Asia

This Week in Asia

Supporters of the Baloch hold placards as they rally to protest after their leader Mahrang Baloch was arrested in Quetta, in Islamabad on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE

South Asia

Leading human rights, Baloch advocate detained in Pakistan

Mahrang Baloch has long campaigned for the Baloch ethnic group, which alleges extrajudicial harassment, arrests and killings by Islamabad.

3 hours ago

South Koreans rally as court prepares impeachment ruling

4 hours ago

Japanese stem cell research helps treat spinal injuries

6 hours ago

South Asia

Trump’s brand booms in Asia despite worldwide loathing

Two months after his frenetic return to the White House, Donald Trump’s brand has had mixed success worldwide.

22 Mar 2025 - 6:08PM

People protest during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the Trump Building in New York on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Politics

‘Scared of dark skin’ no more? Young Thais reject stigma as beauty norms evolve

With a new generation of Thais challenging biases and redefining beauty norms, fair skin’s once-unquestioned dominance appears to be fading.

22 Mar 2025 - 5:00PMvideocam

Southeast Asia

Australian tourist killed as boat capsizes off Indonesia’s Bali

The boat was travelling to Nusa Penida, a popular island near Bali, on Friday morning when it was hit by a large wave.

22 Mar 2025 - 1:56PM

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Lifestyle & Culture

Cosmetic cravings: Asia’s Gen Z risk it all to keep their youthful looks

Young Southeast Asians are running a gauntlet of bootleg botox, fake fillers and clandestine clinics in their quest to defy ageing.

22 Mar 2025 - 3:01PMvideocam

Gen Z beauty seekers appear undeterred by harrowing tales of disfiguring infections, scarring and deaths caused by botulism. Photo: Shutterstock

Economics

Amid India’s trade blitz, New Zealand joins the race for a deal

New Delhi is simultaneously pursuing agreements with the UK and the EU, driven by export-led growth ambitions and concerns over US policies.

22 Mar 2025 - 3:00PMvideocam

East Asia

Kim Jong-un pledges support for Russia in Ukraine war in talks with top official

Kim met with Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s Security Council secretary, just days after Moscow and Kyiv agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire in the conflict.

22 Mar 2025 - 12:30PM

Politics

Philippines’ crackdown on Duterte disinformation may backfire, analysts warn

Investigation of vloggers accused of spreading falsehoods may further entrench his supporters’ beliefs and deepen the country’s political divide.

22 Mar 2025 - 10:30AMvideocam

Supporters of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte gather during a prayer rally, in Manila, on March 15. Photo: Reuters

Economics

Singapore rolls out unprecedented unemployment payouts – will it help?

The policy ‘U-turn’ is brought about by global disruptions that Singapore has been experiencing in recent years, an analyst says.

21 Mar 2025 - 6:14PMvideocam

People walk in the Central Business District in Singapore. Photo: EPA-EFE

Southeast Asia

Pregnant women among hundreds in limbo at Thai-Myanmar border in scams curb

Thailand is fronting a regional effort to dismantle scam centres along its borders, which are part of a fraud network across multiple countries.

21 Mar 2025 - 10:26PMvideocam

South Asia

Trump’s US aid cuts to add to Rohingya refugees’ misery as food rations bite

UN World Food Program said that without additional funds, it would have to cut food rations to US$6 a month from US$12.50 in Cox’s Bazar.

22 Mar 2025 - 11:11AMvideocam

Politics

Hegseth’s Manila visit ahead of Balikatan signals strong US-Philippines ties

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s visit is seen as an important step in strengthening Washington’s alliances in the Asia-Pacific.

21 Mar 2025 - 10:27PMvideocam

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is expected to visit the Philippines this month, ahead of joint drills between the countries. Photo: TNS

Politics

Indonesian reporter receives pig’s head in incident condemned as ‘terror attack’

The severed head was found in a cardboard box delivered to Francisca Christy Rosana, who works for the Tempo magazine.

21 Mar 2025 - 7:10PMvideocam

An Indonesian reporter with Tempo magazine has received a severed pig’s head in an incident condemned as a “terror attack”. Photo: Handout

Politics

Chinese couple linked to cryptocurrency scam, kidnapping arrested in Thailand

Thai police arrested a Chinese woman in connection to the scam, while discovering her fugitive boyfriend was wanted for kidnapping in China.

