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A police officer outside a villa in Munggu village, Badung regency, on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, where Australian national Zivan Radmanovic, 32, was shot dead and another man, 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim, was seriously wounded on June 14, 2025. Authorities said they were pursuing three Australian suspects in connection with the attack. Photo: AFP

People

Bali official calls for swift expulsion of unruly foreigners amid crime concerns

Recent high-profile crimes have revived calls for stricter supervision and punishments for rule-breaking visitors to the island.

Vietnam’s fake cooking oil scandal shakes trust in food safety

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North Korea’s first lady returns with a touch of Gucci glamour

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Politics

‘Racist’ post against Malaysian Chinese general gets rebuke – from Islamist PAS

In his post, Zaharudin Muhammad wrote about a hypothetical scenario of Malaysia having its first Chinese prime minister in due course.

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Lieutenant General Johnny Lim Eng Seng (centre) receives his stars from Armed Forces chief General Mohd Nizam Jaffar (left) and Army Chief General Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan. Photo: Facebook/Malaysian Armed Forces
Lieutenant General Johnny Lim Eng Seng (centre) receives his stars from Armed Forces chief General Mohd Nizam Jaffar (left) and Army Chief General Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan. Photo: Facebook/Malaysian Armed Forces

People

‘We are not safe’: murder in Malaysian tech hub fuels student terror

The 20-year-old’s murder has left thousands of students in Cyberjaya’s largely unmonitored dorms fearing for their lives.

Lifestyle & Culture

Why Filipinos are exploring a move to Australia – and seeking advice on TikTok

Viral videos created by Filipinos who’ve already made the leap offer relatable, real-life insights into a complex migration system.

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Health & Environment

Japan quake swarm and volcano reignite fears linked to viral manga prediction

Airlines are cancelling flights to Japan due to reduced demand attributed to anxiety over the disaster prediction.

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Plumes of smoke rise from Mount Shinmoe in Kyushu during an eruption on October 11, 2017 – the volcano’s first in six years. The same volcano erupted again in June 2025 amid heightened seismic activity across southern Japan. Photo: Kyodo
Plumes of smoke rise from Mount Shinmoe in Kyushu during an eruption on October 11, 2017 – the volcano’s first in six years. The same volcano erupted again in June 2025 amid heightened seismic activity across southern Japan. Photo: Kyodo

People

Is Japan on the decline? 70% say country’s stature waning: survey

According to an Ipsos poll, the percentage of Japanese who think their country is on a downward trend has increased by 30 points since 2016.

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People

Indonesian mum recalls ‘scary’ moment son was hit with bottle in Singapore

Incident triggers anxiety among Indonesians about travelling to Singapore, long regarded as one of the world’s safest countries.

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People

South Korean student shares harrowing escape from Israel amid missile barrage

YouTube video captures missiles flying across woman’s dormitory window in Jerusalem, as air raid sirens force her to rush into bomb shelter.

Missiles launched from Iran are seen over Jerusalem amid the Iran-Israel conflict on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Will Philippines help US in another Middle East conflict?

With the US embroiled in the Israel-Iran war, there is speculation over whether Manila would help Washington, like it did in the Iraq War.

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US and Philippine soldiers salute during the opening ceremony of the annual US-Philippines Balikatan joint drills at a camp in Manila in April. Photo: AFP
US and Philippine soldiers salute during the opening ceremony of the annual US-Philippines Balikatan joint drills at a camp in Manila in April. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Wat’s the problem: Cambodia resurrects cultural theft claims against Thailand

Cambodia’s culture minister has called Wat Phu Man Fa’s Sihanakhon temple complex a ‘blatant infringement’ on its iconic Angkor Wat.

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Politics

‘Racist’ Australia claim as indigenous youth face surge in discrimination

A recent study found 54 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reporting racism last year, up from 39 per cent in 2014.

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People

Vietnamese property tycoon Truong My Lan escapes death penalty

The Vietnamese government has scrapped capital punishment for eight crimes, including embezzlement, corruption and espionage.

