4 h. ago Nepal’s new PM Karki vows to end corruption, follow protesters’ demands

Nepal’s new leader vowed on Sunday to follow protesters’ demands to “end corruption” as she began work as interim prime minister after “Gen Z” youth demonstrations ousted her predecessor. Sushila Karki, the 73-year-old former chief justice, has been tasked with restoring order and addressing protesters’ demands for a corruption-free future ahead of elections in six months. Protests began on Monday, sparked by a ban on social media, which quickly escalated, with parliament and key government...

Events

5 h. ago China unveils its first normative document to manage international social organizations

China unveils its first normative document to manage international social organizations  Guangdong News

Politics

6 h. ago ‘They laughed at us’: Filipino seafarers left adrift by US deportations

The Trump administration’s widening immigration enforcement in the United States has led to gruelling grilling and mass deportations of Filipino seafarers over unproven child pornography accusations, sparking calls for transparency and justice from labour advocacy groups. Marcelo Morales was resting in his cabin on the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine docked at Norfolk, Virginia, when two armed agents of the US Customs and Border Protection picked him up for an “interview” on June 28. “I spent...

Politics

6 h. ago Cyberport may use Chinese GPUs at supercomputing centre, CEO says

Cyberport may add some graphics processing units (GPUs) made in China to its Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre in Hong Kong, as the government-run incubator seeks to reduce its reliance on Nvidia chips amid worsening China-US relations, its chief executive said. Cyberport has bought four GPUs made by four different mainland Chinese chipmakers and has been testing them at its AI lab to gauge which ones to adopt in the expanding facilities, Rocky Cheng Chung-ngam said in an interview...

Politics

7 h. ago Japan’s booming toy market defies declining birth rate as adults get playful

The toy market in Japan is on an upwards trend despite the country’s declining birth rate, boosted by robust demand from adults seeing gadgets as an affordable hobby and a means to connect with others via social media, a research firm said. The market in the 2024 financial year grew 7.9 per cent from a year earlier to a record 1.1 trillion yen (US$7.4 billion), led by trading cards and character merchandise, expanding 36 per cent from 10 years ago, according to the Japan Toy Association. Other...

Politics

9 h. ago Dying Chinese man leaves savings to ex, sends farewell love letter despite break

A dying man in China left his savings to his ailing ex-girlfriend, along with a heartfelt farewell letter that touched the hearts of many online. The 22-year-old Hu Xinyao, from Chongqing in southwestern China, had been battling a vascular disease for eight years, which progressively led to kidney failure. Last year, Hu met Xiao through a mutual friend, according to the mainland media outlet Ziniu News. Xiao, an auxiliary police officer from Inner Mongolia, was known for his gentle, introverted...

Economics

12 h. ago Politician slams ‘subordinate’ US ties, tells South Korea to build nuclear arms

Former Daegu mayor Hong Joon-pyo has described the recent arrests and detentions of South Korean workers in Georgia as an “intentional provocation” by the United States, calling for Seoul to consider its own nuclear weapons programme. “The Georgia incident occurred right after the Korea-US summit. It cannot be dismissed as anything other than an intentional provocation,” Hong wrote on his social media account on Saturday. “No matter how pro-China or pro-North Korea this administration may be,...

Politics

14 h. ago Singapore woman rejects ‘rude’ date at hawker centre, sparks dating standards debate

A Singaporean influencer claimed she rejected a man because he suggested going to a hawker centre for their first date, sparking a debate about dating standards online. The woman, who has 38,000 followers on a social media platform, posted a screenshot of her conversation with the man, in which he proposed they meet at Lau Pa Sat, an open-air complex featuring affordable food vendors commonly found in Singapore. The woman, identified by her username @naomiblackk, expressed her offence in their...

Politics

27 h. ago Charlie Kirk, US political violence – and what it looks like from China

Shock, disbelief and sympathy. Those were just some of the reactions Chinese social media users expressed in the aftermath of two murders in a politically polarised United States. The most recent of the two was the high-profile shooting of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk on September 10. Kirk was a familiar figure to many younger Chinese, with his videos shared on Chinese social media accounts in recent years. The second incident was the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna...

