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This Week in Asia

Asia
Politics
Economics
People
Opinion
Health & Environment
Lifestyle & Culture
Illustration: Huy Truong

Politics

Asean at 60: peace, prosperity and polite paralysis

Non-interference bought decades of stability, but now breeds inaction. Is Asean due an overhaul?

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What is Marcos’ diplomatic end game? Inside Philippines’ South China Sea shift

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Racist gesture at Korean World Cup fan costs Mexican guild chief his post

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Politics

Malaysia’s fight for Malay votes becomes a multiparty scrum

Five Malay parties, one electorate. Strip away ‘the logos and personalities’ and is there really any difference between them?

Malaysian voters show their fingers dipped in ink after voting in the last general election in 2022. Photo: Bernama/dpa
Malaysian voters show their fingers dipped in ink after voting in the last general election in 2022. Photo: Bernama/dpa

People

Viral video of Indonesian helper being beaten in Malaysia prompts calls to act

Four suspects were detained in Johor as an Indonesian MP urged President Prabowo to intervene over the abuse in a private home.

Politics

Why Bangladesh’s new PM is visiting Malaysia and China before India

Analysts view the decision to prioritise Kuala Lumpur and Beijing as practical rather than a direct snub of New Delhi.

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Politics

Japan adds Indonesia to its ‘network of navies’ after Australia, Philippines

By exporting warships, analysts say Tokyo is sidestepping military pacts to bind partners through shared hardware.

JS Asagiri, lead ship of Japan’s Asagiri-class destroyers, heads a fleet review in Sagami Bay, Japan, in 1997. Photo: AFP
JS Asagiri, lead ship of Japan’s Asagiri-class destroyers, heads a fleet review in Sagami Bay, Japan, in 1997. Photo: AFP

Politics

Thailand and Vietnam team up in an Asean ‘plus or minus’ gamble

Southeast Asia’s second- and third-largest economies opt for bilateral insurance over reliance on the regional bloc.

People

‘There was nothing I could do’: why Japan still needs women-only train carriages

Critics question the necessity of safe zones for women. Passengers say a culture of ‘chikan’ abuse makes them vital.

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Politics

Could India’s Cockroach Janta Party spark South Asia’s next youth uprising?

Analysts say the satirical party reflects real discontent but remains far from matching the movements that toppled neighbouring governments.

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A participant wearing a cockroach mask takes part in a nationwide protest campaign launched by Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, in Pune, India, on Thursday. Photo: AP

Health & Environment

How drowning of 2 athletes exposes gaps in Philippine collegiate sports safety

The tragedy shows how young players could be pushed into risky training situations as universities compete for prestige, sports experts say.

A candlelight service was held in honour of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili at Ateneo de Manila University’s chapel on Saturday. Photo: Facebook/ateneobasketball
A candlelight service was held in honour of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili at Ateneo de Manila University’s chapel on Saturday. Photo: Facebook/ateneobasketball

Politics

What does North Korea get from its blossoming ties with Russia?

Kim’s Russia Day message seeks to reassure Putin that ties are evolving beyond transactional into a firm military alliance, experts say.

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Lifestyle & Culture

Can lah: how Singlish is finding its voice in Singapore’s language story

A new study shows growing acceptance of Singlish as a key part of Singaporean identity and culture, reflecting an ‘evolution of attitudes’.

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Politics

‘Bad signal’: Japan’s Russia outreach puts Takaichi at odds with G7 allies

Energy needs have driven Tokyo to explore cooperation with Moscow again, which could make Europe ‘uncomfortable’.

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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi listens to a question in the House of Councillors budget committee session at the National Diet in Tokyo on June 5. Photo: AFP

Politics

China’s ban on Philippine defence chief, family seen as warning shot to Manila

Analysts say Beijing may be trying to ‘kill the chicken to warn the monkeys’, as Manila faces calls for a tit-for-tat response.

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Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro talks to the media as he attends the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 29. Photo: AP
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro talks to the media as he attends the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 29. Photo: AP

Politics

Can Singapore-linked growth deliver votes for Johor’s ruling party?

Living costs and economic strides form the undertones of influence in Johor and Negeri Sembilan when voters head to the polls on July 11 and August 1.

Politics

Why US and China are watching Philippines’ Marcos at Russia-Asean talks

The visit comes amid expanded military ties with the US but is unlikely to signal a shift in Philippine foreign policy, analysts say.

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Politics

Asean at 60: peace, prosperity and polite paralysis

Non-interference bought decades of stability, but now breeds inaction. Is Asean due an overhaul?

videocam
Illustration: Huy Truong
Illustration: Huy Truong

Health & Environment

How Malaysia’s island paradise became a haven for smugglers

Traffickers exploit Langkawi’s scattered geography and proximity to Thailand to smuggle drugs, fuel and migrants.

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Politics

Tariffs, war and broken trust: Southeast Asia’s Trump problem

Disillusioned by US unpredictability, the region is learning to diversify – while Trump treats allies as bargaining chips.

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Lifestyle & Culture

Southeast Asia is chasing the AI boom, but at what cost?

A regional dash for digital dominance risks running headlong into an energy crunch and an existential threat to jobs.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
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LATEST Asia NEWS

South Asia

Australian girl dies after Pakistani police ‘mistakenly’ shoots family, officer arrested

Police officers stand at a road junction in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Politics

What is Marcos’ diplomatic end game? Inside Philippines’ South China Sea shift

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (centre) leads a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the Philippines’ Independence Day on Friday. Photo: EPA

People

Racist gesture at Korean World Cup fan costs Mexican guild chief his post

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Left: South Korean YouTuber Yoon Su-jin, who posts under the handle InoCat, filming fans at a World Cup match in Guadalajara. Right: A man identified as Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes apologising for making an offensive gesture towards her in a later video. Photos: Instagram / inocat_t / latinus_us

East Asia

South Korean music festival out against discord in reunification hopes

South Korean indie-pop musician Haepa performs in front of the former North Korean Workers Party Headquarters on the sidelines of the DMZ Peace Train Festival near the North Korean border on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Politics

Malaysia’s fight for Malay votes becomes a multiparty scrum

Malaysian voters show their fingers dipped in ink after voting in the last general election in 2022. Photo: Bernama/dpa
MORE Asia NEWS
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OPINION
Zenobia Chan

Asian Angle | China builds Southeast Asia expertise as the US lets it wither

Zenobia Chan
Siwage Dharma Negara,Leo Suryadinata

Asian Angle | Indonesia’s nickel rule changes are spooking Chinese investors

Siwage Dharma Negara
Leo Suryadinata
Max Lane

Opinion | Indonesia’s labour movement is deeply divided over political patronage

Max Lane
Francis E. Hutchinson

Opinion | Can Malaysia’s unity government survive a state poll fight?

Francis E. Hutchinson
Irna Nurlina

Asian Angle | Where Southeast Asians really want to live, work and travel

Irna Nurlina
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MULTIMEDIA
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Filipino fishermen worry about Chinese nature reserve in disputed waters

Filipino fishermen worry about Chinese nature reserve in disputed waters
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Centenarian becomes oldest person to climb Mount Fuji

Centenarian becomes oldest person to climb Mount Fuji
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Cambodia unveils new Chinese-built airport

Cambodia unveils new Chinese-built airport
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Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in jail

Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in jail
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