South Korean ex-president sentenced, Buddha’s early life: 7 Asia highlights

South China Morning Post · Feb 24, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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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. South Korea’s ex-president Yoon sentenced to life in prison for insurrectionA South Korean court on Thursday found former president Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of insurrection and sentenced him to life in prison over his short-lived martial law decree that plunged the country into its most serious constitutional crisis in decades.2. Okinawa voters shift away from concerns over US military presenceThe broad anti-base alliance that has shaped Okinawa’s politics for nearly a decade is reeling after a bruising election defeat, raising questions about the future of organised resistance to the US military presence on Japan’s southernmost islands.3. Unearthed temple in Nepal sheds new light on Buddha’s early lifeArchaeologists at work in Tilaurakot, Lumbini, Nepal. Photo: Department of Archaeology, NepalNepal’s Lumbini has long anchored the Buddhist pilgrimage map as the Buddha’s birthplace. Nearby, however, stand the fortified ruins of Tilaurakot – believed to be the ancient capital where Siddhartha Gautam spent his princely years – a site of profound historical weight that draws only a fraction of the visitors.