5 h. ago The rise and rise of India’s luxury property market: ‘no plateau in sight’

When Indian property developer DLF launched a housing project in Gurgaon on the outskirts of capital New Delhi last month, all the flats sold out within a week despite a minimum price tag of more than US$1 million – a figure that would have daunted most buyers until recently. The successful sale of the project called DLF Privana North in Gurugram followed two others over the 116-acre (47-hectare) residential development, DLF Privana South and DLF Privana West, each of which were sold out in 72...

Politics

9 h. ago Indian dad, 55, elopes with son’s fiancée, 22, and takes off with family cash and gold.

A father of six from northern India has eloped with the fiancée of his teenage son and taken off with the family’s gold and cash. Shakeel, 55, from Uttar Pradesh, is also a grandfather of three. According to the local media outlet NDTV, he had arranged for his 15-year-old son Aman to marry Ayesha, a young woman from a nearby village. His family initially opposed the engagement for financial reasons, but Shakeel pushed ahead with the plan. The 22-year-old Ayesha was described as gentle and...

Politics

11 h. ago ‘Very optimistic’: Indonesia vows to press on with US talks despite 32% tariff

Indonesia has vowed to press on with negotiations despite US President Donald Trump’s decision to maintain 32 per cent tariffs on the country, even as it intensifies diplomatic efforts to seek alternative export markets, including fellow members of the Brics bloc. The Southeast Asian nation is one of 14 countries notified by Trump via letters on Monday that the unilateral tariffs he announced in April would take effect on August 1. Trump delayed the levies’ implementation by 90 days to allow...

Politics

12 h. ago Malaysian police hunt Hindu priest accused of molesting beauty queen

Malaysian police have launched a manhunt for a Hindu priest accused of molesting a beauty queen under the pretence of giving her a blessing at a temple. The incident occurred last Saturday at Mariamman Temple in Sepang, a short distance from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It only came to light when the victim, actor and television host Lishalliny Kanaran, decided to go public with her allegations on Tuesday, sharing them on social media. The suspect is believed to be an Indian national...

Politics

13 h. ago In show of unity against Trump, Brazil and India vow to triple trade flows

As US President Donald Trump revved up his tariff threat against Brics, Brazil and India responded with a show of unity as they vowed to triple bilateral trade during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Brasilia on Tuesday. Describing the US dollar as the “king”, Trump on Tuesday claimed that Brics was set up to hurt the US and “degenerate” the dollar. He added that Brics nations, including India and Brazil, would “have to pay 10 per cent if they’re in Brics”. “If they want to...

Politics

13 h. ago Old but still gold? What Philippines can gain from Japan’s used warships

Japan’s unprecedented proposal to transfer six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippine Navy could greatly boost the Southeast Asian nation’s anti-submarine capabilities – but the true value of these ageing vessels remains to be seen. The Philippines has confirmed it is preparing to dispatch a team to Japan for a visual inspection of the six warships, which were set to be decommissioned, following an official invitation from Japan’s Ministry of Defence. “This planned inspection forms...

Events

14 h. ago Chinese girl, 7, develops swimming passion, gets core strength training from dad

A seven-year-old Chinese girl caused amazement with her exceptional passion for sport and the core strength she has developed from professional training. The girl from Qingyuan, southern China’s Guangdong province, is nicknamed Xiaoqilin. Videos of her performing difficult training tasks with agility at home, which show off the muscular strength she has built up in her abs and legs, have gone viral on social media. Xiaoqilin’s mother, surnamed Guo, said her daughter began training at home with...

Politics

22 h. ago Trump admin increasing scrutiny of Chinese, other foreign farmland ownership in US

US President Donald Trump’s administration is expanding scrutiny of Chinese and other foreign ownership of American farmland and starting to cancel agricultural contracts with entities from “countries of concern” amid apprehension over the national security risks of such foreign involvement. As part of a new seven-part National Farm Security Action Plan, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters on Tuesday that “swift legislative and executive action” would be taken at “every level of...

Politics

29 h. ago Caring woman driver with disabled son has China’s ‘messiest but most loving cab’

A young ride-hailing taxi driver in China who takes her disabled seven-year-old son to work with her every day has moved both passengers and people on mainland social media. Zhang Congcong, 27, has been driving a taxi with her son, Momo, as a back seat passenger for four months in central China’s Henan province. Zhang has to take Momo with her because he suffers from a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that severely affects his mobility and requires round-the-clock care. Zhang...

