KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will set up a royal commission of inquiry to study the handling of cases involving three disputed islets in the Singapore Strait, the Cabinet said on Wednesday (Jan 24). Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously called for a review of a 2018 decision by Malaysia – underContinue Reading
The latest decision is “another step in the right direction, but monetary policy by itself is not enough to boost economic momentum”, Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, told AFP. “A more proactive fiscal stance focusing on consumption is more important and effective,” said Zhang. “TheContinue Reading
SEOUL: North Korea is developing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for everything from how to respond to COVID-19 and safeguard nuclear reactors to wargaming simulations and government surveillance, according to a new study. International sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons program may have hindered North Korea’s attempts to secureContinue Reading
Submitting evidence for the case in December, Pita told reporters outside court he was “confident” he would receive justice. He reiterated in an interview with AFP late last year that he would take another tilt at the premiership, saying he was “not giving up”. The Constitutional Court case revolves aroundContinue Reading
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s lawmakers are set to vote on a social media regulation bill on Wednesday (Jan 24) which opposition politicians and activists allege will muzzle free speech. The Online Safety Bill proposes jail terms for content that a five-member commission considers illegal and make social media platforms such asContinue Reading
“As far as the policy implications, (policymakers) are caught between a rock and a hard place,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner of SPI Asset Management in Bangkok. A particular X factor, he said, is whether Donald Trump wins a second term as US president in November and heaps additional pressureContinue Reading
BEIJING: China and Nauru formally re-established diplomatic relations on Wednesday (Jan 24), after the tiny South Pacific nation cut ties with Taiwan. Officials from the two countries held a signing ceremony in Beijing, state news agency Xinhua said. In a post-election blow to Taiwan, Nauru unexpectedly announced last Monday that itContinue Reading
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia: Six people were killed and 14 injured in a gas explosion caused by a vehicle crash in Mongolia’s capital on Wednesday (Jan 24), authorities said. A vehicle carrying 60 tons of liquified natural gas (LNG) collided with a car and exploded early Wednesday, the Mongolian National Emergency ManagementContinue Reading
SEOUL: North Korea fired several cruise missiles towards the Yellow Sea on Wednesday (Jan 24), Seoul’s military said, the latest in a series of tension-raising moves by the nuclear-armed state. Pyongyang has accelerated weapons testing in the new year, including tests of what it called an “underwater nuclear weapon system” andContinue Reading
The Iowa caucuses last week marked the official start of the US election season. But a lot can happen between now and November 5, when American voters head to the polls.
Nick Harper joins Teresa Tang with a look at the issues, the hopefuls and the possible roadblocks candidates will face heading to the White House.