More than a year after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Covid-19 outbreak a public health emergency, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) – a region with a combined GDP of US$9.34 trillion and a population of more than 650 million – has not recovered from the global economic tumult resulting from the pandemic.While some economies in the region do appear to be recovering, Asean governments are still prioritising the disbursement of stimulus measures for short-term…
A Chinese woman found a video of herself on Pornhub. Her new app aims to help survivors of image-based abuse
It was a sunny spring afternoon last year when Tisiphone, 25, received a phone call from a male friend that turned her life upside down.“He told me that I was on Pornhub. Of course, my first reaction was that it must be a mistake. How could it be me?” said the Chinese woman, who asked for her details to be kept private and to be identified as Tisiphone – one of the Furies, the Greek goddesses of vengeance.When she opened the link sent by her friend, her heart sank in disbelief as she saw…
Chinese crackdown on online fraud forces citizens to leave Myanmar’s ‘Little China’
At a hotel in Wa State, near the Myanmar-China border, Chinese national Li Jiajie is growing increasingly desperate by the day.The 24-year-old has been surviving on his savings since last month when he quit his job as an assistant chef after Chinese security officials instructed all citizens to leave northeast Myanmar.But Li is uncertain how long he might have to wait before he can enter quarantine in Pangkham, the main city in the state, before crossing the border to reach his homeland.“Only a…
South Korea summons Japanese ambassador after diplomat says Moon is ‘masturbating’ if he expects Suga summit
The South Korean government has summoned the Japanese ambassador to the foreign ministry over crude remarks about President Moon Jae-in and his attempt to organise a summit with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga during the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.Hirohisa Soma, the deputy head of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, reportedly ridiculed Moon’s chances of holding a summit with Suga during the Games, accusing the South Korean president of “masturbating”.In response, South Korea’s First Vice Foreign…
Tokyo Olympics: will European shuttlers threaten Asia’s badminton dominance?
Our Tokyo Trail series looks at key issues and athletes in the run-up to the 2020 Olympics, which are scheduled for late July.In 2014, European badminton hit its nadir at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England. For the first time in 115 years, no shuttler from the continent reached the semi-finals of the prestigious All England Open – the world’s oldest badminton tournament – with competitors from Asia instead filling up every final-four slot in all five events.Their overwhelming…
UK ‘return to work’ guide leaves decisions in the hands of employers
UK government guidance puts the onus on individual employers to determine the best way in which to keep their workers safe from the spread of Covid-19, an expert has said.
UK regulators promote diversity and inclusion in financial services firms
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Bank of England are asking for views on plans to improve diversity and inclusion in the financial services sector.
Footballer abuse should spur employers to review social media policies
The racist abuse directed at footballers following the England team’s defeat in the final of the UEFA European Championship last weekend should spur employers to review whether they have appropriate policies in place to sanction any employees responsible for such behaviour, an expert has said.
Malaysian MP Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor cleared of corruption after appeal court overturns conviction
Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, a former top lieutenant of ex-Malaysian leader Najib Razak, on Friday became the latest political figure in the country to be absolved of corruption charges after an appellate court quashed an earlier conviction.The former secretary general of the powerful United Malays National Organisation (Umno) was among the handful of top leaders – including Najib – who were put on trial following the party’s shock defeat in the 2018 general election.The party returned to power…
Coronavirus: Southeast Asia’s deaths skyrocket as Delta variant engulfs region
Southeast Asia is emerging as a battlefield for one of the world’s worst Covid-19 outbreaks, fuelled by the fast-spreading Delta variant amid a slow roll-out of vaccines.The momentum of the region’s outbreak has now eclipsed previously hard-hit places like Latin America and India, with cases jumping 41 per cent over the past week to more than half a million, according to Bloomberg analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. Deaths rose 39 per cent in the seven days through to Wednesday, the…