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This Week in Asia
A person on an electric scooter passes a jeepney at a transport terminal in Quezon City on March 19. The Philippines is grappling with a national energy emergency triggered by the war in Iran. Photo: EPA

Economics

Why high fuel costs could accelerate the Philippines’ EV boom

Vietnam’s VinFast is seizing the moment by offering incentives for drivers to make the switch from petrol-powered vehicles to electric.

Singapore’s Shanmugam slams ‘hypocrisy’ over deported blogger Amos Yee

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Oil smugglers in Thailand worsen supply crisis as Anutin warns of tough times

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South Asia

Bangladesh targets 1 million children for vaccination as measles spreads

Health ministry figures show 17 confirmed deaths, 113 suspected ‌deaths and over 7,500 suspected infections nationwide.

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A nurse prepares a dose of a vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella. File photo: via TNS
A nurse prepares a dose of a vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella. File photo: via TNS

Economics

Can palm biodiesel be Malaysia’s quick fix for soaring fuel prices?

Infrastructure costs, supply chains and industry readiness could pose problems for wider adoption of biodiesel blends, analysts say.

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East Asia

Japan’s Takaichi seeks urgent summit with Iran as Trump’s Hormuz deadline looms

Japan has been bearing the brunt of the Iran war as the resource-poor nation relies on the Middle East for most of its crude oil imports.

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East Asia

South Korea aims to send ships to Saudi port for oil to bypass Hormuz

Special envoys will also sail to Oman and Algeria to try to secure oil via other routes, said lawmaker Ahn Do-geol.

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Cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz on March 11. Photo: Reuters
Cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz on March 11. Photo: Reuters

People

Singapore police say body found is missing man from boat collision

The body of Chua Muhammad Syafidi was found floating off the Indonesian island of Karimun.

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Politics

‘Remorseless’ Yoon slammed for invoking Jesus in a note from South Korean prison

The ex-president may be a liability to his former People Power Party ahead of local elections on June 3 amid falling approval ratings.

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Australasia

Australia receives fuel export guarantees from Singapore, Japan

Australia is seeking to diversify its sources of oil products as a result of the war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz, including making purchases from the US and Mexico.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) sign a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement during a Australia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Meeting, at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on October 8 last year. Photo: EPA-EFE

East Asia

‘Irresponsible and reckless’: South Korea’s Lee regrets drones sent to North

The South Korean president said an investigation revealed that government officials were involved in the incursion earlier this year.

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Fragments of a drone lie scattered on the ground in Muksan-ri, North Korea, after being shot down on January 4. Photo: KCNA/Reuters
Fragments of a drone lie scattered on the ground in Muksan-ri, North Korea, after being shot down on January 4. Photo: KCNA/Reuters

Health & Environment

‘Unable to handle rejection’: the forces driving Japan’s knife crime wave

Experts warn a generation raised on screens is losing the ability to handle real-world rejection.

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Economics

Fuel, food and fury: how the Iran war could topple South Asian governments

Analysts warn the crisis is threatening to spill over into wider economic and political instability.

Politics

India turns to ‘trusted friend’ Russia for oil supply as Iran war energises ties

The two sides aim to keep their energy trade flowing despite sanctions while balancing against the US and China, analysts say.

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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speaks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi in December. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Lute awakening: traditional Malaysian strings have many players but few makers

While young musicians are increasingly drawn to the old instruments, few want to take up the tedious task of crafting them.

An indigenous musician plays a “sape” in front a traditional longhouse in Sarawak. Photo: Reuters
An indigenous musician plays a “sape” in front a traditional longhouse in Sarawak. Photo: Reuters

Economics

Thailand’s fishing industry fights for survival as Iran war hits fuel costs

Half of the fleet is already docked as the fishing association warns the whole sector may ‘collapse like dominoes’.

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Politics

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

Only a handful of nations have ever built a supersonic fighter jet from the ground up.

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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.

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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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Highlights from
THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Economics

Why high fuel costs could accelerate the Philippines’ EV boom

A person on an electric scooter passes a jeepney at a transport terminal in Quezon City on March 19. The Philippines is grappling with a national energy emergency triggered by the war in Iran. Photo: EPA

People

Singapore’s Shanmugam slams ‘hypocrisy’ over deported blogger Amos Yee

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Controversial blogger Amos Yee has been charged with violating Singapore’s compulsory military service rules. Photo: Handout

Economics

Oil smugglers in Thailand worsen supply crisis as Anutin warns of tough times

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A Thai farmer refuels diesel into an oil drum at a gas station in Ayutthaya province on Wednesday. Thai farmers are struggling with shortages of diesel, fertiliser and insecticides amid the ongoing Iran war. Photo: EPA

Economics

Can palm biodiesel be Malaysia’s quick fix for soaring fuel prices?

videocam
A man holds a nozzle at the petrol station in Negri Sembilan. Diesel in Peninsular Malaysia rose to 6.02 ringgit a litre for the week of April 2 to 8. Photo: EPA

Politics

‘Remorseless’ Yoon slammed for invoking Jesus in a note from South Korean prison

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A news report on the sentencing trial of South Korean former president Yoon Suk-yeol’s insurrection case in February, stemming from his short-lived December 2024 declaration of martial law. Photo: Reuters
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