Asia Buzz

Malaysia

Economics

AirAsia owes Malaysian airport operator millions in unpaid fees, court rules

The low-cost carrier had been locked in a long-running legal dispute over its refusal to raise fees for international passengers departing from its hub in Kuala Lumpur.

19 Jul 2019 - 1:56AM

Vietnam

How Myra Tran’s voice carried from Mekong Delta to American Idol

11 Mar 2019 - 2:31PMvideocam

2018 in review

Newsmakers: people behind the stories that fascinated Asia in 2018

27 Dec 2018 - 4:36PM

Society

Indonesia

The face of fake news: Indonesia’s latest disinformation scandal

An opposition campaigner’s bizarre deception has shone a light on the problem of online misinformation in the world’s 4th most populous country

15 Oct 2018 - 9:00AM

Opposition campaigner Ratna Sarumpaet falsely claimed she had been attacked by political opponents to hide the fact she got plastic surgery. Photo: Reuters

Asia Buzz

Vietnam

Unlucky week for Vietnam’s bachelor – and its elephants

Steer clear of the salty ramen in Japan; metal band takes a stand on Indonesian palm oil

28 Sep 2018 - 4:54PM

Asia Buzz

India

Maids for sale in Singapore and a Japanese punk headed for space

Anger at plans to ban triple talaq divorce practice in India; fans of South Korean star trigger security concerns in Thailand; and give this airline a miss if you prefer not bleeding from your ears

21 Sep 2018 - 7:19PM

Asia Buzz

Singapore

Singapore’s anti-gay laws are nuts, Sri Lankan president does his nut

US, EU rally behind Cambodian opposition leader released from jail as nuns in India protest abuse in the clergy

14 Sep 2018 - 7:11PM

Asia Buzz

India

Killer rat fever and high-flying women in India

Cop killers in the Philippines and a high-flying PM’s son in Cambodia

7 Sep 2018 - 8:07PM

Asia Buzz

South Korea

South Korea decaffeinates schools, caning shakes Malaysia

Meanwhile, Pakistan protests after Dutch contest to draw cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed; Japan takes down misleading Fukushima statue.

31 Aug 2018 - 7:12PM

Asia Buzz

Asian Games 2018

Missing: radioactive isotope in Malaysia, morals in basketballers

Be careful complaining about mosque loudspeakers in Indonesia – or dodging national service in Singapore. Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan might be able to tell you why.

24 Aug 2018 - 6:45PM

Asia Buzz

Malaysia

Mascot makes a monkey of Malaysia, sex toy flops in India

A French tourist is found dead in India after an altercation over sex with male student; South Korea struggles with rising rate of spycam porn offences

17 Aug 2018 - 8:51PM

Asia Buzz

Indonesia

A sex fiend shaman and a money laundering monk

Facebook goes down like lead balloon in Indonesia after Lombok earthquake; Ikea in uncharted waters in India.

10 Aug 2018 - 7:32PM

The shaman is taken into custody. Photo: Muhammad Sabran

Asia Buzz

Vietnam

Hands down, is this the coolest bridge in Asia?

New attraction near Da Nang must be seen first-hand; gang of goat violators on the lam; and Beijing mandates toilet upgrades.

3 Aug 2018 - 8:26PM

Asia Buzz

Japan

No appetite for Ninjas in Japan, but for tasty looking dogs in Korea …

Meanwhile, the heat is on for tea-sipping police in India and a Palme d’Or winning film director

27 Jul 2018 - 8:50PM

Asia Buzz

Pakistan

Japan’s otter obsession goes too far; Elon Musk’s apology comes up short

WhatsApp launches campaign in Pakistan to quell spread of fake news; Indonesians slaughter crocodiles in revenge killings and India orders investigation into orphanages run by Mother Teresa’s charity

20 Jul 2018 - 8:10PM

Asia Buzz

The Philippines

Welcome to ‘the Philippines, China’; Indian cuts short his world record

Meanwhile, Thai soccer boys get star treatment; Japan’s Princess Kako not so much

13 Jul 2018 - 6:21PM

Asia Buzz

North Korea

Pompeo has a rocket (man) in his pocket for Kim Jong-un

Australia in basket-brawl with Philippines; Indian family dead in apparent mass suicide; Japanese women’s university to allow transgender students.

6 Jul 2018 - 8:55PM

Asia Buzz

Japan

Dispute-manager killed in dispute; Duterte calls God ‘stupid’

Meanwhile, what happened to the anti-American sentiment in North Korea?

29 Jun 2018 - 6:45PM

Asia Buzz

South Korea

Farewell legal dog meat in Korea and incredible breeding orangutan

Trump and Kim’s Singapore summit was a hit with 40,000 cyberattackers – mostly from Russia; Philippine court hears the case for gay marriage.

22 Jun 2018 - 8:27PM

An animal rights activist in Seoul protests against South Korea's culture of eating dog meat. Photo: AP

Asia Buzz

India

Japan finds dead man walking, Australians dress to repress

Rescuers stay out all night in wetlands to capture stork with a plastic-sealed beak; US Secretary of State posts that Singapore is part of Malaysia; and university students eager to get into ‘politically incorrect’ trouble succeed.

15 Jun 2018 - 7:59PM

A stork with a ring around its beak is seen in Gurgaon India. Photo: Manoj Nair.

Asia Buzz

South Korea

An umbrella revolution in Japan, Spiderman comes unstuck

Australian winemakers fear sour grapes from China, Duterte puckers up with a (married) overseas worker.

8 Jun 2018 - 6:07PM

Asia Buzz

Kim Jong-un

Kim arrives in Singapore ... but is he a wrong’un?

Japanese politicians under fire for parental advice; home-sharing takes on a spiritual new level; Papua New Guinea shuts Facebook

1 Jun 2018 - 1:21PM

Asia Buzz

Indonesia

What not to eat in Asia: dog and cat meat, North Korean food

A former hitman threatens to return to Malaysia and reveal details of a murder that dogged ex-leader Najib’s presidency

25 May 2018 - 9:13PM

Dogs destined for the dinner table in Indonesia. Photo: AFP