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This Week in Asia /

Health & Environment

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Coronavirus pandemic
Climate change
Wellness
A woman walks against a mural in Kuala Lumpur in August. A Malaysian court has acquitted a 15-year-old boy of murdering his schoolmate on the grounds that severe schizophrenia had left him legally insane. Photo: EPA
Malaysia

Malaysia confronts complexities of schizophrenia after school killing ruling

One woman details her experience of living with schizophrenia, saying ‘I had no idea what was real’ during severe psychotic episodes.

Indonesia

Indonesia faces reckoning over maritime safety after deadly ferry disaster

Indonesia

How wildfires are threatening Indonesia’s economy and carbon market

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Japan

‘This is our culture’: Japan defenders stand firm as Iceland plans whaling ban

Reykjavik’s move to end hunts increases international pressure on Tokyo as low consumption of whale meat and high subsidies fuel debate.

A ship transports a whale to a processing plant near Reykjavik, Iceland. The Icelandic government plans to introduce a bill to end whaling, which would leave Japan and Norway as the world’s last commercial whalers. Photo: AFP
A ship transports a whale to a processing plant near Reykjavik, Iceland. The Icelandic government plans to introduce a bill to end whaling, which would leave Japan and Norway as the world’s last commercial whalers. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Why men account for 80% of suicide deaths in the Philippines

Filipino men rarely seek help for mental illness, despite making up 80 per cent of suicide deaths. Advocates say it’s time for change.

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Indonesia

When Indonesia burns, these women run towards the fire

Meet the all-female volunteer brigade risking their lungs and lives to fight Indonesia’s devastating wildfires.

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Asean

Up in smoke: why Southeast Asia failed to halt the haze

Asean was going to eliminate transboundary haze by 2020. What happened?

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Scenes from across Southeast Asia as dense transboundary haze from widespread forest and peatland fires triggers severe air pollution. Photos: EPA
Scenes from across Southeast Asia as dense transboundary haze from widespread forest and peatland fires triggers severe air pollution. Photos: EPA
Thailand

Data centres sprouting in Thailand fuel fears of public health impact

The discovery of a data centre in Bangkok that was illegally storing 200,000 litres of oil prompted authorities to close a legal loophole.

Japan

Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival rebrands as snowfall dwindles

Warming winters and military labour shortages are forcing the world-famous Hokkaido event to pivot towards sustainability.

Indonesia

Wildfires threaten Indonesia’s new capital as carrier ordered in

The president has ordered water-bombing drones and an aircraft carrier to Kalimantan as 400 hectares burn near Nusantara.

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A firefighter sprays water to extinguish a wildfire in East Kalimantan province, Indonesia, in September. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

Why Indonesian students are still falling ill despite free meal safety rules

In three days last week alone, close to 2,000 students suffered from food poisoning after eating meals from Prabowo’s flagship programme.

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Paramedics guide students suffering from food poisoning to receive medical treatment at the Manbaul Hikam Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, on September 2. Photo: EPA
Paramedics guide students suffering from food poisoning to receive medical treatment at the Manbaul Hikam Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, on September 2. Photo: EPA
Indonesia

Indonesia knew a volcano was erupting. Could it have prepared better?

An expert advises Jakarta to take steps such as announcing evacuation routes and releasing maps following a pre-eruption alert.

Nepal

‘Nothing left’: Nepal’s flood survivors face a homeless future

With homes and savings washed away, survivors of last month’s devastating floods in Nepal are seeking work abroad.

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Nepal

Nepal puts UN climate fund to test after fatal US$2.5 billion flood

Nepal has petitioned the UN Loss and Damage Fund to ‘respond rapidly, directly and effectively’ after its worst natural disaster in decades.

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People stand next to damaged houses following the deadly flash floods and mudslides, in Betrawati, Nuwakot district, Nepal, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
Japan

‘Not our problem’: Japanese resort town balks at nuclear waste plan

Hitachiomiya weighs state handouts against lasting stigma as residents protest against a preliminary survey for radioactive waste storage.

The interim storage facility in Futaba, Fukushima prefecture, which stores contaminated soil and waste generated from decontamination work following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, in February. Photo: Kyodo
The interim storage facility in Futaba, Fukushima prefecture, which stores contaminated soil and waste generated from decontamination work following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, in February. Photo: Kyodo
Asean

Southeast Asia’s extreme heat exposes holes in safety net for outdoor workers

Many Southeast Asian cities lack adequate heat risk assessments, and have weak regulations protecting outdoor workers, a report says.

Singapore

Golden years: in ageing Southeast Asia, growing old is big business

From Singapore to Thailand, private operators and luxury resorts are cashing in, as more retirees seek care on their own terms.

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Nepal

Nepal’s tourism industry warns of ‘existential crisis’ after flood disaster

As the death toll mounts, travel bosses and guides work round the clock to reassure anxious tourists and salvage the peak autumn season.

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An army helicopter transports rescuers and flood victims in Nepal’s Rasuwa district on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
An army helicopter transports rescuers and flood victims in Nepal’s Rasuwa district on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan goes on student suicide watch as school term starts

Government data shows student suicide spikes in September, when children return to school after a long summer break.

Japan

Pufferfish peril: Japan’s deadliest delicacy is getting more dangerous

Rising sea temperatures are pushing pufferfish species together, spawning hybrids that even specialist chefs cannot safely prepare.

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The Philippines

Manila’s ‘acutely unhealthy’ air due to Indonesian haze spurs health warnings

The haze has led Quezon City to suspend classes in schools and health experts to urge residents to wear N95 masks outdoors.

A thick haze shrouds Metro Manila due to smoke from ongoing fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Malaysia’s air quality turns hazardous as Indonesian wildfires burn

Pollution index hits 476 near the border, forcing school closures and triggering emergency cloud-seeding plans in Sarawak.

The skyline of Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur is seen shrouded in haze from regional wildfires on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
The skyline of Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur is seen shrouded in haze from regional wildfires on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Asean

Asean urged to take on Big Tech after Meta’s record payout

Asean cannot pass EU-style laws, but a ‘coalition of the willing’ could force Big Tech to adopt safeguards against scams and child harm.

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Nepal

Nepal floods: could foreign rescue teams have been brought in earlier?

In the immediate aftermath of the floods, the government refused overseas help, only to reverse its decision days later.

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Vietnam

Vietnam’s move to end executions for drug trafficking sparks debate in region

The proposal has put a spotlight on the different legal approaches against drug trafficking offences in the region.

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Defendants (in blue) stand during their trial for drug trafficking in Ho Chi Minh on November 12, 2023. Photo: Vietnam News Agency/AFP
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