A former Coutts & Co. banker was found guilty of failing to flag money laundering concerns related to a US$700 million transfer into an account controlled by Jho Low , the alleged mastermind behind the 1MDB scandal.The man, who was only identified as A., was fined 50,000 Swiss francs (US$55,000) by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in a ruling on Friday.“There were numerous signs that there were serious indications of money laundering, which grew over time,” the court said in a statement. …
Coronavirus: Muslims across Asia mark subdued, socially distant Eid al-Adha
Muslims across Asia, taking precautions against the novel coronavirus such as wearing face masks and temperature checks, performed prayers on Friday to mark the festival of Eid al-Adha in mosques with reduced capacity as well as on the streets.In Indonesia, worshippers were advised to maintain social distancing during the prayers as the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country struggles to contain the spread of the virus.Indonesia’s religious ministry also asked mosques to shorten ceremonies…
Thailand’s Red Bull heir: key defence witness in hit-and-run case dies in road crash
Thai police said they are investigating the death Thursday of a defence witness to a fatal hit-and-run case involving the heir to the Red Bull billions, days after it emerged his testimony helped clear the scion of wrongdoing.Charuchart Martthong was killed early Thursday in a motorbike accident in the northern city of Chiang Mai.Earlier this week Charuchart was named as a key witness who told investigators that Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya was not speeding when his Ferrari struck…
Philippines’ ‘most wanted man’ Ruben Ecleo arrested for murdering wife after long hunt
A former Philippine congressman and religious cult leader was arrested on Thursday over his wife’s killing and corrupt practices, police said, ending a years-long manhunt.Ruben Ecleo, 60, was head of a group called the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association when his wife’s remains were found in a bin bag at the bottom of a ravine on the central island of Cebu in 2002.He was arrested months later in a police raid on his home on the island of Dinagat, during which 17 people were killed…
India hopes new Rafale fighter jets begin ‘new era’ and signal its resolve to China
The first five Rafale fighter jets bought from France in a multibillion-dollar deal landed in India on Wednesday and the defence minister used their arrival to launch a veiled warning to neighbouring China over territorial tensions.A water-cannon guard of honour greeted the five jets when they landed at the Ambala airbase in Haryana state. An intense nationwide spotlight on the combat jets has been sharpened by a deadly border stand-off with China.India has bought 36 Rafale fighters from France…
In Malaysia, Najib’s cheesy Super Ring jibe comes back to bite him after 1MDB verdict
What do a cheesy crunchy snack food and a global financial scandal have in common?In Malaysia, it boils down to one man: Najib Razak, the former premier convicted of corruption and abuse of power – and aficionado of the local snack Super Ring, a bright orange cheese powder-dusted snack popular among schoolchildren.Super Ring became strongly associated with Najib in May when he appeared to troll rival politicians after posting a photo of himself eating the snack – apparently not the first time…
Winter is coming and China-India border dispute shows no sign of resolution, analysts warn
The border stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops is now in its 13th week, surpassing the 72-day impasse at the Doklam plateau in 2017. While there have been nine rounds of diplomatic and military talks, including two meetings between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, as well as Wang’s talks with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, there are concerns among analysts and military veterans that the impasse is showing no signs of ending.
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Can Singapore maintain its sweet spot between China and the US?
Singapore’s long-standing relationship with the United States is a classic exposition of the island nation’s foreign policy – taking the world as it is, and seeking to entrench American power and presence in the region for the collective good. Singapore has also sought to involve as many major powers (including the US) in the regional balance, so that no power can dominate, with the Singaporean – and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) – position of not “choosing sides” between…
Kim Jong-un celebrates anniversary of Korean war armistice by handing out pistols to generals
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was shown surrounded by pistol-toting generals while in the South masked veterans were socially distanced as the two sides on Monday separately marked the armistice that ended Korean war hostilities.The contrasting events marked 67 years since the ceasefire that left the peninsula divided and millions of families split by the demilitarised zone (DMZ).In the North’s capital, Kim handed out commemorative pistols to dozens of generals and senior officers, who…
‘Nonsense’: Chinese-American academic Huang Jing denies recruiting Singaporean Jun Wei Yeo as a spy
A Chinese-American academic has denied recruiting Singaporean Dickson Yeo to spy for Beijing.Professor Huang Jing poured water over accusations made by a retired Singaporean diplomat that he had recruited Yeo while supervising his work at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.Yeo, also known as Yeo Jun Wei, last week pleaded guilty in a US court to providing information to Chinese intelligence and recruiting others to do the same.Huang, an American citizen,…