NewsAFP NewsUK's Johnson wins historic victory in Brexit election
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday hailed a political "earthquake" after securing a sweeping election win, which clears the way for Britain to finally leave the European Union next month after years of political deadlock. With almost all results declared for the 650-seat parliament, Johnson
- NewsReuters
In a first, Irish nationalists overtake unionists at UK election
Northern Ireland elected more Irish nationalists to Britain's parliament than pro-British unionists for the first time on Friday, after the largest nationalist party Sinn Fein narrowly won the final of the region's 18 seats. The cross-community Alliance Party took the final seat, adding to the
- NewsReuters
How Boris Johnson's election gamble paid off
The mantra of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party during the national election campaign was aimed at harnessing voter frustration at a parliamentary logjam over Britain’s exit from the European Union. Beyond the traditional strategy of swaying voters in swing districts held
NewsAFP NewsJapan's Abe planning to cancel trip to India over security fears: media
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is planning to scrap a visit to northeast India as the security situation there deteriorates following the passage of a controversial citizenship bill, media reported Friday. Abe had announced plans to visit India from Sunday to Tuesday for talks with Prime Minister
- NewsSouth China Morning Post
China’s actions ‘not in accord with US values of science ethics’, report says
Research organisations in the United States should work more closely with the intelligence community to protect against unwelcome foreign intrusions, a science advisory group has recommended amid a flurry of investigations into Chinese researchers working in the country.The report – by the Jason group
- NewsReuters
President Ram Nath Kovind disregards protests, signs citizenship bill into law
A divisive citizenship bill has been signed into law in India, a move that comes amid widespread protests in the country's northeast that could force the cancellation of a visit by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Two people were killed and 11 injured on Thursday when police opened fire on
- NewsMalay Mail
Najib’s 1MDB trial gets more hearing dates, up until August 2020
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — The High Court today fixed additional hearing dates until next August for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s corruption trial involving 25 charges over the 1Malaysia Development...
NewsAFP RelaxBoeing acknowledges 737 MAX won't fly until 2020
Chastised by the top US aviation regulator, Boeing on Thursday at last acknowledged that its 727 MAX aircraft will not return to the skies until next year. Steve Dickson, head of the Federal Aviation Administration, met Thursday with Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg to express concerns the company is
NewsUber promises new measures to combat sex assaults in France
Ride hailing app Uber on Thursday pledged new safety measures in France after the firm's French boss Steve Salom was summoned by equalities minister Marlene Schiappa. Salom told AFP after the meeting he had pledged that Uber would contact the authorities to pass on all available information in the
- NewsMalay Mail
S. Korean prosecution unit appeals against actor Kang Ji-hwan's suspended sentence for rape
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — The South Korean prosecution has submitted an appeal against the ruling of a three-year suspended sentence for South Korean actor Kang Ji-hwan for raping two women. The...
NewsVolcano disaster puts spotlight on NZ adventure tourism
Adventure tourism is a key part of New Zealand's international appeal but the White Island volcano eruption is a tragic reminder that such activities carry genuine risk that must be better explained to travellers, experts say. The tourism industry as a whole is among New Zealand's biggest earners
StyleAFP RelaxGermany celebrates 250-year-old 'pop star' Beethoven
Germany is pulling out the stops for the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth with more than 700 events, including homages by Hollywood actor Christoph Waltz and electronic outfit Kraftwerk. -- December 16: Ludwig van Beethoven's home in Bonn reopens to the public as a museum after
NewsAFP NewsTropical Indonesia's tiny glaciers to melt away in a decade: study
Indonesia's little-known glaciers are melting so fast they could disappear in a decade, a new study says, underscoring the imminent threat posed by climate change to ice sheets in tropical countries. As the COP 25 summit wraps up in Madrid, nations are struggling to finalise rules for the 2015 landmark
- NewsSouth China Morning Post
Almost HK$1 billion spent on police overtime pay since Hong Kong protests broke out in June
Nearly HK$1 billion (US$128.2 million) has been spent on police overtime pay over the past six months of social unrest in Hong Kong, the Security Bureau has revealed in a paper submitted to the Legislative Council.The amount was disclosed as lawmakers met on Friday to scrutinise the government’s funding
- NewsReuters
Explainer: Why New Zealand's volcano alerts aren't forecasts
New Zealand's geological agency downgraded its "alert level" for the White Island volcano this week - at the same time its own scientists said another eruption similar to Monday's deadly blast was increasingly likely. The apparent juxtaposition, which has confused many observers, arises
- NewsMalay Mail
Najib wins court bid to see Justo’s 1MDB documents in MACC’s possession
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 -– The High Court today allowed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to inspect the cache of documents on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) that whistleblower Xavier...
- NewsMalay Mail
AG says will respect court ruling allowing bail for Sosma detainees
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Tan Sri Tommy Thomas has directed the Attorney General’s Chambers not to contest the High Court's decision that the denial of bail under the Security Offences (Special...
NewsAFP NewsPath to a softer Brexit? UK PM's win gives him leeway
The scale of the Conservatives' projected victory in Britain's election makes Brexit all but inevitable, but could lead to a softer break with the European Union, analysts said on Friday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson looks set to win a comfortable majority in parliament after Thursday's
NewsAFP NewsIndia protest hotspot offline as two shot dead
Internet access has been cut in India's northeastern city of Guwahati after violent protests over a new citizenship law saw two demonstrators shot dead by police, authorities said Friday. On Thursday, police fired live and blank rounds as thousands of demonstrators in Guwahati and elsewhere took
- NewsMalay Mail
Bar Council wants Pakatan to implement promises on human right reforms
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — The Malaysian Bar Council wants the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to implement promises made in their manifesto on human right reforms. Its president Abdul Fareed Abdul...
NewsAFP NewsChina ramps up campaign to redefine 'human rights'
China is ramping up a global campaign to promote its own vision of human rights, inviting the likes of North Korea and Syria to a forum on the topic and drafting other countries to back its policies at the UN. Western nations have condemned China's rights record, including a security crackdown that
- NewsMalay Mail
Will Zuraida be the fall guy in PKR row?
COMMENTARY, Dec 13 — The fierce infighting in PKR between president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy Datuk Seri Azmin Ali seems to have subsided. The lull does not mean they will reconcile....
- NewsReuters
UK Liberal Democrat leader Swinson loses seat to Scottish National Party
The leader of Britain's pro-European Union Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, lost her parliamentary seat to the Scottish National Party on Friday. The Liberal Democrats had hoped to win over 'remain' voters by pledging to overturn Britain's 2016 vote to leave the EU but an exit poll predicted
