54 m. ago ‘Nobody said anything’: Malaysia confronts its deadly school bullying problem

The guilt hangs heavily over Jerry* whenever his mind drifts back to his school days in Kota Kinabalu and that quiet “awkward kid” he once tormented. Sitting at the back of the classroom, the boy was an easy target for Jerry and his friends, who delighted in humiliating him by stealing his shoes, tugging down his trousers or meting out the occasional beating. They were only 12, behaving as children do, he once thought. But more than two decades later, Jerry feels the weight of what those moments...

Events

2 h. ago China’s multipolar ambition is making the US sit up and fire back

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin this week, the choreography was striking. Chinese President Xi Jinping, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unveiled proposals for a development bank, expanded BeiDou satellite services, and cooperation in green technology, artificial intelligence and infrastructure. The message was unmistakable: the SCO is no longer just a security forum. It is evolving into a platform offering...

Economics

6 h. ago Canada’s Carney unveils billions in relief hit by Trump and China tariffs

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday rolled out a multibillion-dollar relief package for businesses battered by tariffs imposed by both the US and China. Carney said his government will invest C$5 billion (US$3.6 billion) through a new fund to help firms adapt, diversify and grow, as well as boost Business Development Bank of Canada loans for small and medium-sized businesses and expand a loan facility for tariff-hit large enterprises. He also said his government would waive 2026 model...

Politics

7 h. ago What mainstream capitalist economists won’t tell you about China

What mainstream capitalist economists won’t tell you about China  People's World

Politics

7 h. ago Navy Seals killed North Korean civilians in botched 2019 mission: US report

US Navy Seals shot and killed a number of North Korean civilians during a botched covert mission to plant a listening device in the nuclear-armed country during high-stakes diplomatic negotiations in 2019, The New York Times reported on Friday. Citing unidentified sources, including current and former military officials with knowledge of the still-classified details, the newspaper said US President Donald Trump approved the operation during his first administration, as he was involved in...

Events

7 h. ago Texas law curbing Chinese property rights takes effect, no relief in sight for months

A Texas law restricting property ownership and leasing by Chinese citizens came into effect this week, thrusting affected residents into legal limbo with no path to relief before November. The law, which restricts real estate purchases by companies, individuals and government entities linked to countries that the federal government deems a threat to the US, took effect on September 1 after a legal challenge failed to block it in time. The legislation identifies China, Iran, North Korea and...

Society

9 h. ago Singapore must be Asia’s gateway, uphold social mobility at home: president

Singapore must remain a reliable base and a gateway to Asia’s dynamism in an increasingly divided world, while addressing social mobility and cohesion at home, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Friday. Tharman, a former cabinet minister, was speaking at the opening of the 15th parliament in Singapore, during which the city state’s president addresses MPs on key issues in the fresh five-year term. He noted that the new parliament was opening amid a more fragmented world where economic...

Politics

10 h. ago Was Philippine police chief sacked for rejecting ‘overpriced’ gun deal?

A controversy over an alleged overpriced firearms deal has intensified in the Philippines, with insiders claiming that national police chief Nicolas Torre III was removed from his post for rejecting a proposed procurement of 80,000 assault rifles – a transaction some believe was padded by billions of pesos. While officials framed Torre’s dismissal as an administrative matter, multiple sources told This Week in Asia he was sacked for rejecting the “overpriced” 8 billion Philippine peso (US$140...

Economics

12 h. ago 1 person killed, 3 hurt in Xinjiang traffic accident involving Hong Kong tour group

One person has died and three others have been injured in a traffic accident involving a Hong Kong tour group in Xinjiang. The Travel Industry Authority said on Friday that it was notified by Travel Circle International on Wednesday that the tour group was involved in a traffic accident that day in the autonomous mainland Chinese region. The group, which included 20 tourists, departed on August 27 on an 18-day visit to Xinjiang. Four tourists from two families were injured, including one who...

Events

12 h. ago Ukraine war must be resolved within UN halls, not on the battlefield

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II and the founding of the United Nations. Humanity learned with great pain that peace and security must coexist for all nations, and the vicious circle of war must not be repeated. In 1941, the United States imposed an oil embargo on Japan in response to its expansion in Asia and invasion of French Indochina. For the US and its allies, Japan’s militant aggression was a blatant violation of peace; for Japan, the embargo was...