21 Mar 2025 - 6:02PMvideocam

East Asia

Not patched up: South Korea court blocks K-pop’s NewJeans from leaving label

The group, which announced their departure from ADOR last year, said they would challenge the court’s decision.

21 Mar 2025 - 5:40PMvideocam

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Lifestyle & Culture

Cosmetic cravings: Asia’s Gen Z risk it all to keep their youthful looks

Young Southeast Asians are running a gauntlet of bootleg botox, fake fillers and clandestine clinics in their quest to defy ageing.

22 Mar 2025 - 3:01PMvideocam

Gen Z beauty seekers appear undeterred by harrowing tales of disfiguring infections, scarring and deaths caused by botulism. Photo: Shutterstock

Politics

How Singapore’s opposition hopes to loosen the PAP’s 66-year grip on power

The Workers’ Party aims to build on its gains. Tan Cheng Bock’s PSP is back in the fray, too. Can they chip away at the PAP’s supermajority?

19 Mar 2025 - 3:37PM

Economics

Emas or gelap? Prabowo’s golden dream and Indonesia’s ‘dark’ realities collide

With a shrinking middle class, falling commodity prices and youth unemployment on the rise, experts warn of an economic paradox in the making.

10 Mar 2025 - 8:07AMvideocam

Economics

Malaysia’s digital economy ambition faces disconnect in workplace and schools

The country’s workers are ill-equipped to meet the needs of the digital economy with AI threatening to leave them in the shade, analysts say.

20 Mar 2025 - 3:11PMvideocam

Kuala Lumpur city skyline. Malaysia’s goal to become a digital economy faces challenges such as a shortage in skilled manpower. Photo: Shutterstock

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Highlights from

THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Lifestyle & Culture

Cosmetic cravings: Asia’s Gen Z risk it all to keep their youthful looks

22 Mar 2025 - 3:01PMvideocam

Gen Z beauty seekers appear undeterred by harrowing tales of disfiguring infections, scarring and deaths caused by botulism. Photo: Shutterstock

Politics

‘Scared of dark skin’ no more? Young Thais reject stigma as beauty norms evolve

22 Mar 2025 - 5:00PMvideocam

Miss Thailand Anna Sueangam-Iam 2022 walks onstage at a Miss Universe contest. While some beauty pageants now celebrate more diverse aesthetics, Thailand’s most popular television shows still star fair-skinned leads. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Economics

Amid India’s trade blitz, New Zealand joins the race for a deal

22 Mar 2025 - 3:00PMvideocam

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) shakes hands with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: AFP

Politics

Philippines’ crackdown on Duterte disinformation may backfire, analysts warn

22 Mar 2025 - 10:30AMvideocam

Supporters of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte gather during a prayer rally, in Manila, on March 15. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Hegseth’s Manila visit ahead of Balikatan signals strong US-Philippines ties

21 Mar 2025 - 10:27PMvideocam

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is expected to visit the Philippines this month, ahead of joint drills between the countries. Photo: TNS

MORE IN This Week in Asia

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Sundeep Waslekar

Opinion | A nuclear war started by AI sounds like science fiction. It isn’t

22 Mar 2025 - 12:16PM

Macroscope | Southeast Asia’s new arms race undermines its regional strengths

Anthony Rowley

22 Mar 2025 - 4:30PM

Audrey Jiajia Li

Being Chinese | In Singapore, my children are freer to be happy than I was in China

Audrey Jiajia Li

22 Mar 2025 - 9:30AM

Opinion | Asia is ground zero for the impact of global glacier loss

John Pomeroy

22 Mar 2025 - 5:30AM

Outside In | Like the Cheshire Cat, US reciprocal tariffs are hard to pin down

David Dodwell

21 Mar 2025 - 4:30PM

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Indian slums get cool roofs to beat summer heat

Indian slums get cool roofs to combat extreme heat

Vietnam targets Chinese dolls over South China Sea ‘map’

Vietnam targets toys reportedly featuring South China Sea map used by Beijing

Military bombs Myanmar village twice in one week

‘Killed on their way to the market’: Myanmar junta bombs village twice in a single week

Freed Indonesians return from Myanmar

Hundreds of Indonesians rescued from Myanmar scam centres arrive home

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TRENDING TOPICS

South China Sea

The Philippines

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