Experts believe the military stand-off between Chinese and Indian forces in the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir has made South Asia the most dangerous hotspot in a new cold war between Beijing and its United States-led rivals in the Indo-Pacific theatre. By deploying troops to press an enhanced claim to the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, the northernmost Indian-administered region of Kashmir, China has significantly upped the probability of pre-existing disputes between India and Pakistan…
US lighting company Alpan joins an exodus of manufacturers leaving China to get around higher tariffs from trade war
Alpan Lighting Products, a US manufacturer of solar lamps, is shifting production from China to Indonesia, joining droves of companies looking to escape higher tariffs triggered by the trade war with the US.PT CDS Asia, a unit of Alpan, will invest US$14 million to build a factory in an industrial zone in Central Java, Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board said in a statement. The export-oriented facility is scheduled to begin production later this year and may employee 3,500 people, it…
Will Malaysia’s Chini by-election boost Perikatan Nasional – or Umno?
Malaysia’s ruling coalition Perikatan Nasional is at pains to present a united front as it contests its first by-election – and while component party Barisan Nasional is widely expected to win, analysts say its margin of victory could shape the country’s political landscape before the next national vote.The Chini by-election was triggered by the death of its former assemblyman and is being contested by two independents and a candidate from Barisan Nasional, a racially segmented alliance led by…
Indonesia wants firms relocating from China. Why are so few coming?
Indonesia has set up a task force to attract businesses leaving China and is in talks with the US government to help American firms make the move – but there have been few takers, with analysts saying there are still obstacles to doing business there.Earlier this week, President Joko Widodo announced that seven companies, including South Korea’s LG and Japan’s Panasonic, had confirmed their relocation to Indonesia. Just one firm from the United States, light product maker Alpan, said it was…
Goo Hara: late K-pop star’s ex-boyfriend jailed for sex video blackmail
The ex-boyfriend of late K-pop star Goo Hara was jailed by an appeal court on Thursday for blackmailing her over sex videos that played a part in her apparent suicide.In 2018, Goo – a member of former girl group Kara – told local media that her ex had threatened “to end her entertainment career” by leaking their sex videos.A CCTV clip of the couple showed the singer kneeling before him seemingly begging him not to.Goo was found dead at her home in November, and is widely believed to have taken…
Myanmar jade mine landslide leaves 100 dead after mining waste heap collapse
A landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar killed at least 113 people, with more feared dead, authorities said on Thursday, after a heap of mining waste collapsed into a lake, triggering a wave of mud and water that buried many workers.The miners were collecting stones in the jade-rich Hpakant area of Kachin state when the “muddy wave” crashed onto them, after heavy rain, the fire service department said in a Facebook post.Rescuers recovered 113 bodies, the department said, but more were…
Tokyo suburb of Yamato bans pedestrians from staring at smartphones while walking
A Tokyo suburb on Wednesday imposed Japan’s first ban on a habit seen around the world: pedestrians glued to their phone screens while walking, sometimes dangerously oblivious to their surroundings.Visitors arriving at the railway station in Yamato City were greeted with banners announcing the new prohibition, which applies to all foot journeys around the neighbourhood’s public roads, squares and parks.“Using smartphones while walking is banned. Please operate your smartphones after you stop…
Najib’s 1MDB trial on hold to let him join Malaysian political events
The 1MDB trial for Malaysia’s former leader Najib Razak has been put on hold, allowing him to join the political campaign at an upcoming by-election and deliver a speech when parliament sits.The judge agreed to continue the proceedings on July 17, after Najib’s lawyer submitted a request to vacate the trial on Thursday due to a foreign ministry meeting he had to attend.The lawyer then requested a later resumption to let Najib join the Chini state seat by-election campaign this week and attend a…
Singapore election: the parties taking on the PAP on July 10
The nomination process for Singapore’s July 10 general election closed on Tuesday with 192 candidates filing their papers to contest the 93 parliamentary seats.For the second consecutive election – and only the second time since the country’s independence – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s People’s Action Party (PAP) will face opponents in all seats.Many political observers expect the ruling party to comfortably extend its uninterrupted rule of Singapore that stretches back to 1959.Singapore’s…
Thousands flee homes fearing military ‘clearance’ against Rakhine rebels
Thousands of people in an area of western Myanmar where there have been clashes between the government and ethnic rebels have been fleeing from their villages over the past week after an evacuation order from officials.The Rakhine state government in an order last Tuesday instructed village administrators in Rathedaung township to tell residents to stay away from their homes because of military plans to conduct a “clearance operation” against the rebels. “Clearance operation” is Myanmar…