Transport

29 h. ago Need a grandma? In Japan, you can rent one and help an old lady out

“Grandma rental” services have caught on in Japan, providing an alternative source of income for the country’s ageing population seeking to alleviate the cost of living pressures amid rising inflation. For 3,000 yen (US$20) per hour, clients are set up with a woman aged 60 to 94 who will help with requests ranging from teaching cooking skills to breaking up with partners on her client’s behalf, according to local news site SoraNews24. The elderly women can also babysit and mediate family...

Politics

33 h. ago Malaysian sisters wed foreigners, communicate with gestures, spark online hilarity

Three Malaysian sisters have caused online hilarity after they married men from different countries, forcing their family to break the language barriers by using gestures and facial expressions. The women's father, Razali Yusof, 85, from Perak in northwestern Malaysia, says they married men from Britain, Egypt and Pakistan, according to local media outlet Harian Metro. Razali said that neither he nor his wife speaks English, and none of his sons-in-law speak Malay. This means the family has to...

Politics

33 h. ago Meet Tian Xu: From Beijing to Hollywood, an Editor’s Take on the Power of Silence

Meet Tian Xu: From Beijing to Hollywood, an Editor’s Take on the Power of Silence  The Ritz Herald

Politics

34 h. ago Eric Trump to headline Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference in Hong Kong

Eric Trump, the second-born son of US President Donald Trump, will attend next month’s Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference in Hong Kong as a headline speaker, as the city strives to position itself as a leading hub for digital assets, competing with the US. Trump would discuss bitcoin’s “long-term potential” and its impact on global finance, as well as “how Asia is shaping the future of bitcoin adoption,” said BTC Inc, the conference organiser, on Tuesday. Bitcoin Asia, the regional edition of the...

Politics

35 h. ago Malaysian girl recalls father’s message before bodies found in submerged car

The sole surviving member of a family of seven who drowned when their car plunged into a river in Kedah last week has recalled seeing her father in a dream, telling her not to be sad, in a tragedy that has gripped Malaysia. Putri Qisya Nur Izzat, 12, had stayed behind at her grandmother’s house on the day of the accident. She recounted on Monday dreaming of her father, 32-year-old Mohamad Azim Izat Ishak, who told her he could only watch over her from afar. “Dad said, don’t be sad or I won’t be...

Events

39 h. ago Death threats and harassment: Hong Kong couple’s ordeal with loan sharks

When his health supplement business struggled with cash-flow problems, Bobby Tan* turned to a so-called professional networking group in Hong Kong for help, borrowing HK$300,000 (US$38,220) from a licensed small lender in April last year. Over the next 10 months, the Hong Kong permanent resident from Southeast Asia continued to take on more debt, borrowing from 30 different licensed moneylenders for a total of HK$5.05 million. Each lender charged him an illicit upfront “commission” of 15 to 30...

Events

40 h. ago My Take | China could embrace universal basic income as AI takes jobs

My Take | China could embrace universal basic income as AI takes jobs  South China Morning Post

Politics

43 h. ago Munir denies Indian claim of Chinese assistance in recent conflict, Beijing downplays issue

Munir denies Indian claim of Chinese assistance in recent conflict, Beijing downplays issue  Times of India

Events

51 h. ago All eyes on Beijing as Taiwan set to attend Japan’s WWII memorials in a first

Taiwan is set to join Japan’s memorial ceremonies next month for the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, marking the island’s first-ever participation in the annual events. Observers said Beijing was likely to take a dim view of the matter, though the scale of its response might depend on the rank of the Taiwanese attendees. Nagasaki mayor Shiro Suzuki said on Saturday that the city had accepted Taiwan’s request to attend the August 9 ceremony in memory of the victims...

Events

52 h. ago China protests over Indian PM Narendra Modi’s birthday greetings to Dalai Lama

China has protested to India over birthday greetings sent to the Dalai Lama by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “India should fully appreciate the great sensitivity of Tibet-related issues, recognise the separatist nature, honour the commitments it has made to China related to Tibet-related issues, and act prudently, and stop using these issues to meddle in China’s internal affairs,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday afternoon. She added that Beijing had lodged a protest...

Events

53 h. ago China urged to take bolder steps to tackle price wars, deflation and weak demand

Beijing’s latest push to curb price wars may help ease deflationary pressures, but analysts warn the current measures fall short of addressing deeper structural problems facing the world’s second-largest economy. China’s GDP deflator – a broad measure of prices across goods and services – has been negative since the second quarter of 2023, while consumer prices have fallen for four straight months year-on-year. To stop the deflationary spiral, Chinese authorities should address the cause: weak...

Events