This Week in Asia /

Health & Environment

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Coronavirus pandemic
Climate change
Wellness
Indonesia has reported eight cases of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), one of the diseases caused by the rodent-linked hantavirus. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

The rat in the room: understanding Indonesia’s hantavirus cases

Medical experts say there is no cause for alarm as the 8 reported cases of a disease linked to the virus happened at a local level.

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Japan

Japan’s bear attacks surge: is social media clout worth risking life and limb?

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Pacific nations

The future of climate migration? Tuvalu’s people seek a new home in Australia

Pacific nations

A drop in the ocean? Pacific nations tap local know-how for marine conservation

Among the measures being taken are a ban on fishing and mining activities in vast marine protected areas.

Children take a canoe to school in Solomon Islands. Pacific island nations have stepped up their marine conservation plans. Photo: Shutterstock
Children take a canoe to school in Solomon Islands. Pacific island nations have stepped up their marine conservation plans. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

Mount Rinjani tragedy puts spotlight on Indonesia’s adventure tourism safety

The death of Brazilian climber Juliana Marins follows a string of accidents at some of Indonesia’s most popular natural attractions.

Vietnam

Vietnam’s fake cooking oil scandal shakes trust in food safety

The criminal network raked in an estimated US$3.14 million in revenue selling the popular Ofood cooking oil over the past three years.

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Japan

Japan quake swarm and volcano reignite fears linked to viral manga prediction

Airlines are cancelling flights to Japan due to reduced demand attributed to anxiety over the disaster prediction.

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Plumes of smoke rise from Mount Shinmoe in Kyushu during an eruption on October 11, 2017 – the volcano’s first in six years. The same volcano erupted again in June 2025 amid heightened seismic activity across southern Japan. Photo: Kyodo
Plumes of smoke rise from Mount Shinmoe in Kyushu during an eruption on October 11, 2017 – the volcano’s first in six years. The same volcano erupted again in June 2025 amid heightened seismic activity across southern Japan. Photo: Kyodo
Indonesia

‘No, thank you’: is Indonesia set to follow Hong Kong with its own tiny homes?

Housing authorities are mulling reducing the floor space for affordable homes to a mere 18 square metres (194 sq ft).

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Climate change

Asia is heating up at double the global rate amid climate crisis, UN warns

Asia’s vast land mass is intensifying extreme heatwaves as its sea surface warms at twice the global average, a new UN report reveals.

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Malaysia

Singaporean trio held in Malaysia’s US$1.7 million cocaine vape bust

The latest arrests spotlight Malaysia’s emerging role as a ‘transit point’ for narcotic trafficking.

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A man smoking an e-cigarette. Vaping is fast catching on in Malaysia. Photo: dpa
Tourism

‘I just felt sick’: how a free shot in Laos cost a British backpacker her life

Bethany Clarke’s dream backpacking trip turned into a nightmare when seemingly harmless free shots proved to be poison.

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Simone White (back) and Bethany Clarke (front) tubing down a river in Laos on November 12, last year. Both would fall ill with methanol poisoning within 24 hours. Photo: Facebook/Bethany Clarke
Simone White (back) and Bethany Clarke (front) tubing down a river in Laos on November 12, last year. Both would fall ill with methanol poisoning within 24 hours. Photo: Facebook/Bethany Clarke
Japan

Japan on alert against scorching temperatures after 4 die of heatstroke

Meteorological agency issues precautions against early heatwave, as experts warn temperatures this year are likely to be ‘above normal’.

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Japan

Japan plans to expand nuclear risk payouts for towns, critics call it a ‘bribe’

The proposal would expand subsidies to towns within a 30km radius of nuclear facilities, up from the current 10km.

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South Korea

Blood cancer cases at Seoul Metro spark workplace safety concerns

Thirteen maintenance workers affected so far, with new study citing prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals such as benzene as possible cause.

Commuters use their phones while travelling in a metro train in Seoul on May 28. Thirteen maintenance workers with Seoul Metro have so far been diagnosed with blood cancer. Photo: AFP
Australia

Australian woman dies of caffeine overdose after ‘unacceptable’ wait for help

The delay in dispatching an ambulance to Christine Lackmann – found to have dangerously high levels of caffeine – was a factor in her death, coroner rules.

Christina Lackmann, 32, died of a caffeine overdose after a series of ambulance delays. Photo: Handout
Christina Lackmann, 32, died of a caffeine overdose after a series of ambulance delays. Photo: Handout
Japan

Young Japanese women twice as likely to take extended sick leave as men: study

Mental health conditions and pregnancy-related complications are the most cited reasons for being absent for over a month, survey shows.

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Singapore

Singapore study reveals 1 in 4 young people have self-harmed

Cutting and severe scratching were among the most common forms of self-injury, the report found.

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Japan

Fatal virus fears rise in Japan after first suspected animal-to-human SFTS death

A Japanese veterinarian’s puzzling death from SFTS highlights the danger of this tick-borne virus for which there is no known cure.

A vet developed symptoms of the tick-borne SFTS virus after treating a cat at his practice in Japan’s Mie prefecture in May. Photo: Shutterstock
A vet developed symptoms of the tick-borne SFTS virus after treating a cat at his practice in Japan’s Mie prefecture in May. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Japan hospital sued after dementia patient swallows 12cm key

Some have voiced concern that hospitals worried about accountability would stop taking in dementia patients.

Malaysia

Singaporean cyclist’s death sparks fury over Malaysian road safety

His death, barely a week after 15 students were killed in a bus crash, has led to renewed criticism of Malaysia’s poor safety record.

Japan

‘Overflowing with faeces, urine’: 150 dead cats found in Japanese woman’s home

The rescue group staff member had been taking in the cats without its knowledge.

A stray bobtail cat rests at a park in Nagasaki, southern Japan. Photo: AP
Indonesia

Indonesia’s green groups welcome move to axe mining permits in Raja Ampat

Prabowo cancels four mining permits in Raja Ampat, but concerns remain over nickel exploitation on Gag Island and other small islands in Indonesia.

A leopard coral grouper and soft corals in the waters of the Raja Ampat Islands. Indonesia revoked permits on June 10 for four mining companies operating in Raja Ampat. Photo: AFP
A leopard coral grouper and soft corals in the waters of the Raja Ampat Islands. Indonesia revoked permits on June 10 for four mining companies operating in Raja Ampat. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan’s Osaka Expo water shows suspended as Legionella levels top safety limit

Resumption of the shows will depend on the results of stepped-up sanitisation measures, including pipe cleaning and chemical disinfection.

Japan

Nara’s famed deer could face food crisis in winter as acorn trees cut down

A reduction in acorn trees, which provide food and shelter for the deer, could result in more aggressive food-seeking behaviour, researchers warn.

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Malaysia

Malaysia faces searing heatwave as temperatures hit high of 37 degrees

Health experts warn that the methods used in Malaysia to assess health risks from extreme heat are inadequate.

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Six areas in Peninsular Malaysia experienced maximum daily temperatures of between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days last week. Photo: Reuters
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