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This Week in Asia
Free Malaysia Today apologises after a reporter’s question at a Gaza lecture drew criticism for insensitive racial overtones. Photo: Shutterstock

Southeast Asia

FMT apologises for racial query tying Malaysia’s ‘Chinese problem’ to Palestine

During a George Galloway lecture, a Free Malaysia Today reporter asked if the ‘Palestine problem’ parallels Malaysia’s ‘Chinese problem’.

Asean urged to rethink stance as Myanmar election risks normalising junta rule

‘Trump’s wrath’: India’s aim to diversify trade via Iran faces tariff threat

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Politics

Singapore’s PM Lawrence Wong removes Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition

Wong invites the Workers’ Party to nominate another elected MP to serve as the next Leader of the Opposition.

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Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh leaves the Supreme Court in Singapore after his appeal was dismissed in December. Photo: Reuters
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh leaves the Supreme Court in Singapore after his appeal was dismissed in December. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Token gesture? Why US is spending US$45 million on Thai-Cambodian border war

Washington is looking to reposition itself as the main peacemaker in Southeast Asia following Beijing’s mediation successes, analysts say.

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Lifestyle & Culture

X marks the bot: Malaysia says Grok ban may be lifted if it is proven to be safe

Though X has deactivated several prompts, more changes need to be made to ensure the site’s safety, Malaysia’s communications minister says.

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Health & Environment

Thai PM moves to strip scandal-hit firm of contracts after second deadly accident

Amid public anger, PM Anutin issued an order to end two contracts and blacklist Italian-Thai Development after two crane disasters killed 34 people.

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A crushed car sits among the debris after a crane collapses at the under-construction Rama II Expressway on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua
A crushed car sits among the debris after a crane collapses at the under-construction Rama II Expressway on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

Economics

Pakistan’s arms deals cleared for take-off as orders soar for JF-17 jets

The jets, co-produced with China, proved their worth during the India-Pakistan tensions, when they destroyed an S-400 air defence system.

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Politics

Japan’s Takaichi faces uphill task in election as opposition unites

Takaichi’s LDP is expected to lose millions of votes as Komeito allies with the CDP after ending its coalition with the ruling party.

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Politics

Singapore MPs back motion deeming Pritam Singh unfit to be opposition leader

The 11 WP MPs present opposed the motion, while the rest of the House, mainly PAP MPs, voted to deem Singh unsuitable for his role.

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Pritam Singh, secretary general of the Singaporean opposition Workers’ Party, leaves the Supreme Court in November during an appeals hearing against his conviction and sentence for lying to a committee. Photo: AFP

Economics

Trump’s 500% tariff push raises risk of India-US trade freeze

Such punitive tariffs would erode India’s export competitiveness and force the country to reorient its trade elsewhere, analysts warn.

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A train carrying cargo containers rides along a railway track in Ajmer, India, in August 2025. The US is India’s largest export market, receiving about 18 per cent of its total goods exports. Photo: AFP
A train carrying cargo containers rides along a railway track in Ajmer, India, in August 2025. The US is India’s largest export market, receiving about 18 per cent of its total goods exports. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Indonesian comedian hit with blasphemy complaints over Netflix jokes

Pandji Pragiwaksono’s unfiltered set took aim at the president, but it was a quip about religious groups that triggered police reports.

People

Caucasian ‘sugar daddy’ sextortion scam lands Malaysian in Singapore jail

Rajwant Singh Gill Narajan Singh was sentenced to 12 years in jail for pretending to be a rich white man and coercing women into sex.

This Week in Asia

Crane collapses on moving train in Thailand, killing at least 32

The equipment at a China-backed railway project hit the passing train, causing it to derail in Nakhon ‌Ratchasima province.

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The train accident took place on ‍Wednesday in the Sikhio district of Thailand’s Nakhon ‌Ratchasima province. Photo: Facebook/DDPMNews

Politics

South Korea-Japan summit exposes ‘strategic’ divide amid great-power tensions

While Seoul urged broader regional cooperation that would include China, Tokyo emphasised closer alignment with Washington.

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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) and South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung shake hands during a visit to Horyu-ji Temple in Ikaruga, Nara prefecture, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) and South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung shake hands during a visit to Horyu-ji Temple in Ikaruga, Nara prefecture, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

People

Philippines ‘comfort women’ demand apology during Japan foreign minister visit

Analysts say Manila is unlikely to back the surviving victims of sex slavery, fearing it could jeopardise billions in infrastructure funding.

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Politics

South Korea’s Yoon could become ‘martyr’ if given death penalty: analysts

While prosecutors have demanded death for the disgraced ex-president over his martial law debacle, a life imprisonment sentence is seen as more likely.

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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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Shoppers walk along a street illuminated with decorative lights ahead of New Year celebrations in Bengaluru, India, last month. Photo: AFP
Shoppers walk along a street illuminated with decorative lights ahead of New Year celebrations in Bengaluru, India, last month. Photo: AFP

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.

Economics

Thailand’s tourism crown slips as troubles in paradise mount

Border clashes with Cambodia, fierce competition from Malaysia, deadly floods and a strong baht threaten the kingdom’s holiday appeal.

Economics

As Southeast Asia’s middle classes lose their homes, the rich get sky garages

As wealthy buyers seek penthouses with living-room supercar parking, struggling families battle banks to keep a roof overhead.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
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Highlights from
THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Politics

Asean urged to rethink stance as Myanmar election risks normalising junta rule

An official of the Union Election Commission displays a ballot for counting during the second phase of the general election at a polling station in Yangon, Myanmar, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Economics

‘Trump’s wrath’: India’s aim to diversify trade via Iran faces tariff threat

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Officials attend a ceremony in 2019 to mark the first export convoy to India via Iran at Chabahar port. Photo: Getty Images

Politics

Singapore’s PM Lawrence Wong removes Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition

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Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh leaves the Supreme Court in Singapore after his appeal was dismissed in December. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Token gesture? Why US is spending US$45 million on Thai-Cambodian border war

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Cambodian soldiers repatriated from Thailand receive roses following their release on December 31, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Lifestyle & Culture

X marks the bot: Malaysia says Grok ban may be lifted if it is proven to be safe

Screens display the logo of Grok and its founder Elon Musk. Photo: AFP
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MULTIMEDIA
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