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A photo of a dog named Cookie inside the refrigerator of a restaurant in Busan has prompted concern from South Korean animal activists. Photo: Handout
South Korea

Chilly dog: pet kept in fridge sparks heated debate in South Korea

The dog’s owner said she was worried about her elderly pet’s health amid the country’s record-breaking heatwave.

Indonesia

After 11 years in Indonesian limbo, Afghan refugee finds a home in Australia

Malaysia

Malaysian parents back curbs on ‘brain rot’ excess of social media

Indonesia

Indonesian man killed by rooster’s blade during cockfight in Bali

The rooster, outfitted with a sharp metal spur known as a ‘taji’, lashed out and struck the victim in the stomach.

A man holds a bird for a “tajen”, or traditional Balinese cockfight, in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia. Photo: AFP
A man holds a bird for a “tajen”, or traditional Balinese cockfight, in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Why Indonesians behaving badly in Japan fuels official concerns

Indonesian officials are fighting back against speculation of a looming ban after a series of viral incidents involving their citizens.

Singapore

Does Chinese privilege exist in Singapore? Study finds views differ by age, race

Younger and minority Singaporeans are more likely to perceive Chinese residents as having unspoken social advantages, the survey finds.

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Indonesia

Thailand-Cambodia row benefits Bali, as tourists trade temples for beaches

Indonesian industry experts estimate a 10-15 per cent rise in visitors to the island due to the hostilities between Bangkok and Phnom Penh.

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Tourists spend time at a beach in Canggu, Bali, Indonesia, earlier in July. The island’s airport handled 11.4 million passenger movements in the first half of 2025. Photo: EPA
Tourists spend time at a beach in Canggu, Bali, Indonesia, earlier in July. The island’s airport handled 11.4 million passenger movements in the first half of 2025. Photo: EPA
North Korea

US funding cuts deepen North Korea’s isolation

The slashing of support for Voice of America and Radio Free Asia has seen foreign broadcasts into North Korea drop by as much as 80 per cent.

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The Philippines

Philippines debates jailing adult children for parental neglect

A senator's controversial bill proposes up to six months' imprisonment or hefty fines for those who fail to support elderly parents.

South Korea

What ‘7-year curse’? BTS, Blackpink and the future of K-pop

As the K-pop powerhouses return to centre stage, they set a daunting new benchmark for those who would follow in their footsteps.

Blackpink members (from left) Jisoo, Lisa, Jennie, and Rose perform at Coachella in 2023. Photo: Getty Images for Coachella
Japan

Passport puzzle: what is keeping Japanese from overseas travel?

Weak yen, rising flight costs and heightened safety concerns among reasons for only 17.5 per cent of Japanese holding a passport, study finds.

Mount Fuji pictured in the background as people walk along a bridge connecting stores at a popular shopping centre in the city of Gotemba, Shizuoka prefecture, some 100km southwest of Tokyo. Photo: AFP
Mount Fuji pictured in the background as people walk along a bridge connecting stores at a popular shopping centre in the city of Gotemba, Shizuoka prefecture, some 100km southwest of Tokyo. Photo: AFP
Japan

Fukuoka station deploys mirror to fight rising voyeurism in Japan

The mirror, affixed beside an escalator at the Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) station, enables commuters to spot voyeurs or those taking upskirt photos.

Malaysia

‘No way’: Malaysia’s digital ID drive stalls as data fears loom large

A botched roll-out and data leaks involving millions in recent years have made Malaysians wary of adding the app.

India

Skeletal remains force India to probe Dharmasthala mass burial claims

Hundreds of secret burials linked to Dharmasthala, Karnataka, have come to light as a whistle-blower eyewitness seeks protection.

The Dharmasthala temple authority has said it it supports a “fair and transparent” investigation and expressed hope that investigators will get to the bottom of the claims. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

Deepfake deluge: Seoul palace flood video spotlights AI risk in South Korea

Despite absurd details like a seal, the convincing video exploited monsoon rains to deceive, highlighting the ease of online manipulation.

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A seal is depicted swimming through a flooded Gyeongbokgung Palace in this still from an AI-generated video. Photo: YouTube/골파닭
A seal is depicted swimming through a flooded Gyeongbokgung Palace in this still from an AI-generated video. Photo: YouTube/골파닭
Indonesia

Indonesia’s dream of a ‘smart forest’ capital becomes a vice-ridden nightmare

Sex work, cockfighting and illegal gambing are rife in Indonesia’s planned capital city, officials say, raising doubts about its future.

Thailand

How Thai monks use sacred saffron rituals to save trees

The monks in Thailand’s Chaiyaphum province wrap saffron robes around endangered trees to ‘ordain’ them and protect them from being cut down.

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Aviation

After 2025’s string of aviation scares, are the skies still safe?

Experts say air travel is still the safest mode of transport and accidents such as the Air India crash remain ‘statistical outliers’.

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High-profile accidents may unsettle travellers, but they rarely result in long-term behavioural shifts, psychologists say. Photo: Shutterstock
High-profile accidents may unsettle travellers, but they rarely result in long-term behavioural shifts, psychologists say. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

Reel to real romance: more Japanese women find love with South Korean men

There were 1,176 such marriages last year, a significant rise from 2023.

Indonesia

Fur real? Indonesia’s ‘first cat’ gets presidential security detail

A video of Bobby Kertanegara being showered with attention at an event has sparked an online debate over the feline’s special treatment.

Singapore

Why Singapore restaurateurs are finding an appetite for Malaysia

Malaysia offers a lifeline for Singapore food businesses squeezed by rising costs and shrinking consumer spending, amid high closure rates.

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Experts say Singapore’s F&B businesses will have to adapt to survive by learning best practices from the market leaders. Photo: Jean Iau
The Philippines

What’s the real cost of ‘rice is life’ for Filipinos’ health?

Rice or noodles should make up only a quarter of a meal as overconsumption can lead to health issues such as diabetes, researcher warns.

A worker prepares bags of rice to be sold at a government mini-market in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, in May. Photo: EPA-EFE
A worker prepares bags of rice to be sold at a government mini-market in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, in May. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines

Philippines ‘least safe’ to travel to? Sorry, Canadian firm says

HelloSafe’s ‘2025 Safety Index’ put the Philippines at the bottom of a list measuring how safe a country is for travellers.

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Thailand

Naked US man rescued from Bangkok sewer after chaotic struggle

The man, identified only as Jack, had fallen through a gap in the concrete slabs covering a drain separating his condo building from a canal.

Malaysia

Meet Apoh: the ‘chonky’ panther captivating the Malaysian internet

The 15-year-old black panther’s portly appearance has made him an unexpected social media star at the National Zoo in Kuala Lumpur.

Apoh the “chonky” panther relaxs at Malaysia’s National Zoo in this screengrab of a social media. Photo: TikTok/znmzoonegara
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