Manila and Beijing’s row over the massing of Chinese vessels in the contested South China Sea has plunged bilateral relations into uncharted waters, with both the Philippine defence and foreign affairs departments saying they were keeping their options open, and an official floating the possibility of expelling a Chinese diplomat.Tensions over the Whitsun Reef in the Spratly Islands, which both China and the Philippines claim, have heightened in the past month after more than 200 Chinese boats…
Indonesia, Britain agree to deepen security, trade partnership ahead of warship’s visit to Indo-Pacific
Indonesia and Britain have agreed to deepen security, defence and trade ties, British foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in Jakarta on Wednesday, as he highlighted a deployment of naval vessels to the Indo-Pacific later this year as a demonstration of its commitment to its regional partners.“We’re preparing for the [British Royal Navy] Carrier Strike Group’s visit here to the region later in this year. That is an important moment for us to strengthen areas of collaboration,” Raab said during a…
FCA bans financial adviser for actions outside the workplace
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a decision notice withdrawing approval for an independent financial adviser to perform regulated functions after he was found guilty of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
Philippines man dies after being forced to do 300 squats for breaking coronavirus curfew, police chief sacked
The chief of police in a town in the Philippines has been relieved from his post after the death of a man who was caught violating curfew, reportedly due to excessive physical punishment.Darren Penaredondo, 28, died on Saturday after allegedly being forced by police to do 300 rounds of squats. His wife, Reichelyn Balce, said Penaredondo went out on Thursday to buy water, was arrested by village watchmen and then turned over to the police.Her husband had a heart condition and could barely walk…
CEP Energy to build 150MW battery in South Australia
Renewable energy company CEP Energy will build a 150 megawatts (MW) battery in Adelaide, South Australia.
Myanmar coup: China’s careful response a delicate balancing act
What should China do about Myanmar amid media reports of Myanmese resistance to the dramatic February 1 coup? In theory, Myanmar being a neighbour means its domestic developments are more consequential to China than many other major countries’ and hence deserves much attention. In reality, Myanmar barely features in Chinese discussions about its environment and the relationships it should nurture.Part of this lack of attention can be attributed to China’s foreign ministry, which innovatively…
Myanmar coup: Russia warns further sanctions against junta could lead to ‘full-blown civil conflict’
Russia on Tuesday said it opposed sanctions against the junta in Myanmar, warning that punitive measures could spark a large-scale civil war in the country.“A course towards threats and pressure including the use of sanctions against the current Myanmar authorities has no future and is extremely dangerous,” news agency Interfax quoted a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson as saying.Such policies would “push the Burmese towards a full-blown civil conflict”.Myanmar has been in turmoil since a…
Proposed reforms to judicial review in England and Wales
The UK government is consulting on significant reforms to judicial review in England and Wales, particularly around ouster clauses and remedies.
Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak starts appeal against 1MDB corruption sentence
Malaysia’s Court of Appeal on Monday began hearing a bid by former prime minister Najib Razak to set aside his conviction on corruption charges in a case linked to a multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB.Najib, 67, who was voted out in 2018’s historic election, faces several trials over allegations that US$4.5 billion was stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund he co-founded in 2009. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.Last year, Najib was sentenced to 12…
Manila gets tough on Beijing over Whitsun Reef row, earning praise from even Rodrigo Duterte’s critics
In a testy message to the Chinese embassy on Monday, Manila warned it would file diplomatic protests for every day that Beijing’s maritime militia ships continued to linger near the Whitsun Reef, which sits within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea.The warning came as Duterte’s aide Salvador Panelo said the incident was straining ties and could “trigger unwanted hostilities” between the two nations. “We can negotiate on matters of mutual concern and benefit,…