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This Week in Asia /

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Pupils take part in a routine ceremony on the first day of school at an elementary school in Banda Aceh, Indonesia on July 15, 2024. Photo: AFP
Students during a break at a high school in Jakarta, Indonesia, in January 2024. Photo: AP
Indonesia

Indonesia targets free public schooling amid funding concerns

Education experts question where the money will come from, and urge the government to focus on improving the quality of learning.

India

Can India curb childhood obesity by banning junk food near schools?

Malaysia

From Ed Sheeran to Massive Attack: Gaza rows spark Southeast Asia backlash

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India

Sell family jewels for latest iPhone? In India, craze dials up debate

The new iPhones might not make sense financially in India, but the desire for one is not always rational, analysts say.

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A man checks his wallet at an Apple store in Mumbai, India, on June 29. Photo: Reuters
Customers gather outside an Apple Store in Bangkok to buy the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on September 18. Photo: dpa
An iPhone 18 Pro Max is displayed at the flagship Apple Store in New York on September 18. Photo: EPA
Singapore

Singapore or bust: how Indonesian’s crowdfunding plea shows city’s desirability

A woman’s appeal for sponsors to fund her US$78,000 programme has drawn criticism but not dimmed her dream of studying in Singapore.

The Philippines

Inside the Philippines’ mounting ‘learning crisis’ and teacher shortage

Industry players call for transparency in the teacher hiring process and urge more concrete support for educators suffering from burnout.

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Singapore

Paid to read: can cash and gamification fix Southeast Asia’s falling literacy?

Facing shrinking attention spans and ‘doomscrolling’, governments are using cash, vouchers and book drives to get citizens reading again.

Children take part in a reading event outside the National Library in Singapore 2014. Photo: Xinhua
Children take part in a reading event outside the National Library in Singapore 2014. Photo: Xinhua
The Philippines

Forgotten no more: Filipino folklore finds footing on global stage

DreamWorks’ animated film, Forgotten Island, offers a rare point of recognition for Filipinos at home and abroad.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, a mother’s love offers her trans daughter refuge

For transgender Muslims in Kelantan, quiet family acceptance at home contrasts with growing fear of sharia crackdowns.

Malaysia

Malaysians joke about nettle beds to end Negeri Sembilan royal row

With two men claiming the throne and no legal exit in sight, commenters suggest nettle-bed endurance tests to end the fight.

A nettle plant. Some social media users suggested making rival claimants to the Negeri Sembilan throne sleep on a bed of nettles for a week. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

As Malaysia bets big on a concert boom, where are the local acts?

Artists question efforts to develop local talent, highlighting ‘worrying trend’ of global stars with no Malaysian opening act.

Malaysian rock band Kyoto Protocol perform live on stage. The band has opened for Muse, Death Cab for Cutie and The Killers in the past. Photo: Handout
Malaysian rock band Kyoto Protocol perform live on stage. The band has opened for Muse, Death Cab for Cutie and The Killers in the past. Photo: Handout
South Korea

Shark in the park: viral sighting shakes up South Korea’s Busan

Nearly 20,000 visitors flocked to the North Port Waterfront Park over the weekend to see the shark, which has also spawned a flood of memes.

South Korea

South Korea beats foreign student target, but struggles to keep them

New university rankings show while South Korea has enjoyed an international student boom, gaps in support and post-graduation outcomes remain.

South Korea

South Korea wants free ‘AI for All’. Is society ready?

Seoul’s roll-out of free, unlimited AI is set to shake up classrooms, careers and crime – for better or worse.

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Illustration: Dennis Yip
The Philippines

Why men account for 80% of suicide deaths in the Philippines

Filipino men rarely seek help for mental illness, despite making up 80 per cent of suicide deaths. Advocates say it’s time for change.

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Men push a small boat along a flooded street after intense monsoon rains in Quezon City, the Philippines, last month. Photo: AP
Men push a small boat along a flooded street after intense monsoon rains in Quezon City, the Philippines, last month. Photo: AP
Indonesia

Indonesia orders Netflix to pay US$4.3m in music royalties or face shutdown

Netflix has agreed to pay music royalties it owed in South Korea and faces a tax demand on its income in Australia, media reports say.

Singapore

Grab Singapore apologises over microdrama ad that raised safety fears

The ride-hailing giant admits insensitivity over the romcom series following complaints that it trivialised driver harassment.

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Singapore

In Singapore, malls for shopping only are going out of style

Marina Square’s future revamp typifies the rise of mixed-use developments incorporating retail, office, residential and other components.

Marina Square’s redevelopment masterplan will include features such as luxury residences, serviced apartments and offices. Photo: PLP Architecture
Marina Square’s redevelopment masterplan will include features such as luxury residences, serviced apartments and offices. Photo: PLP Architecture
Malaysia

Young Malaysians brew goal for traditional tuak drink to become national success

Given the drink’s origins in Sarawak, industry players have to balance between adhering to traditional processes and commercial limitations.

Japan

Cockroaches gain ‘foothold’ in Japan’s Hokkaido as weather warms

Rising temperatures and ‘artificial environments’ enable the insects to thrive in a region once considered too hostile for them, experts say.

Malaysia

‘All I want is a fair chance’: Malaysia’s deaf workers look to lead

A job offer is only the first step, deaf Malaysians say. True inclusion means equal opportunities and room to rise.

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Wong Yi Xiang, a deaf Starbucks employee, says he wants a fair chance to show his work-related skills. Photo: Ushar Daniele
South Korea

What a viral Jennie clip reveals about South Korea’s deepfake struggles

Severe legal threats fail to deter a wave of teenage offenders who see digital victims as nothing more than pixels.

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Jennie of Blackpink performs onstage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 20, 2025 in Indio, California. Photo: Getty Images for Coachella
Jennie of Blackpink performs onstage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 20, 2025 in Indio, California. Photo: Getty Images for Coachella
Thailand

Why US soldiers continue to flock to Thailand’s Pattaya

Military links have brought waves of Americans to Thailand since the 1940s, with the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln the latest to visit.

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Malaysia

Snow in Malaysia? Viral highway fun washed away by soapy truth

Police said the white-topped Shah Alam Expressway that mesmerised motorists was caused by a rain-activated soap spill from a lorry.

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The Philippines

Makati’s ‘on-site’ Filipino workers: a humorous take on ‘crazy’ life in Manila

Young workers, drawn by the financial district’s expatriate-style amenities, satirise the high costs while navigating its hustle culture.

Makati City’s skyline. Some young professionals are using labels like “overworked Filipino worker” to document their hectic lifestyle in the financial district. Photo: Shutterstock
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