By Scmp

Copyright scmp

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week 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. ‘Do you want a boycott?’: Malaysia’s top mall rolls dice with flag ban
Malaysia’s most famous shopping centre edged closer to a damaging boycott after threatening to throw out a second group of pro-Palestinian protesters carrying flags, prompting calls for a mass gathering inside the plaza after Friday prayers.
2. Thaksin Shinawatra’s fall from grace ends in a Thai prison cell
Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire tycoon who once dominated Thai politics, spent his first night behind bars on Tuesday after the Supreme Court sentenced him to a year in prison.
3. Nepal’s ex-chief justice Sushila Karki chosen as interim prime minister

Nepal has appointed former chief justice Sushila Karki as the country’s interim prime minister, creating history as the first woman to hold the position, after days of tumultuous protests.
4. Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency probing ex-PM Mahathir’s ‘UK assets’
Scrutiny of Mahathir Mohamad’s wealth has turned to assets allegedly held in the UK by the 100-year-old former prime minister, Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief has said, in a widening purge that has implicated the ex-leader’s family and close associates.
5. Philippine contractors allege political bribery in flood control scandal
Two contractors at the centre of the Philippines’ growing flood control scandal have named nearly 20 lawmakers and government officials they accuse of demanding kickbacks and offered to turn state witnesses, but legal experts say their alleged role in the scheme could undermine their plea for immunity.
6. Malaysia calls on China to push C919 jet globally as AirAsia circles deal
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke has called on the Chinese state-owned maker of the C919 passenger jet to set its sights on the global market and be more aggressive in boosting its international standing, as AirAsia nears a deal to become its first foreign buyer.
7. ‘They laughed at us’: Filipino seafarers left adrift by US deportations

The Trump administration’s widening immigration enforcement in the United States has led to gruelling grilling and mass deportations of Filipino seafarers over unproven child pornography accusations, sparking calls for transparency and justice from labour advocacy groups.