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This Week in Asia /
Lifestyle & Culture
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K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop
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The Philippines
Philippines weighs social media ban for minors, but will it be enough?
Analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to fix the algorithms that expose young users to harmful content.
4 hours ago
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Indonesia
Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now?
6 hours ago
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Japan
Litterbugs in Shibuya to be fined on the spot as visitor numbers surge
1 Apr 2026 - 11:14AM
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Nepal
Untouchable no more: Nepal to apologise to Dalits for first time
Nepal has banned caste discrimination, yet many Dalits still live in poverty. Can a formal state apology inspire change?
31 Mar 2026 - 7:30PM
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A Dalit woman sits with a child in Humla district, in Nepal’s remote northwest. Photo: AFP
The Philippines
Filipino singer’s Golden Buzzer win stokes #SEAblings’ Southeast Asian pride
The reactions to his breakout moment on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ highlight how regional audiences increasingly champion one another’s artists.
31 Mar 2026 - 6:15PM
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The Philippines
Joy in a bag: for overseas Filipinos, Jollibee is a taste of home
Forget KFC. For Filipinos abroad, Jollibee serves up cultural pride with a side of nostalgia – and the best fried chicken in America.
29 Mar 2026 - 1:00PM
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Japan
‘Damage Kyoto’s reputation’: plan for sky-high towers meets backlash
Opponents say the proposal to revise height restrictions for buildings around Kyoto Station to 60 metres will destroy the city’s unique views.
29 Mar 2026 - 8:00AM
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People walk in front of Kyoto Station, Japan. Existing height restrictions limit buildings near the station to a maximum of 31 metres. Photo: Kyodo
Japan
Japan’s cherry blossom parties could wilt as inflation strains wallets
Spending on ‘hanami’ picnics drops as rising living costs, Iran war fears and weather woes threaten to dampen this year’s festivities.
27 Mar 2026 - 8:00AM
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The Philippines
Why Filipinos blame Marcos, not Trump, for the Iran war fuel crisis
A Philippine senator wants Filipinos to hold Trump accountable for their surging fuel bills. But public anger has a different target.
27 Mar 2026 - 10:42AM
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Japan
Sacred deer have been a fixture of Japan’s Nara. Now they’re wandering away
More green spaces in nearby cities and the deer’s adaptable nature have led to them straying as far as 40km away from their habitat.
25 Mar 2026 - 10:25AM
Malaysia
DarkSword threatens Malaysian iOS users, exposing spread of elite spyware
DarkSword can compromise vulnerable iPhones through hacked legitimate websites and siphon off highly sensitive data, researchers warn.
24 Mar 2026 - 8:31PM
DarkSword can compromise vulnerable iPhones through hacked legitimate websites, and Apple has urged users to update their phones to stay protected. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines
Philippines scores poorly on work-life balance. Filipinos are not surprised
Low wages, poor workplace culture and heavy traffic are among the factors hampering Filipinos from enjoying a good work-life balance.
24 Mar 2026 - 9:30AM
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Malaysia
Should wives always obey? Most in Malaysia and Indonesia say yes
A new study also shows 64 per cent of respondents in Singapore agree that efforts to give women equal rights with men ‘have gone far enough’.
23 Mar 2026 - 11:07AM
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Singapore
‘Super-aged’ Singapore’s secret to growing old well? Stay busy
Forget doing nothing. At the city state’s active hubs, the soundtrack to ageing is sewing machines, exercise bikes and guitar lessons.
23 Mar 2026 - 9:48PM
Ageing society
Mortal combat: Southeast Asia fights fears of death to plan for the end
Birth rates are falling. Populations are ageing. In Southeast Asia, the business of dying has never been bigger.
23 Mar 2026 - 9:54AM
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Illustration: Huy Truong
India
India’s weight-loss drug price war begins as key patent expires
Generic slimming drugs are expected to flood a market where one in four adults are currently either overweight or obese.
20 Mar 2026 - 1:55PM
Japan
Japan gets tough against teachers’ sexual misconduct, voyeurism after arrests
Sexual offences involving mostly male teachers targeting students remain high despite stricter rules against the menace in recent years.
19 Mar 2026 - 4:26PM
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Malaysia
‘Even sultan would think twice’: the US$460 cake testing Malaysia’s sweet tooth
Sarawak bakery’s luxury treat sparks debate over its high price as Malaysians stock up on Eid sweets amid rising diabetes concerns.
18 Mar 2026 - 12:34PM
The “Kek Lapis Sultan” cake is being sold for US$460 for a 5kg tray at a bakery in Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo: Instagram/abgkju
Japan
Will Japan follow Australia’s lead and ban children from social media?
A new panel is studying how prolonged social media exposure affects young people, with youth suicide among issues likely to be addressed.
18 Mar 2026 - 3:50PM
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Indonesia
Half of Indonesia is travelling for Eid as US$100 oil threatens state finances
A US$100 oil shock is ballooning fuel subsidies towards a deficit cap breach.
17 Mar 2026 - 6:30PM
The Philippines
Most Filipino women think a woman’s place is in the home, survey finds
A record 83 per cent of women in the Philippines now say they find domestic life as fulfilling as a career, a 30-year high.
16 Mar 2026 - 6:30PM
The Philippines
Why Philippines’ Jollibee is Southeast Asia’s lone global food chain
The company is the only Southeast Asian name to make the top tier of a recent list of the world’s strongest restaurant brands, placing fifth.
16 Mar 2026 - 12:00PM
A Jollibee fast-food restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Lee
Indonesia
Top of the world: why Indonesian workers are happiest in Asia-Pacific
While a survey shows that 82 per cent of Indonesian workers are happy, it also flags increasing burnout among them.
15 Mar 2026 - 4:00PM
Singapore
New flats in Singapore set to soar above 60 storeys – will they be the norm?
Speaking about a project in the Chinatown area, a minister says the government would look for more opportunities to build taller flats.
12 Mar 2026 - 6:46PM
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North Korea
North Korea cancels Pyongyang marathon weeks before race, with no reason given
The race had been set for April 5 and would have marked the second year since Pyongyang resumed the event after the pandemic.
9 Mar 2026 - 7:18PM
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