This Week in Asia

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a press conference on Monday, after his ruling coalition lost majority control of both chambers of parliament following a crushing election defeat the previous day. Photo: Kyodo

Politics

Breaking | Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba to resign after election drubbing

Despite earlier vows to stay, Ishiba looks to be bowing to calls for accountability after his ruling coalition lost its parliamentary majority.

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Marching orders: Japanese firms enlist military discipline to drill soft skills

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Seoul shifts to pragmatic diplomacy, leaving ‘friend-or-foe’ mentality behind

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People

Marcos’ ‘inexcusable’ snub of Filipino-American community widens disconnect

Protesters accuse Philippine leader of failing to meet community and ignoring urgent immigration issues concerning Filipino workers in the US.

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An activist holds up a cardboard cutout depicting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s face with the body of a dog during a demonstration in front of the US Department of State in Washington on Monday. Photo: Reuters
An activist holds up a cardboard cutout depicting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s face with the body of a dog during a demonstration in front of the US Department of State in Washington on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Health & Environment

Rabies fears rise in Bali as tourist hotspots declared ‘red zones’

Officials say the recorded number of dog bites in the affected areas remains low but the risk of the disease spreading is still high.

People

‘Upsetting’: dancing Jeju Air crew stir backlash in South Korea

Social media users slam the airline for being tone-deaf, say it is too soon for lighthearted videos after the December crash that killed 179 people.

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Economics

Indonesia’s recurring tragedy: deadly boat fire fuels urgent reform calls

The fire off an island in Sulawesi, which killed at least five people, joins the list of boat disasters in Indonesia in recent years.

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The KM Barcelona 5 ferry after a fire broke out while on its way to Manado, Indonesia, on Sunday. Photo: AFP
The KM Barcelona 5 ferry after a fire broke out while on its way to Manado, Indonesia, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Politics

Malaysia a target for Israeli spies over Gaza stance, Anwar warns

Prime minister points to recent gun smuggling case as evidence of Israel’s Mossad among intelligence agencies operating in Malaysia.

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Economics

How the India-UK trade deal could shape future pacts with the EU and US

Analysts say the free-trade deal, expected to be finalised this week, signals New Delhi’s shift away from protectionism.

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Politics

Trump’s ‘huge diplomatic gift’ to Myanmar junta via letter sparks concerns

By addressing Myanmar’s leader Min Aung Hlaing over the tariff issue, Trump has ‘unintentionally legitimised’ the junta, analysts say.

Protesters rally against Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in Quezon City, Philippines, in April. Photo: EPA-EFE

People

From ‘VIP No 1’ to suspect: how former South Korean first lady has fallen

Kim Keon-hee’s formal call-up shows that prosecutors are close to arresting her, observers say.

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Kim Keon-hee accompanies her husband, Yoon Suk-yeol, to Washington on July 10 last year. Photo: AP
Kim Keon-hee accompanies her husband, Yoon Suk-yeol, to Washington on July 10 last year. Photo: AP

Lifestyle & Culture

‘No way’: Malaysia’s digital ID drive stalls as data fears loom large

A botched roll-out and data leaks involving millions in recent years have made Malaysians wary of adding the app.

Health & Environment

Skeletal remains force India to probe Dharmasthala mass burial claims

Hundreds of secret burials linked to Dharmasthala, Karnataka, have come to light as a whistle-blower eyewitness seeks protection.

Economics

Philippines’ Marcos to meet Trump in high-stakes trade talks as US tariff looms

The Philippine president could offer Trump military access and mineral rights in exchange for a lower US tariff, analysts say.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth meets Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr at the Pentagon on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Japan’s long-dominant LDP in turmoil after far-right groups surge in polls

Internal rivals and a resurgent nationalist right are jeopardising Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s already precarious position.

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Supporters of Japan’s Sanseito party attend a rally in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Supporters of Japan’s Sanseito party attend a rally in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Why did Singapore name cyberthreat group UNC3886 and is it linked to China?

Minister K Shanmugam says Singapore is facing an advanced persistent threat from UNC3886, which is targeting its strategic targets.

Politics

Defence diversification: India pivots to Europe for next-gen fighter tech

French company Safran is tipped to develop engines for India’s planned stealth fighter aircraft, with UK’s Rolls-Royce also in the running.

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People

Marcos vs Marcos: the bitter truth behind the Philippine first family’s feud

From awkward wedding encounters to public snubs and shouting matches, President Marcos Jnr and his sister Imee are now openly estranged.

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Illustration: Mario Rivera
Illustration: Mario Rivera

Politics

In US-China tug of war, Australia puts itself first

With one eye on the past and the other on the Asia-Pacific’s future, Australia’s prime minister is championing sovereignty in an uncertain age.

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Economics

Malaysia’s new ‘luxury’ taxes hit the middle class where it hurts

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim promised the new taxes would only affect the rich, but many ordinary families are starting to feel the pinch.

Politics

From Iraq to Iran: the US quest for Israeli military dominance – and its fallout

This decades-long strategy has not only redrawn the regional map but also exposed the limits of China’s Middle East influence, analysts say.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
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LATEST Asia NEWS

Politics

Breaking | Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba to resign after election drubbing

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a press conference on Monday, after his ruling coalition lost majority control of both chambers of parliament following a crushing election defeat the previous day. Photo: Kyodo

East Asia

Trump closes ‘massive’ Japan trade deal, hails friendship with ally

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US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has clinched a “massive” trade deal with Japan. Photo: EPA

Politics

Seoul shifts to pragmatic diplomacy, leaving ‘friend-or-foe’ mentality behind

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South Korean President Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech during a news conference at the Blue House in Seoul earlier this month. Photo: AP

Southeast Asia

Typhoon Wipha can’t stop Filipino couple’s ‘extraordinary wedding’

Newlyweds Jade Rick Verdillo (right) and Jamaica walk hand in hand during their wedding in a flooded church in the Philippines. Photo: AP

People

Marching orders: Japanese firms enlist military discipline to drill soft skills

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New employees line up for marching drills during a two-day “enlistment experience” programme at the Maritime Self-Defence Force’s Ozuki Air Base in Yamaguchi prefecture. Photo: Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force
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OPINION
Tricia Yeoh,Francis E. Hutchinson

Asian Angle | Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad: a 100-year mixed legacy

Tricia Yeoh
Francis E. Hutchinson
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Laura Wilcox,Bjorn H. Samset

Opinion | Is Asia’s cleaner air driving global warming?

Laura Wilcox
Bjorn H. Samset
Joseph Sipalan

My Take | Malaysian lawyers’ march a marker of falling public trust in Anwar

Joseph Sipalan
Isabelle Chua

Asian Angle | Food for thought: how Chinese brands serve up soft power in Southeast Asia

Xu Jingzhi

Asian Angle | Is Vietnam’s tech dream stuck in the assembly line?

Xu Jingzhi
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MULTIMEDIA
Video

At least 27 killed as Bangladesh military jet crashes into school

Bangladesh Air Force jet crashes into school, killing at least 27, mostly children
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Video

Hundreds rescued from deadly Indonesia ferry fire

Hundreds rescued after Indonesia ferry fire kills at least five
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Video

Japan’s LDP loses upper house majority, PM stays

Japan’s ruling LDP loses majority in upper house elections, Ishiba to continue as PM
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Video

South Korea’s monsoon rain death toll rises to 17

Deadly monsoon rains kill 17 in South Korea, 11 still missing
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Retiring AIA chairman Edmund Tse reflects on 64 years with the insurer

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Filipino film that China wanted to cancel wins at New Zealand festival

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