Coup rumours swirled in the Philippine capital over the weekend, with the military placed on “red alert” and all leave for its personnel cancelled, ahead of planned protests against corruption in state-funded flood control projects.
Sources close to and within the military confirmed to This Week in Asia that certain private individuals, former generals and groups were trying to persuade active-duty officers to withdraw their support for Commander-in-Chief and President Ferdinand Marcos…
Landslides in Malaysia’s Sabah cut power to almost 250,000 people, kill 1
Nearly a quarter of a million people were left without electricity over the weekend in Malaysia’s Sabah state after torrential rain triggered landslides that killed at least one person and took out a transmission tower that cut power across a large area.
Footage shared widely on social media showed the tower leaning precariously after it was hit by a landslide in the district of Penampang on the state’s west coast on Saturday evening.
The incident cut power supply to six districts in Sabah’s…
Recent decision ‘reinforces UAE’s position as an arbitration-friendly jurisdiction’
A recent decision has established a precedent that arbitration awards do not require signatures on every page to be enforceable under United Arab Emirates (UAE) law, which experts say will reinforce “the UAE’s position as an arbitration-friendly jurisdiction”.
Roblox agrees to anti-child grooming measures in Australia, watchdog says
Gaming giant Roblox Corp has agreed to curb the risk of adults grooming children on its platform in Australia, the country’s online watchdog said on Monday.
The popular site, which lets players build their own games, has committed to bringing in new measures by the end of 2025, said eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.
Australia has been a leader in global efforts to prevent internet harm, introducing a ban on social media access to children under 16 and other measures focused on child…
Indonesian nickel mine reopened despite environmental outcry
The Indonesian government has allowed a nickel mining company to resume operations in an eastern archipelago, a minister said on Sunday, despite outcry over damage it could cause to the pristine islands.
The cluster of islands and shoals in Southwest Papua Province sits in the Coral Triangle and is thought to be one of the world’s most pristine reefs, while its clear blue waters make it a popular diving spot.
PT Gag Nikel, a subsidiary of state mining company Aneka Tambang, resumed operations on…
‘Unimaginable’: Air India crash families speak out on authorities’ ‘silence’
The sole survivor of the Air India crash is still in India recovering from his injuries while British families of victims have told the Foreign Secretary they are still facing “silence and indifference” from authorities, according to reports.
Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, survived the disaster on June 12 that killed 241 people on board, and his wife has said he is grieving his brother Ajay, who had been sitting across the aisle.
Two families who received other victims’ remains in their…
Myanmar air strike kills at least 19 youngsters while they sleep
A Myanmar ethnic minority armed group said on Saturday that a junta air strike killed at least 19 students, including children, in western Rakhine state.
The Arakan Army (AA) is engaged in a fierce fight with Myanmar’s ruling military for control of Rakhine, where it has seized swathes of territory in the past year.
The Rakhine conflict is one element of the bloody chaos that has engulfed Myanmar since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in a 2021 coup, sparking a…
Offshore wind firms could face skills incentives under new consultation
New UK government proposals to improve employment standards in the offshore wind industry are a sign of ambition in the sector, an expert has said.
CIETAC issues AI guidelines in APAC first
CIETAC has become the first major arbitral institution in the Asia-Pacific region to publish artificial intelligence (AI) guidelines, reflecting China’s cautious encouragement of AI integration into legal proceedings.
Lions that killed zookeeper at Thai safari park to be retrained
Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has ordered the retraining of five lions that fatally mauled a veteran zookeeper at Safari World in Bangkok.
The case has since prompted the closure of the park’s predator zone and sparked a review of safety practices at wildlife attractions across Thailand.
Jian Rangkharasamee, a 58-year-old keeper who had worked with lions and tigers for two decades, was killed on Wednesday after reportedly stepping out of his…