Malaysia Hindu rites row: live stream of Muslim youth’s repentance fuels fury

South China Morning Post - Nov 5, 2026

A young Malaysian Muslim who took part in Hindu rituals to pray for his ailing mother publicly repented on Thursday in a ceremony live-streamed by state religious authorities, a day after a sharia court ordered him to undergo three months of faith rehabilitation. The spectacle has raised questions about the enforcement of Islamic orthodoxy in Muslim-majority Malaysia, where state religious departments wield significant influence to police the personal conduct and religious beliefs of...

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Everyone’s Talking About the ‘Blue Tsunami.’ In Japan, It’s Complicated.

Nov 5, 2026

Everyone’s Talking About the ‘Blue Tsunami.’ In Japan, It’s Complicated.

The New York Post used a Hokusai work to depict Donald Trump being swept away by Democrats’ midterm election win. Some in Japan were bothered by the imagery.

Road crash causes congestion in part of NLEx’s Marilao exit (northbound)

Nov 5, 2026

Road crash causes congestion in part of NLEx’s Marilao exit (northbound)

MANILA, Philippines — A traffic buildup was observed at the Marilao northbound portion of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) on Thursday morning due to a road crash, according to the NLEx Corporation. In its latest traffic update as of 11:20 p.m., the corporation said it saw about 4.7 kilometers of traffic buildup along the Marilao northbound

Remulla dismisses claims Romualdez left jail as ‘chismis’

Nov 5, 2026

Remulla dismisses claims Romualdez left jail as ‘chismis’

MANILA, Philippines—Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday dismissed as “chismis” (gossip) allegations that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez had been allowed to leave his detention facility, urging the media to review the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. “Chismis lang yan. I would like all of you to join me and view the CCTV footage for the

Group formed to assert IP rights in development projects

Nov 5, 2026

Group formed to assert IP rights in development projects

BAGUIO CITY — Indigenous activists and policymakers on Thursday formally launched and organized a group to monitor and assert the right to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) for ancestral land and ancestral domain holders across the Philippines amid encroaching developers and government projects.  The FPIC Watch will also draft alternative mechanisms for government protection

Singapore denies power cut caused causeway jam, blames maintenance, breakdowns

Nov 5, 2026

Singapore denies power cut caused causeway jam, blames maintenance, breakdowns

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday rejected a report that a power outage at Woodlands Checkpoint caused traffic congestion along the causeway and on several roads in Johor Bahru on Wednesday. In its account of Wednesday’s events, ICA said a build-up of Singapore-bound traffic occurred amid planned electrical maintenance works, while two vehicle breakdowns on the Malaysian side of the causeway subsequently contributed to traffic tailing back into...

Defense in impeachment trial lists 25 witnesses for ‘unexplained wealth’

Nov 5, 2026

Defense in impeachment trial lists 25 witnesses for ‘unexplained wealth’

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte’s lawyers have requested subpoenas for 25 defense witnesses in Duterte’s impeachment trial, the Senate impeachment court confirmed on Thursday. The court said Duterte’s defense team made the request on November 4, 2026 ahead of its presentation of exhibits from November 9 to November 13 on the vice president’s

Abby Choi could have been hit on head 7 times with hammer, murder trial told

Nov 5, 2026

Abby Choi could have been hit on head 7 times with hammer, murder trial told

Warning: graphic content follows. Slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung could have been struck on the head seven times with a hammer when she was allegedly murdered three years ago, a court has heard. Forensic pathologist Dr Kwok Ka-ki said on Thursday that Choi was fatally struck on the head with a blunt object, leaving a large hole on the right side of her head and causing extensive bleeding in her brain and skull. Testifying in the High Court as the murder trial entered its sixth week,...

Serving sovereignty: How local food is taking center stage in Bulacan

Nov 5, 2026

Serving sovereignty: How local food is taking center stage in Bulacan

As climate change, global market disruptions, food import dependence and the homogenization of diets increasingly threaten Philippine food security, a growing number of Filipinos are rediscovering the strategic importance of local food systems. The Food and Agriculture Organization, in its 2024 report on the state of food security and nutrition, has underscored the continuing importance

Joseph Sy skips Senate citizenship inquiry after ER visit

Nov 5, 2026

Joseph Sy skips Senate citizenship inquiry after ER visit

MANILA, Philippines – Businessman Joseph Sy, who is facing questions over his citizenship, snubbed the Senate panel on justice and human rights on Thursday, after he was taken to the emergency room earlier in the day.  Sy’s legal counsel, lawyer Alma Mallonga, told the panel that her client had a “genuine desire to participate” in

China Blocks SoftBank’s $5.4 Billion Robotics Takeover, Impeding Foreign Deals

Nov 5, 2026

China Blocks SoftBank’s $5.4 Billion Robotics Takeover, Impeding Foreign Deals

Chinese authorities stopped the sale of ABB Robotics, owned by a Swiss conglomerate, to SoftBank of Japan amid wider scrutiny of global transactions that could affect Beijing’s technology ambitions.

Facing 2 years as a lame duck, what can Trump do to stay in control?

Nov 5, 2026

Facing 2 years as a lame duck, what can Trump do to stay in control?

Following disastrous midterm elections that cost Republicans congressional control, President Donald Trump faces serving the rest of his term as a “lame duck” and battling constant resistance to his agenda. The loss is expected to steer the White House towards a more aggressive foreign policy and even greater reliance on executive orders. Trump has already suggested he could brandish his veto pen for “a month or two” before negotiating agreements with Democratic leaders. Here, we explain how...

Vietnam seeks Russia’s help for its nuclear ambition. Will sanctions stall it?

Nov 5, 2026

Vietnam seeks Russia’s help for its nuclear ambition. Will sanctions stall it?

Vietnam’s growing nuclear partnership with Russia could help Hanoi gain the expertise needed to fuel its ambitious nuclear programme amid doubts over Western sanctions against Moscow and financing challenges complicating the plans. The Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (Vinatom) and a subsidiary of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, which is leading the development of the MBIR International Research Centre, announced on Tuesday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to...

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