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Asia

This Week in Asia

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (left) and Philippines’ Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jnr shake hands after a bilateral meeting in Manila on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

East Asia

Japan, Philippines to fast-track transfer of navy destroyers

The two countries’ shared grievances over Chinese territorial claims have seen them draw increasingly close in recent years.

3 hours agovideocam

Philippine VP’s impeachment case heads to plenary vote amid coercion claims

4 hours agovideocam

Thailand scraps 25-year-old agreement with Cambodia on energy exploration

5 May 2026 - 4:38PMvideocam

Economics

Course correction: Indonesia reshapes ride-hailing sector with state power

The new commission scheme shows the state’s support for ride-hailing drivers, but may not necessarily boost their incomes, observers say.

6 hours ago

Gojek riders wait for their delivery orders at a distribution centre in Surabaya, Indonesia. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Japan army unit’s gun-toting AI-generated elephant logo gets trampled by critics

Officers created the logo using ChatGPT based on the ‘elephant’, ‘cool’, ‘blue flame’, and ‘mammoth’ keywords, a media report says.

5 May 2026 - 4:38PM

Health & Environment

Malaysia warns of health risks from heatwave, 2 deaths recorded this year

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered cloud-seeding operations to be carried out in the worst-affected states.

5 May 2026 - 3:07PMvideocam

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Health & Environment

Knives out: sea robbery fears stalk Southeast Asia’s busiest straits

Opportunistic nighttime raids in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are testing security in a vital maritime chokepoint.

5 May 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Vessels are seen at anchor in the Singapore Strait as a drone flies on April 21. Photo: AFP

Politics

South Korea rebuffs Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ call after Hormuz ship fire

A UN mandate and a global coalition are required before Seoul joins Trump’s mission to reopen the strait, officials indicate.

5 May 2026 - 5:11PMvideocam

Southeast Asia

Middle East conflict pushes Philippine inflation to 3-year high

Higher fuel, food, transport and utility costs forced inflation to 7.2 per cent last month, the highest since March 2023.

5 May 2026 - 1:09PMvideocam

Politics

Japan offers Indonesia and the Philippines lethal muscle to counter China

Frigate and submarine sales are reportedly on the cards as Tokyo’s defence minister tours the region.

5 May 2026 - 12:29PM

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin inspect an honour guard before their meeting in Jakarta on Monday. Photo: EPA

People

‘Phantom birth’ scam spooks Thailand as hundreds of babies get fake citizenship

Police believe that some Chinese cyber scammers are using these false registrations to launder money through firms they can fully control.

5 May 2026 - 3:47PMvideocam

A baby is carried in a back sling adorned with the Chinese character meaning “fortune” in Ban Arunothai, Thailand. Photo: Thomas Bird

Lifestyle & Culture

Penang’s cemetery tours spur interest in pioneers, colonial history

While the state receives millions in conservation funding, it faces challenges in preserving the Protestant cemetery due to its climate.

5 May 2026 - 1:12PM

Southeast Asia

AI powers Singapore’s Grab to US$955 million quarterly earnings

The company has promoted more affordable offerings to woo customers grappling with higher costs of living triggered by soaring fuel prices.

5 May 2026 - 9:11AM

People

Hero or reckless? Bangladeshi man saving baby on train tracks divides opinion

Some social media users question how the man could have dropped his son just as they were getting off the moving train.

4 May 2026 - 6:22PM

A Bangladeshi man jumped onto the train tracks to shield his baby with his body, sparking both praise and debate about his actions. Photo: Handout

People

Pitch perfect diplomacy? North Korean footballers head to South Korea

The visit by Naegohyang Women’s FC to South Korea’s Suwon for a competitive match does not signal a thaw in inter-Korea ties, analysts say.

4 May 2026 - 7:05PM

South Korea’s Suwon FC Women and North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC walk onto the pitch ahead of their Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League group stage match in Myanmar in November. Photo: YouTube/The AFC Hub

Politics

Between hope and reality – Umno’s plan to go solo a test of political waters

The party says a solo bid can help it win up to 60 seats in the next election and give it leverage to decide on coalition partners.

4 May 2026 - 5:00PM

Health & Environment

South Korean team behind new stroke research, treatment cites Chinese interest

Animals given an experimental drug have shown significant improvement in motor function, with their brain damage reduced.

4 May 2026 - 5:25PMvideocam

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Politics

From Malaysia’s book bans to Iran war, Anwar’s reform agenda faces sternest test

Anwar’s government has tilted to the right in recent years in a move to win the support of Malay voters, analysts say.

2 May 2026 - 8:00AM

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attends a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Putrajaya earlier in April. Photo: Bianca De Marchi/AAP/dpa

Economics

Mixed bag: Indonesia’s 8% growth dream hits a plastic ceiling

Soaring packaging costs amid the Iran war hint at a deeper malaise as the middle class contracts and growth hits a plateau.

26 Apr 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

Health & Environment

Shock therapy: war forces oil-addicted Asia to finally go green

Burned by soaring energy prices, Southeast Asian nations are racing to future-proof themselves against the volatility of war.

18 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

Politics

Japan’s Middle East oil habit gets an Iran war reality check

Almost all of Japan’s oil comes from the Middle East. A closed strait turned that dependence into a trap.

11 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

Storage tanks are seen at an oil refinery in Yokohama, Japan’s Kanagawa prefecture, as Mount Fuji looms in the background. Photo: AFP

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Highlights from

THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Politics

Philippine VP’s impeachment case heads to plenary vote amid coercion claims

4 hours agovideocam

Protesters hold a rally to call for the impeachment of Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte, outside the House of Representatives in Quezon City on April 29. Photo: EPA

Economics

Course correction: Indonesia reshapes ride-hailing sector with state power

6 hours ago

Gojek riders wait for their delivery orders at a distribution centre in Surabaya, Indonesia. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Japan army unit’s gun-toting AI-generated elephant logo gets trampled by critics

5 May 2026 - 4:38PM

A patch of Japan’s 1st Infantry Regiment was withdrawn after an uproar over its design deemed as out of place with the image of the country’s military. Photo: X

Health & Environment

Knives out: sea robbery fears stalk Southeast Asia’s busiest straits

5 May 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Vessels are seen at anchor in the Singapore Strait as a drone flies on April 21. Photo: AFP

Health & Environment

Malaysia warns of health risks from heatwave, 2 deaths recorded this year

5 May 2026 - 3:07PMvideocam

The sun sets behind the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. Temperatures in Malaysia have soared to the mid-30s degrees Celsius. Photo: AP

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Filipino fishermen worry about Chinese nature reserve in disputed waters

Filipino fishermen worry about Chinese nature reserve in disputed waters

Centenarian becomes oldest person to climb Mount Fuji

Centenarian becomes oldest person to climb Mount Fuji

Cambodia unveils new Chinese-built airport

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Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in jail

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TRENDING TOPICS

South China Sea

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