ASIA

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The Asian Film Awards Academy has announced a major change to the format of its upcoming 19^th edition, opting to suspend all competitive award categories and cancel the traditional red carpet ceremony. Instead, the 2026 event will take place as a scaled back gathering centered on the presentation of special honors. The decision comes in response to the deadly fire that occurred in Hong Kong last year and the lasting impact it has had on the local community.

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The massive multibillion-dollar 1MDB corruption scandal saw its most significant development yet on Friday, as jailed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was found guilty of abuse of power. The verdict underlines claims by Malaysian and US investigators that a staggering $4.5 billion was stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, the state fund Najib helped establish in 2009, with allegations that over $1 billion of these illicit funds were connected to accounts belonging to Razak, despite his consistent pleas of innocence.

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Hundreds of products, particularly those from China, will face new tariffs after Mexican lawmakers approved a comprehensive package in the Senate on Wednesday. Designed to boost domestic production, according to President Claudia Sheinbaum, these measures are set for implementation on January 1, 2026. The levies will cover goods ranging from metals to automobiles and clothing, impacting dozens of countries globally that do not hold a free trade agreement with Mexico, including key economies like Thailand, India, and Indonesia.

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China is holding military drills around Taiwan simulating the seizure and blockade of the island's key areas, as a warning against "separatist forces".

The army, navy, air force and rocket force have been dispatched for the drills which include live-fire exercises, the Chinese military said.

Codenamed "Justice Mission 2025", the drills are taking place days after the US announced the sale of one of its largest weapons packages to Taiwan worth $11bn (£8.2bn). That move drew sharp protest from Beijing which in turn sanctioned US defence firms.

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Amid ongoing diplomatic talks to quell hostilities, Thailand executed air strikes on a disputed border area with Cambodia on Friday, leading to conflicting accounts from both sides. While the Thai Air Force asserted it targeted a Cambodian "fortified military position" after ensuring civilian evacuation, Cambodia's defence ministry strongly condemned the action, alleging "indiscriminate attacks" on civilian homes that left several people injured.