Politics

31 h. ago Interview: China key to BMW's innovation and growth, says BMW chairman

Interview: China key to BMW's innovation and growth, says BMW chairman  Xinhua

Politics

33 h. ago Germany’s Bavaria welcomes Chinese investment, state minister says

Fifty years ago, Christian Social Union in Bavaria chairman Franz Josef Strauss visited Beijing, becoming the first West German politician to meet Chinese leader Mao Zedong. According to German media reports, the late conservative politician sent a postcard to Helmut Schmidt, Germany’s chancellor at the time and head of the rival Social Democratic Party, saying “Beijing is worth a trip.” Schmidt became the first German leader to visit China later that year. A half-century later, the roles have...

Politics

34 h. ago Kim Jong Un’s triumph: the rise and rise of North Korea’s dictator

Kim Jong Un’s triumph: the rise and rise of North Korea’s dictator  The Week

Politics

35 h. ago How a Hong Kong mum’s eloquent balloon fest rant won fans and refunds

Dreamy Ho, 40, gained internet fame after her rapid-fire complaints, boldness in speaking up and relentless determination to stand up for her rights captured widespread attention in Hong Kong following a viral interview clip. The lively and eloquent speech was directed at the organiser of a hot-air balloon festival, which failed to provide tethered rides despite advertising them, and initially refused to offer a refund, which the single mother said “felt like a scam”. Internet users were...

Politics

37 h. ago Hong Kong woman dies after car crashes into parked truck near border

A Hong Kong woman has died after the car she was driving crashed into a truck near the border with mainland China. Police received a report at 4.55am on Saturday that the car heading to the border control point slammed into the truck, which was parked on the side of Man Kam To Road near Sha Ling Road in the North District. The woman, in her thirties, was declared dead at the scene by emergency personnel, while the truck driver, 50, reported no injuries. Photos and footage from local media showed...

Events

39 h. ago Anutin’s ascent: how ‘the new face of Thailand’s elite’ took control

In Thailand, elections do not necessarily decide who governs. Over the past few weeks, that paradox has played out once more, with a prime minister ousted, the country’s best-known political dynasty sidelined and a new leader taking the reins. For young Thai activist Aitarnik Chitwiset, the endless chaos feels like it has no off-ramp. “I’m disillusioned and exhausted by our politics,” she told This Week in Asia. At just 28, Aitarnik is deeply invested in her country’s future. But like many young...

Politics

47 h. ago Who is Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s murder?

The suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting, Tyler Robinson, is a 22-year-old native of Utah who authorities say had allegedly criticised the conservative influencer in a recent conversation and was living with his family at the time of the shooting. Robinson was arrested late on Thursday after a family friend called authorities, officials said on Friday. Investigators have not publicly identified a motive. Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters that a family member interviewed by law enforcement...

Events

51 h. ago What U.S. Retailers can Learn from China’s Social Commerce Success

What U.S. Retailers can Learn from China’s Social Commerce Success  Retail TouchPoints

Politics

51 h. ago US church suing HKIS sold 3 Hong Kong properties in 2019 to pay debts

A US-based church suing the Hong Kong International School (HKIS) for breaching an operating agreement sold three properties in the city for a combined US$22 million in 2019 to pay its debts, according to its official media platform. The move prompted Hong Kong’s Lutheran church to suspend its partnership with the Lutheran Council–Missouri Synod (LCMS) that year, with the local group saying at the time that the sale had gone against donors’ wishes and it reserved the right to take legal...

Economics

51 h. ago Charlie Kirk murder suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, taken into custody

A young Utah man suspected of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university in the city of Orem was in custody on Friday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters. “We got him,” Cox told reporters. The suspect, identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, had confessed to a family friend - or “implied that he had committed the murder” to that friend - and that person in turn had contacted the Washington County sheriff’s office on Thursday. A family member interviewed by investigators said...

Events

53 h. ago ‘Most devoted’ China husband praised for caring for blind wife for 12 years

A man in eastern China has received widespread acclaim from internet users as the most devoted husband for caring for his wife over the past 12 years after she lost her sight due to an illness. The inspiring story of Li Juxin, 39, and his wife Zhang Xiying has gone viral on social media since being reported by the Shandong-based news outlet Qilu Evening News. Li, who runs a car repair shop in Qingdao, Shandong province, married Zhang in 2008, and together they have a daughter. Their lives were...

Politics