How Does Democracy Die? An Exclusive Conversation with Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman

An Indian tourist was killed and a New Zealand national injured when two helicopters collided and crashed while attempting to land in Nepal’s Everest region on Tuesday, police said. There are few roads in the Himalayas, and helicopters are widely used to transport tourists, climbers and supplies, as well as carry out emergency evacuations. Nepal’s challenging terrain and rapidly changing weather make aviation operations particularly hazardous. The small helicopters operated by Fishtail Air and...

Reddit and an Australian digital advocacy group are claiming a law that restricts children younger than 16 from popular platforms infringes on their constitutional rights.

A rally organised by Jakarta police to promote national unity has instead raised questions about whether the Indonesian government is using public events to blunt dissent, with questions raised over the identities of some participants after one admitted in a television interview that he had been paid to attend while posing as a university student. The controversy has fuelled criticism of what analysts describe as an intensifying effort to drown out opposing voices, while drawing attention to the...

It’s not just rare earths. China is making it harder for other countries to shed their dependence on its solar, drone and drugmaking technology.

A new public opinion poll released on the eve of the US midterm elections indicates that while few Japanese favour President Donald Trump’s policies, most say they wish Japan had a “strong” head of state who could make difficult decisions. Analysts suggest that while many Japanese believe a strong leader will stand up for the nation on the world stage and not shy away from bold policies, this does not mean they want someone with the bombast, showmanship and arrogance associated with...

An organiser behind a fundraiser for a boy whose parents died in an alleged hit-and-run accident in Singapore has vowed transparency, thanking donors for their “overwhelming” kindness amid debate over the campaign’s authenticity. Farah Diyanah Razid, who identified herself as a family member of the victims on the crowdfunding platform Give.Asia, said all contributions collected through the drive were intended solely for the child’s welfare and future. The clarification came after social media...

Suspected militants riding a motorcycle shot and killed two police officers assigned to protect polio workers during a door-to-door vaccination campaign on Tuesday in northwestern Pakistan, officials said. The drive-by shooting in Mohmand, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan, also wounded a third officer. The police officers were travelling to a nearby village to guard vaccination teams when they came under fire, police officer Ayaz Khan said. The attackers fled...

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Indonesia’s haze crisis becomes rallying point for student anger at Prabowo The protests, taking place in several spots around the capital, have been organised by student leaders from the University of Indonesia along with a coalition of student organisations from...

Malaysia’s unity government is facing an increasingly uncomfortable test ahead of the Melaka state election, with parties governing together at the federal level reverting to old rivalries as they compete for votes in a contest that could foreshadow shifting alliances before a national poll due by February 2028. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition is under pressure to put on a strong showing against federal partners Umno, which is widely expected to retain power...

The discovery of dozens of pet remains dumped in sacks along a roadside in the Philippines has sparked public outrage and raised questions over whether the country’s animal welfare laws adequately protect pets after death. A pet crematorium in Bacoor, Cavite province – nearly three hours’ drive from the dumping ground in neighbouring Bulacan province – has been ordered to shut following complaints from pet owners, as police investigate allegations that the business improperly disposed of animals...

Alan Macfarlane, a British anthropologist, historian and Emeritus Professor at the University of Cambridge, known as “Grandpa Cute” in China, answered questions at an SCMP Plus exclusive in-person event in Hong Kong on October 26.

China’s “Lipstick King” has traded make-up swatches for artificial intelligence. Top live-streamer Li Jiaqi on Monday evening teamed up with an executive from Alibaba Group Holding to pitch AI subscriptions, selling nearly 100,000 monthly packages in just 30 minutes, according to data provided by the e-commerce giant. The broadcast on Taobao and Tmall – Alibaba’s largest domestic online marketplace – marked the first time generative AI products have taken centre stage during the annual Singles’...