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This Week in Asia
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles (left) and Japan’s Minister of Defence Koizumi Shinjiro chat after signing the contract for Japan to deliver the first three of Mogami-class warships, in Melbourne on April 18, 2026. Photo: AFP

East Asia

Japan, Australia finalise contracts to deliver first 3 of planned frigates

This comes as Japan is set to ease rules on defence equipment exports, which have strict limits on exporting weapons with lethal capability.

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Crowned in Bangkok, constrained at home: Malaysia’s first Mr Bear winner

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Magnitude 5 quake hits Japan’s Nagano prefecture

East Asia

In hi-tech South Korea, AI shamans take place of traditional human practitioners

The technology, which combines voice recognition with a generative AI chatbot, uses a centuries-old belief system to interpret fates.

An AI shaman offers to read visitor’s fortunes in four languages at a South Korean shamanism theme shop in Seoul on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
An AI shaman offers to read visitor’s fortunes in four languages at a South Korean shamanism theme shop in Seoul on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Southeast Asia

Gloves are off: Malaysian makers warn hospitals of price hikes, output cuts

Sustained disruption to naphtha supply chains from the Iran war could lead to glove shortfall by late May, analysts say.

Australasia

Air New Zealand economy passengers can join world’s first mile-high sleep club

Socks are mandatory and crumbs, strong perfumes and bed-sharing are forbidden as fliers get cosy with their fellow passengers.

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Health & Environment

Shock therapy: war forces oil-addicted Asia to finally go green

Burned by soaring energy prices, Southeast Asian nations are racing to future-proof themselves against the volatility of war.

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Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP
Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP

Health & Environment

Japan warned of ‘hellish summer’ as energy fears mount

A prolonged Iran war, combined with an unusually early spell of hot weather, could leave Japan facing power shortages this summer.

Southeast Asia

In Malaysia, unlicensed street photography becomes focus of crackdown

Kuala Lumpur authorities have seized photographic equipment from five foreigners since a warning in early April.

Politics

Japan ditches decades of arm export curbs as US reliability wavers

From drones for Ukraine to warships for Australia, ‘peace-loving’ Japan is fast pivoting towards arming the world.

Japanese Type 10 battle tanks operate during a military drill in Funabashi, east of Tokyo, in January. Photo: Reuters

People

Philippine ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co’s arrest revives long-stalled corruption probe

Observers say Co’s arrest is a ‘notable step towards accountability’ and committee hearings on the flood control scandal could resume.

Former lawmaker Zaldy Co (left) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Photo: AFP
Former lawmaker Zaldy Co (left) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Photo: AFP

Southeast Asia

Myanmar frees Win Myint, cuts Aung San Suu Kyi’s prison term in amnesty deal

Newly elected president Min Aung Hlaing also commuted all death sentences and released 4,300 prisoners to mark the Thingyan new year.

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Politics

‘Everybody’s suffering’: Kazakhstan seeks UN reforms amid fragile Iran truce

President Tokayev told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that multilateralism is being undermined as major decisions move outside the UN framework.

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People

Malaysia’s Anwar chats with US Muslim streamer – is it a populist move?

Anwar spoke with Sneako about issues ranging from Malaysia’s multi-religious society and Israel to the ‘very condescending’ American mindset.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks with American streamer Sneako on a wide range of issues in Putrajaya on Friday. Photo: Kick/Sneako

Economics

Asian airlines face ‘major headwind’ from jet fuel costs, forcing flight changes

Fuel has jumped from 25 per cent of total operating costs for airlines to nearly 45 per cent in a matter of weeks, analysts say.

Aircraft queue up on the tarmac before taking off at Mumbai airport. Photo: AFP
Aircraft queue up on the tarmac before taking off at Mumbai airport. Photo: AFP

Politics

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

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Lifestyle & Culture

Indonesia’s Surabaya cracks down on absentee fathers for dodging child support

The city’s child support laws have drawn overseas interest, including Australia, as single mothers urge more help for their legal redress.

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Health & Environment

Shock therapy: war forces oil-addicted Asia to finally go green

Burned by soaring energy prices, Southeast Asian nations are racing to future-proof themselves against the volatility of war.

videocam
Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP
Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP

Politics

Japan’s Middle East oil habit gets an Iran war reality check

Almost all of Japan’s oil comes from the Middle East. A closed strait turned that dependence into a trap.

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Lifestyle & Culture

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

The region’s creators are going global, but the structures to sustain them are still catching up.

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Health & Environment

Burning daylight: Asean’s power grid plans get an Iran war jolt

Oil is up, coal is back and so are fuel queues. As the Middle East burns, Southeast Asia dusts off an old plan to rewire its future.

Illustration: Huy Truong
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Highlights from
THIS WEEK IN ASIA

Health & Environment

Shock therapy: war forces oil-addicted Asia to finally go green

videocam
Floating solar panels are seen at a hydro-solar farm run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani province. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Crowned in Bangkok, constrained at home: Malaysia’s first Mr Bear winner

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Gavin Chow (center) after being named the winner of the Mr Bear International competition in Bangkok on Monday. Photo: Facebook / Mr Bear International

Health & Environment

Japan warned of ‘hellish summer’ as energy fears mount

People walk under a parasol in Shizuoka, Japan, where temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, on April 11. Photo: Kyodo

Politics

Japan ditches decades of arm export curbs as US reliability wavers

Japanese Type 10 battle tanks operate during a military drill in Funabashi, east of Tokyo, in January. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Turkey’s Erdogan urges Iran, US to use ceasefire to push for lasting peace

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a speech during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, in Antalya, southern Turkey, on Friday. Photo: AP
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