South Korea’s national badminton body is filing a complaint with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) over Chinese player Chen Qingchen, who was heard repeatedly yelling profanities during matches against South Korean players at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.The 24-year-old Chen, ranked No 2 in the world by the BWF, could be heard shouting expletives in Mandarin that carry a similar meaning to saying f*** in English during a group stage women’s doubles match at the Games on July 27.She first used the…
As ‘pandemic premier’ Muhyiddin survives yet again, what’s next for him – and Malaysia?
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has scored again. Despite all the excitement in the opposition ranks – including another claim that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had the numbers to take over as premier; a youth demonstration; a march by MPs to demand the opening of parliament, after it was suspended again for a Covid-19-related issue; the resignation of a member of Cabinet; and an attempt by the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) to take over – Muhyiddin remains. One more time, the…
Support for ‘flexi-job’ apprenticeships in England under revised scheme
Changes to the way in which apprenticeships in England are managed and funded will allow apprentices to work with multiple employers and in sectors with more flexible working patterns, the government has announced.
‘Lacklustre’ R&D expenditure statistics a cause for concern, says tax expert
The slight increase reported in the amount of money businesses are spending on research and development (R&D) in the UK is a cause for concern if the UK government is to meet its stated target of increasing total investment in R&D to 2.4% of GDP by 2027, a tax expert has said.
Malaysian politics: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin says he will prove he holds majority in parliament
Malaysia’s embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, under intense pressure to resign, on Wednesday insisted he retained the support of a majority of lawmakers and said he would accede to a no-confidence vote in parliament when the legislature next sits in September.Muhyiddin, 74, made the announcement during a televised address shortly after an audience with the country’s constitutional monarch, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.In Malaysia’s constant crisis, conditions are perfect for…
As Cambodian workers flee Thailand’s coronavirus surge, exodus overwhelms border facilities
Vann Thoeurn, his wife and their teenage son had been surviving on a construction site in Thailand for months despite having no work or salary.They had been working for six years on different developments in Bangkok but when work slowed after the outbreak of Covid-19, they made the decision to leave, spending their savings on bus tickets back to Cambodia, aiming to return to their family in Kampong Cham province.Thoeurn, 41, recalls his wife experiencing breathing problems days before their…
Coronavirus: Prayuth takes aim at Thailand’s celebrities as vaccine outrage mounts
First it was a charge against a teenage rapper, next the threat of defamation suits against celebrities trolling the Thai government over its stalling vaccine roll-out, then finally a ban on all media reporting “false messages” over the coronavirus response.Thailand’s notoriously thin-skinned prime minister, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, appears to have become especially sensitive to his critics as the coronavirus runs rampant, sinks the economy and exposes his administration to accusations of…
German warship heads for South China Sea as it deploys on six-month Indo-Pacific mission
Germany dispatched a frigate to the Indo-Pacific region on Monday for the first time in almost 20 years, in a move that could put strain on Berlin’s delicate relationship with Beijing.The “Bayern” sailed from Wilhelmshaven harbour with more than 200 soldiers on board for a six-month mission to strengthen Germany’s presence in the region that will take it to Singapore, South Korea and Australia.Crucially, in December it will also pass through the South China Sea, a flashpoint of tensions between…
How tools of disclosure can be used to combat offshore fraud
A recent ruling by a court in the Cayman Islands will be welcomed by victims of fraud that go to court in the UK seeking to recover stolen assets transferred overseas.
China’s carbon market starts trading on national scale
A nationwide online carbon market has opened in China for the first time. Previous online carbon trading was restricted to certain regions.