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1. Malaysian minister’s use of ‘Alhamdulillah’ triggers PAS’ objections

   A dispute over a familiar Arabic phrase has erupted in Malaysia’s parliament this week after an opposition MP challenged a Malaysian Chinese minister over his repeated use of “Alhamdulillah” (“praise be to God”) in a debate. The row flared during Nga Kor Ming’s speech in response to the king’s address for the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, when Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, an MP from the...

2. Australian drug lord Tony Mokbel walks free: ‘I don’t regret anything’

   One of Australia’s most famous gangsters walked free on Friday after prosecutors said they would drop a planned retrial on drug trafficking charges. Sixty-year-old Tony Mokbel – a key figure in Melbourne’s years-long gangland war – was jailed for 30 years in 2012 after pleading guilty to masterminding an elaborate drug syndicate. But his case fell apart after it was revealed that his...

3. Why traditional Chinese paper horses are burned during festivals and significant life events

   For hundreds of years, paper horses have been a popular item used in Chinese folk life to communicate with the gods. The creations are a form of woodblock prints of folk gods on coloured paper which have been used for home worship or burned at ceremonies since the Tang dynasty (618-907). Although they are known as “paper horses”, they do not only feature equine images, but all kinds of deities...

4. Barge catches fire at Yau Ma Tei cargo area, second case in less than a week

   A barge carrying recycled metal caught fire at the New Yau Ma Tei Public Cargo Working Area in Hong Kong early on Friday, marking the second similar blaze at the site in less than a week and prompting renewed calls by a lawmaker for stronger oversight and safety measures. The Fire Services Department said it received a report at 4.19am that a fire had broken out on a barge moored off the area...

5. Epstein haunts Number 10, creating crisis for UK’s Starmer

   Keir Starmer never met Jeffrey Epstein. But the British prime minister’s job is under threat because of the fallout from the late sex offender’s global web of relationships. Friendship with Epstein has already brought down a British royal – Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew – and UK ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson, fired by Starmer over his links to the...

6. Outrage in Philippines as socialite Heart Evangelista, ‘nepo babies’ return to spotlight

   Filipino actress and fashion influencer Heart Evangelista’s reappearance at Paris Fashion Week following scrutiny over her lavish lifestyle in previous months has drawn sharp criticism amid “unprecedented” public outrage linked to an unfolding corruption scandal plaguing the country. Public sentiment in the Philippines has been particularly negative against influencers such as Evangelista and...

7. Australia, Indonesia sign deal to extend security cooperation in ‘watershed moment’

   Australia and Indonesia’s leaders signed a security deal on Friday, one of a series of agreements that Canberra has secured with neighbouring countries to reinforce ties and limit China’s influence in the region. At a signing ceremony, President Prabowo Subianto met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said before he travelled to Jakarta that the pact was a “watershed moment” in ties. It...

8. US destroys another alleged drug boat in Pacific, killing 2

   The US military said on Thursday that it carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command said on social media that the boat “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations”. It said the strike killed two people. A video linked to the post showed...

9. China’s expat pilots; Indonesian woman faints after 140 lashes: SCMP’s 7 highlights

   We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Arabian Sea. So is a Chinese vessel A Chinese research vessel has been operating in Middle Eastern...

10. Indonesian finance minister says ‘not strong enough reasons’ for Moody’s rating cut

    Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa pushed back at Moody’s Ratings’ decision to lower the country’s outlook, saying that the nation’s improving growth and controlled deficit were unlikely to result in a credit rating downgrade. “Our economy is improving, deficit is still under control – compared to other countries, we are still in a better position,” Purbaya told reporters in...