Asian Legal Review

The UK’s new ‘Hillsborough Law’ could have significant implications for private bodies who are responsible for delivering public services and functions, an expert has warned.

Singapore’s acting transport minister Jeffrey Siow has told parliament that while “zero disruptions” across the city state’s rail network is an unrealistic expectation, the government is boosting efforts to strengthen rail reliability and provide better support for commuters when incidents occur.
“Train delays happen in every system, in every city,” Siow said during a parliamentary sitting on Monday.
“Our phones, our computers have to be restarted every now and then. Cars will break down too. So…

Japan could soon see its first female prime minister, with Sanae Takaichi emerging among the front runners in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership race, a significant achievement in a country where women leaders remain a rarity.
Hardline conservative Takaichi has consistently been a public favourite, along with Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, ahead of the LDP’s leadership vote on October 4. Last year, Takaichi narrowly lost to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the…

Half a century after his father declared martial law, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is confronting his own crisis: a corruption scandal of dizzying scale, coup rumours in the air and tens of thousands of Filipinos preparing to march on the streets of Manila.
Adding to the pressure, Beijing has signalled a readiness to cement its de facto control over the contested Scarborough Shoal – a move analysts warn could permanently alter the strategic map of the South China Sea.
“He’s…

A man accused of shooting dead a 17-year-old TikTok star at her home in Pakistan after she had repeatedly rejected his advances was formally indicted on Saturday, a journalist in court saw.
Sana Yousaf’s murder in June drew nationwide condemnation and reignited debate over women’s safety, after some online comments – alongside condolences – blamed her for her own death.
The 22-year-old accused, Umar Hayat, pleaded not guilty in Islamabad’s district court on Saturday.
“All the allegations made…

At first glance, Gita Sjahrir is often mistaken for just another secretary or typist. It’s only when her surname is mentioned that colleagues realise she is, in fact, a managing director of one of Indonesia’s leading power companies.
Earlier this year, the 43-year-old assumed responsibility for investor relations at TBS Energi, which was founded by her uncle, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, chairman of Indonesia’s National Economic Council and a former coordinating minister.
Her entry into the firm was…

A ruling by a court in Germany highlights how businesses that act as intermediaries in the supply of goods or services can be held liable for trade mark infringement in the EU, a brand protection expert has said.

Green hydrogen developers and investors should welcome long-awaited clarity over the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions methodology for low-carbon hydrogen and fuels in the EU through a delegated act adopted by the European Commission in the summer, experts have said.

Businesses, entrepreneurs and investors have been given the chance to shape legislative proposals that will aim to make it simpler for “innovative” companies to set up, operate and expand within the EU.

Southeast Asian countries should not be judged harshly on their shifting positions amid the heightened US-China rivalry, Singapore’s top diplomat has said, while emphasising unique “vulnerabilities and opportunities” across the region.
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told the FutureChina Global Forum on Friday to avoid binary thinking, stressing that the city state was open for business to all, with China as its biggest trading partner and the United States its largest foreign…