Singapore has seized over 830kg (1,800 lbs) of Asian pangolin scales hidden in a shipment bound for Cambodia, authorities said on Saturday, calling it the largest haul of its kind discovered in the city state.
Falsely declared as “dried fish skin”, the scales – estimated to be from more than 2,200 pangolins – were found in 30 bags on December 29 after officials intercepted an inbound truck carrying sea cargo, Singapore’s National Parks Board said in a statement.
The announcement came as…
Indonesia begins social media ban for children under 16
Indonesia on Saturday began implementing a new government regulation approved earlier this month that bans children younger than 16 from access to digital platforms that could expose them to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams and addiction.
With the move, Indonesia became the first country in Southeast Asia to ban children from having accounts on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. It follows measures that Australia took last year in a world-first social…
Caveats to national security block on telecoms components, says CJEU Advocate General
There are limitations to EU member state governments relying on national security grounds to block components from certain suppliers being used in national telecoms networks, according to a legal adviser at the EU’s highest court.
Thai luxury hotels offer huge discounts to save tourist season battered by Iran war
A cornucopia of bargains is lighting up booking sites for Thailand, where five-star luxury hotel rooms are going for huge discounts during the peak holiday season – the unplanned spin-off from the Iran war which threatens to hit international tourist arrivals at a crucial time of the year.
At the same time, the surge in diesel costs caused by the choking of the Strait of Hormuz has forced many Thais to pause or scrap domestic travel plans, fearing such expenses will continue to rise during the…
Iran crisis bites into Malaysia’s supply chain as Anwar cuts fuel subsidy quota
Four weeks into the US-Israeli war on Iran, the crisis is beginning to bite in Malaysia, where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has cut the monthly quota for subsidised petrol and food manufacturers are warning that surging diesel costs could force them to close or raise prices.
The move reflects how a distant geopolitical shock is beginning to feed directly into Malaysia’s fuel bill, food supply chain and inflation outlook, analysts note.
In a special televised address on Thursday, Anwar said the…
MEPs back EU-US trade deal – with conditions attached
Conditions that MEPs seek to build into a prospective trade deal between the EU and US are designed to reduce European business’ exposure to geopolitical risks, according to an expert in international trade.
Bangladesh recovers 24 bodies after bus plunges into river
Rescue teams including navy divers in Bangladesh have recovered 24 bodies from a bus that plunged into a river at a ferry crossing, officials said on Thursday.
The bus sank into the deep waters of the Padma river in Goalanda on Wednesday, about 65km (40 miles) west of the capital Dhaka. It had around 50 passengers on board, many of whom managed to escape.
A fire service report said that 24 bodies, including those of five children, had been recovered by midday on Thursday.
Some were pulled out by…
Couple sentenced to 1 year in prison for having sex at Malaysian cemetery
A man and woman caught engaging in a sexual act at the Batu Gantung Chinese Cemetery in Penang, Malaysia, have each been jailed for a year.
M. Jegathesan, 58, and Halila Abu Bakar, 37, pleaded guilty to committing the offence when the charges were read to them at the Magistrates’ Court in George Town at about 8.30am on Thursday.
Magistrate Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi sentenced both of them to 12 months’ imprisonment under Section 377D of the Penal Code for gross indecency in a public place.
In…
UK construction late payment and retention plans demonstrate ‘hardened stance’ by government
UK government plans to crack down on late payments and ban withholding of retentions in the construction sector demonstrate its “hardened stance”, an expert has said.
Sri Lanka’s refusal to host US warplanes before Iran war risks trade backlash
Two days before the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran, Washington asked Sri Lanka to let two armed warplanes use an airport on its southern coast.
Colombo said no, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently revealed – a decision analysts said reflected the Indian Ocean island nation’s desire to avoid being drawn into a foreign conflict from which it had “nothing to gain”.
The request, made on February 26, reportedly sought to relocate two aircraft from a US base in…