Advertisement
Advertisement
This Week in Asia /

Health & Environment

Related Topics:
Coronavirus pandemic
Climate change
Wellness
The seven-storey Therme Singapore complex is expected to spearhead the country’s wellness sector. Photo: Handout
Singapore

Singapore aims to lead Asia’s wellness race with US$770 million complex

The Therme wellness hub is set to draw 2 million visitors annually as competition heats up in the regional tourism sector.

The Philippines

After Philippines’ worst school shooting, a familiar hunt for easy answers

videocam
Singapore

‘So much pressure’: why Singapore lawyers don’t last beyond courtship phase

Malaysia

Moving tribute to Malaysian donor spurs vital conversation on organ donation

Misconceptions remain in the Muslim-majority country – especially around brain death, burial and whether the body must remain complete.

Hospital Sungai Buloh medical staff line the corridor to give Normah Sabar a final send-off. Photo: Facebook/Hospital Sungai Buloh Selangor
Hospital Sungai Buloh medical staff line the corridor to give Normah Sabar a final send-off. Photo: Facebook/Hospital Sungai Buloh Selangor
Malaysia

Elephants’ transfer to Japan sparks Malaysia’s corruption inquiry

A whistle-blower claims that millions of dollars are linked to several individuals and the government did not receive the money from the move.

videocam
Extreme weather

Asia’s shaky food supply shudders as ‘super’ El Nino arrives

Every few years, the Pacific runs a fever. This year, it could be worse than anything seen for decades, scientists warn.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Philippines

‘Sorry, grandma’: Filipino family apologises after woman left alone during quake

The elderly woman was seen clinging to a table as relatives fled the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8.

videocam
CCTV camera from a home in the Philippines showing the moments before and after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on June 8. Photo: Facebook / Jonard Pacres Abrasado
CCTV camera from a home in the Philippines showing the moments before and after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on June 8. Photo: Facebook / Jonard Pacres Abrasado
Indonesia

Plastic chokes Indonesian islands as enforcement slip through ghost nets

Plastic pollution blights Anambas Islands, affecting marine life and highlighting lax enforcement amid calls for real accountability.

videocam
Indonesia

Drowning of Indonesian teen at tourist spot spurs calls for tighter safety rules

Several tourists have died in Indonesia while taking part in outdoor activities, prompting calls for operators to be held accountable.

videocam
US, Israel war on Iran

How 75 days trapped under fire in Hormuz broke these Indian sailors

As the Strait of Hormuz edges towards reopening, sailors who survived 75 days under fire count the psychological cost of someone else’s war.

videocam
Captain Raman Kapoor, who was stranded in the Persian Gulf for 75 days, seen in a still from a video he made while trapped. Photo: Handout
The Philippines

‘We’re still not ready’: why buildings fell in a survivable Philippine quake

As politicians stall on updating a 50-year-old building code, experts warn the devastation in Mindanao is just a preview of a worse disaster.

A worker walks near a collapsed building in General Santos, southern Philippines, on June 8 following the magnitude 7.8 quake. Photo: Reuters
A worker walks near a collapsed building in General Santos, southern Philippines, on June 8 following the magnitude 7.8 quake. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

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.

Malaysia

‘We’re not going anywhere’: indigenous people in Malaysia rally for land rights

The protesters want Kuala Lumpur to recognise their claims, stop encroachment and seek consent before approving projects on ancestral land.

Thailand

Thai court sentences 2 Uygur men to death for 2015 Bangkok shrine bombing

The worst attack on the city in recent history killed 20, including tourists from China, Malaysia and Singapore.

6
Police cordon off the site of a bomb blast at the Erawan shrine in Bangkok on August 18, 2015. Photo: AFP
Ebola virus

Asia on Ebola alert: could the virus slip through regional defences?

While the risk of Ebola reaching Asia is low, experts urge governments to prioritise early detection over border controls.

A health worker dries gumboots and gloves under the sun at the Mulago National Referral Hospital isolation unit in Kampala, Uganda, on Monday, amid the Ebola outbreak. Photo: AFP
A health worker dries gumboots and gloves under the sun at the Mulago National Referral Hospital isolation unit in Kampala, Uganda, on Monday, amid the Ebola outbreak. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan braces for historic typhoon season with up to 14 landfalls forecast

Up to 28 typhoons are predicted to affect Japan this year, with 14 likely to make landfall – close to historical extremes.

6
The Philippines

At least 35 dead, 200 injured, after magnitude 7.8 quake hits Philippines

Schools and buildings collapsed as residents fled, with rescue teams continuing to search for missing students.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Philippines

Mindanao quake a stark reminder of Metro Manila’s ‘Big One’ threat: experts

Limited evacuation routes in densely populated Metro Manila would make rapid, orderly evacuation a major challenge, disaster planners warn.

videocam
People collect their belongings from a damaged house following an earthquake off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday. Photo: Reuters
People collect their belongings from a damaged house following an earthquake off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Malaysia’s gas-guzzling data centre boom clashes with its clean energy goals

Across Malaysia, dozens of data centres hum around the clock, powered by electricity that increasingly comes from gas-fired turbines.

Malaysia

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.

videocam
Environment

Asia’s marine pledges face credibility test at global ocean conference

Experts say even as momentum on ocean commitments grows in Asia, gaps in implementation and delivery remain.

A mangrove forest in Balikpapan, Indonesia. Photo: AFP
Myanmar

Deformed fish in river, pollution from rare earth mines in Myanmar fuel fears

Russian and Chinese firms are also competing to be the first to reach a tungsten mine in a conflict zone, sparking concerns of NGOs.

A drone view shows a gold mine in Shan State, Myanmar, as seen from Chiang Rai province, Thailand, last year amid increased rare earth and gold mining at the Kok River’s source in Myanmar. Photo: Reuters
A drone view shows a gold mine in Shan State, Myanmar, as seen from Chiang Rai province, Thailand, last year amid increased rare earth and gold mining at the Kok River’s source in Myanmar. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

A hidden ecological shift is sparking a wave of crocodile attacks in Indonesia

Logging and other deforestation activities have led to an increased likelihood of human-wildlife conflicts.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March.

Malaysia

Could Malaysia’s under-16 social media ban expose children to new online risks?

Experts warn age checks could expose sensitive identity data while pushing determined minors towards harder-to-monitor spaces.

videocam
A child looks on his mobile phone in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on Monday. Photo: EPA
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW