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Fame and celebrity

Pedestrians walking down a Shinjuku street in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: EPA-EFE

Lifestyle & Culture

Hair-sniffing case in Japan sets off debate over ‘touchless harassment’

The issue gained national attention after a man was detained by police for standing close to a girl and sniffing her hair on a train.

25 minutes agovideocam

Blackface cases in Singapore spark outrage, calls to plug racial awareness gaps

26 Nov 2024 - 7:59PM

Pioneer Sabah indigenous language film Sinakagon to make Netflix debut

25 Nov 2024 - 1:28PM

Lifestyle & Culture

Meet the South Korean webtoon artist behind Netflix hit All of Us Are Dead

Joo Dong-geun shares his journey from part-time artist – and explains why webtoons are behind so many South Korean Netflix hits.

26 Nov 2024 - 8:06AM

Park Solomon in a still from the first series of Netflix hit “All of Us Are Dead”. Photo: Netflix.

People

‘War is messed up’: why young Australians don’t want to join the military

Observers blame a ‘culture of self-loathing’ for destroying the self-esteem of Australia’s youth and undermining faith in its institutions.

24 Nov 2024 - 10:00AM

Lifestyle & Culture

Japan’s youth kiss less, raising concerns over birth rate and romance

A study finds a decline in first kisses among Japanese high school students, raising concerns about the country’s low birth rate.

23 Nov 2024 - 9:53AMvideocam

Economics

Fake views: Japan’s Fukuoka apologises for AI-generated tourist attractions

The AI-generated tourism content, featuring non-existent attractions and dishes in Fukuoka, highlights the need for human oversight in AI use.

22 Nov 2024 - 4:08PM

Fukuoka old town along the Naka river. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle & Culture

Indonesia’s Bali seeks to protect traditional dance by banning erotic version

Several viral videos of Balinese performers wearing revealing outfits and dancing sensuously have forced the authorities to take action.

19 Nov 2024 - 5:48PMvideocam

Balinese women perform a dance at a temple on Serangan island in Denpasar, Bali. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Mahathir hits out at Chinese signboards in Kuala Lumpur’s shopping centres

Former prime minister laments the absence of the national language, Malay, from the display boards at shopping centres in Kuala Lumpur.

19 Nov 2024 - 3:56PM

Lifestyle & Culture

‘Should be deported’: foreign tourists’ misdeeds spark outrage, debate in Japan

Graffiti at historic shrines, car thefts and other incidents have raised concerns about Japan’s perception of foreigners.

18 Nov 2024 - 8:00AMvideocam

Lifestyle & Culture

‘Japan has become poor’: Tokyo emerges as Asia’s new sex tourism capital

In a grim mirror of Japan’s economic decline, the sex trade is drawing in foreign men and trapping local women in a cycle of desperation.

18 Nov 2024 - 8:37AM

An older man approaches a woman near Okubo Park in Tokyo’s notorious Kabukicho district. Photo: Eric Fior

Economics

The Philippines

Philippine cockfighting still soars even as feathers are ruffled over job losses

The advent of betting machines at cockpits has led to traditional betcallers losing their jobs as Filipinos continue to embrace the sport.

16 Nov 2024 - 5:00PM

Despite protests against cockfighting by animal activists, millions of dollars still change hands daily in cockpits across the Philippines. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Deer attacks on the rise in Japan’s Nara Park as tourists return post-pandemic

Deer, accustomed to humans, are becoming aggressive due to more visitors. Authorities urge caution and are taking protective measures.

15 Nov 2024 - 6:27PM

Politics

Malaysia’s healthcare system faces US$82 million vaping bill

The government’s decision to legalise nicotine-laced vape products has worsened the healthcare crisis, despite efforts to limit access.

14 Nov 2024 - 3:51PMvideocam

Lifestyle & Culture

Thai drama sparks anger over cat being sedated to portray poisoning

The scene in Mae Yua, or The Empress of Ayodhaya, has led to accusations of animal cruelty and a probe by Thai authorities.

12 Nov 2024 - 4:57PM

A Thai TV drama has faced animal cruelty accusations over a scene involving a sedated cat. Photo: X/minazcha

Lifestyle & Culture

In Japan, call to ban women marrying after 25 stirs backlash

Naoki Hyakuta, founder of the Conservative Party of Japan, also angered many when he proposed uterus removal for women at the age of 30.

11 Nov 2024 - 2:37PM

A young Japanese couple at a garden in Tokyo. Photo: Shutterstock

People

She escaped death in Malaysia’s seas. Now she’s a warrior for the world’s oceans

With every dive, acclaimed Malaysian underwater photographer Ipah Uid Lynn aims to turn her work into a rallying cry for ocean health.

11 Nov 2024 - 11:59AM

Lifestyle & Culture

Halal pet food: meat-ing the needs of Southeast Asia’s Muslim ‘pawrents’

Southeast Asia’s growing cohort of Muslim pet owners are prioritising halal options.

10 Nov 2024 - 12:42PM

Lifestyle & Culture

‘Huge opportunity for us’: can Nepal cash in on China’s tourism campaign?

Nepal should introduce more incentives and use Chinese social media platforms to promote itself to bring in visitors, industry players say.

9 Nov 2024 - 3:40PM

A view of the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo: Bibek Bhandari

Lifestyle & Culture

Starbucks serves up glimpses into North Korea with new café near the border

A new branch of the coffee shop chain will offer patrons rare glimpses across the North Korean frontier from Gimpo’s Jogang Observatory.

6 Nov 2024 - 9:00AM

The Starbucks logo. Photo: DPA

Lifestyle & Culture

Viral Thai hippo Moo Deng predicts Trump will win US presidential election

Moo Deng’s fruity forecast adds a dash of fun to the election frenzy – leaving voters wondering if the pygmy hippo has called it right.

5 Nov 2024 - 3:59PMvideocam

Lifestyle & Culture

Hougang hearts and minds: the story of a politically peculiar Singapore town

How an unexpected Workers’ Party victory in 1991 laid the foundation for an enduring opposition stronghold in PAP-dominated Singapore.

3 Nov 2024 - 8:05AM

Economics

Kuala London: aspiration, class and the Malaysian dream of a British education

In a country still shaped by its colonial past, the pursuit of a UK education by Malaysia’s elites reveals a stark opportunity gap at home.

3 Nov 2024 - 7:56AM

Illustration: Huy Truong

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