Age assurance to protect children from harmful online content has come sharply into focus this year in Australia and globally.
From fishnet sales to richest Singaporean: Nippon Paint’s Goh Cheng Liang dies
Towards the end of his life, Goh Cheng Liang was known as the richest Singaporean, owning some of the world’s most luxurious superyachts, but his humble beginnings left an indelible mark on the elusive paint tycoon and spurred his philanthropic efforts. He died on Tuesday at the age of 98.
Goh, the founder of Wuthelam Group which owns close to a 60 per cent stake in Nippon Paint Holdings, and – according to Forbes – had an estimated net worth of US$13 billion (S$16.7 billion), died with family…
Singapore, US scrap plans for F-15 fighter jet training in Guam
Plans for a Singaporean fighter jet training presence in the US territory of Guam have been shelved, both governments have confirmed, despite years of preparation and investment in upgrading the US Air Force base on the Pacific island.
Singapore and the United States had agreed to “discontinue discussions” on deploying 12 Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15 fighter jets to Guam, the city state’s defence ministry announced on Tuesday.
This followed an earlier statement from the US Air…
Using FIDIC construction contracts in Saudi Arabia
FIDIC is one of the most common forms of construction contract used in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Who is Singapore’s Olivia Lum? From corporate darling to criminal suspect
Singapore’s Hyflux founder Olivia Lum has gone from being an entrepreneurial darling in the 2000s – bagging numerous business awards and ranking on high-powered lists that featured mostly men – to now facing criminal charges in court over her company’s failure to disclose information to investors.
On Monday, Lum, 64, arrived at the state courts to stand trial over failure to communicate to investors and the Singapore Exchange information on Tuaspring Integrated Water and Power Project, in the…
South China Sea film Beijing condemned set to open in Philippine cinemas
A documentary film that Beijing sought to have banned chronicling the hazardous everyday lives of Filipino fishermen and soldiers in the South China Sea is set to open in cinemas in the Philippines this Wednesday.
Food Delivery by director Baby Ruth Villarama was denounced last month for being “rife with disinformation and false propaganda” by the Chinese consulate-general in Auckland, which called for a New Zealand festival not to screen the film, calling it a “political tool” for the…
India and Australia unite to challenge China’s rare earth reign
In the race to secure the building blocks of tomorrow’s technology, India and Australia are edging ever closer to a strategic minerals partnership, positioning themselves as a counterweight to China’s dominance.
Negotiations are ongoing, with both nations exploring avenues to build upon their critical minerals investment partnership – launched in 2022 – to establish joint ventures that could encompass not only sourcing but also collaborative processing of these elements that are essential to the…
Tariffs and truces: how Southeast Asia bargained with erratic US economic might
And so it has come to this. After months of threats, intensive shuttle diplomacy and last-minute trade negotiations, Washington’s new tariff regime has finally come into force.
For Southeast Asia, whose nations jostled for favour – and relief – from a White House wielding economic might with Donald Trump’s trademark unpredictability, this ledger of punitive levies has laid bare the US president’s vision for a new global trade order: one underpinned by “reciprocal” transactions.
The wide spectrum…
2 Malaysian tourists set on fire in Bangkok
Two Malaysian tourists were doused with paint thinner and set alight outside one of Bangkok’s busiest shopping centres earlier this week.
The victims are receiving medical treatment and are in a critical but stable condition, according to the Bernama news agency, which cited Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Thailand, Bong Yik Jui.
Police have arrested a suspect, identified as Varakorn Pubthaisong, 30, who reportedly targeted the pair out of frustration over unemployment.
The suspect told police…
Green gold: the rise of Thailand’s coveted exotic plant trade
Bright, heart-shaped anthuriums spilled onto the walkways, as collectors expertly examined the intricate patterns of philodendrons, pausing for a moment to admire the rows of rare ferns that erupted in every imaginable shade of green between the bustling booths.
At June’s annual Bangkok International Exotic Plants Show, horticulturists revealed some of the secrets behind their “green gold” rush to This Week in Asia – a trade made possible by Thailand’s hothouse climate, rich soils and…