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Asia

This Week in Asia

The Kampung Bahagia water village after a fire, in Sandakan, on Malaysia’s Borneo island, in Sabah state on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Southeast Asia

Blaze in Malaysia’s Sabah destroys 1,000 homes, displaces over 9,000

The proximity of houses in the water village allowed the fire to spread quickly. Over 9,000 people have been affected, though no deaths have been reported.

2 hours ago

Meet the Filipino spouses turning their migration journeys into viral content

6 hours ago

BINI made history at Coachella. Can the Philippines build on it?

19 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

Lifestyle & Culture

Southeast Asia wants children off social media. Will it work?

Indonesia is leading a regional push to ban children from social media platforms. Enforcement is another matter, however.

19 Apr 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

A child uses a mobile phone at a park in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, last month. Photo: EPA

Economics

Singapore ranks No 1 for cyber defences but boardrooms are the weak link

As AI supercharges cyber threats, a new study reveals seven in 10 Singaporean boardrooms treat cybersecurity as an IT silo.

19 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM

Health & Environment

Japan warned of ‘hellish summer’ as energy fears mount

A prolonged Iran war, combined with an unusually early spell of hot weather, could leave Japan facing power shortages this summer.

18 Apr 2026 - 10:30AM

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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

Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Crowned in Bangkok, constrained at home: Malaysia’s first Mr Bear winner

Gavin Chow’s victory highlights the contrast between Bangkok’s queer visibility and the pressures still facing LGBTQ people in Malaysia.

18 Apr 2026 - 3:00PMvideocam

Southeast Asia

Stranded single dad and kind bike mechanic inspire Malaysia’s generosity

Dicky Yau has refused further donations from the public after a viral video showed him struggling to pay the repairman in Kuala Lumpur.

4 hours ago

Southeast Asia

In Malaysia, unlicensed street photography becomes focus of crackdown

Kuala Lumpur authorities have seized photographic equipment from five foreigners since a warning in early April.

18 Apr 2026 - 9:39AM

The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur is popular with street photographers, who offer tourists a more professional alternative to a selfie for a fee. Photo: dpa

Politics

Japan ditches decades of arm export curbs as US reliability wavers

From drones for Ukraine to warships for Australia, ‘peace-loving’ Japan is fast pivoting towards arming the world.

18 Apr 2026 - 9:00AM

Japanese Type 10 battle tanks operate during a military drill in Funabashi, east of Tokyo, in January. Photo: Reuters

People

Philippine ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co’s arrest revives long-stalled corruption probe

Observers say Co’s arrest is a ‘notable step towards accountability’ and committee hearings on the flood control scandal could resume.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:30PM

East Asia

Japan, Australia finalise contracts to deliver first 3 of planned frigates

This comes as Japan is set to ease rules on defence equipment exports, which have strict limits on exporting weapons with lethal capability.

18 Apr 2026 - 6:08PMvideocam

Politics

‘Everybody’s suffering’: Kazakhstan seeks UN reforms amid fragile Iran truce

President Tokayev told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that multilateralism is being undermined as major decisions move outside the UN framework.

17 Apr 2026 - 7:49PMvideocam

Members of the UN Security Council attend a meeting at the UN headquarters on Tuesday. Photo: AP

People

Malaysia’s Anwar chats with US Muslim streamer – is it a populist move?

Anwar spoke with Sneako about issues ranging from Malaysia’s multi-religious society and Israel to the ‘very condescending’ American mindset.

17 Apr 2026 - 7:24PM

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks with American streamer Sneako on a wide range of issues in Putrajaya on Friday. Photo: Kick/Sneako

Economics

Asian airlines face ‘major headwind’ from jet fuel costs, forcing flight changes

Fuel has jumped from 25 per cent of total operating costs for airlines to nearly 45 per cent in a matter of weeks, analysts say.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:14PM

Politics

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

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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

Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP

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

Lifestyle & Culture

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

The region’s creators are going global, but the structures to sustain them are still catching up.

4 Apr 2026 - 9:50AMvideocam

Health & Environment

Burning daylight: Asean’s power grid plans get an Iran war jolt

Oil is up, coal is back and so are fuel queues. As the Middle East burns, Southeast Asia dusts off an old plan to rewire its future.

3 Apr 2026 - 10:40PM

Illustration: Huy Truong

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Highlights from

THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Health & Environment

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

18 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Meet the Filipino spouses turning their migration journeys into viral content

6 hours ago

Lea Albritton, the influencer behind “Pinay sa America” and her husband, Timothy. Photo: Lea Albritton

Lifestyle & Culture

BINI made history at Coachella. Can the Philippines build on it?

19 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

BINI perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on April 10. Photo: Reuters

Lifestyle & Culture

Southeast Asia wants children off social media. Will it work?

19 Apr 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

A child uses a mobile phone at a park in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, last month. Photo: EPA

Economics

Singapore ranks No 1 for cyber defences but boardrooms are the weak link

19 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM

Cyber experts warn that many companies in Singapore rely mainly on IT teams for digital security, instead of the responsibility being shared across senior executives. Photo: Shutterstock

MORE IN This Week in Asia

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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

Cambodia unveils new Chinese-built airport

Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in jail

Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in jail

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TRENDING TOPICS

South China Sea

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