Nicole Cheah

1 week ago | scmp.com | Kimberly Lim |Nicole Cheah

In Singapore, a new kind of party is taking off – fuelled by caffeine instead of alcohol and ending before dark – in a shift observers say reflects a broader trend among Gen Z Asians seeking healthier, cheaper and more mindful ways to socialise. Across the region, from matcha-fuelled morning raves to curated mocktail events and sober bars in cities like Bangkok and Tokyo, a quiet shift is under way.

2 weeks ago | scmp.com | Kimberly Lim |Nicole Cheah |Biman Mukherji |Hadi Azmi

As a teenager in military-ruled Myanmar, Muang* viewed a US college degree as the ultimate escape – a passport to freedom, stability and a future unbound by the limits of a junta-run state. At 19, he made it. A full scholarship to one of America’s most prestigious universities marked the culmination of years of perseverance. But today, that hard-won dream feels precarious. “You grow up in a country where it’s a dictatorship and you don’t have any opportunities to build your own life,” Muang said.