It’s been a big year, what with protests in Hong Kong, the regional fallout as Huawei became a target in the continuing joust for influence between the United States and China, and a spate of controversies everywhere from South Korea to the Philippines. Here are some of the stories that most resonated with readers over the past 12 months – some are quirky, others topical, and many deal with how the shifting tides of geopolitics affect all those who live in this endlessly fascinating continent…
Indonesia bus crash: death toll hits 35, search ends after all missing accounted for
Indonesian authorities on Thursday ended their search for victims on a bus that plunged into a ravine on Sumatra island after its brakes apparently malfunctioned, killing at least 35 people and injuring 13 others.The accident occurred just before midnight Monday on a winding road in Pagaralam.The bus, which was headed for the provincial capital of Palembang from neighbouring Bengkulu province, fell into a 80m-deep ravine (262-foot) and crashed into a fast-flowing river after the driver lost…
Abused, fighting for justice: the ordeals of Asia’s migrant domestic workers in 2019
There are more than 21 million migrant domestic workers filling the care gap in Asia and the Pacific, but despite their essential role and economic contribution, many face abuse and have few rights. Here are some of their stories.MISTREATED, SICK AND FIREDFilipino domestic worker in Hong Kong fired after employer found out she has cervical cancerFilipino domestic worker Baby Jane Allas was fired in February by her Hong Kong employers after having been diagnosed with stage-three cervical cancer…
China’s new wave of ‘mid-tier’ investors set their sights on Singapore property
Guangzhou resident Jacky has plans to buy a two-bedroom condominium in Singapore when he visits the city state over the Lunar New Year break in January.With a S$2 million (US$1.48 million) budget, the businessman in his 30s intends to add the Lion City to the list of places he has invested in, which now includes the southeastern Chinese city of Shenzhen and Hong Kong.Jacky is among a new wave of “mid-tier” wannabe investors from mainland China’s burgeoning middle class who are looking to park…
Typhoon Phanfone slams into Philippines on Christmas Eve, stranding thousands
Typhoon Phanfone smashed into the central Philippines on Tuesday, ruining Christmas plans as thousands were left stranded at ports or told to leave their homes.The tropical storm was upgraded to a typhoon shortly before it made landfall on Christmas Eve in the mainly Catholic nation, with no immediate reports of casualties.It struck the southern tip of the impoverished island of Samar in the afternoon, packing gusts of up to 150 kilometres (90 miles) an hour.Officials said the region’s coastal…
At Malaysia’s KL Summit, the Muslim world’s most pressing concerns got no mention
Last week’s Kuala Lumpur Summit may have been interpreted as an attempt by non-Arab Muslim countries to offer a viable alternative to the Saudi-dominated Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), even though Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad insisted otherwise. Either way, it was not to be. Although the leaders of Iran, Turkey and Qatar attended, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan were no-shows. Khan was pressured by the Saudis to withdraw from…
Jay-Z, Serena Williams invest in Indonesian coffee chain Kopi Kenangan
Rapper-turned-mogul Jay-Z and tennis star Serene Williams are among the two celebrities who have thrown their weight behind Indonesian coffee chain Kopi Kenangan’s expansion plans, pumping in an undisclosed amount into the second round of the start-up’s Series A funding.Founded in 2017 by school friends Edward Tirtanata, James Prananto and Cynthia Chaerunnisa, Kopi Kenangan raised US$20 million from Sequoia India in June. Last year, Kopi Kenangan pulled in US$8 million in seed funding from…
Maguindanao massacre: how a manservant, a backhoe and a flurry of texts helped convict the Ampatuans
When a Philippine court last week sentenced dozens of police officers, militia men and two political warlords of a powerful Muslim clan to life imprisonment for a 2009 massacre in Maguindanao province, it did not use bullets or guns as evidence.This despite authorities recovering more than 100 empty shells from a variety of assault rifles at the scene of the crime, alongside 57 mutilated, bullet-ridden bodies.Which must have come as a shock to the legal team of Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jnr,…
India’s Narendra Modi defends citizenship law, says it is not anti-Muslim
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday led a rally for his Hindu nationalist party, following days of violent, sometimes deadly protests across India against a new citizenship law that critics say discriminates against Muslims.New Delhi’s state election early next year will be the first major electoral test for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party in the wake of the mass demonstrations seen after parliament cleared the Citizenship Amendment Act on December 11.Several thousand people took part…
Data of 100,000 Singapore defence personnel possibly ‘compromised’
The personal data of about 100,000 Singapore defence personnel may have been leaked in yet another cyberattack in the city state.Sensitive information held by two security force vendors, including full names, identification details, and a combination of contact numbers, email and residential addresses could be included in the potential data exposure, according to a statement published on the ministry’s website on Saturday.ST Logistics’ systems, which suffered a malware attack, held the personal…