19 h. ago Global investors shift from US stocks drawn by Asia’s AI boom, Fed policy: BoFA

Investors are looking beyond US equities for the first time in a decade amid a weakening US dollar and likely easing of US monetary policy, moving capital into Asia as they chase the artificial intelligence boom in the region, according to the head of global research at Bank of America (BofA). Ahead of the three-day BofA Securities Asia Pacific Conference starting on Monday, Candace Browning said that US equities had been exceptional from the first half of 2020 to the end of 2024, attracting...

Economics

3 d. 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

4 d. ago Indonesian working at Asean body fired for ‘inciting’ police HQ to be burnt

An Indonesian staff member of an Asean parliamentary body has been fired and named a criminal suspect after allegedly posting a video urging protesters to set fire to the national police headquarters in Jakarta, amid escalating unrest triggered by a fatal accident involving a police armoured vehicle. Laras Faizati Khairunnisa, 26, was arrested on Monday and detained a day later following a police investigation into her social media post, which authorities said had incited demonstrators to burn...

Events

9 d. ago ‘I am shocked’: Prabowo hits out at Indonesia’s police over protest handling

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has criticised the police for their handling of unrest in the capital, as thousands continued to protest on Friday evening despite heavy rain and with the military showing up at some sites. The protests – initially over increased allowances for lawmakers at a time of economic uncertainty for many Indonesians – were fuelled by anger over the death of a motorcycle taxi driver struck by an armoured vehicle during clashes on Thursday evening. They’ve mostly been...

Events

9 d. ago Indonesia protests: 3 killed in fire as Prabowo condemns ‘excessive’ police

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has criticised the police for their handling of unrest in the capital, as elsewhere in the country at least three people died in a fire started by protesters. The protests – initially over increased allowances for lawmakers at a time of economic uncertainty for many Indonesians – were fuelled by anger over the death of a motorcycle taxi driver struck by an armoured vehicle during clashes on Thursday evening. They have mostly been concentrated in Jakarta...

Events

9 d. ago Indonesia protest fire kills 3 as Prabowo condemns ‘excessive’ police actions

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has criticised the police for their handling of unrest in the capital, as elsewhere in the country at least three people died in a fire started by protesters. The protests – initially over increased allowances for lawmakers at a time of economic uncertainty for many Indonesians – were fuelled by anger over the death of a motorcycle taxi driver struck by an armoured vehicle during clashes on Thursday evening. They have mostly been concentrated in Jakarta...

Events

1 week ago Cancer patient in Japan dies in custody, prompting rare apology

Japanese police and prosecutors this week took the unusual step of offering an apology, flowers and deep bows at the grave of a wrongfully accused man who died of cancer without proper treatment because of prolonged detention. They were apologising to Shizuo Aishima, one of three executives at a machinery maker, Ohkawara Kakohki, based in Yokohama, near Tokyo, who were wrongfully arrested and charged in 2020 with the unauthorised export of sensitive industrial equipment. Aishima, who was in...

Events

1 week ago South Korea’s ‘Gangnam Style’ star Psy faces police probe over drug allegations

Psy, the South Korean pop phenomenon whose song “Gangnam Style” became a global hit in 2012, is under police investigation for allegedly obtaining prescription psychotropic drugs through intermediaries, bypassing required in-person hospital consultations. Seoul Seodaemun Police Station confirmed on Thursday that Psy – real name Park Jae-sang – and a university hospital doctor had been arrested on suspicion of violating South Korea’s medical law, according to the Yonhap news agency. The...

Events

1 week ago 2 Australian police officers killed in rare fatal shooting, manhunt underway

Australian police are hunting a gunman who shot dead two officers and wounded another on Tuesday as they tried to serve a warrant at a rural property in the state of Victoria. In a video statement, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said 10 officers were met with gunfire at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km (186 miles) northeast of the city of Melbourne, at around 10.30am. Bush said the officers were fired upon, with two killed and one seriously injured and being treated in...

Events

1 week ago 2 Australian police officers killed in rare fatal shooting, manhunt under way

A gunman opened fire on police Tuesday at a rural Australian property in a “horrific” confrontation that killed two officers and wounded a third. Police launched a major hunt for the man, who fled into the bush after the shooting in the town of Porepunkah in northeast Victoria, senior officers said. “The suspect for this horrific event is still at large,” Victoria state police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said. “We know that the person is heavily armed. We know that they are dangerous,” he told...

Events

1 week ago Singapore’s struggling hawker trade, Seoul’s smart policing: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘We’ll be Taliban soon’: Malaysian state to jail Muslims for skipping prayers Malaysia’s Terengganu state has warned it will start fully enforcing a sharia law enabling the imprisonment of Muslim men for up to two years if they skip Friday prayers without a valid reason...

Events

2 w. ago Protests erupt in Jakarta over Indonesian lawmakers ‘excessive pay’

Police fired tear gas and used a water cannon to push back hundreds of demonstrators trying to break into Indonesia’s parliament building on Monday to protest against what they called excessive pay and perks for legislators, witnesses said. Some protesters, clad in dark clothing, threw rocks and set off fireworks at riot police in the capital Jakarta. At least one motorcycle was set ablaze by protesters, but officials did not provide details of damage, any casualties or arrests. Protesters...

Events

2 w. ago Smart policing: Seoul deploys hologram ‘officer’ to deter crime

A life-size hologram of a police officer, installed in a South Korean park to boost public safety, is doing a good job preventing crime, with reports of criminal activities down by more than a fifth since it went up. Standing at about 1.7 metres (5ft 6in) tall and dressed in full uniform, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s 3D projection is based on a real-life officer, according to the E-daily newspaper. As the hologram had to be on display in all seasons, the dress uniform was chosen as it...

Events

2 w. ago ‘Bear attack’ victim in Japan was actually killed by son, police say

A man in northeastern Japan has been arrested on suspicion of killing his 93-year-old father, who police initially believed was the victim of a bear attack. Fujiyuki Shindo, 51, was arrested on Tuesday in the city of Daisen, Akita prefecture, after allegedly slashing his father, Fujiyoshi, to death with a knife at their family home. Authorities say the attack occurred on Monday, prompting an emergency call from the victim’s 80-year-old wife, who found her husband collapsed and bleeding in a...

Events

2 w. ago Singapore prides itself on cheap hawker meals but who should foot the bill?

Safi Sharif, 35, is among the few young Singaporeans who have entered the hawker trade out of a genuine passion for cooking. But he is feeling the strain – physically from 14-hour days that begin at 6.30am, and financially from the pressure to keep prices low despite rising costs. Safi cooks at an eatery at Project Penyek at Senja Hawker Centre in the city state’s western region. He told This Week in Asia that stalls there were expected to offer a budget meal option – in his case, a fried...

Politics

3 w. ago Murder of 2 Japanese nationals in Philippines triggers special police probe

Philippine authorities have launched a special investigation into the fatal shooting of two Japanese men in one of Manila’s busy entertainment districts, after CCTV footage captured a coordinated attack that is believed to involve at least four assailants. The double homicide occurred late Friday night on Miguel Malvar Street in the capital’s Ermita district – a popular area for tourists and nightlife – and near the five-star Sheraton Manila Bay hotel. The unit tasked with investigating the...

Events