Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo will leave office as one of the nation’s most popular leader. In recent months, Mr Jokowi has achieved a rating as high as 81 per cent, an extraordinary figure given he became president a decade ago. As we look back at Mr Widodo's time in office, Siwage Dharma Negara, senior fellow and co-coordinator of the Indonesia Studies Programme at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, tells CNA’s Asia First about the biggest economic achievements he will be remembered for. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Initially thought to be a natural successor to Indonesia's current president Joko Widodo, Ganjar Pranowo has yet to establish a dominant lead in the presidential race. Opinion polls show the presidential hopeful ranks third, trailing behind front-runner Prabowo Subianto and his rival Anies Baswedan. CNA's Olivia Marzuki takes a look at the track record of the former Central Java governor. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Pakistan, which is struggling under the weight of economic woes like high inflation, desperately needs an elected government to take charge of the country's politics, says Associate Professor Mariam Mufti from the Department of Political Science at University of Waterloo in Canada. This is because the present caretaker of government cannot negotiate legally with the International Monetary Fund to secure another financial bailout, she tells CNA’s Asia First. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

If everything goes fairly, there are chances that former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), could win the Pakistan elections, says Dr Amit Ranjan, with the counting of votes underway after polls closed. The research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Institute of South Asia studies tells CNA’s Asia First that Khan is very popular among the middle class and the youth, who make up nearly 45 per cent of registered voters. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Israel’s military response in the Gaza Strip to the Oct 7 attacks by Hamas has been “over the top”, US President Joe Biden told reporters on Thursday (Feb 9). He added that he has been “pushing really hard” to get humanitarian assistance into the besieged region. https://cna.asia/49r5jzJ Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Popular messaging app Telegram has been linked to a spate of crimes in recent months. Why is it becoming the go-to app for criminals? We find out from an expert.

Prabowo Subianto is the frontrunner in Indonesia's presidential race and he's single - which raises the prospect that there may not be a first lady if he's elected. But does this matter? https://cna.asia/49sCPp9 Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Fast furniture is a growing scrouge for the planet. Nearly 11 million tonnes of tables, chairs and the like are thrown out each year, according to a 2018 EU report. Peter Ortner, an assistant professor of Architecture and Sustainable Design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, tells CNA's Julie Yoo how he’s come up with furniture that's lightweight, spill-proof and sustainable.  See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

If you are heading down to this year's River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay, you may want to look out for a firecracker display and a dragon among the trees. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Tales of the supernatural and chilling ghost stories - that is what clinched the championship in Mediacorp's first-ever talent hunt for budding podcasters. Ten finalists competed in three rounds, each with their own unique podcast ideas. The prize? An exclusive podcast partnership with Mediacorp. Richa Mathew speaks to the title winner, Genesis Lim. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Singapore announced on Feb 7 that it is making mental health and well-being a key priority. It laid out a raft of measures, including raising capacity at hospitals, and ramping up the number of public sector psychiatrists and psychologists. CNA spoke to Jaya Dass, Regional Managing Director of Permanent Recruitment at human resource consultancy Randstad, about what will this focus on mental health means for the jobs market. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Volunteer groups that help to declutter homes say the COVID-19 pandemic has made the hoarding situation worse, citing restrictions of movement and panic buying. At least one group says it cleaned two to three homes per week last year, compared to one to two in 2022. Nadirah Zaidi finds out more. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Nearly 950 families in public rental flats realised their dreams of owning their own HDB home last year. It was a new high since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. CNA spoke to Professor Sing Tien Foo, Provost’s Chair Professor at the Department of Real Estate at NUS Business School, for his insights on this. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

A group of Singaporeans have taken a step towards gaining financial stability by owning their own homes. Some of them are lower-income households, who have mostly lived in public rental flats. Over the past decade, around 8,300 of these households have bought their own homes. Many used various schemes and grants from the Housing and Development Board, along with their personal savings. About 80 lower-income households also benefited from a grant to buy flats in non-mature estates. The Step-Up Housing Grant is aimed at lower-income families buying a flat for the second time. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

More than 200 million people in Indonesia are eligible to cast their votes to pick the next leader of the world's third-largest democracy. Analysts expect all three presidential candidates to retain a tight grip on their respective stronghold provinces. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Thailand's Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara has visited Tak province, near the border with Myanmar, to advance plans for setting up a humanitarian assistance corridor in the region. The kingdom's aid initiative was endorsed last week by ASEAN foreign ministers and a representative from Myanmar. May Wong reports from Mae Sot in Thailand. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Polls have closed in Pakistan, where fresh violence and claims of vote rigging have marred the country's national election. Half a million troops were deployed and authorities took down the Internet, all in the name of law and order. Yet, more attacks were reported in the restive northwest, with seven officers killed. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

It is the last trading day for Chinese stocks, ahead of the Year of the Dragon. The mythical creature is traditionally considered to be the most auspicious animal in the Chinese zodiac and is often associated with good fortune. But China is entering the new year battered by months of economic uncertainty. Analysts have been weighing in on what the Year of the Dragon could bring to the world's second-largest economy. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia