Japanese restaurants and butchers specialising in prized Kobe beef have welcomed the introduction of DNA tests to weed out inferior impostors.To protect the reputations and livelihoods of beef farmers, the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association will next month start collecting and storing samples from cattle registered with the organisation. In future, when a Kobe cow is slaughtered the DNA of the meat will be verified against the database and certified as genuine Kobe beef…
Death of Malay firefighter in temple riots ruled to be ‘criminal act’, risks heightening tensions
The death last year of a Malaysian firefighter after he responded to violent clashes over the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple was “a criminal act by two or more persons unknown”, the Coroner’s Court ruled on Friday.Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, 24, was injured during riots in November and taken to hospital, where he died three weeks later. The death of the Malay firefighter heightened tensions around race relations in multiracial Malaysia and Friday’s finding has the potential to further…
Australian PM plays down pivot to US, as Chinese academics push Beijing’s line in Australia
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has denied toeing Donald Trump’s line on Beijing, days after backing the US president’s stance that China should no longer be treated as a developing country under international trade rules.“Australia’s view is based on our national interest on all of these things and that’s what guides our own comments, our own discussions,” Morrison told reporters in New York on Thursday as he wrapped up a six-day visit to the United States.In a veiled reference to…
Singapore-backed student events app Get in data breach, leaving details of 30,000 users at risk
An event ticketing and payment app popular with university students across Asia and backed by Singapore’s state investment firm Temasek has suffered a second data breach, potentially exposing the personal details of more than 30,000 users in the city state.Get, which allows campus clubs and societies to list their social events and sell tickets, repaired the flaw after it was discovered earlier this month, a cybersecurity expert said, but it had yet to notify the users whose information may…
Saudi Arabia accuses Australia of ‘sympathising’ with Christchurch mosque killer
Saudi Arabia has accused the Australian government of racism and of supporting anti-Islamic terrorists like the alleged Christchurch shooter, in an extraordinary dispute that has erupted at the United Nations.Earlier this week, Australia led a coalition of countries condemning Saudi Arabia over a raft of human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.Australia’s ambassador to the UN, Sally Mansfield, delivered a statement…
Inside the Thai bars where ‘child entertainers’ are trafficked and put to work
A hug, a hand on her knee, a kiss on the cheek: teenage waitress Pim would not allow the customers to go any further at a karaoke bar in northern Thailand where she was found in a police raid.The 16-year-old was one of four teenage bar staff who were uncovered earlier this month in an anti-trafficking operation in Chiang Mai, a tourist hotspot with a well-established sex trade.The four girls, all under the age of 18, told social workers after the raid on two bars that they were not forced to…
Singapore renews military bases pact with US amid deepening defence ties with China
The renewal of a three-decade old pact between the United States and Singapore that grants US forces access to the Lion City’s naval and air bases signals that Washington views the city state as a vital part of its Asia strategy for a long time to come, analysts have said.One maritime observer said the renewal of the 1990 agreement – which was all but a formality – was likely to be viewed by China with some trepidation, as it comes amid US efforts to enhance its forward presence in the Asia…
Najib Razak’s defence team wants Jho Low ‘produced as soon as possible’ to determine truth in 1MDB corruption trial
The defence team of Najib Razak on Tuesday called for fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, to be produced as soon as possible in the former Malaysian premier’s corruption trial stemming from the 1MDB scandal.Counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said Jho Low should quickly be brought in so the court could determine the truth in Najib’s case.“The Inspector-General of police (IGP) has said not more than a month ago that they [the police] got Jho Low and they know exactly…
Shinzo Abe heads to US hoping for no new auto tariffs and de-escalation with Iran
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe embarks Monday on a trip to New York with two deals in mind – an envisaged Japan-US trade agreement and the strained Iran nuclear accord at the centre of rising tensions in the Middle East.Abe is scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly for the seventh straight year, giving a speech on Tuesday that will emphasise Japan’s support for a multilateral approach to tackling global issues ranging from climate change to marine plastic debris.One major highlight of…
Indonesia’s biggest taxi firm hopes electric vehicles can counter threat from ride-hailing apps like Grab and Gojek
In 2015, the shares of Indonesia’s largest taxi company were soaring, while its revenue reached a record high. Then came Uber, followed by Grab and Gojek, Southeast Asia’s answer to the revolutionary ride-hailing app.Competition from the technology titans wiped out US$1.7 billion, or almost 80 per cent, of PT Blue Bird’s market value from a peak. Revenue plunged 23 per cent in three years and the latest quarterly earnings fell to a record low. But rather than give up, the 54-year-old cab…