This Week in Asia

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Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, react to the ceasefire announcement in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Politics

‘Big question marks’: experts doubt Gaza ceasefire deal will lead to lasting peace

Israel and Hamas’ truce agreement is set to start on Sunday, but analysts warn unresolved core issues leave the future uncertain.

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1 in 4 Singaporeans undecided on who to vote for ahead of election: survey

Philippines’ Marcos faces inner circle rift over VP Duterte’s impeachment calls

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Politics

Martial law, memes and mayhem: the rise and fall of Yoon Suk-yeol

Once a celebrated anti-corruption crusader, on Wednesday Yoon became South Korea’s first sitting president to be arrested.

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A placard of impeached South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol with horns is seen on an installation during a rally against Yoon near his residence in Seoul on January 5. Photo: AFP
A placard of impeached South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol with horns is seen on an installation during a rally against Yoon near his residence in Seoul on January 5. Photo: AFP

Politics

Is Prabowo facing pressure from India to skip Pakistan after New Delhi visit?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited President Prabowo Subianto to be the chief guest on India’s Republic Day, Indian reports say.

Politics

Russia faces ‘strongest action possible’ from Australia if POW confirmed dead

Oscar Jenkins, an Australian teacher fighting for Ukraine, was reportedly captured and interrogated by Russian soldiers. His status and whereabouts are unknown.

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Politics

South Korea rejects Hegseth’s ‘nuclear power’ label for North Korea

Seoul says North Korea ‘can never be recognised as a nuclear-armed state’ under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The launch of a hypersonic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea in earlier in January. Photo: KCNA via KNS / AFP
The launch of a hypersonic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea in earlier in January. Photo: KCNA via KNS / AFP

People

South Korean first lady Kim Keon-hee’s PhD under review after plagiarism claims

Concerns over Kim Keon-hee’s PhD in design from Kookmin University may complicate the political situation for her husband, impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol.

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Politics

Trump’s defence pick fails Asean test, sparking mockery across Southeast Asia

Pete Hegseth, nominated for US Secretary of Defence, could not name a single member of the regional bloc during his confirmation hearing.

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Politics

Thailand seeks to soothe Chinese visitors’ scam centre fears

Thai tour operators say booking cancellations from Chinese visitors surged following news of an actor who was rescued from a scam centre.

A view of Myanmar’s Myawaddy town seen from Mae Sot district in Thailand. A number of foreigners fled an online scam centre in Myanmar across the border to Thailand last year. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Ham sandwich scandal exposes tensions over halal certification in Malaysia

The discovery of a sandwich with a fake halal label at a convenience store has ignited outrage and debate over certification standards.

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Authorities said the company that produced the ham and cheese sandwich did not have a halal certification licence. Photo: Reddit/abdulsamri89
Authorities said the company that produced the ham and cheese sandwich did not have a halal certification licence. Photo: Reddit/abdulsamri89

People

Youthful optimism: how Southeast Asian students view their economic futures

Students in six regional countries are hopeful for the future, but worry about corruption, inequality and unemployment, a new survey shows.

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Health & Environment

On Covid-19 anniversary, Japan’s doctors worry about complacency

A surge in influenza cases during Japan’s winter shows overconfidence regarding health precautions is creeping in, experts say.

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Politics

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol detained

Investigators and police had to scale makeshift barricades set up by the impeached president’s supporters to gain access to his compound.

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Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in Gwacheon, South Korea, on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Lifestyle & Culture

‘More dangerous than Covid’: outrage over call for 7-day work week in India

The comments betray a traditional mindset that equates productivity with long hours of work and are ‘removed from reality’, experts say.

Workers operate a machine at a manufacturing facility in Kanchipuram district in India. Photo: AFP
Workers operate a machine at a manufacturing facility in Kanchipuram district in India. Photo: AFP

People

After losing loved ones to Jeju Air crash, grieving families face online hate

Hate comments could stem from feelings of resentment and injustice over families receiving compensation from government, an expert says.

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Economics

Ferries, trains, cable cars? How Malaysia’s Johor can cope with SEZ rush

The state neighbouring Singapore is facing logistical challenges, with transport infrastructure stagnating for years.

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Politics

Tariffs, turmoil and Trump: untangling Malaysia’s Asean chair to-do list

Can Anwar Ibrahim’s diplomatic finesse help Malaysia steer Asean through the storm of rising trade tensions and regional crises?

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Image: Huy Truong
Image: Huy Truong

Politics

‘We are a frontline state’: how the Philippines is preparing for a US-China war

The US treaty ally is spending billions to arm itself for a conflict over Taiwan or the South China Sea it hopes will never come.

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Economics

Thailand’s hi-tech utopia starts to take shape – but will it deliver?

At its launch seven years ago, the Eastern Economic Corridor was marketed as a solution to Thailand’s economic malaise. But concerns persist.

People

‘Now we know’: Malaysia’s Syrian refugees find Assad’s fall bittersweet

Malaysia offered sanctuary to thousands of Syrians who fled the Assad regime. Now Bashar is gone some want to return. Others aren’t so sure.

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Syrian refugees arrive in Malaysia in 2016. Photo: AFP
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LATEST Asia NEWS

East Asia

South Korea’s Yoon refuses to appear for interrogation over martial law bid

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A motorcade carrying South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves for Seoul Detention Centre on January 15. Photo: Yonhap via Reuters

Politics

1 in 4 Singaporeans undecided on who to vote for ahead of election: survey

A survey found Singaporeans were most worried about inflation and the economy ahead of this year’s general election. Photo: AFP

Politics

Philippines’ Marcos faces inner circle rift over VP Duterte’s impeachment calls

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Members of the influential religious sect Iglesia ni Cristo attend a rally to oppose calls to unseat Sara Duterte in Manila on January 13. Photo: AFP

East Asia

Nuclear arms Kim Jong-un’s ‘insurance policy’ to stay in power, Rubio says

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Kim Jong-un inspects a missile launch facility at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Photo: KCNA/KNS via AP

Southeast Asia

Singapore jails Australian tourist who threatened to crash plane at airport

An Australian tourist was jailed for threatening to crash the aircraft while waiting to board at Singapore’s Changi Airport. Photo: AP
MORE Asia NEWS
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OPINION
James Chai

Asian Angle | Malaysians’ embrace of Mandarin is a win for multiculturalism

James Chai
Le Hong Hiep

Asian Angle | Vietnam’s private banking sector has a ‘chronic disease’. Can it be treated?

Le Hong Hiep
Joseph Sipalan

My Take | Can Johor-Singapore SEZ be a flag-bearer for Southeast Asia’s economic clout?

Joseph Sipalan
Dien Nguyen An Luong

Asian Angle | Vietnam’s ‘Chubby Bear’ approach to TikTok reveals double standards

Dien Nguyen An Luong
Chandran Nair

Opinion | The West and the rest: how genocide in Gaza will usher in the end of ‘his-story’

Chandran Nair
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MULTIMEDIA
Video

Investigators arrest Yoon after weeks-long stand-off

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Yoon says he agreed to questioning to prevent bloodshed

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Yoon Suk-yeol detained in South Korea

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Video

North Korean POWs ‘didn’t know they were fighting Ukraine’

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MOST POPULAR
1

Viral Malaysian girl who sat exam in tree to get Wi-fi pursues medicine

2

Jeju Air wasn’t the first. Black boxes have stopped recording before. Why?

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‘Everything will be gone’: Singapore’s Yale-NUS closure stirs student ire

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Trump’s defence pick fails Asean test, sparking mockery across Southeast Asia

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A decade ago, the US had the most powerful passport. Now it’s Singapore