Vietnamese tycoon Truong My Lan was convicted last year of plundering US$12.5 billion from the Saigon Commercial Bank. Photo: EPA-EFE

Politics

South Korea’s next labour minister was driving a train when he got the call

Critics question whether political newcomer Kim Young-hoon will be ‘swayed by bureaucrats’.

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Kim Young-hoon is South Korea’s labour minister nominee who is a train driver and a former head of a major trade union. Photo: EPA-EFE
Kim Young-hoon is South Korea’s labour minister nominee who is a train driver and a former head of a major trade union. Photo: EPA-EFE

People

Malaysia’s first ethnic Chinese lieutenant general reaches for the stars

Over 86 per cent of Malaysia’s active servicemen, including nearly all of its top officers, are from the country’s Malay-Muslim majority.

People

Malaysian court overturns Syed Saddiq’s corruption conviction

The appeal court also admonished the lower court for not throwing out the allegations of embezzling funds earlier.

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Politics

Crisis calculations: Trump’s America has Southeast Asia in a spin

Punitive tariffs and severe aid cuts are shaking the foundations of the US relationship with Asean, deepening a sense of ‘unreliability’.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
Illustration: Huy Truong

Politics

After the ceasefire, India and Pakistan’s leaders seek cover under their flags

Leaders of both countries have sought to relay to domestic audiences competing claims of victory in order to reap political benefits.

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Politics

What South Korea’s new president means for its US, China ties

Expect a nuanced approach to foreign policy as President Lee Jae-myung attempts to pull relations with Beijing back from their ‘lowest ebb’.

Politics

Battle for the Philippines’ 2028 presidency begins: ‘they’ve smelled blood’

A surprising Duterte-Marcos midterm stalemate has shifted focus to the vice-president’s impeachment fight – and the next presidential race.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
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LATEST Asia NEWS

Southeast Asia

Myanmar burns US$300 million worth of confiscated drugs

Seized drugs are burnt in Yangon, Myanmar on Thursday,. Photo: Xinhua

People

Bali official calls for swift expulsion of unruly foreigners amid crime concerns

A police officer outside a villa in Munggu village, Badung regency, on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, where Australian national Zivan Radmanovic, 32, was shot dead and another man, 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim, was seriously wounded on June 14, 2025. Authorities said they were pursuing three Australian suspects in connection with the attack. Photo: AFP

Health & Environment

Vietnam’s fake cooking oil scandal shakes trust in food safety

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Ofood cooking oil. Photo: Handout

China Economy

How are stricter sanitation checks at border affecting China’s durian imports?

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Durian imports fell by almost a third in the first five months of this year. Photo: Shutterstock

Politics

‘Racist’ post against Malaysian Chinese general gets rebuke – from Islamist PAS

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Lieutenant General Johnny Lim Eng Seng (centre) receives his stars from Armed Forces chief General Mohd Nizam Jaffar (left) and Army Chief General Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan. Photo: Facebook/Malaysian Armed Forces
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OPINION
Brandon Tan Jun Wen

Asian Angle | Not-so-rich kid: meet Bobby Saputra, a viral parody of privilege

Brandon Tan Jun Wen
Natasha Heap

Opinion | Flying into the storm: how Middle East conflict reshapes global air routes

Natasha Heap
Joseph Sipalan

My Take | Caught in the chip war, Malaysia must rethink its US–China balancing act

Joseph Sipalan
Thitinan Pongsudhirak

Asian Angle | Trump tariffs challenge Asean’s unity and economic stability

Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Shannon Bosch

Opinion | Israel’s interception of Madleen raises legal concerns over aid blockade

Shannon Bosch
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MULTIMEDIA
Video

India sends 1st astronaut into space in 41 years

India, Poland and Hungary make space flight comeback with Axiom mission to ISS
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Video

Will a leaked phone call force the Thai PM to step down?

Thai government hangs by thread as leaked phone call shreds PM Paetongtarn’s credibility
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Video

Families await bodies from Air India crash

Funerals for some Air India crash victims begin as other families await return of remains
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Video

Sole survivor found in Air India crash

‘I don’t know how I’m alive’: sole survivor found in Air India flight that killed 241
03:40
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