13 h. ago Crypto cooperation between Hong Kong, mainland China to benefit sector: experts

Increased collaboration between Hong Kong and mainland China could potentially lead to more advances in the cryptocurrency sector, according to industry experts who took part in the 11th Global Blockchain Summit in Shanghai on Thursday. That assessment comes amid the central government’s years-long ban on a range of crypto-related activities on the mainland, including initial coin offerings, cryptocurrency trading and bitcoin mining. Calls for Hong Kong and the mainland to collaborate in...

Politics

7 d. ago Micron to cease server memory chips business in China after ban, sources say

Micron Technology plans to stop supplying server memory chips to data centres in China after the business failed to recover from a 2023 government ban on its products in critical Chinese infrastructure, according to two people briefed on the decision. Micron was the first US chipmaker to be targeted by Beijing – a move that was seen as retaliatory for a series of curbs by Washington aimed at impeding tech progress by China’s semiconductor industry. Since then, both Nvidia and Intel have...

Politics

7 d. ago Malaysia’s rape and murder cases in schools spur calls to end cover

Student activists have urged Malaysia’s government to increase funding to boost safety and transparency in schools following a recent string of violence and bullying incidents that shocked the nation and forced the education ministry to admit to a culture of cover-ups. Two cases of gang rape and a murder in three schools in the past fortnight have fuelled the fears of parents for their children’s safety, and raised public concerns over the lack of official oversight and impunity in educational...

Events

9 d. ago ‘Heartbroken’: Malaysia’s smokers and drinkers brace for a ‘sin tax’ shock

As the workday grinds on in Kuala Lumpur, 23-year-old office worker Adib finds solace in a few quiet cigarettes, but his unhealthy habit is about to come at a higher price. From next month, a new government policy will drive up the price of tobacco and alcohol in Malaysia as higher so-called sin taxes take effect. Unveiled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in last week’s budget, the measure aims to improve public health. Yet it has also raised concerns about the rising cost of living. It...

Events

1 week ago Malaysia calls off search for missing couple from China on Sabah dive island

The search for two Chinese tourists who went missing at Mantanani Besar Island, a dive island off Sabah’s coast in Malaysia, has been called off after a futile scouring for the couple for over a week, including the use of drones, boats and ground patrols. Yu Xiaopeng, 25, and his girlfriend, Fan Qin, 28, checked into the Sutera Mantanani Resort on October 4 and were due to leave the next day. But they failed to check out, leaving their belongings untouched in the room. A sweeping search for the...

Events

2 w. ago First booze, now beef? Malaysia called to extend menu ban at government events

First it was alcohol, now it is beef facing calls for a ban from Malaysian government functions, out of respect for the country’s Buddhists and Hindus, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration is asked to adjudicate over culture wars to appease the multiracial country’s different religions. The government came under fire over the weekend after complaints that beer and wine were served in front of Muslim guests at a gala dinner that was part of the Global Travel Meet 2025, organised by...

Politics

3 w. ago Afghanistan’s internet blackout sparks concern, Taliban denial

The Taliban government on Wednesday rejected reports of a nationwide internet ban in Afghanistan, saying old fibre optic cables are worn out and are being replaced. The announcement was the Taliban’s first public statement on a communications blackout that has disrupted banking, commerce and aviation. Several provinces last month confirmed an internet shutdown because of a decree from the Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada to combat immorality. “There is nothing like the rumours being spread...

Politics