Events

12 h. ago Solution to Ukraine war must be found in the UN, not the killing fields

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II and the founding of the United Nations. Humanity learned with great pain that peace and security must coexist for all nations, and the vicious circle of war must not be repeated. In 1941, the United States imposed an oil embargo on Japan in response to its expansion in Asia and invasion of French Indochina. For the US and its allies, Japan’s militant aggression was a blatant violation of peace; for Japan, the embargo was...

Events

13 h. ago China’s cities feed the AI monster with dedicated services for economic roar

China’s city governments are racing to stake out a role in artificial intelligence, with Wenzhou this week becoming the nation’s first to set up a dedicated bureau for AI-related matters – underscoring how local officials are ramping up efforts amid Beijing’s push to gain an edge in the AI race with the United States. Authorities in Wenzhou, located in the provincial economic powerhouse of Zhejiang, announced the bureau’s formation at a high-profile AI Innovation and Development Conference on...

Economics

13 h. ago Analysts mixed on outlook for Sun Hung Kai Properties’ shares

Analysts said they had mixed views about Sun Hung Kai Properties’ (SHKP) shares after Hong Kong’s largest property developer by market capitalisation reported a slight increase in its full-year earnings. On Friday, Morningstar cut its price target for SHKP to HK$105 from HK$115, but said the company was trading at a good discount. UOB Kay Hian and Morgan Stanley said the earnings were largely in line with expectations. The US investment bank had an overweight recommendation and expected earnings...

Politics

15 h. ago ‘Better than being killed’: Japan’s women turn to pepper spray – at legal risk

As dusk falls across Japan’s cities, a sense of unease falls upon many women on their journeys home. Reports of brutal femicides have struck a deep chord, fuelling a surge in the purchase of self-defence items – even as legal experts warn that arming oneself may come at a cost. The recent killing of Megumi Katayama, 24, who was stabbed multiple times by a stranger in a Kobe residential lift last month, has stoked public concern. Social media platforms buzzed with messages urging women to take...

Events

15 h. ago Asia week ahead: Key data on China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan

Asia week ahead: Key data on China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan  ING THINK economic and financial analysis | ING Think

Politics

15 h. ago 2 Italian swimmers warned, banned from Singapore after airport shoplifting bust

Two Italian swimmers have been given a 12-month conditional warning and banned from re-entering Singapore after they were caught shoplifting three bottles of perfume from a duty-free shop at Changi airport last month. Singapore police on Thursday confirmed media reports that Chiara Tarantino, 22, and Benedetta Pilato, 20, had been arrested on August 14 for shoplifting, CNA reported. The pair had been in Singapore to compete in the World Aquatics Championships, in which Pilato won a bronze for...

Events

15 h. ago Thai parliament elects Anutin as new PM, ending political stalemate

Anutin Charnvirakul, a prominent construction tycoon and political conservative, has been chosen as Thailand’s next prime minister, capping a week of extraordinary political upheaval that saw the removal of his predecessor and the sudden flight of divisive billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra. Anutin, 58, secured a clear majority in Friday’s parliamentary vote, surpassing the 247-vote threshold required for victory in the lower house. His triumph was bolstered by the unexpected support of the...

Politics

16 h. ago Kenya’s plan to switch debt payments from US dollars to yuan is a ‘win

Kenya’s plan to convert its US dollar-denominated Chinese debt to yuan is a “win-win”, as it is expected to reduce interest payments for the African nation while advancing China’s goal of increasing the global use of its currency, according to analysts. The deal would be precedent-setting and could establish a new rule book for future debt restructuring and possibly cut reliance on the US dollar. In late August, Kenya’s Treasury announced that talks with the Export-Import Bank of China were at...

Economics

17 h. ago Citi Pulls Out Of UnionPay As Retail Exit From China Nears Completion

Citi Pulls Out Of UnionPay As Retail Exit From China Nears Completion  Stocktwits

Politics

17 h. ago Qantas Airways penalises CEO over data breach with bonus cut

Australia’s Qantas Airways said on Friday it had lowered bonuses for its CEO and her team as the airline shoulders responsibility for a hacking incident that breached personal data of millions of customers. Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson will receive A$6.3 million (US$4.09 million) for the year to June 30, including a short-term bonus of A$2.04 million, trimmed by A$250,000 as part of the penalty, its annual report said. The total pay figure remains a fraction of the A$23.9 million received by former...

Politics