5 h. ago Police in Kelantan detain over 20 for ‘gay party’, condoms and HIV pills found

A police raid on a private bungalow in Kelantan has led to the detention of more than 20 men in what Malaysian authorities have described as a “gay party” – the first such case reported in the deeply conservative northern state. The raid, which took place in June but was only disclosed on Thursday, also turned up hundreds of condoms and several boxes of HIV medication, according to Kelantan police chief Mohd Yusoff Mamat. “Investigations found that there was no sexual activity on location during...

Events

8 h. ago Hong Kong 47: court expected to rule on appeals in 9 months’ time

A Hong Kong appellate court is expected to rule in nine months’ time on appeals arising from the city’s largest national security trial, as lawyers wrapped up their verbal submissions on Thursday after 3½ days of hearings. Legal counsel urged three Court of Appeal judges to impose lighter sentences on 11 appellants for what the trial court found to be their “active participation” in a subversive scheme to “undermine, destroy or overthrow” the government. Prosecutors opposed the applications by...

Events

12 h. ago ‘One too many deaths’: missing Myanmar student found dead in Malaysia

A Myanmar student who had been missing since last week has been found dead, his university confirmed late Wednesday, the latest in a string of tragic incidents involving students at Malaysian private colleges. Sithu Hpone Maw, a 20-year-old architecture student at UCSI University in Kuala Lumpur, was last seen on July 9 at a rented flat near the campus. His disappearance was reported by the university, prompting a police investigation. Cheras police chief Aidil Bolhassan said in a statement on...

Events

14 h. ago Charting a course in AI seas: why barristers are still captains of legal ship

The full title of “barrister at law” apparently traces back to 16th century England, providing pleading and advocacy services. Since then, little has changed. Around that time, in the mid-16th century, something else happened in Europe: the Scientific Revolution. Since then, everything has changed. The name and the services of barristers have not changed, but in the last quarter of a century, digitisation and the internet have brought about evolutionary changes to the way barristers provide...

Politics

25 h. ago In no rush to judge: Malaysia’s rulers leave out naming new justices

Malaysia’s rulers ended a key meeting on Wednesday without naming new senior judges, prolonging a leadership vacuum at the top of the judiciary that experts warned could damage public trust in the country’s legal system. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had earlier said the country’s rulers were expected to make a “clear announcement” on the appointment of a new chief justice on Wednesday, after mounting public criticism over alleged executive interference in the selection of judges. “The issue...

Events

25 h. ago In no rush to judge: Malaysia’s rulers forgo naming new justices

Malaysia’s rulers ended a key meeting on Wednesday without naming new senior judges, prolonging a leadership vacuum at the top of the judiciary that experts warned could damage public trust in the country’s legal system. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had earlier said the country’s rulers were expected to make a “clear announcement” on the appointment of a new chief justice on Wednesday, after mounting public criticism over alleged executive interference in the selection of judges. “The issue...

Events

29 h. ago Kuok Hui Kwong, daughter of Malaysia’s richest man, to lead Shangri

Kuok Hui Kwong, daughter of Malaysia’s richest man, Robert Kuok Hock-nien, has been named CEO of luxury hotel group Shangri-La Asia, effective August 1. Kuok, 47, has been serving as Shangri-La Asia’s executive director since June 2016 and chairman since January 2017, according to a Wednesday filing with Hong Kong’s stock exchange. Shangri-La Asia is listed in Hong Kong and Singapore. The Harvard-educated Malaysian, the sixth of Robert Kuok’s eight children, took the helm of the luxury hotel...

Politics

29 h. ago China family has funeral as Indian neighbours host wedding in show of communal unity

A Chinese funeral and an Indian wedding took place on the same street on the same day in Malaysia, but the two families managed to coexist and show mutual respect, winning applause online. Both ceremonies took place on July 5 in Tampin, in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. The funeral was that of the mother of a local Democratic Action Party politician of Chinese origin. On the other side of the street, an Indian family rented a hall to host a wedding. Funerals are usually considered...

Society

34 h. ago Meet Apoh: the ‘chonky’ panther captivating the Malaysian internet

Malaysia’s internet has fallen in love with Apoh, a black panther at the National Zoo in Kuala Lumpur whose portly figure has prompted both laughter and reassurance from zookeepers. Apoh celebrated his 15th birthday on Tuesday, but it was last week that he shot to online fame after a visitor shared a 15-second TikTok clip of the panther rolling onto his back, his belly prominently displayed. A text overlay in Malay asks the zoo to explain how Apoh got “so chonky and cute”. The video attracted...

