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People
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Lifestyle & Culture
Illustration: Mario Rivera

Lifestyle & Culture

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

The region’s creators are going global, but the structures to sustain them are still catching up.

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South Korea and Indonesia’s fighter jet is ready. But will it sell?

Softly, softly: why South Korea, France prefer diplomacy over force in Hormuz

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People

Malaysia drops appeal on abducted activist’s case, family still seeks answers

Rights group Suhakam says the police Special Branch was involved in the disappearances of Raymond Koh and another activist, Amri Che Mat.

Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on February 13, 2017. Photo: Raymond Koh’s family
Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on February 13, 2017. Photo: Raymond Koh’s family

People

New Zealand doctor invoices US embassy for rising fuel costs

Shane Dunphy asked the embassy to reimburse him for the US$1,600 spent on petrol vouchers for his staff so that they could travel to work.

Economics

Malaysia urged to take more aggressive action to tackle energy crisis

Analysts warn of escalating risks to Malaysia’s economy and call for adjusting the subsidy scheme to stop the government from ‘burning cash’.

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Economics

Helium supply shock threatens Asian chipmakers as economic slowdown fears mount

Iranian attacks on Qatar’s LNG facilities are curbing the supply of helium, a crucial gas used in chipmaking.

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Samsung Electronics’ products displayed at an exhibition hall for the Apec summit in Gyeongju, South Korea in October. Photo: AP
Samsung Electronics’ products displayed at an exhibition hall for the Apec summit in Gyeongju, South Korea in October. Photo: AP

Politics

Indonesia and Malaysia require geo-tracking for civil servants working from home

As governments roll out work-from-home policies to cut fuel use, civil servants face location tracking and other productivity measures.

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Economics

Indonesia rebalances energy policy as Iran war spurs new projects

As oil prices surge, Indonesia aims to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and intensify the use of crude palm oil for diesel blending.

Politics

From general to Myanmar president: Min Aung Hlaing’s ‘cosmetic’ rebrand

His transition from top general to president is a ‘veneer’ that poses a challenge for Asean, which has long shunned him, critics say.

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Myanmar’s parliament elected junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as president on Friday. Photo: AFP

People

‘Feels unreal’: Indonesian grandma freed from Malaysian death row flies home

Ani Anggraeni spent nearly 15 years in prison for drug trafficking before her death sentence was commuted and she was later pardoned.

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Ani Anggraeni is seen in prison last year. Photo: Handout
Ani Anggraeni is seen in prison last year. Photo: Handout

Politics

‘Defining truth’? Worry in Philippines over controversial anti-fake news bills

Critics warn the proposals risk turning legitimate reporting, public-interest speech and fast-moving online discussion into criminal exposure.

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Health & Environment

Solomon Islands residents live in fear of WWII bomb explosions

With more people on the islands killed or injured due to the munitions, a UN team calls for international efforts to remove the danger.

Lifestyle & Culture

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.

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Teenagers play games on their smartphones at a convenience store in the Philippines. Lawmakers have called for curbs on minors’ social media access. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle & Culture

Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now?

The cases allegedly involving foreign suspects have spurred concerns that gang disputes have moved from other countries to the island.

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Igor Komarov, a 28-year-old Ukrainian, was kidnapped and later found dead in a suspected murder in Bali in February. Photo: YouTube
Igor Komarov, a 28-year-old Ukrainian, was kidnapped and later found dead in a suspected murder in Bali in February. Photo: YouTube

People

Malaysian minister steps in with aid for family of drink-driving victim

Amirul Hafiz Omar was on his way to buy his son a mathematics book when a car allegedly driven at high speed rammed his motorcycle.

Economics

How Asean’s neutral stance in Iran war protects its energy security

Granting Southeast Asian vessels safe passage through the strait allows Iran to come across as a diplomatic good guy, analysts say.

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Lifestyle & Culture

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

The region’s creators are going global, but the structures to sustain them are still catching up.

videocam
Illustration: Mario Rivera
Illustration: Mario Rivera

Health & Environment

Burning daylight: Asean’s power grid plans get an Iran war jolt

Oil is up, coal is back and so are fuel queues. As the Middle East burns, Southeast Asia dusts off an old plan to rewire its future.

Health & Environment

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.

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Politics

Graft and gridlock: in Anwar’s Malaysia, reformist cracks widen

Malaysia’s prime minister can’t pass his own reform bills. His coalition appears to be cracking – and time is running out.

Illustration: Huy Truong
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LATEST Asia NEWS

Lifestyle & Culture

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

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Illustration: Mario Rivera

Southeast Asia

Singapore’s Workers’ Party finishes probe into chief Pritam Singh’s conduct

Worker’s Party chief Pritam Singh (centre) is followed by journalists as he leaves the Supreme Court during an appeals hearing on November 4, 2025. Photo: AFP

South Asia

Here comes the ‘Mounjaro bride’: Indian pre-wedding prep includes obesity drug

Brides sit during a mass marriage ceremony in Mumbai. Photo: AFP

Politics

South Korea and Indonesia’s fighter jet is ready. But will it sell?

The first mass-produced KF-21 fighter jet is unveiled during a ceremony at the headquarters of Korea Aerospace Industries in Sacheon on March 25. Photo: Yonhap/EPA
MORE Asia NEWS
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OPINION
Dicky Yordan

Asian Angle | Hormuz is sending Southeast Asia a warning – and we can no longer ignore it

Dicky Yordan
Marianne Hanson

Opinion | One rule for Israel and another for Iran risks nuclear disaster

Marianne Hanson
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Francis C. Domingo

Asian Angle | The Philippine military must transform, not just modernise

Francis C. Domingo
Ian Storey

Opinion | Indonesia’s new aircraft carrier is more vanity project than war machine

Ian Storey
Syaza Shukri

Asian Angle | Malaysia’s LGBTQ crackdowns aren’t hypocrisy, they’re politics

Syaza Shukri
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MULTIMEDIA
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Filipino fishermen worry about Chinese nature reserve in disputed waters

Filipino fishermen worry about Chinese nature reserve in disputed waters
03:09
Video

Centenarian becomes oldest person to climb Mount Fuji

Centenarian becomes oldest person to climb Mount Fuji
02:34
Video

Cambodia unveils new Chinese-built airport

Cambodia unveils new Chinese-built airport
02:02
Video

Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in jail

Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in jail
04:27
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