KUALA LUMPUR – Just a week after setting aside their differences to ensure the party reclaimed Malaysia’s premiership, Umno’s factions are at loggerheads again over prized positions in Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Cabinet. Prime Minister Ismail, the Umno vice-president, was eventually backed by all but one of the party’s 38 MPs – only former finance minister […]
BEIJING – In the last few months, Beijing has been putting pressure on its tech firms and private tuition sector, leading many observers to wonder why Beijing was coming down hard on the country’s tech champions and entrepreneurs. Last week, at least part of the reason became clear. Please subscribe or log in to continue […]
The C.I.A. director, William J. Burns, traveled to Kabul this week for talks with the Taliban leadership, according to American officials familiar with his visit — the highest-level in-person talks between a Biden administration official and the new de facto leadership of Afghanistan. Mr. Burns, a longtime former diplomat, met on Monday with Abdul Ghani […]
BEIJING (AFP, REUTERS) – China on Tuesday (Aug 24) held up America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan as an example of Washington’s selfish foreign policy, hitting back at Vice-President Kamala Harris’ accusations of intimidation in Asian waters. During a trip to Singapore, Ms Harris took aim at Beijing for making claims to “the vast majority of […]
SINGAPORE – All 62 Covid-19 cases detected among migrant workers from the North Coast Lodge dormitory in Woodlands on Monday (Aug 23) were fully vaccinated, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Tuesday. The first three cases were detected through rostered routine testing, which also coincided with a positive signal from wastewater tests, said MOM […]
TOKYO (REUTERS) – The 2020 Paralympic Games will kick off in Tokyo with the opening ceremony on Tuesday (Aug 24) as Japan struggles with its worst Covid-19 outbreak so far, record daily cases and an overwhelmed medical system. The organisers admitted last week that the Paralympics will be held under “very difficult” circumstances as Japan’s […]
SHANGHAI (REUTERS) – Rapid climate change in China’s Qinghai-Tibet plateau could destabilise water supplies and cause more frequent disasters, even though warmer temperatures have improved conditions in the short term, scientists said after an expedition to the region. The region, which covers much of China’s remote north-west and includes the Himalayas, has been identified as […]
SHANGHAI (REUTERS) – Rapid climate change in China’s Qinghai-Tibet plateau could destabilise water supplies and cause more frequent disasters, even though warmer temperatures have improved conditions in the short term, scientists said after an expedition to the region. The region, which covers much of China’s remote north-west and includes the Himalayas, has been identified as […]
SINGAPORE – She got to know the safe distancing ambassador (SDA) last November when he helped her speak to a customer about safe distancing guidelines. He allegedly told her she looked pretty and asked for her days off and if she had a boyfriend. Soon after he started following her. She was so traumatised she eventually […]
SINGAPORE – There is a risk of flash floods in several areas in Singapore after heavy rain on Tuesday (Aug 24) filled drains and canals to near full capacity, the PUB warned. In a Facebook post, the national water agency said water levels in drains and canals had reached 90 per cent in Upper Bukit […]