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This Week in Asia
A Starbucks outlet in Kuala Lumpur. The operator of the coffee chain in Malaysia has been hit by a revenue decline due to a pro-Palestinian consumer boycott. Photo: Azneal Ishak

Politics

Malaysians trust media more while consumer boycott hits confidence survey

Local companies dominate the most trusted brands across the sectors, according to the Ipsos survey.

Chinese EV industry pressed to accelerate global expansion amid tariffs

Over 150 dead across Myanmar, Thailand as quake traps scores under rubble

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People

Declassified 1994 files show how diplomats doubted North Korea’s ‘goofy’ Kim Jong-il

Newly released files show experts from the US and Russia were sceptical he could hold onto power in the wake of his father’s sudden death.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-il smiles as he inspects the Sinam cooperative farm in Ryongchon county in North Korea, in this undated file photo released by Korea News Service in Tokyo on June 8, 2007. Photo: Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il smiles as he inspects the Sinam cooperative farm in Ryongchon county in North Korea, in this undated file photo released by Korea News Service in Tokyo on June 8, 2007. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Philippines pulls Asean card on East Timor over extradition row. Will it work?

Manila is seeking the extradition of Arnolfo Teves Jnr, a former politician, who is facing murder and other charges.

Politics

US bolsters Philippines defence with ‘game-changer’ missiles to deter China threat

During a visit to the Philippines, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stressed alliance, deterring Beijing’s ‘aggression’ in the South China Sea.

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Politics

Malaysia arrests Muslim preacher as temple relocation row rages on

Controversy refuses to die down even as PM Anwar declared ‘victory’ after laying foundation stone for a mosque to be built on temple site.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the groundbreaking ceremony for Masjid Madani in Kuala Lumpur on March 27. Photo: Facebook/anwaribrahimofficial
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the groundbreaking ceremony for Masjid Madani in Kuala Lumpur on March 27. Photo: Facebook/anwaribrahimofficial

Politics

Trump’s immigration crackdown hits Filipino green card holder, sparking fears

The detention of a Filipino who has lived in the US for 50 years shows the huge shift in immigration enforcement under Trump, observers say.

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Health & Environment

South Korean mayor sparks outrage by blaming female workers for wildfire woes

Kim Doo-gyeom of Ulsan city cites limitations in fighting the devastating blaze, saying it is not easy to send women into ‘rugged mountain areas’.

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Australasia

Australia PM calls election for May 3, amid inflation and housing challenges

The PM’s Labour Party is seeking a second term, but many expect the opposition conservative coalition to pick up seats.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Politics

Is North Korea’s nuclear submarine a game changer or ‘vanity project’?

North Korea’s first SSBN is likely to lag far behind its US and South Korean submarine rivals, analysts say.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a shipbuilding project at a shipyard at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Photo: AFP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a shipbuilding project at a shipyard at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Photo: AFP

South Asia

Pakistan’s Parsi community shrinks as young migrate

Many young and skilled Pakistanis want to leave a country wracked with political uncertainty, security challenges and a struggling economy.

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Politics

Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee Seafoods in landmark forced labour case

The human-trafficking case highlights the exploitation within the seafood industry, emphasising the need for corporate accountability and systemic reform.

Lifestyle & Culture

Alamak! 12 words in Malaysia, Singapore enter Oxford dictionary

Food names form the bulk of additions, but other notables include the Malay expression ‘alamak’ and a colloquial meaning for the word ‘terror’.

Nasi lemak, a Malay dish of rice cooked in coconut milk and flavoured with pandan leaf topped with other garnishes. Photo: Shutterstock

Health & Environment

Thailand offers rewards for reporting e-cigarette use as vaping concerns rise

Thailand’s new initiative aims to curb vaping and protect public health, with fines and jail terms for offenders.

Thailand has launched an initiative offering cash rewards for reporting e-cigarette use. Photo: Shutterstock
Thailand has launched an initiative offering cash rewards for reporting e-cigarette use. Photo: Shutterstock

Health & Environment

Norovirus cases in Japan hit decade high amid ‘unseasonal’ outbreak

The spread of norovirus nationwide has prompted health warnings about hygiene and food safety.

Economics

Name your ‘wish’: Johor-Singapore special zone dangles more investor perks

Malaysian official reveals more benefits on sidelines of Korea-Asean Business Forum in Seoul, as UOB bank rolls out support for Korean firms eyeing the region.

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Lifestyle & Culture

Cosmetic cravings: Asia’s Gen Z risk it all to keep their youthful looks

Young Southeast Asians are running a gauntlet of bootleg botox, fake fillers and clandestine clinics in their quest to defy ageing.

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Gen Z beauty seekers appear undeterred by harrowing tales of disfiguring infections, scarring and deaths caused by botulism. Photo: Shutterstock
Gen Z beauty seekers appear undeterred by harrowing tales of disfiguring infections, scarring and deaths caused by botulism. Photo: Shutterstock

Politics

How Singapore’s opposition hopes to loosen the PAP’s 66-year grip on power

The Workers’ Party aims to build on its gains. Tan Cheng Bock’s PSP is back in the fray, too. Can they chip away at the PAP’s supermajority?

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Economics

Emas or gelap? Prabowo’s golden dream and Indonesia’s ‘dark’ realities collide

With a shrinking middle class, falling commodity prices and youth unemployment on the rise, experts warn of an economic paradox in the making.

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Economics

Malaysia’s digital economy ambition faces disconnect in workplace and schools

The country’s workers are ill-equipped to meet the needs of the digital economy with AI threatening to leave them in the shade, analysts say.

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Kuala Lumpur city skyline. Malaysia’s goal to become a digital economy faces challenges such as a shortage in skilled manpower. Photo: Shutterstock
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Highlights from
THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Politics

US bolsters Philippines defence with ‘game-changer’ missiles to deter China threat

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (left) with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in Manila on Friday. Photo: AFP

Politics

Malaysians trust media more while consumer boycott hits confidence survey

A Starbucks outlet in Kuala Lumpur. The operator of the coffee chain in Malaysia has been hit by a revenue decline due to a pro-Palestinian consumer boycott. Photo: Azneal Ishak

Politics

Kurds ponder future in Turkey, Syria and Iraq with guarded optimism

A protester holds a picture of jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan during a rally in Diyarbakir, Turkey, last month. Photo: Reuters

Health & Environment

Over 150 dead across Myanmar, Thailand as quake traps scores under rubble

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Rescue personnel near a building in Bangkok that collapsed after a strong earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday. Photo: Reuters

People

Declassified 1994 files show how diplomats doubted North Korea’s ‘goofy’ Kim Jong-il

videocam
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il smiles as he inspects the Sinam cooperative farm in Ryongchon county in North Korea, in this undated file photo released by Korea News Service in Tokyo on June 8, 2007. Photo: Reuters
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MULTIMEDIA
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Massive quake causes widespread damage in Myanmar, Thailand

Powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes Myanmar, buildings sway and fall in Bangkok
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Japan’s Unification Church vows to fight court order

Head of Japan's Unification Church vows to fight loss of legal protections
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Trump presses ahead with 25% tariffs on imported cars, ratcheting up trade war
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