Companies should act now to build flexibility into their employment contracts ahead of new laws to stop ‘fire and rehire’ which come into force next year, an expert has warned.
End of payment tokens regulation transition period signals ‘new phase’ for UAE digital asset regulation
The implementation of the CBUAE’s regulatory framework for stablecoin issuance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is establishing the country as a fintech hub and regional leader in digital assets.
Protests erupt in Jakarta over Indonesian lawmakers’ ‘excessive pay’
Police fired tear gas and used a water cannon to push back hundreds of demonstrators trying to break into Indonesia’s parliament building on Monday to protest against what they called excessive pay and perks for legislators, witnesses said.
Some protesters, clad in dark clothing, threw rocks and set off fireworks at riot police in the capital Jakarta. At least one motorcycle was set ablaze by protesters, but officials did not provide details of damage, any casualties or arrests.
Protesters…
‘Terrifying’ Typhoon Kajiki batters Vietnam, blowing roofs off homes
Typhoon Kajiki brought torrential rains to Vietnam’s north central coast on Monday, felling trees and flooding homes, despite wind speeds tapering off from earlier in the day.
Typhoon Kajiki’s wind speeds eased from 166km/h (103 mph) to 118-133km/h (73-83mph) as the storm hit the coast of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, according to the country’s weather agency.
“It’s terrifying,” said Dang Xuan Phuong, a 48-year-old resident of Cua Lo, a tourism town in Nghe An province directly hit by the…
New plan charts path forward for Victoria’s renewable energy transition
The release of a long-term plan for renewable energy zones and transmission provides a pathway to support an orderly transition to renewables and to achieve Victoria’s renewable energy goals.
China’s trade charm offensive falls on deaf ears among US security allies
Geopolitical tremors from Washington’s trade wars against its closest allies – the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia – might have convinced Beijing of an impending realignment. China has seized the moment with a charm offensive, urging pragmatic cooperation amid tariff spats.
Beijing rightly condemns Washington for shredding the very World Trade Organization rules and post-war liberal order it crafted, calling for collective action against US coercion. Yet despite the…
Straight outta Brickfields: how Malaysia gave the world Tamil rap
In a pink-lit car park outside a Colombo club, young Tamils cluster in loose groups. Laughter, the clink of glass bottles and the low throb of bass from the decks inside spill out into the warm night air.
Sri Lanka’s capital is home to hundreds of thousands of Tamils. But a Tamil nightclub is still rare – the sound of so many Tamil voices gathered together can still feel provocative in a country where memories of a long, bloody inter-ethnic civil war remain raw.
Inside the club, as British-Tamil…
South Korea’s Lee makes Japan first foreign visit before Trump summit
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung agreed on Saturday to closer security and economic ties ahead of Lee’s planned summit with US President Donald Trump on Monday.
On his first official visit since taking office in June, Lee met Ishiba at the premier’s residence in Tokyo to discuss bilateral ties between the East Asian neighbours, including closer security coordination with the United States under a trilateral pact signed by their predecessors.
“As the…
How Asia’s ‘coolcation’ spots are reshaping global tourism amid climate change
Record heatwaves, blazing wildfires and oppressive humidity are transforming the world’s tourism industry as holidaymakers struggle to deal with the havoc wrought by climate change.
A growing number of travellers are seeking “coolcations” – destinations with milder climates – looking beyond traditional hotspots like Greece and Portugal, according to luxury travel advisers who say their clients are altering plans due to climate change.
Heatwaves in Europe saw tourist sites including the Acropolis…
As US retreats from clean energy race, Chinese firms push into emerging markets
As America retreats from clean energy investment around the world, with US President Donald Trump labelling wind and solar power “the scam of the century” on Wednesday, Chinese “cleantech” firms have been striding into emerging markets in Southeast and Central Asia and Latin America.
Mabill Technologies, a Malaysian cleantech start-up developing a predictive AI algorithm that will connect energy efficiency analytics and sustainable cooling solutions, said Chinese investors had been showing…