Asian Legal Review

Indonesia’s capital is now officially the world’s most populous city, but for many among the 42 million people who call the greater Jakarta metropolitan area their home, the ranking is less a badge of honour than a symbol of endurance.
Jakarta overtook Tokyo late last year under new UN criteria that also factor in the city’s wider metropolitan area, moving it to the top of the global rankings by population.
For its residents, the title reflects the harsh realities of daily life – perpetually…

Two sitting Philippine senators have been identified as “co-perpetrators” in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity trial at the International Criminal Court, documents released by prosecutors show.
Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are among eight current and former officials named in a document posted to the court’s website on Friday.
ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders…

The United Arab Emirates is rapidly eclipsing Hong Kong and emerging as a credible rival to Singapore as Asia’s most dynamic trading hub, thanks to an ambitious post-pandemic campaign of economic diplomacy.
Defying global headwinds from war and instability across its own region, the UAE’s non-oil trade almost doubled between 2021 and 2025 to reach 3.8 trillion dirhams (US$1.03 trillion), Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum announced on January 31.
That surge – powered by an aggressive…

The posh, three-storey house in Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur was occupied by foreign prostitutes who provide their services for fees of up to 3,500 ringgit (US$900).
The “romps”, which were either a 45-minute or 90-minute session, were offered by a syndicate that supplied women from countries such as China and Japan.
The syndicate had been operating from the detached house in the upscale residential area of Desa Pahlawan for about six months.
However, their illicit activities came to an…

Businesses generally have the right to use their legal rights without liability. However, unlawful use of these rights has consequences. This unlawful use can take various forms, including constituting an abuse of rights.

Courts in South Africa have been sending an unmistakable message to litigants: mandatory mediation is no longer a procedural formality that parties can sidestep.

India’s approval for a 3.6 trillion rupee (US$40 billion) purchase of defence equipment on Thursday – including 114 Rafale French fighter jets – will significantly boost the capabilities of the country’s armed forces amid heightened tensions with Pakistan, analysts say.
The decision comes at a time when the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fighter squadron strength has shrunk to 29, well below the 42 considered essential in the event of a simultaneous war with Pakistan and China.
French President…

Indonesia’s largest Islamic organisations appear to be recalibrating their stance on Palestine by softening earlier criticisms of President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace”, in what analysts describe as a shift from prioritising Palestinian independence to broader security issues.
The adjustment, which followed a closed-door meeting at the presidential palace earlier this month, has fuelled a debate on whether major Muslim bodies are being nudged…

Freedom of speech will increasingly be front and centre of universities’ minds, particularly given some of the high-profile situations in recent months.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to be taking steps to ‌consolidate his daughter’s position as successor, and there are signs she is providing input on policy matters, South Korean lawmakers said on Thursday, citing a spy agency briefing.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Agency (NIS) will be closely watching whether the daughter, believed to be named Kim Ju-ae, attends a coming meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party and how she is presented, including ⁠whether she takes on any official…