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This Week in Asia
Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (right) and South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back shake hands before their meeting at Japan’s Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo on Friday. Photo: AFP

East Asia

Japan and South Korea bolster defence ties amid regional tensions

Defence chiefs agree to joint AI, space, and drone development, aiming to stabilise the region against growing missile threats.

Why India should tackle pollution more urgently than tariffs

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In his Singapore book launch, Wang Gungwu recounts own journey through history

Lifestyle & Culture

Can Malaysian football ‘reset’? Mass resignations kick off reboot debate

Nothing will change if the same officials are re-elected with no one held accountable for the ‘heritage players’ fiasco, observers say.

The Football Association of Malaysia’s logo is displayed at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
The Football Association of Malaysia’s logo is displayed at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Lifestyle & Culture

Singapore begins ban on ‘undesirable’ visitors, airlines to comply or face fine

Among such visitors barred from entering are those with a criminal record in Singapore or who pose a threat to public safety.

Lifestyle & Culture

Will Thai tourism ambassador Blackpink’s Lisa help lure Chinese visitors back?

Chinese visitor arrivals slumped by nearly 30 per cent last year amid concerns over safety, the border war with Cambodia and the strong baht.

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Politics

Base instincts: why US warship visit won’t calm fears over Cambodian port

The USS Cincinnati is the first US warship to dock at Ream Naval Base since its China-funded expansion was completed in April last year.

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USS Cincinnati docks at Ream Naval Base’s pier in Sihanoukville on Saturday. Photo: AP
USS Cincinnati docks at Ream Naval Base’s pier in Sihanoukville on Saturday. Photo: AP

Southeast Asia

‘I’m a billionaire now’: price boom thrills Vietnamese sitting on gold hoard

But the precious metal’s rally has also made wedding gifts unaffordable for many and upended an informal gold mortgage system.

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East Asia

South Korea forced to act after Cambodian worker’s death in freezing dorm

Seoul has apologised and pledged to improve foreign worker housing following the woman’s death in a makeshift dwelling in 2020.

Health & Environment

Japan child suicides reach record high as experts warn of mounting pressures

The rise in child deaths contrasts with a broader decline in suicides, prompting scrutiny of school pressure and mental health support.

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Japan recorded a record 532 child suicides in 2025, according to preliminary government figures. Photo: Shutterstock

People

Singapore court rules man, 97, mentally fit to marry mistress

The widower, who had an extramarital affair with his secretary since 1971, has filed separate lawsuits against his second son and grandson.

A Singapore family court judge has ruled that a 97-year-old man possesses the mental capacity to decide for himself whether to marry his long-time secretary. Photo: Shutterstock
A Singapore family court judge has ruled that a 97-year-old man possesses the mental capacity to decide for himself whether to marry his long-time secretary. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle & Culture

Japan’s ‘new-wave yakuza’: tokuryu gangs take control of lucrative sex business

The arrest of a leader of Japan’s largest tokuryu has put the spotlight on how the gangs are edging out the yakuza and worrying the police.

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East Asia

Brazen nighttime robbery: Tokyo gang flees with US$2.7 million in cash

One of the victims, a Chinese national, was allegedly attacked with pepper spray by the group before escaping with the bags.

Southeast Asia

Indonesia scrambles to halt US$80 billion market crash as rupiah hits record low

Concerns over fiscal policy and transparency sparked a sell-off, as Indonesian stocks plunged 8 per cent in just two days.

People look at an electronic board displaying stock prices at the Indonesia Stock Exchange in Jakarta on Thursday. Photo: AFP

East Asia

Rich South Korean mums face ‘worst nightmare’ over European baby food recall

Parents fret over ‘Gangnam formula’, a brand associated with wealthy families, after French firm Danone recalled it over toxin fears.

Aptamil’s recall in Europe over toxin fears has alarmed South Korean parents. Photo: AFP
Aptamil’s recall in Europe over toxin fears has alarmed South Korean parents. Photo: AFP

East Asia

Why South Korea’s Gen Z steer towards bus driving as job market shifts

Bus driver licenses for people in their 20s and 30s rose 43 per cent in three years, driven by better pay, job security, and changing attitudes.

Lifestyle & Culture

Not cricket? Political sticky wicket forces Bangladesh out of T20 World Cup

Bangladesh’s national election on February 12 has brought tensions among the South Asian neighbours to the forefront.

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Politics

Malaysia’s Islamists preach ‘racial domination’ to woo young voters

They govern the north, dominate the opposition and claim to soon be the undisputed home of Malay nationalism. Is Putrajaya next for PAS?

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Supporters of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) wave flags during a rally in Kedah in 2012. Photo: AFP
Supporters of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) wave flags during a rally in Kedah in 2012. Photo: AFP

Politics

Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ in Marcos vs Duterte clash

Analysts warn of a ‘very messy year’ ahead as coup fears swirl, the economy falters and political warfare rages out in the open.

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Economics

India overtakes Japan in economic size – while prosperity trails far behind

Becoming the No 4 economy is a source of pride. Now, the race is on to turn statistical success into 8 million new jobs a year.

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Economics

Fair or fowl? Malaysia struggles to stomach its US trade pact

Local chefs fume over ‘lousy’ US poultry flooding the market, as critics call the trade agreement hastily reached and unfairly lopsided.

A woman shops at a wet market in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is bracing itself for a surge in shipments of American poultry. Photo: Reuters
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Highlights from
THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Economics

Why India should tackle pollution more urgently than tariffs

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A rally by protesters in New Delhi in November against what they called the Indian government’s lack of action to combat air pollution in the capital. Photo: AP

People

In his Singapore book launch, Wang Gungwu recounts own journey through history

Australian sinologist Wang Gungwu (left), speaking about his new book “In No Borders: Journeys Across Islands and Continents” at its launch in Singapore on Thursday. Photo: Jean Iau

Lifestyle & Culture

Can Malaysian football ‘reset’? Mass resignations kick off reboot debate

The Football Association of Malaysia’s logo is displayed at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Lifestyle & Culture

Singapore begins ban on ‘undesirable’ visitors, airlines to comply or face fine

Travellers walk through a transit hall of Changi International Airport in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Politics

Base instincts: why US warship visit won’t calm fears over Cambodian port

videocam
USS Cincinnati docks at Ream Naval Base’s pier in Sihanoukville on Saturday. Photo: AP
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