The faint outline of a hand in a cave in Indonesia’s Sulawesi has been recognised as the world’s oldest known rock art, shattering a long-held scientific theory that human artistic expression first flourished in Ice Age Europe.
Dating back at least 67,800 years, the faded stencil was found hiding beneath a more recent chicken sketch in Metanduno cave on Muna Island.
Researchers say the finding, which was published in the scientific journal Nature on January 21, proves that ancient humans in…
Thailand votes as reformists challenge conservatives amid political turmoil
Thais began voting on Sunday in an election pitting the reformist People’s Party against the conservative Bhumjaithai Party, with expectations of a tight race among a divided public craving an end to the country’s long economic drift and political instability.
Around 53 million Thais are eligible to vote for 500 lower house lawmakers, 400 directly from their constituencies and the remaining 100 decided on a proportional basis from the number of votes each party gets.
Barring a shock landslide…
South Korea’s Bithumb gives away over US$40 billion in a bit of a blunder
South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb said on Saturday it had accidentally given away more than US$40 billion worth of bitcoin to customers as promotional rewards, triggering a sharp selloff on the exchange.
Bithumb apologised for the mistake, which took place on Friday, and said it had recovered 99.7 per cent of the 620,000 bitcoin, worth about US$44 billion at current prices. It had restricted trading and withdrawals for the 695 affected customers within 35 minutes of the erroneous…
Inside Indonesia’s inner circle: Hashim Djojohadikusumo on his brother Prabowo’s vision
Hashim Djojohadikusumo is smiling almost beatifically, but the trademark feistiness is unmistakable. We are sitting down for a chat amid the turmoil gripping Indonesia’s capital markets and he says emphatically that “it’s good, it’s good” that it happened.
This unvarnished answer is one of several he gives as we talk about his country, nearly two years after his elder brother, Prabowo Subianto, won the presidential election by a wide margin, securing 58.6 per cent of the votes on his third…
Smaller asset management firms set to face sustainable reporting challenge
Smaller UK asset management companies face a new regulatory era on sustainable reporting this year as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) prepares to activate new rules, experts have warned.
UK government forges ahead with ERA despite delays
The UK government has revised its implementation timeline for the Employment Rights Act (ERA), but employers must prepare ahead of these changes coming into force, an expert has warned.
Qatar set for overhaul of employees end of service payouts
A move by Qatar to update its approach to the traditional end of service benefit payouts for workers will prove a welcome modernisation for employees and companies alike, experts have claimed.
Outrage in Philippines as socialite Heart Evangelista, ‘nepo babies’ return to spotlight
Filipino actress and fashion influencer Heart Evangelista’s reappearance at Paris Fashion Week following scrutiny over her lavish lifestyle in previous months has drawn sharp criticism amid “unprecedented” public outrage linked to an unfolding corruption scandal plaguing the country.
Public sentiment in the Philippines has been particularly negative against influencers such as Evangelista and other “nepo babies”, a term referring to flamboyant family members of wealthy politicians, officials and…
Australia, Indonesia sign deal to extend security cooperation in ‘watershed moment’
Australia and Indonesia’s leaders signed a security deal on Friday, one of a series of agreements that Canberra has secured with neighbouring countries to reinforce ties and limit China’s influence in the region.
At a signing ceremony, President Prabowo Subianto met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said before he travelled to Jakarta that the pact was a “watershed moment” in ties. It “represents a major extension of our security and defence cooperation and demonstrates that our relationship…
Court of Appeal provides clarity for lenders amid ‘mortgage prisoner’ concerns
A recent decision by the Court of Appeal in England & Wales highlights that judicial remedies cannot be used to unwind or amend regulated mortgages, an expert has said.