Asian Legal Review

As the legal sector’s competitive landscape continues to evolve, the Nobel laureates remind us that innovation is not inevitable, and that competition may not always be an incentive to innovate.

Experts and officials at a major cybersecurity summit in Singapore have called for deeper collaboration between governments and tech giants, warning that fragmented efforts are no match for increasingly sophisticated digital threats.
Speaking at the Singapore International Cyber Week, policymakers and industry leaders said closer partnerships were essential to sharing threat intelligence, innovating jointly and mounting coordinated responses to cyberattacks.
These partnerships were crucial as…

Thai immigration officials have denied claims that a Belarusian model was abducted while in Bangkok and forcibly taken to Myanmar, where tabloids claim she was reportedly killed by a criminal gang.
The unconfirmed death of 26-year-old Vera Kravtsova has gained international attention in recent days after Russian and British tabloids reported that, following her arrival in Thailand, she was kidnapped and brought to northern Myanmar, where she was tortured and had her organs harvested while being…

Three women who took part in a walk to Singapore’s presidential estate to deliver letters calling for changes to the country’s stance on Israel have been acquitted of holding a public procession without a permit.
Legal observers say the ruling, which has drawn interest given the city state’s strict regulation of public assemblies, reflects the evidentiary thresholds under its public-order laws and is consistent with court precedent.
District Judge John Ng ruled on Tuesday that the defendants had…

A recent announcement by the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) that the UK branch of an multinational bank had discovered potentially illegal transactions highlights the trade sanctions risks the financial services market faces without due diligence, an expert has warned.

As Prabowo Subianto marks his first year as Indonesia’s president, the former general is grappling with the challenge of turning his populist campaign promises into lasting policy.
While early initiatives such as free meals for children have drawn praise, concerns over civil liberties, economic sluggishness and foreign policy decisions threaten to overshadow his administration’s achievements.
Prabowo, who was sworn in on October 20 last year, campaigned on a platform of ambitious social…

Nepal’s interim prime minister on Monday draped a national flag over the coffin of returned Gaza hostage Bipin Joshi, released under the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
“Bipin is a son of all Nepali mothers,” Sushila Karki said at a ceremony held at the airport in Kathmandu, after his body was flown back to the capital from Tel Aviv.
“The name Bipin will be immortal, no one can forget him for his bravery and the hardships he had to face.” Joshi, an agriculture student who was 22 when…

Professional services firms – from accounting and law to wealth management – are increasingly attracting the attention of private equity investors, drawn by their stable revenue models and growth potential. But as well as opportunities, these deals come with a unique set of legal and operational challenges.

Malaysia has raised the alarm over potential misuse of subsidised petrol in its states bordering Thailand, with data showing some motorists rapidly exhausting their monthly quotas – raising suspicions that a new fuel aid scheme is being exploited to feed smuggling networks.
Under the Budi95 scheme that was rolled out nationwide on September 27, eligible Malaysians pay 1.99 ringgit (42 US cents) per litre for RON95 petrol instead of the unsubsidised 2.60 ringgit.
The subsided amount of fuel is…

Bangladeshi traders on Sunday assessed heavy losses after a devastating fire tore through the cargo complex of the country’s main international airport, as the government opened an investigation into possible arson.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) gave an initial assessment of “devastating” direct and indirect costs of as much as US$1 billion.
Firefighters had brought the blaze under control and flight operations resumed late Saturday, airport executive…