Politics

35 h. ago Former top Shell engineer leaves Britain to work on ‘cleaner’ oil tech in China

A leading engineer, who spent 20 years working for the global oil giant Shell, has left Britain to take up a position at a Chinese university to lead a team working with the petroleum industry on low-carbon technology. Jing Xudong, who was an adjunct professor at Imperial College London at the time of his departure, held a number of positions in academia and industry and collected a number of awards and honours along the way. This included his election as a fellow of Britain’s Royal Academy of...

Science

35 h. ago Former top Shell engineer joins Nanjing University to chase ‘cleaner’ oil tech

A leading engineer who spent 20 years working for the global oil giant Shell has taken up a position at a Chinese university to lead a team working with the petroleum industry on low-carbon technology. Jing Xudong, who is a visiting professor at Imperial College London, has held a number of positions in academia and industry and collected a number of awards and honours. This included his election as a fellow of Britain’s Royal Academy of Engineering in 2024. He introduced himself to the election...

Science

53 h. ago Chinese province quintuples marriage leave to give betrothals a boost

Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hubei have announced they would extend the duration of the region’s paid marriage leave to 15 days, the latest move from a local government to provide incentives for marriage and slow the country’s decline in birth rates. The extension, which includes the national minimum of three days, is meant to foster a more “family-friendly society”, according to a document issued by the provincial government on Monday. “To fully implement national regulations...

Politics

53 h. ago Chinese firms rush to buy Nvidia AI chips as sales set to resume

Chinese firms rush to buy Nvidia AI chips as sales set to resume  Reuters

Economics

54 h. ago Malaysia to seek lawyers’ views as anger over judge selection process mounts

Malaysia’s government on Tuesday invited the Bar Council to take part in a review of the country’s judicial appointment process, in a bid to quell public discontent over alleged executive interference that has thrown the judiciary into crisis. The move comes just a day after nearly 1,000 lawyers marched to the Prime Minister’s Office demanding urgent reforms and greater transparency in the selection of judges amid a shortage at the top of the courts and warnings of further institutional...

Politics

55 h. ago For Brics, it’s a big leap from talk shop to institution of power

“Golden brick countries” – that’s how Brics is translated in Chinese, a name that speaks volumes about its founding aspirations. But as the expanded bloc emerged from its Rio de Janeiro summit, it projected something more potent than aspiration. The message was loud and clear: the era of unipolar global dominance is drawing to an end. Brics leaders spoke with growing confidence, condemning “coercive” economic tactics, effectively calling for de-dollarisation and rejecting US...

Politics

58 h. ago Anwar’s big surprise? Malaysians sceptical over ‘tribute’ teaser post

A cryptic promise from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has become the latest lightning rod for Malaysia’s restless public, whose patience is wearing thin after months of new taxes, political scandals and economic anxiety. Late on Monday, Anwar posted a stylised silhouette and the words Akan Datang (Coming Soon) across his social media accounts, promising a special gesture of “extraordinary” appreciation for all Malaysians. The post, which was met with widespread derision, appeared just hours after...

Events

3 d. ago Malaysia’s PKR in bind over judicial crisis, Anwar’s daughter at protest march

A fresh quandary may be brewing in Malaysia’s ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), after Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar joined a march calling for judicial independence while her party weighs disciplinary action on her peers for demanding an investigation into alleged meddling in the country’s judiciary. Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Prime Minister and PKR President Anwar Ibrahim, joined nearly 1,000 lawyers in a march on the prime minister’s office on Monday afternoon to protest against...

Events

3 d. ago China exports surge 5.8% in June as business rush through orders during U.S. tariff reprieve

China exports surge 5.8% in June as business rush through orders during U.S. tariff reprieve  Fortune

Economics

3 d. ago Malaysia’s judicial crisis deepens with leaked memo from classified meeting

Malaysia’s judicial crisis deepened over the weekend after a leaked memo revealed serious allegations against Federal Court Judge Terrirudin Salleh, ahead of a lawyers’ march to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s office on Monday to protest against alleged executive interference in the judiciary. Anwar has come under mounting pressure over the scandal, with lawmakers from his own party breaking ranks to demand that he “clear the air”, warning that judicial integrity is now “the biggest issue” facing...

Events

3 d. ago Malaysia controls AI chip exports as U.S. targets China smuggling

Malaysia controls AI chip exports as U.S. targets China smuggling  The Japan Times

Events