Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the Asean summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur in October, potentially turning the annual talks into a stage for a high-stakes meeting between the leaders of the world’s two largest superpowers.
This is the first indication of a possible meeting venue between Xi and US President Donald Trump, who said on Tuesday that the two leaders could have a meeting “before the end of the year” if both…
Indonesia’s culture of mega speakers sparks uproar – and it’s getting louder
The practice of blasting towering speakers stacked on trucks and boats in Indonesia to celebrate events ranging from weddings to national holidays is increasingly drawing a chorus of public disapproval, even from religious leaders.
“Sound horeg” – from the Javanese word for “vibrate” – is a type of street entertainment involving very loud music systems that has taken off in East and Central Java in recent years.
Ahead of Indonesia’s August 17 Independence Day, officials and police are weighing…
Australian employers face redundancy complexities after redeployment ruling
A new ruling should spur employers in Australia to consider whether employees they intend to make redundant could be redeployed into roles being performed by other workers, experts have said.
England and Scotland crack down on ‘rogue’ non-surgical cosmetic procedures
New proposals to further regulate and licence non-surgical cosmetic procedures (NSCPs) in England and Scotland are welcome, but the governments must act quickly to ensure this “wild west” system has better safeguards, an expert says.
South African courts provide clarity on agricultural land development
Despite legislative change, recent developments underscore the continued relevance of South Africa’s primary piece of legislation influencing agricultural land development, highlighting the complexities of land classification and the need for early legal clarity in infrastructure and development projects.
Did US missiles in Philippines trigger China’s rocket launch?
A Chinese rocket launch that triggered loud explosions and panic in the western Philippine province of Palawan has drawn sharp condemnation from Manila, with observers suggesting Beijing may have been sending a geopolitical signal amid growing US missile deployments in the region.
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) confirmed on Monday that China had launched its Long March 12 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan that afternoon, after residents in Palawan’s capital, Puerto…
South Africa bribery scandal caught on camera, in warning to businesses on compliance
An emerging row over claims a suspended South African CEO attempted to bribe a journalist to suppress investigations into her financial dealings highlights the need for companies to have rigorous anti-corruption training, an expert has warned.
Malaysia arrests Indian national caught with 2,500 turtles at airport
An Indian national was arrested at Kuala Lumpur’s main airport for trying to smuggle more than 2,500 live turtles, Malaysia’s border agency said on Thursday, in another case highlighting criminals using the country’s key international gateway as a transit point for illegal wildlife trade.
The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has made headlines in recent months due to incidents of individuals smuggling endangered primates and rare reptiles, including tortoises and iguanas.
The suspect…
ID verification duties to impact millions of UK directors
Millions of people involved in running UK businesses will be required to verify their identity with Companies House, the UK registry for companies, beginning from the middle of November this year.
‘GAY’ stays: India says Gaya airport code won’t change despite religious concerns
India’s civil aviation ministry has rejected calls to change the “GAY” code for Gaya International Airport after a lawmaker deemed it “offensive”, saying such International Air Transport Association (IATA) codes are permanent and can only be altered for aviation safety reasons.
The clarification came after Bhim Singh, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, told the Rajya Sabha – the upper house of India’s parliament – on Tuesday that the term “gay” was “socially and culturally offensive…