Asia

Singapore—In a new interview with the BBC, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that tensions between the two global superpowers, the United States and China, have escalated from five years ago. However, he said the possibility of military conflict is “not yet high”. But if the two countries continue with their hardline policies, they may […]

China’s export growth jumped to the highest in over two decades, official data showed Sunday, with imports also surging in a sharp bounceback from the coronavirus outbreak that had brought activity to a near halt. Electronics and textile exports such as masks contributed to the spike in outbound shipments, as demand for work-from-home supplies and […]

Anti-coup demonstrators took to the streets of Myanmar Saturday, a day after a United Nations envoy urged the Security Council to hear the nation’s “desperate pleas” and take swift action to restore democracy. The country has been in turmoil since a February 1 coup ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power, triggering a […]

At least seven people were killed as Myanmar security forces fired on pro-democracy protesters Wednesday, after the junta hit half a dozen detained journalists, including an Associated Press photographer, with criminal charges. The country has been in chaos since February 1 when the military launched a coup and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, […]

Microsoft has said a state-sponsored hacking group operating out of China is exploiting previously unknown security flaws in its Exchange email services to steal data from business users. The company said the hacking group, which it has named “Hafnium”, is a “highly skilled and sophisticated actor”. Hafnium has in the past targeted US-based companies including […]

More than a third of Chinese-Australians surveyed reported facing discrimination last year, in a report released Wednesday that points to a souring relationship with Beijing and Covid-19 as driving forces. The findings from Australian think tank the Lowy Institute suggested 37 percent of Chinese-Australians felt they had been treated differently or less favourably because of […]

A Malaysian prince has prompted speculation of a takeover bid for Spanish football club Valencia after posting about his ambitions for the La Liga outfit. Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, crown prince of the oil-rich state of Johor, said Valencia needs someone who is “hungry for success”, adding that he was motivated by “creating history”. Valencia […]

Donald Trump offered North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a ride home on Air Force One after a summit in Hanoi two years ago, according to a new BBC documentary. Kim and Trump first engaged in a war of words and mutual threats, before an extraordinary diplomatic bromance that featured headline-grabbing summits and a declaration […]

Myanmar’s junta will face regional pressure Tuesday to end a deadly crackdown on anti-coup protesters, after some Southeast Asian powers broke diplomatic traditions and delivered unusually harsh rebukes. Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc will hold talks with a junta representative to discuss the crisis that began when the […]

President Joe Biden will use “all available tools” to take on abusive trade practices by China, the US Trade Representative’s office pledged Monday. In addition, Biden’s trade team will seek to repair relations with allies, and defend US workers, according to the 2021 President’s Trade Agenda submitted to Congress. Tackling the Covid-19 pandemic by securing […]

Kuala Lampur — For 15 years, the Malaysian Paediatric Association and its partners have been fighting for the inclusion of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) into the National Immunization Program (NIP). We studied the burden of the disease, researched the serotypes at play in our community, examined the increasing resistance of the bacterium to our […]

KUALA LUMPUR — As his 80th birthday wish, veteran politician Lim Kit Siang expressed his desire to see Malaysia develop towards being a world-class nation, and a country for all Malaysians regardless of race, religion, creed. The DAP lawmaker revealed how he has held on to these hopes of a Malaysia for Malaysians since his […]

KUCHING — Some 200,000 non-Sarawakians residing in the state are expected to be included in the Covid-19 vaccination programme upon its rollout next week, said Sarawak Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing. He said they would be a part of the targeted 2.2 million people in Sarawak to receive vaccination in order to achieve herd […]

KUALA LUMPUR — Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi told Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyididn Yassin to proceed with the latter’s defamation lawsuit against him, saying he would not retract the remarks behind the threatened legal action. On Facebook, Puad confirmed he has received Muhyiddin’s letter of demand for an apology and RM10 […]

KUALA LUMPUR — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s corruption trial involving over RM2 billion of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds will go on until December this year, after additional hearing dates were scheduled for the former prime minister’s case. This morning, the High Court fixed the additional hearing dates from August to December, with the dates […]