Month: March 2018

While he was growing up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Dennis Yeung was unaware of the differences between himself and the other boys. Sure, he was known as “Ching”, but even here he may have caught a break. One white classmate was known as “Buddha” because he was fat. Another kid was “Fungus” owing to wad of peach fuzz on his face.
Now, 68, the jovial retired mechanical engineer recalls that it wasn’t until he started shaving that the difference…

By mutual agreement, the reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to Beijing and his meetings with President Xi Jinping last week were meant to be kept top secret until he left China.
The Chinese authorities, which equally value secrecy, were happy to oblige. Official media reports about Kim’s visit were not released until he was safely back in his own country on Wednesday morning.
This has given rise to black humour on Chinese social media platforms. One of the better…

Japan is sticking with tradition and not allowing female imperial family members to attend the enthronement ritual of Crown Prince Naruhito when he takes over from his father Emperor Akihito.
Naruhito will formally succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1 next year, a day after Emperor Akihito steps down.
Announcing the plans for the imperial succession rites, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said only male imperial family members will attend the ritual, which sees the new emperor…

Professor Redzuan Othman, the vice-chancellor of the University of Selangor, has often insisted numbers do not lie. And that his statistical models are empirically solid. Moreover, based on this week’s move by Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government to change constituency boundaries, he now believes the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition will win big again. Redzuan’s predictions have been right on several occasions, and he is a serious and professional pollster. But there is…

EU lenders and clearing houses which currently ‘passport’ their services into the UK should be able to rely on their existing regulatory permissions until the end of the post-Brexit transitional period, UK regulators have said.

It was a hot, clear day. The kind of day when, a few months ago, the beach here would have been crowded with tourists deciding whether to drink a US$1 beer or a US$1 fresh coconut juice.
Instead, the beach was almost deserted. Women wandered with trays of fresh lobsters perfectly balanced on their heads or carrying kits for performing pedicures, touting in vain for customers.
Men lounged on chairs at their restaurants offering barbecued squid and local curries. But the only patrons were stray…

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published its draft code of practice for master trusts, ahead of the entry into force of the new authorisation and supervision regime on 1 October 2018.

Commercial tenants holding leases entered into since land and building transaction tax (LBTT) was introduced in Scotland are subject to additional obligations to submit regular returns to Revenue Scotland to ensure that they pay tax in line with the actual rent paid.

Australia’s independent infrastructure advisory body has updated its pipeline of planned projects for 2018, which contains 96 priority projects and initiatives with a combined value of AU$55 billion (€34.1bn).

India on Thursday vowed to strengthen its online security after high school exam papers were leaked ahead of crucial tests, forcing millions of students to resit their finals.
Education Minister Prakash Javadekar said an investigation was underway into how the mathematics and economics papers were accessed and spread via WhatsApp before the exam.
“The criminals who did this won’t be spared. I am sure police will catch these people soon. Let me assure that we will further improve the…