Advertisement
Advertisement
This Week in Asia /

Lifestyle & Culture

Related Topics:
K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop
Asia travel
Fame and celebrity
An indigenous musician plays a “sape” in front a traditional longhouse in Sarawak. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

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.

Malaysia

Malaysian bookshop hits on novel idea to hook readers addicted to ‘brain rot’

Asean

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

videocam
The Philippines

Philippines weighs social media ban for minors, but will it be enough?

Analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to fix the algorithms that expose young users to harmful content.

videocam
Teenagers play games on their smartphones at a convenience store in the Philippines. Lawmakers have called for curbs on minors’ social media access. Photo: Shutterstock
Teenagers play games on their smartphones at a convenience store in the Philippines. Lawmakers have called for curbs on minors’ social media access. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now?

The cases allegedly involving foreign suspects have spurred concerns that gang disputes have moved from other countries to the island.

videocam
Japan

Litterbugs in Shibuya to be fined on the spot as visitor numbers surge

The initiative, which will see offenders fined US$12.50, reflects a broader rethink of the ward’s earlier decision to remove public rubbish bins.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Nepal

Untouchable no more: Nepal to apologise to Dalits for first time

Nepal has banned caste discrimination, yet many Dalits still live in poverty. Can a formal state apology inspire change?

videocam
A Dalit woman sits with a child in Humla district, in Nepal’s remote northwest. Photo: AFP
A Dalit woman sits with a child in Humla district, in Nepal’s remote northwest. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Filipino singer’s Golden Buzzer win stokes #SEAblings’ Southeast Asian pride

The reactions to his breakout moment on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ highlight how regional audiences increasingly champion one another’s artists.

videocam
The Philippines

Joy in a bag: for overseas Filipinos, Jollibee is a taste of home

Forget KFC. For Filipinos abroad, Jollibee serves up cultural pride with a side of nostalgia – and the best fried chicken in America.

Japan

‘Damage Kyoto’s reputation’: plan for sky-high towers meets backlash

Opponents say the proposal to revise height restrictions for buildings around Kyoto Station to 60 metres will destroy the city’s unique views.

videocam
People walk in front of Kyoto Station, Japan. Existing height restrictions limit buildings near the station to a maximum of 31 metres. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Japan’s cherry blossom parties could wilt as inflation strains wallets

Spending on ‘hanami’ picnics drops as rising living costs, Iran war fears and weather woes threaten to dampen this year’s festivities.

videocam
A woman takes selfies in front of a cherry blossom tree in Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. Photo: AFP
A woman takes selfies in front of a cherry blossom tree in Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Why Filipinos blame Marcos, not Trump, for the Iran war fuel crisis

A Philippine senator wants Filipinos to hold Trump accountable for their surging fuel bills. But public anger has a different target.

videocam
Japan

Sacred deer have been a fixture of Japan’s Nara. Now they’re wandering away

More green spaces in nearby cities and the deer’s adaptable nature have led to them straying as far as 40km away from their habitat.

Malaysia

DarkSword threatens Malaysian iOS users, exposing spread of elite spyware

DarkSword can compromise vulnerable iPhones through hacked legitimate websites and siphon off highly sensitive data, researchers warn.

DarkSword can compromise vulnerable iPhones through hacked legitimate websites, and Apple has urged users to update their phones to stay protected. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Philippines scores poorly on work-life balance. Filipinos are not surprised

Low wages, poor workplace culture and heavy traffic are among the factors hampering Filipinos from enjoying a good work-life balance.

videocam
Heavy traffic on the streets of Manila. Photo: Shutterstock
Heavy traffic on the streets of Manila. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

Should wives always obey? Most in Malaysia and Indonesia say yes

A new study also shows 64 per cent of respondents in Singapore agree that efforts to give women equal rights with men ‘have gone far enough’.

5
Singapore

‘Super-aged’ Singapore’s secret to growing old well? Stay busy

Forget doing nothing. At the city state’s active hubs, the soundtrack to ageing is sewing machines, exercise bikes and guitar lessons.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Ageing society

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.

videocam
Illustration: Huy Truong
Illustration: Huy Truong
India

India’s weight-loss drug price war begins as key patent expires

Generic slimming drugs are expected to flood a market where one in four adults are currently either overweight or obese.

Japan

Japan gets tough against teachers’ sexual misconduct, voyeurism after arrests

Sexual offences involving mostly male teachers targeting students remain high despite stricter rules against the menace in recent years.

videocam
Malaysia

‘Even sultan would think twice’: the US$460 cake testing Malaysia’s sweet tooth

Sarawak bakery’s luxury treat sparks debate over its high price as Malaysians stock up on Eid sweets amid rising diabetes concerns.

The “Kek Lapis Sultan” cake is being sold for US$460 for a 5kg tray at a bakery in Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo: Instagram/abgkju
Japan

Will Japan follow Australia’s lead and ban children from social media?

A new panel is studying how prolonged social media exposure affects young people, with youth suicide among issues likely to be addressed.

videocam
A high school girl uses her smartphone in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: AFP
A high school girl uses her smartphone in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Half of Indonesia is travelling for Eid as US$100 oil threatens state finances

A US$100 oil shock is ballooning fuel subsidies towards a deficit cap breach.

The Philippines

Most Filipino women think a woman’s place is in the home, survey finds

A record 83 per cent of women in the Philippines now say they find domestic life as fulfilling as a career, a 30-year high.

The Philippines

Why Philippines’ Jollibee is Southeast Asia’s lone global food chain

The company is the only Southeast Asian name to make the top tier of a recent list of the world’s strongest restaurant brands, placing fifth.

A Jollibee fast-food restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Lee
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW