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K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop

Fame and celebrity

A new survey shows a record high 78.2 per cent of Japanese people are anxious about their lives. Photo: Getty Images

Lifestyle & Culture

‘Very worrying’: record 78% of people in Japan feel anxious, survey shows

Economy, rising prices, uncertain job prospects and the state of the world among reasons for concern, as more feel standard of living declining.

25 Dec 2024 - 9:30AM

‘Bit of a joke’: India’s popcorn tax sparks roasting of complex GST system

24 Dec 2024 - 7:00PM

Malaysian university suspends professor over sexual harassment claims

24 Dec 2024 - 1:50PM

Politics

Revolution, elections and a baby hippo, this was the year in Asia

From climate change to political storms and a Taylor Swift world tour, Asia in 2024 was characterised by turbulence and surprises.

24 Dec 2024 - 9:30AMvideocam

Students and other activists carry Bangladesh’s national flag during a protest march to mark one month since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down after a mass uprising, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on September 5. Photo: AP

Lifestyle & Culture

Australia’s South Asians hail anti-racism framework for including caste

The framework will help fight caste discrimination by enhancing legal protections in areas such as housing, education and culture.

23 Dec 2024 - 8:21PM

Lifestyle & Culture

Malaysian police hunt for football hooligans after attack on Singapore fans

The police are looking to arrest people involved in a brawl that caused damage to a train after Malaysia was eliminated from a tournament.

23 Dec 2024 - 5:01PM

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Lifestyle & Culture

Gruesome deaths of cats at Malaysian campus spark outrage from animal lovers

Critics and veterinarians have rejected police’s explanation that a pack of wild dogs had mutilated the felines.

23 Dec 2024 - 4:04PM

The deaths of six cats on the campus of Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur have reignited debates over the treatment of strays in Malaysia. Photo: Shutterstock

People

Malaysia’s new wave chefs drive Kuala Lumpur’s culinary boom

The city’s vibrant culinary scene is attracting Michelin recognition and enthusiastic visitors, making Malaysia a rising food tourism star.

22 Dec 2024 - 12:00PM

Lifestyle & Culture

Name and shame rule: Fukushima raises a stink over improper waste disposal

Errant individuals will be given a verbal warning but repeat offenders may see their names appearing on Fukishima’s official website.

21 Dec 2024 - 10:10AM

Lifestyle & Culture

Can Indonesia’s world-class cuisine food become its next global superpower?

Indonesian cuisine, voted the world’s seventh best by TasteAtlas, is struggling for global influence despite outranking French and Japanese dishes.

20 Dec 2024 - 6:19PM

Rendang is a spicy beef stew from Indonesia. The country’s cuisine was recently voted the world’s seventh-best food by TasteAtlas. Photo: Shutterstock

Politics

‘Make the nation happier’: Japan PM’s same-sex marriage comment spurs hope

His remarks come after a series of court rulings saying the country’s current prohibitions on marriage equality were unconstitutional.

20 Dec 2024 - 11:51AMvideocam

Plaintiffs and their supporters celebrate after a Japanese high court ruled that the country’s refusal to recognise same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, outside the Fukuoka High Court in southern Japan, on December 13. Photo: AP

Politics

Malaysia’s marginalised Sabah sea nomads left homeless after security crackdown

The indigenous Bajau Laut have been living in wooden homes built over water in what have been gazetted as a marine park.

18 Dec 2024 - 2:53PM

Lifestyle & Culture

Too cheeky? Japan tavern chain ends its slap-you-sober service after complaint

For just 500 yen, Yotteba izakaya customers could request a post-meal slap around the face from a waitress. Then someone was injured.

17 Dec 2024 - 9:30AM

Lifestyle & Culture

Indian software engineer’s suicide sets off reckoning over bias in family courts

Atul Subhash blamed his estranged wife, her family, and the judicial system for his death, alleging extortion and manipulation of the legal system.

14 Dec 2024 - 6:47PMvideocam

Software engineer Atul Subash’s final message before ending his life set off a national reckoning in India over family law and gender bias. Photo: Handout

Lifestyle & Culture

‘Everything Malaysia has, Singapore does better’: neighbours spar over migration

Social media banter between neighbours sparks debate about gentrification and rising inflation fuelled by influx of Western expats.

11 Dec 2024 - 1:57PM

Kuala Lumpur has been featured as a choice destination by various travel and expatriate influencers at least over the past year. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Indonesia’s Bali aims to root out foreign travellers offering sexual services

A law enforcement team in Bali has been deployed to deal with the problem by monitoring vice establishments and online platforms.

10 Dec 2024 - 7:36PMvideocam

Lifestyle & Culture

Tokyo University investigates if ‘Tiananmen’ hack aimed to block Chinese access

Officials are investigating if resentment towards the growing number of Chinese students at Japan’s most prestigious university was a factor.

10 Dec 2024 - 9:30AMvideocam

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Lifestyle & Culture

Nepal’s ‘barbaric’ animal sacrifice ritual persists despite outcry

Activists estimate as many as 500,000 animals will be sacrificed at Nepal’s Gadhimai Temple this week to honour the Hindu goddess of power.

8 Dec 2024 - 3:00PM

A Hindu devotee prepares to slaughter buffalos as a offering during the 2019 Gadhimai Festival in Bariyarpur, Nepal. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

New Delhi’s 10-year-old spiritual influencer faces threats amid rising fame

The rise of ‘Bal Sant’ has sparked controversy, with critics questioning the authenticity of his spiritual claims and the role of his family in his public image.

8 Dec 2024 - 12:04PM

Lifestyle & Culture

Jung Woo-sung’s apology sparks debate on single-parent families in South Korea

The actor’s apology for fathering a child outside of marriage raised issues of deep-rooted cultural stigmas and systemic inequities faced by single-parent families.

8 Dec 2024 - 9:18AMvideocam

Lifestyle & Culture

‘I trust it more’: Chinese app Xiaohongshu offers unexpected window on Malaysia

With over 2.5 million users in Malaysia, Xiaohongshu not only attracts tourists but helps Malaysian Chinese connect with their heritage.

8 Dec 2024 - 8:22AM

Tourists walk past a mural featuring the Malaysian national flag in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: EPA-EFE

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