick work on South China Sea code

Tuesday's talks to be followed by broader meeting with US, China and others

15 June 2021
Singaporean Finance Minister Lawrence Wong says the city-state "will make any necessary changes to our corporate tax system" once a global consensus is reached.
Economy

G-7 tax deal reverberates in Singapore and beyond: What to know

Proposed minimum of 'at least 15%' spurs talk of strategic rethink

11 June 2021
The Shangri-La hotel in Singapore had been set to hold a regional security summit early next month.
Coronavirus

Shangri-La Dialogue canceled as COVID cases rise in Singapore

Asia security summit scrapped just days after 'Davos' meeting called off

20 May 2021
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, left, failed to reach an agreement on the "Asian Eurostar" project with his Singaporean peer Lee Hsien Loong. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
International relations

Why Malaysia's plan for 'Asia's Eurostar' went off the rails

High-speed rail between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore fell prey to politics

13 May 2021
Stream article image
Asia Insight

COVID purgatory: Variants and other risks complicate Asia's escape

Amid uneven vaccinations, India stirs fears as Singapore and Israel offer hope

6 May 2021
From left, Singaporean cabinet ministers Ong Ye Kung, Lawrence Wong and Chan Chun Sing have all been floated as potential candidates for prime minister. (Source photos by Mayuko Tani and AP)
Politics

Singapore searches for next prime minister: 3 names to know

After Heng bows out, rising politicians aim to prove themselves in new posts

5 May 2021
Lawrence Wong, who has been serving as Singapore's education minister, will take over the key role of finance minister.
Politics

Singapore PM picks Lawrence Wong to take ex-heir Heng's portfolio

Hitherto education minister will assume finance post vacated by Heng Swee Keat

23 April 2021
A man receives a COVID-19 vaccination in Germany: Currencies in countries where vaccine rollouts have made progress have fared better than those where they have lagged.
Markets

Coronavirus vaccination rate now on investors' radar

Pound and dollar rise as vaccines boost give UK and US economies

18 April 2021
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, left, was considered Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's successor until he took himself out of the running. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
Politics

Singapore buzzes over next PM after Heng upends 'best-laid plans'

Lee and ruling party face big decision as global and domestic pressures build

9 April 2021
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, pictured in 2019, has long been considered the likely successor to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Politics

Singapore PM heir apparent Heng steps aside in surprise decision

Finance chief says city-state needs younger leader to rebuild after COVID

8 April 2021
Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, left, meets with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Fujian, China, on March 31. (Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore)
International relations

China tells Singapore it supports ASEAN approach to Myanmar crisis

Foreign ministers' talks kick off string of visits, with Malaysia and others to follow

1 April 2021
Protesters hold a vigil against the Myanmar coup outside the ASEAN Building in Jakarta in mid-March.
Myanmar Crisis

Myanmar violence raises pressure on ASEAN to de-escalate crisis

Bloc's reputation at stake as key states Indonesia and Singapore step up diplomacy

30 March 2021
A flurry of new health certificates may help restart airlines and tourism. But they risk dividing the world into vaccine "haves" and "have-nots."
The Big Story

Vaccine passports: Can they save travel? Should they?

Fairness vies with economics as governments weigh the risks of opening

24 March 2021
Loading up a coronavirus vaccine dose in Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia and Singapore intend to work toward accepting each other's immunization certificates.
COVID vaccines

Malaysia and Singapore push mutual vaccine certificate recognition

Foreign ministers discuss Myanmar but leave it out of COVID-focused statement

23 March 2021