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This Week in Asia /

Health & Environment

People look at a Super Puma firefighting helicopter that crashed on the banks while scooping up water to extinguish forest and land fires in South Kalimantan on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Indonesian fires: twin helicopter crashes expose fragile safety margins

A lawmaker has urged the government to view the crashes as a ‘serious warning’ that requires a review of firefighting operations.

Malaysia

Deepavali picnic in Malaysia turns tragic as flash floods hit Selangor

South Korea

A doctor was murdered in South Korea. 8 years on, ‘nothing has changed’

Indonesia

Why child abuse cases are rising in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore

Higher caseloads point to better reporting, but advocates say stigma and patchy follow-up can leave victims struggling.

Official figures show growing caseloads in all three countries, but differences in how the data is collected make it hard to tell whether abuse itself is becoming more widespread. Photo: Shutterstock
Official figures show growing caseloads in all three countries, but differences in how the data is collected make it hard to tell whether abuse itself is becoming more widespread. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

Southeast Asia’s green push brings solar power, but who pays to keep it on?

As Cop31 targets billions in green finance, remote communities across Southeast Asia struggle with the recurring cost of power.

Japan

Japan rethinks its stalking laws after Pokemon store murder

A restraining order failed to protect her. Now a Tokyo shop worker’s murder has prompted calls to fit convicted stalkers with GPS tags.

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Indonesia

Indonesia doubles down on climate goals despite surging wildfire emissions

Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat defends growth agenda and outlines six areas for Indonesia’s green economy push as Cop31 talks near.

A man uses a tree branch to try to extinguish a peatland fire in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on October 22. Photo: AFP
A man uses a tree branch to try to extinguish a peatland fire in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on October 22. Photo: AFP
Thailand

Inside Thailand’s race to save its last dugong herd – by testing its poop

Scientists are collecting poop samples to test for stress hormones and other health indicators in a bid to prevent the mammal’s extinction.

Singapore

Singapore raises fines 10 times for haze offences, says status quo ‘not tenable’

Companies behind forest fires in Indonesia will face a fine up to US$780,000, as Singapore says it needs better ways to verify haze data.

Indonesia

German tourist missing in Indonesia’s Bali after landslide amid rainy season

Two men might have been in a tent that fell into a river, according to an operator of a glamping resort where they were staying.

Tents by the river in Pelaga, Bali. Photo: Pelaga Eco Park
Indonesia

‘Basic necessities’: why Indonesians are fighting the sanitary pad tax

Critics argue the 11 per cent tax adds to the financial burden for women from low-income families and could be seen as ‘gender-biased’.

A woman pushes a stroller in a park as haze from wildfires shrouds the city of Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on October 15. Photo: AP
A woman pushes a stroller in a park as haze from wildfires shrouds the city of Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on October 15. Photo: AP
Malaysia

Malaysia’s halal chicken scandal exposes hygiene breaches at filthy plant

A raid at the Puchong facility that operated without certification revealed slaughtering breaches, sparking calls for stricter oversight.

Environment

Hate paper straws? Asia’s new alternatives are another eco trap

Cafes and coffee chains are swapping soggy paper for costly bioplastics, but scientists warn the ecological fallout is far from solved.

Malaysia

Indonesia haze cost Malaysia US$1.97 billion in losses: study

Cross-border smoke from forest and peatland fires forced factories to shut, emptied classrooms and killed an estimated 1,700 people.

Haze blankets the famous Petronas Twin Towers and the rest of the skyline in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in October. Photo: AP
Thailand

Thailand, Vietnam meat busts highlight growing risk of unsafe food on the table

Rising overheads and porous borders are driving a wave of uninspected, disease-prone animal shipments into everyday kitchens.

A customer eats noodles at a street food stall in Hanoi, Vietnam. Higher operating costs across the region have driven a boom in cheap, smuggled meat reaching everyday dining tables. Photo: EPA
A customer eats noodles at a street food stall in Hanoi, Vietnam. Higher operating costs across the region have driven a boom in cheap, smuggled meat reaching everyday dining tables. Photo: EPA
Singapore

‘Not to find scapegoats’: Singapore summons bosses of 10 firms over haze

Observers say the optics of the session send a powerful message of the country’s determination to crack down against offenders over the haze.

Indonesia

Rising ketamine abuse fuels debate on tighter drug laws in Indonesia

Analysts urge authorities to first conduct comprehensive studies before reclassifying ketamine as a drug.

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South Korea

1 in 6 Gen Z South Koreans took GLP-1 slimming drugs last year: survey

A new survey shows appearance drives slimming drug use among young South Koreans, while regulators battle scams and misinformation.

Wegovy weight-loss medication pictured. About one in six South Korean Gen Z adults were prescribed or used GLP-1 drugs in 2025, leading nationwide uptake, according to a report by KB Financial Group. Photo: Getty Images
Wegovy weight-loss medication pictured. About one in six South Korean Gen Z adults were prescribed or used GLP-1 drugs in 2025, leading nationwide uptake, according to a report by KB Financial Group. Photo: Getty Images
SCMP Highlights

Why paper straws are worse than plastic; haze in Indonesia: 7 Asia highlights

From Malaysian teen held after live-streaming axe attack to haze in Indonesia, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Japan

Cooler than Tokyo: Sendai named Japan’s most comfortable city amid record heat

The city’s average maximum temperature was 26.8 degrees Celsius over this summer, the lowest since 2020.

South Korea

In South Korea, jail time awaits Halloween police impersonators

Police crack down on fake uniforms as Seoul marks a fourth Halloween since the Itaewon crowd crush disaster.

A man dressed in a police uniform stands on a street in Hong Kong during Halloween in 2019. Photo: AFP
South Korea

Paper straws worse for the environment than plastic, South Korea study finds

The report finds paper and bio-based straws generate higher life-cycle emissions, prompting calls to cut single-use consumption at source.

7
Paper straws in bar in California in February 2025. A South Korea study has found paper straws may cause more environmental harm than plastic. Photo: Getty Images/TNS
Paper straws in bar in California in February 2025. A South Korea study has found paper straws may cause more environmental harm than plastic. Photo: Getty Images/TNS
Indonesia

Indonesians turn to eco-art as haze sparks anger and diplomatic tension

Frustrated by toxic haze, Indonesians are using performance art to draw attention to the wildfires as anger grows across borders.

Malaysia

Haze forces Malaysian fitness groups to swap outdoor runs for shopping mall laps

Air-conditioned retail corridors offer a safe space for runners as toxic air quality disrupts sports across Malaysia.

South Korea

‘Mourning run’ or clout chase? South Korea divided over runner’s death tributes

Runners have been posting their track records with hashtags commemorating South Korean running influencer Yoo Ji-won.

Running influencer Yoo Ji-won often shared achievements and training snapshots in social media. Photo: Instagram / mta1n_0ne
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