Month: September 2025

An Indonesian staff member of an Asean parliamentary body has been fired and named a criminal suspect after allegedly posting a video urging protesters to set fire to the national police headquarters in Jakarta, amid escalating unrest triggered by a fatal accident involving a police armoured vehicle.
Laras Faizati Khairunnisa, 26, was arrested on Monday and detained a day later following a police investigation into her social media post, which authorities said had incited demonstrators to burn…

A legal challenge against a framework that facilitates the flow of personal data from the EU to the US has failed, in a development a legal expert said businesses will welcome.

A Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel member who was reported missing since August 24 was found at a condominium on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. According to police, Muhammad Ammar Mohd Ariffin, 27, was discovered at his girlfriend’s residence.
“The airman, who had earlier been reported missing, was found together with his girlfriend at her unit,” Serdang police chief Muhamad Farid Ahmad said.
The discovery was made by an investigative team from the Serdang police headquarters….

The revival of techno-nationalism is reshaping strategies across continents. The European Union has embraced technological sovereignty with the EU Chips Act and investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology. Japan and South Korea are diversifying supply chains and boosting domestic capacity. India is positioning itself as an alternative hub through the Make in India and Digital India initiatives, aimed at reducing reliance on both China and the West.
Export controls,…

Around 400 children have fallen ill after eating free school meals in Indonesia’s western Bengkulu Province in the worst case of mass food poisoning to date linked to President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship food programme.
Prabowo launched the programme of free meals for children and pregnant women in January, but the initiative has been marred by mass food poisoning across the archipelago, affecting hundreds of people.
Last month, 365 people fell ill from free school meals in Central Java….

Malaysia’s tech sector could risk further US scrutiny over a plan to deepen ties with Chinese semiconductor firms, as it looks to move up the value chain while maintaining access to the world’s biggest consumer market, according to analysts.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently on a four-day official visit to China, held high-level talks in Beijing on Tuesday with senior leaders in the Chinese tech sector.
Anwar earlier said the meeting aimed to “discuss and work on the formula” to…

A recently issued law is set to transform Saudi Arabia’s real estate market from early 2026, unlocking new opportunities for foreign residents and international investors, experts have revealed.  

South Africa is overhauling its railways by issuing permits to allow private sector operators access to the state-owned Transnet network.

Crime drama Countdown on Amazon Prime Video has drawn criticism for its perceived inaccurate portrayal of Singapore and its citizens in an episode last month.
In the 47-minute show, two American detectives question “Singaporean” Kieran Teo, played by American actor Brian Yang, at his office in Los Angeles after a murder takes place on company property.
The fictional company is called Beruang Holdings, with the characters revealing it is 60 per cent owned by Singapore’s ruling People’s Action…

A correction order under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) has been issued to US comedian Sammy Obeid after a row over his cancelled Singapore show.
“Mr Obeid’s account of protracted back-and-forth interactions with the government is inaccurate,” the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said on Monday.
“In his posts, he claims that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) requested edits, told him to ‘completely remove’ portions of his…