It boasts a gym, pool, gallery, beauty salon and helipad – not to mention space for sleeping 22 guests – and it’s up for sale at around half its purchase price. Yet finding a buyer for the 300-foot superyacht Equanimity, one of the most striking assets at the heart of the 1MDB scandal, is not proving to be an easy task.
The boat stands out among possessions being sold by Malaysian authorities keen to recoup funds allegedly lost…
‘Internet of things’ spurs broad interest in standard essential patent licensing
ANALYSIS: A push to set new principles around the licensing of standard-essential patents highlights the growing number of businesses whose operations, products and services now rely on standardised technology.
Indonesia looks to ban negative ‘foreign’ musical influences, leaving hundreds of musicians horrified
Hundreds of musicians in Indonesia have lashed out against what they say is a ludicrous draft law that could “destroy” freedom of expression.
Among the most contentious aspects of the draft is Article 5, which outlaws “negative foreign influences” as well as blasphemous or pornographic content, punishable by imprisonment or a fine. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SID (@sid_official) on Dec 6, 2018 at 6:50pm PST The…
Fashion brands are paying millions of home-based Indian garment workers US$0.13 per hour: report
Each night after her children finally fall asleep, Mehala Sekar spends hours at her home in south India, sewing, cutting and checking clothing given to her by a garment factory contractor.
For each finished item, Sekar earns less than one Indian rupee (US$0.0141), and like millions of other “invisible” home-based workers in India, she is being exploited by the country’s garment industry, according to research published on Friday.
“If I went to a factory, I would earn…
Year of the Pig: in Muslim Malaysia, brands tread carefully for Chinese New Year
As Chinese across the world get ready to celebrate the Year of the Pig, in Muslim-majority Malaysia some shopping centres and brands are sidestepping outright representations of the animal to avoid upsetting cultural sensitivities. Usually shopping malls mark festive occasions with elaborate decorations and attractions, drawing snap-happy crowds – but this year, pigs are off the menu. Paradigm Mall, a shopping centre in suburban Petaling Jaya, is instead prominently featuring…
Indian man arrested after trying to sneak a leopard cub on board Thai Airways flight
A man was arrested after officials found a leopard cub smuggled in his bag on board a flight from Bangkok to Chennai, India, authorities said on Saturday.
The cub, weighing just over 1kg, was found in a plastic grocery basket hidden inside a carry-on bag after the passenger arrived in India on the Thai Airways flight.
Officials said they grew suspicious after hearing sounds coming from the bag, and stopped the passenger as he tried to rush out of the terminal in the capital city of southern…
Eight killed in Jolo, south of Philippines, after a ‘fierce firefight’ between soldiers and Abu Sayyaf militants
A “fierce firefight” on Saturday killed five soldiers and three militants from the notorious Islamist group suspected of this week’s deadly cathedral bombing in the south of the Philippines, said the military. The soldiers battled the Abu Sayyaf militants on the southern island of Jolo, which is the group’s stronghold as well as the site of dual bomb attack on a Catholic church January 27 that killed at least 21 people and wounded more than 100 others at Sunday mass…
China’s Dilmurat to Japan’s Rola, why do Asians fetishise mixed race celebrities?
With her large, double-lidded eyes, small sharp nose, narrow face and tall figure, popular Chinese actress Dilraba Dilmurat is, in many ways, the epitome of beauty in Asia today.
The 25-year-old sprang to prominence two years ago when she starred in Pretty Li Huizhen, a Chinese television show and remake of the South Korean drama She Was Pretty. As of last year, she had 40 million followers on the popular social media website Weibo, making her the second-most-followed celebrity after Chinese…
Goldman Sachs says 1MDB scandal could hit pay for top executives Lloyd Blankfein and David Solomon
The board of Goldman Sachs said on Friday it is withholding a bonus worth at least US$7 million from former chief executive Lloyd Blankfein until investigations into the bank’s involvement in the 1MDB scandal are resolved.
The bank also introduced a new forfeiture provision in its annual compensation plans for both its most senior executives, current Chief Executive David Solomon and former head Blankfein, relating to the ongoing 1MDB proceedings. The move underscores the perils the 1MDB…
Watchdog wants public sector contractors subject to FOI laws
Freedom of information (FOI) laws should be updated to account for the risks to transparency and accountability in the performance of public services where they are outsourced to businesses, the UK’s information commissioner has said.