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A Filipino grave dweller cooks food on top of a tomb at a cemetery in Manila, the Philippines. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines

Meet the poor Filipinos living in Manila’s cemetery for the rich

The final resting places for the most affluent in Manila have become a last resort for the city’s poorest looking for a home.

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Malaysia

Ecstasy and agony: Malaysia’s festival drug deaths spur calls for testing kits

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Japan

Japan eyes mandatory ID checks for scrap metal trading to stop surge in thefts

Japan

Kyoto to sharply raise hotel tax in bid to curb overtourism – will it work?

Some analysts say the higher accommodation tax may lead to tourists staying in nearby cities and making day trips to Kyoto.

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Thousands of people attending a procession ahead of the climax of the Gion festival in Kyoto. Photo: AFP
Thousands of people attending a procession ahead of the climax of the Gion festival in Kyoto. Photo: AFP
Japan

Work less, live more: is Japan finally starting to reject death from overwork?

Younger Japanese are turning their backs on grind culture. The result? Shorter workweeks, higher wages, and hope for an end to karoshi.

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Indonesia

Singapore couple drops legal action against Indonesian teens over harassment

Police say investigations into the incident in Bandung have stopped after the perpetrators apologised to the couple.

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Japan

Short on workers, Japan retailer hires remote cashiers living overseas

Lawson, a 24-hour convenience store chain, is looking for staff based in Europe and the Americas to serve customers at its outlets in Japan.

People walk past a Lawson convenience store in Tokyo. Photo: EPA-EFE
People walk past a Lawson convenience store in Tokyo. Photo: EPA-EFE
India

Shock and gore: why Indian street plays resort to the outrageous and grotesque

Street theatre in India has had to adapt to the digital age and ideological threats to stay relevant amid a changing cultural landscape.

Japan

Sky-high swindlers: passengers warned as in-flight thefts soar in Japan

The thefts onboard airlines flying into and out of Narita International Airport could be linked to crime syndicates, analysts say.

Malaysia

‘Appalling cruelty’: Malaysians outraged over suspected cat killer on campus

In the latest incident, a cat was found with its internal organs exposed outside the medicine faculty of Universiti Malaya.

The deaths of several cats at Universiti Malaya have sparked fears among Malaysians of a serial killer on campus. Photo: Shutterstock
Singapore

Singapore wants to host more mega-events in 2025, boosting regional growth

Singapore’s rise as a concert hub, highlighted by Taylor Swift’s shows, has sparked envy from neighbours. But, experts argue, it could encourage tourism growth.

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Taylor Swift performs at tSingapore’s National Stadium on March 02, 2024. Photo: Getty Images
Taylor Swift performs at tSingapore’s National Stadium on March 02, 2024. Photo: Getty Images
Malaysia

Google and X miss Malaysia’s social media licence deadline; WeChat, TikTok comply

The Malaysian government implemented the licensing requirement to combat cybercrime, but Google and X have raised concerns about the regulations.

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Japan

North America declares victory over Asian giant hornet 5 years after invasion

Officials say there have been no confirmed sightings of the aggressive species, native to Japan and other parts of East Asia, since 2021.

Japan

Japan grapples with sticky problem – potentially fatal mochi binge over holidays

The emergency services have issued advisories urging Japanese people to eat mochi with care, including tips on dealing with choking.

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Japanese mochi rice cakes. The country’s emergency services have warned people to eat the treat with care due to its potential choking hazard. Photo: Shutterstock
Thailand

No honey, no money: Thai forager laments risks to bee hives from deforestation

Pran Tee has attracted over 320,000 followers on Facebook thanks to his tree-climbing missions to extract honey from bee hives in Chiang Mai.

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Bees working on honeycombs. A Thai honey collector has posted viral videos of his daring tree-climbing missions to reach bee hives in Chiang Mai. Photo: Shutterstock
Bees working on honeycombs. A Thai honey collector has posted viral videos of his daring tree-climbing missions to reach bee hives in Chiang Mai. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

‘I’m not afraid’: Japan PM Ishiba moves into ‘haunted’ official residence

Previous prime ministers were reluctant to move into the building, said to be haunted by the ghosts of men who attempted uprisings in the 1930s.

Singapore

Singapore’s 2024: Taylor Swift, a new PM and a high-profile corruption trial

The city state cemented its position as a global entertainment hub even as it grappled with political changes and legal sagas.

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Malaysia

Boycotts, bans and dough-kissing drama: Malaysia’s 2024 social media obsessions

The power of social media shaped many of Malaysia’s biggest controversies this year.

Upper left: Starbucks suffered financial losses after being targeted by a viral boycott campaign for its alleged support of Israel. Photo: Getty Images/TNS. A KK Super Mart store in Puchong, Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AP Bottom left: Right: A video showing Alice Chang from Malaysia kissing a piece of dough went viral. Photo: YouTube/funniesvideo
Upper left: Starbucks suffered financial losses after being targeted by a viral boycott campaign for its alleged support of Israel. Photo: Getty Images/TNS. A KK Super Mart store in Puchong, Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AP Bottom left: Right: A video showing Alice Chang from Malaysia kissing a piece of dough went viral. Photo: YouTube/funniesvideo
Malaysia

A Malaysian artist’s quest to revive the lost sound of Sabah’s sundatang

Mcfeddy Simon, better known as Gindung, is on a mission to restore the two-stringed lute’s place in the state’s musical heritage.

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Thailand

LGBTQ rights, deepfake threats, falling fertility: Asia’s gender equality in 2024

In 2024, Asia’s gender equality landscape saw advancements in LGBTQ rights amid alarming rates of violence against women, highlighting ongoing challenges.

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India

Call for more babies in India sparks debate – is 1.43 billion people not enough?

A Hindu nationalist leader has urged couples to have more children in the world’s most populous nation, calling it ‘a matter of concern’.

An Indian health worker takes care of newborn babies at a government hospital in Chennai. Photo: EPA-EFE
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OPINION
Liew Kai Khiun,Atchareeya Saisin

Opinion | Blackpink concert tour puts Asia back on post-Covid globalisation track

Liew Kai Khiun
Atchareeya Saisin
Reena Devi

Opinion | Has Singapore’s cultural tourism focus got the balance right?

Tobias Zuser

Opinion | Soh Chin Ann is the world’s most-capped footballer. Here’s what it means to Malaysia

Tobias Zuser
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Alan Robles

Opinion | Filipinos love their adobo – just don’t tell them how to cook it

Alan Robles
Raquel Carvalho

As I see it | When are Asia’s governments going to step up for women’s rights?

Raquel Carvalho
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Montira Unakul

Opinion | Laos‘ Plain of Jars has lessons for disaster risk management during Covid-19

Montira Unakul
TRENDING TOPICS
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