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Singapore
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Malaysia
Malaysian rapper Namewee defies scandals to release Lunar New Year single
Namewee is still helping police in an investigation over the death of a Taiwanese influencer and faces a drug possession charge.
50 minutes ago
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Singapore
‘Pasta tasted like grass’: Singapore school battles backlash over meal quality
2 hours ago
Technology
Singapore, Beijing land in top 10 of Savills’ Matcha Index of global tech cities
7 Jan 2026 - 7:30AM
Singapore
Singer Henry Lau calls out Singapore concert venue over blocked views
Lau says he is speaking out ‘for the sake of future artistes’ after the venue layout affected his interactions with fans.
6 Jan 2026 - 11:06PM
Canadian singer-songwriter Henry Lau performing at the Singland Festival at the Marina Bay Sands convention centre in Singapore on Saturday. Photo: Aaron Chang
Thailand
Thailand tightens cannabis sales as dispensaries face closure ahead of election
Thailand, the first country in Asia to decriminalise cannabis in 2022, tightens rules to appeal to conservative voters ahead of pivotal election.
6 Jan 2026 - 8:09PM
Indonesia
Indonesian beauty doctor under police probe as row with influencer turns ugly
Police say there is enough preliminary evidence to investigate Richard Lee for possible violations under health and consumer laws.
6 Jan 2026 - 6:59PM
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Indonesia
Indonesia’s criminal law overhaul prompts fears of rights erosion
Observers say the new Criminal Code and revised Criminal Procedure Code entrench provisions that undermine democracy.
6 Jan 2026 - 9:02PM
People walk along a sidewalk in Jakarta’s main business district. Indonesia’s new Criminal Code and revised Criminal Procedure Code came into force on Friday. Photo: EPA
Thailand
Border truce tested as Thailand says soldier wounded in Cambodia strike
Thai PM Anutin said Bangkok had the ‘capability to respond’ to Phnom Penh as provincial governors were ordered to ‘make preparations’.
6 Jan 2026 - 2:08PM
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Malaysia
Malaysians mock military base ‘parties’ with nuggets, fries memes amid probe
An inquiry has been launched after social media clips purport to show women drinking and socialising with personnel inside military camps.
6 Jan 2026 - 5:05PM
Malaysia
Malaysia’s ex-PM Mahathir in hospital after a fall at home – ‘he was conscious’
Mahathir, 100, fell when he was walking from the balcony to his living room in his home in Kuala Lumpur.
6 Jan 2026 - 5:50PM
Malaysia
Couple from Singapore surrender to Malaysian police over refuelling case
The man allegedly covered the registration number of his Singapore-registered vehicle to pump subsidised petrol in Johor.
6 Jan 2026 - 12:19PM
A petrol station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: AP
The Philippines
‘Rule of law’: Philippine military lauds ex-general’s sedition arrest
Romeo Poquiz’s limited influence means his arrest is unlikely to spark a ‘chilling effect’ among former officials, observers say.
6 Jan 2026 - 8:01AM
Singapore
How a photo reignited debate on neutrality of Singapore’s NMP scheme
Haresh Singaraju, a newly nominated member of parliament, was spotted in a shirt with the logo of the ruling PAP at an activity in 2023.
6 Jan 2026 - 5:48PM
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Vietnam
Vietnam overtakes Thailand as Chinese tourists' top choice for travel
Chinese visitors to Vietnam jumped 41 per cent to 5.3 million, topping the 4.5 million to Thailand, where safety concerns reduced Chinese travellers.
5 Jan 2026 - 8:52PM
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The Philippines
Trump’s Venezuela move strains Philippines’ rules-based diplomacy, critics say
Critics said the US operation has undercut Manila’s claim to principled diplomacy, given its close alliance with Washington.
6 Jan 2026 - 7:58AM
Protesters hold signs outside the US embassy in Manila on Monday during a rally opposing Washington’s military action in Venezuela following the seizure of President Nicolas Maduro. Photo: EPA-EFE
Malaysia
Reform gamble: Anwar to limit Malaysia PM term amid support crisis
The move could ‘excite core supporters’ and help project the image that the ruling coalition remains committed to reform, analysts say.
5 Jan 2026 - 9:23PM
The Philippines
Philippine ex-general arrested after call for military to ‘reset’ society
Romeo Poquiz had publicly called for the armed forces to ‘withdraw their support’ from Marcos over the flood control corruption scandal.
5 Jan 2026 - 1:50PM
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The Philippines
Philippines approves U$115 billion budget, slashes ‘back door’ allocations
Marcos used his veto powers to cut unprogrammed appropriations, historically prone to corruption, to their lowest level since 2019.
5 Jan 2026 - 1:06PM
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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivers a report on government investigative efforts against corruption on November13. Photo: EPA
Malaysia
Gold rush: Malaysia’s Kelantan to let poor residents dig for precious metal
The move comes as gold prices soared and videos of local Kelantanese panning for the metal were shared online.
5 Jan 2026 - 12:10PM
Indonesia
New ‘command economy’? Indonesia seizes land the size of Switzerland
Prabowo Subianto’s government has taken over 4 million hectares of plantations and mines since last January.
5 Jan 2026 - 9:23AM
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The Philippines
‘Not very high’ bar: Philippines inherits Thailand-Cambodia border crisis
Given Asean’s policy of non-interference, the Philippines may be better off leaving peace negotiations to the US and China, experts say.
5 Jan 2026 - 5:20PM
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Malaysia
Malaysia, EU threaten action against X, Grok AI for offensive images
Malaysian authorities said they are investigating images produced by Grok after complaints about the misuse of AI to manipulate images of women and minors.
4 Jan 2026 - 7:54PM
xAI and Grok logos are seen in this illustration from February 16 last year. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia
Body of Spanish football coach found after Indonesian boat tragedy
Fernando Martin, his wife and their 4 children were on a tour boat that sank in the Komodo National Park area on Boxing Day.
5 Jan 2026 - 12:49AM
Myanmar
Myanmar’s junta proxy party takes decisive lead in first phase of voting
To mark the country’s 78 years of independence, the military is also releasing over 6,000 prisoners.
4 Jan 2026 - 2:49PM
Singapore
Small market, global competition: can Singapore’s filmmakers break out abroad?
The government has rolled out a US$155.6 million programme to help local filmmakers reach wider markets amid shrinking cinema audiences.
5 Jan 2026 - 8:01AM
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