In Japan, free BitTorrent porn downloads bring legal trouble and fines
Japanese BitTorrent users who thought they were simply downloading adult videos for free are increasingly receiving court notices and demands for hundreds of thousands of yen, as copyright holders step up efforts to identify users through their IP addresses. One self-employed man in his 40s living in Tokyo began using the file-sharing software after reading about it online. He would start downloading adult videos before going to bed and switch the software off the next morning, giving him access...
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Malaysia’s Mahathir in hospital for observation a day after wife’s death
Malaysia’s two-time prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to hospital for observation, his office confirmed on Wednesday, in the latest health scare involving the 101-year-old. Mahathir was admitted to the National Heart Institute on Tuesday night, barely a day after his wife of 70 years, Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, died at the same hospital. It is unclear why the former leader was admitted. Sufi Yusoff, Mahathir’s long-time aide, told reporters that they were awaiting diagnosis by his...
Can pay-as-you-earn funding fix Southeast Asia’s higher education debt problem?
A Singapore-based education financing programme is testing whether income-linked funding can widen access to higher education without an unmanageable debt burden, a model analysts say could help ease repayment pressure faced by graduates across Southeast Asia. Global Financing for Education’s (GFE) Pay It Forward scheme, publicly launched in September, provides students with funding for their education in return for 3 to 10 per cent of their subsequent income for one to 10 years. The...
Gaza on stage: concert activism meets Malaysia, Singapore red lines
American rapper Macklemore lost his spot on British pop star Ed Sheeran’s US tour after speaking up for Palestinians, but in Malaysia it was Sheeran’s music which ended up being pulled from the airwaves. In neighbouring Singapore, British band Massive Attack faced a different kind of fallout, barred from returning after members displayed a Palestinian flag during a July concert. The contrasting cases highlight the competing pressures on foreign artists in Southeast Asia, where political...
Prison Officials Suspended After Inmates Are Found Living in Luxury
At an Indonesian prison complex near Jakarta, inspectors found expensive cars, spacious quarters with flat-screen TVs and a golf simulator under construction.
Dozens Killed in Myanmar Military Bombing
An airstrike on a bustling market in rebel territory left at least 50 people dead, in one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in months.
Turkish Confectioner Hands Out Doughnuts to Honor the Dead
In Turkey, People who have recently lost loved ones hire doughnut makers to hand out fried dough balls, known as lokma, to honor the dead and spread their blessings.
Taiwan Should Be Kept Off the Negotiating Table
The fact that Trump didn’t give anything new away on Taiwan shouldn’t obscure how much ground he has already conceded to Xi.
Why Are China and Japan Still So Focused on the ‘Enemy State Clauses’ of the UN Charter?
The UNGA voted to delete those sections 20 years ago. But the issue has acquired renewed political significance as Sino-Japanese relations have deteriorated.
Kyrgyz Presidential Election Set for January 2027, Candidates Start to Step Forward
So far, incumbent President Sadyr Japarov and Omurbek Suvanaliev – a politician and former minister of internal affairs – have announced their intentions to run.
After the Flood, Can China, Nepal, and India Move From Earth Observation to Regional Preparedness?
A blueprint for building resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.
Pakistan’s Escalating Response to Cross-Border Terrorism
The recurring clashes represent the failure of months of diplomacy and external mediation. Where does the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship go from here?