News & Politics

In the annals of Chinese history, the Western Jin dynasty stands out as a stark illustration of how a seemingly triumphant empire can implode within the span of a single generation. Founded in 265 CE by Sima Yan—better known to history as Emperor Wu of Jin—the dynasty emerged from the ashes of the Cao Wei state after Sima Zhao’s death and his son’s acceptance of the Wei throne. Within fifteen years, Sima Yan’s forces had extinguished the last of the Three Kingdoms, conquering Eastern Wu in 280 CE and briefly unifying China under a single banner.

A short video posted on China’s social‑media platform Weibo has sparked a wave of conversation that is resonating far beyond the platform’s scrolling feeds. Titled “裸辞后才意识到原来人生真的会突然改变” – literally, “Only after resigning nakedly did I realize that life can really change suddenly” – the clip captures a sentiment that many Chinese workers, and increasingly employees across the globe, are beginning to vocalise: the uneasy freedom that follows a “裸辞” or “naked resignation,” the act of quitting a job without another one lined up.

South Korea announced a sweeping special pardon on Wednesday, restoring rights and commuting sentences for 836,687 individuals as the nation prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day on August 15. The unprecedented clemency, described by officials as a “special amnesty” to celebrate the historic milestone, reaches far beyond the usual political pardons, encompassing a broad swath of society from former politicians and labor activists to people penalised for livelihood‑related fishing offences and drivers whose licences were suspended.