Since America launched its “major combat operation” against Iran, several Nato allies have distanced themselves from Washington. Now America also risks losing ground in strategically important Southeast Asia to China. Could it face an erosion of influence similar to that suffered by Russia in Central Asia as a result of its “special military operation” in Ukraine?
Soon after US President Donald Trump launched massive air and missile strikes on Iran on February 28, it became clear Washington…
Blaze in Malaysia’s Sabah destroys 1,000 homes, displaces over 9,000
Thousands of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 1,000 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island on Sunday, the fire department said.
Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at around 1.32am, the district’s fire and rescue chief Jimmy Lagung said in a statement.
“Strong winds and the close proximity of the houses caused the fire to spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open water…
Japan, Australia finalise contracts to deliver first 3 of planned frigates
Japan and Australia said on Saturday they have finalised contracts to jointly deliver the first three of 11 ships for the Australian navy based on the upgraded Japanese Mogami-class frigate, as the two countries deepen their defence cooperation amid China’s growing assertiveness.
The deal, announced by Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Melbourne, comes ahead of Japan’s planned easing of its rules on defence equipment exports, which place…
In Bangkok, Malaysia’s first Mr Bear winner finds spotlight queer life rarely gets at home
On Monday afternoon, amid the heat and chaos of Thailand’s Songkran festival, Gavin Chow was crowned Mr Bear International 2026 – the first Malaysian to win the title at a pageant that has quickly become part of Thailand’s growing queer festival circuit.
Back in Chow’s home country, the climate is very different.
Malaysia criminalises same-sex intimacy under federal law, LGBTQ gatherings have faced police raids and the 34-year-old activist’s own national qualifier earlier this year struggled to…
‘Disappointing’ UK tax ruling will hit projects across sectors, say experts
The costs developers commonly incur in carrying out surveys and studies needed to move forward with major projects do not qualify for tax relief in the form of capital allowances under UK tax law, the UK Supreme Court has ruled.
Corporate governance for UK group companies and subsidiaries
Subsidiaries within a corporate group have distinct governance needs from their parent companies. They are separate legal entities with their own customers, employees, suppliers and other stakeholders and, as such, owe legal obligations to each of those constituencies as well as to their shareholder.
Arrest of Philippine ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co ‘missing puzzle piece’ in flood-control probe
The arrest of fugitive former congressman Zaldy Co has revived a long-stalled Philippine corruption investigation and sharpened political pressure on President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whom the wanted lawmaker has accused of personally benefiting from a multibillion-peso kickback scheme tied to flood control projects.
Observers called Co’s arrest a “notable step towards accountability” in a case that had stalled after the collapse of the commission set up to investigate it.
Co resigned from the…
Vietnam and China are now perfectly aligned
Even before Donald Trump returned to the White House, Vietnam’s military planners were already busy preparing for a possible second invasion by the United States and its allies. In the “Second US Invasion Plan”, secretly issued in August 2024, the Vietnamese military rejected playing any part in America’s China containment strategy in the Asia-Pacific.
Rather, it sees the US promotion of “freedom and democracy” as a cynical ploy to maintain hegemony in the region. The document, released in…
CJEU makes pastiche ruling in long-running Kraftwerk sampling case
A new ruling by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) on one of the longest running court cases in music brings much needed clarity over the rules around copyright, according to an expert.
Trade tensions make rest of world less keen to invest in US and China, survey finds
Trade tensions between the US and China have made companies around the world less keen to invest in either country, with the United States almost twice as unpopular, according to a new report from Allianz Trade.
The report, based on an annual survey by the Paris-based international insurance company, said US-China decoupling had not materialised, but investment intention towards China had dropped “significantly” to 24 per cent of survey respondents, down from 53 per cent a year ago.
The survey…