Author: viking

A Laotian citizen deported by the United States to eSwatini under Donald Trump administration’s immigration crackdown was released from a maximum-security prison in the African nation on Sunday after being held there for more than a year, his lawyer said.
Phone Chomsavanh was among five immigrants deported to eSwatini – where he has no ties – in July 2025, in the early days of the Trump administration’s secretive and highly contentious third-country deportation programme.
Chomsavanh’s US-based…

Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim is expected to roll out a populist budget on Friday aimed at placating voter concerns over the cost of living and access to essential services, experts say, as the prime minister seeks to shore up support ahead of a general election that could be called as soon as next year.
Anwar’s coalition government is under mounting pressure amid a deepening feud with Umno. The Malay nationalist party, a key partner in Anwar’s administration, has demanded a snap poll after defeating…

As floodwaters surged from Bangkok’s drains, Fon’s car sank faster than her hopes of escaping the floods unscathed. She had bought it less than a month earlier.
“I woke up at 5am but it was too late,” the 24-year-old said, recalling her decision last weekend to wait until dawn to move her car to a nearby shopping centre. “My car was already submerged. I hadn’t even started making the payments and it’s gone.”
Relentless rain paralysed Thailand’s capital this September, dumping a month’s worth of…

When the time came to renew his certificate of entitlement (COE), Andrew Tan hit the brakes on coughing up an eye-watering S$112,000 (US$87,400) to keep his car on Singapore’s roads for another 10 years.
Instead, the 49-year-old business consultant decided in May to go without a car for the first time in two decades.
High COE prices, rising running costs and the hassle of parking and congestion are prompting more Singaporeans to reconsider car ownership, as the land-scarce city state expands…

A recent ruling by the First-tier tribunal (FTT) highlights the onus on UK businesses to ensure their activities meet the required thresholds for R&D tax relief, an expert has said.

We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering global relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Trump condemns ‘sick conspiracy’ against AI, says he is only guardrail needed US President Donald Trump downplayed growing concerns about artificial intelligence, claiming America already has guardrails to regulate the industry and warning that casting doubt on development only benefits…

A complex new EU-wide child online safety regime has been envisaged by policymakers, with the European Commission publishing a proposed new KIDS Act earlier this month.

The UK’s Upper Tribunal has ruled that a gambling operator will not be liable to pay tax on promotional spins in a novel ruling that could have significant implications for the wider gambling sector.

AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes has caused a stir online after taking aim at Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) in-flight meals, claiming the food served by the carrier lagged behind his own airline’s offerings.
“Just flew with Singapore Airlines, couldn’t get AirAsia, service was great, internet amazing, food was poor, Santan is far far better and crew admitted. Great flight but we are not far off,” Fernandes wrote in a social media post on Thursday, referring to AirAsia’s in-flight dining brand.
The…

Reggie Manlapig, 46, has been driving jeepneys for nearly 25 years and has weathered rising fuel prices – but with costs spiking amid the global energy crunch, he is now wrestling bigger demons.
“The impact has been huge. Before, in a 16-hour shift of driving, I could take home 400 to 500 pesos [US$6.30 to US$8] – now there’s a big cut to that income,” said Manlapig, who plies a two-hour daily round route from Malolos in Bulacan, north of Manila, to San Fernando, Pampanga.
“Doing the full route…