Myanmar forms interim government before election but top general still in charge

Myanmar’s military on Thursday nominally transferred power to a civilian-led interim government ahead of a planned December election, with the junta chief remaining in charge of the war-torn country in his other role as acting president. An announcement in state media said a decree that granted power to the military after its 2021 coup had […]

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Japan sees red as Interpol drops arrest request for whale activist Paul Watson

By Julian Ryall Interpol’s decision to drop a decade-old red notice against Paul Watson, the outspoken founder of marine conservation group Sea Shepherd, has sparked outrage in Japan, with critics accusing the international police agency of bowing to Western bias and undermining justice for alleged attacks on Japanese whalers. Interpol announced on Tuesday that it […]

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Malaysia’s top court to hear Anwar’s immunity bid in sexual harassment case

By Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s highest court said on Monday that it would consider Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s application for legal immunity from a civil sexual harassment suit, amid long-standing allegations against the veteran leader. The Court of Appeal ruled that proceedings must be postponed to allow Anwar to pursue a constitutional challenge over whether a […]

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‘Japanese First’ party emerges as election force with tough immigration talk

The fringe far-right Sanseito party emerged as one of the biggest winners in Japan’s upper house election on Sunday, gaining support with warnings of a “silent invasion” of immigrants, and pledges for tax cuts and welfare spending. Birthed on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, […]

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Why did Singapore name cyberthreat group UNC3886 and is it linked to China?

By Jean Iau Singapore has made a rare move to identify the UNC3886 cyberthreat group that it says is attacking local critical infrastructure. UNC3886 has been identified by Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant as a China-linked cyber espionage group, although Beijing’s embassy in Singapore has vehemently rejected the claim. Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for National Security K […]

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White Coats, Red Lines: Kazakhstan Health Minister Demands End to Violence

By Vagit Ismailov Kazakhstan’s Minister of Health, Akmaral Alnazarova, has issued a public appeal urging an end to violence against medical personnel, following two brutal attacks on healthcare workers in Karaganda and Kostanay. “Dear citizens of Kazakhstan, I am addressing you as a specialist who has worked as a nurse in a maternity hospital, as […]

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Is Jho Low in Shanghai? Malaysia’s Anwar vows to investigate claims about 1MDB fugitive

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Saturday that Malaysia had not received any information regarding allegations that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, commonly referred to as Jho Low, was living in China. Anwar mentioned that he was planning to investigate the situation involving the central figure of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal in […]

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‘Japanese First’ party shakes up election with alarm over foreigners

An upstart party is gaining support ahead of elections in Japan by railing against a ‘silent invasion’ of immigrants, pushing the government to tackle fears about foreigners as it drags into the mainstream rhetoric once confined to the political fringe. Birthed on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal […]

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