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Health & Environment

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Wellness
Japan is cracking down on over-the-counter medicines to combat a worrying social media trend. Photo: Shutterstock

Health & Environment

‘Serious problem’: Japan curbs over-the-counter drug rules amid youth ‘overdoses’

The government is enacting age verification and purchase limits to curb hospitalisations and shortages, amid social media influence.

Financing for Southeast Asia’s energy transition hangs in balance at Cop29

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‘Change is coming’: will Southeast Asia have to abandon universal healthcare?

Politics

Less stranger danger, but Asia will still pay for Trump’s return

Trade, US support in the region and climate issues hang in the balance as Trump looks to advance US interests ‘with additional gusto’, analysts say.

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Donald Trump’s return to the White House signals that America’s experiment with isolation is in fact a long-term directional change. Photo: TNS
Donald Trump’s return to the White House signals that America’s experiment with isolation is in fact a long-term directional change. Photo: TNS

Health & Environment

As deadly smog threatens India, Pakistan, experts urge joint climate action

Burning of crop residues and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali have exacerbated the problem, with current measures ineffective, experts say.

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Health & Environment

Calls in Japan for more suicide prevention steps targeting schoolchildren

Japanese culture experts urge authorities to do more after new data shows suicides among Japanese schoolchildren remain high.

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Health & Environment

‘A Diwali nightmare’: pollution crisis grips India after firework celebrations

Air quality experts say the surge in air pollution following the festival is leading to increased respiratory issues and hospital admissions.

A fireworks display is seen over the city skyline as part of the ‘Diwali’ festival celebrations in Mumbai on November 3. Photo: AFP

People

‘Our daughters are not safe’: anxiety in Malaysia after multiple girls go missing

Police say seven girls have been reported missing over the past five months, with some feared kidnapped.

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Girls make their way home after school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Reuters
Girls make their way home after school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Reuters

Health & Environment

Suffering in silence: how elephantiasis stole this mother’s life in India

As her leg swells and her spirit dims, Sunita’s story reveals the harsh realities of living with a neglected tropical disease in rural India.

Health & Environment

Climate change could erase Nepal’s snow leopards in three decades, study warns

With temperatures rising and habitats shrinking, Nepal’s big cats face an uncertain future, according to new research.

Health & Environment

‘We can’t risk it’: Malaysian doctors denounce alleged plan to cut rest hours

A purported leak from the health ministry saying anaesthesiologists may no longer be eligible for time off after long shifts has sparked outcry.

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A giant mural tribute outside a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: AP

Health & Environment

Japan’s smart toilets in hot seat as ageing units linked to fire and burn risks

There have been 69 reported cases of injury involving the devices over the last decade, according to a government agency report.

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An employee of Japanese electronics giant Matsushita displaying the company’s latest hi-tech toilet seat model in 2002. Photo: AFP
An employee of Japanese electronics giant Matsushita displaying the company’s latest hi-tech toilet seat model in 2002. Photo: AFP

Health & Environment

Malaysia to issue workplace-bullying guidelines after suspected doctor suicide

The case of the 30-year-old head of chemical pathology unit sheds light on tough working conditions and culture in Malaysia’s health sector.

Health & Environment

Blade-proof umbrellas to be deployed on Japanese trains to fend off knife attacks

The umbrellas were developed to protect passengers after a spate of violent incidents that have taken place aboard the country’s trains.

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Health & Environment

Capture of Malayan tiger blamed for 2 deaths highlights conservation dilemma

A total of four fatal tiger encounters were recorded in Malaysia last year, with all the incidents happening in Kelantan state.

A Malayan Tiger. Photo: WWF-Malaysia

Health & Environment

Prabowo’s sea wall plan ‘not the cure’ for Indonesia’s land subsidence issues

Prabowo to court Chinese investment for project that critics say will only increase exposure to climate risks instead of reducing flood hazards.

Boats on the water are seen beside a sea wall, holding back waters from residences built on land below sea level, along the northern coast of Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: AFP
Boats on the water are seen beside a sea wall, holding back waters from residences built on land below sea level, along the northern coast of Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: AFP

Health & Environment

EU plastic waste exports to Malaysia soar despite government’s vow to stop influx

The environment minister’s pledge to stop Malaysia from becoming ‘the world’s rubbish bin’ is seemingly undercut by new EU data.

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Health & Environment

Floods in Malaysia cause traffic chaos in Kuala Lumpur, delay parliament sitting

Meteorological authorities have warned of more floods that could blanket Kuala Lumpur and heavy rain in the evening.

Politics

‘Our world has ended’: Nepal floods devastate lives and the economy

September’s floods caused millions in damages, displacing thousands and threatening economic growth, as climate change exacerbates future risks.

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A man wades through the waters of monsoon flooding in Roshi village of Nepal’s Kavre district on September 30. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Why a hotel and rail plan for Japan’s Mount Fuji makes ‘many people very angry’

Officials say the plan could help curb overtourism and generate billions in revenue – as activists worry it threatens the fragile ecosystem.

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Snow-covered Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak. Photo: AP
Snow-covered Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak. Photo: AP

Health & Environment

Japan to search airports for more unexploded WWII bombs

Experts say while such bombs are usually safe and damage likely to be limited, the difficulty is in finding those that are buried deeper.

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Health & Environment

Japan braces for dual typhoons as study reveals 1 in 5 face flooding risk

Japan needs to improve flood defences and early-warning systems to give residents more time to evacuate when danger threatens, experts say.

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Politics

Harris vs. Trump: Asia counts the cost of climate in US presidential polls

While Kamala Harris is expected to champion aggressive climate policies, a Donald Trump victory could undermine international climate agreements.

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The US election could impact climate policy, with Kamala Harris may be expected to boost green funding for Asia, while Donald Trump could undermine global climate agreements. Photo: AFP
OPINION
Shane Cronin

Opinion | Why Tonga’s volcanic eruption was so violent, and what to expect next

Neil Newman

Abacus | Don’t let Omicron smother the soul of Hong Kong’s live music scene

Neil Newman
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Lesley Mitchell

Opinion | As Asian food start-ups fight climate change, let’s not forget about small farms

Lesley Mitchell
Khairulanwar Zaini,Hoang Thi Ha

Opinion | What’s behind Southeast Asia’s hesitancy towards China-made vaccines?

Khairulanwar Zaini
Hoang Thi Ha
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Robyn J. Whitaker

Opinion | Covid-19: when religious groups pit science against faith, the vulnerable suffer

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Megan Steain,Jamie Triccas

Opinion | Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine appears safe and effective but data doubts remain

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