The incumbent Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition is likely to retain control of Sarawak in state elections to be held on December 18, analysts believe, in what would be a boost for Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.The coalition is an ally of the federal government headed by Ismail Sabri, and is expected to comfortably beat the opposition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, which is in disarray.The Election Commission said that by the time nominations closed on Monday, 349 candidates had been…
ICO issues proposed £17m Clearview AI fine and orders deletion of data
US tech company Clearview AI has been ordered to stop processing and delete any personal data associated with people in the UK and faces a potential £17 million fine, under proposals published by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Japan’s Princess Aiko marks coming-of-age with official ceremonies
Princess Aiko, the only child of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, went through official ceremonies on Sunday to mark her coming-of-age as she was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown at the Imperial Palace.The princess, who became an adult member of the imperial family when she turned 20 last Wednesday, earlier in the day visited sanctuaries that enshrine the family’s ancestors and Japanese gods to offer prayers.Dressed in formal wear, the princess stood…
Will China and its E7 emerging economies render the G7 a redundant clique?
What is the E7?The Emerging 7 (E7) consists of the BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China plus Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey.Unlike the Group of 7 (G7), the E7 is not an actual forum or alliance, but merely a concept created by economists John Hawksworth and Gordon Cookson in 2006 to highlight the economic potential of emerging countries versus advanced economies.In comparison, the G7 was created in 1973 and includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the…
Pakistan arrests dozens for killing Sri Lankan factory manager accused of blasphemy
Up to 120 people have been arrested in Pakistan after a Sri Lankan factory manager was beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob who accused him of blasphemy, officials said on Saturday.The vigilante attack has caused outrage, with Prime Minister Imran Khan calling it a “day of shame for Pakistan”.Few issues are as galvanising in Pakistan as blasphemy, and even the slightest suggestion of an insult to Islam can supercharge protests and incite lynchings.The incident took place on Friday in Sialkot…
Indonesia’s Semeru volcano erupts, sending panicked villagers fleeing
Indonesia’s Semeru volcano on Java island erupted on Saturday, killing one person and injuring 41 as it spewed out huge clouds of smoke and ash, officials said.Videos shared by emergency officials showed residents running as towering plumes of smoke and ash blanketed nearby villages in East Java province. Some were heard shouting “Allahu akbar!” or God is greatest.The deputy chief of Lumajang district, Indah Masdar, told a news conference one person had died and 41 people had suffered burn…
Garden communities: planning and delivery policies
Several planning documents are relevant to proposals for the development of garden communities in England.
UK aggregates levy: construction by-product exemption to be considered
The government will proceed with its plan to limit the exemption from aggregates levy for aggregate returned to the land so that it does not apply in most cases where ‘borrow pits’ are used in construction projects.
Sri Lanka man tortured and killed by mob in Pakistan; ‘day of shame’ for nation, says Prime Minister Imran Khan
A mob of factory employees in eastern Pakistan tortured and burned a Sri Lankan manager on Friday in a “horrific” attack that Prime Minister Imran Khan said brought shame on the country.A police official in the eastern town of Sialkot, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said investigators believed the attackers had accused the manager of blasphemy for tearing down a poster with Islamic holy verses.“The factory workers tortured the manager,” said…
Lawyer for Philippines’ Nobel Peace Prize winner Ressa ‘confident’ about Oslo trip
A lawyer for Philippine Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, who faces multiple court cases, said on Friday he was “confident” the journalist would be allowed to travel to Oslo to collect the award in person.Ressa, co-founder of news website Rappler, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov were given the award in October for their efforts to “safeguard freedom of expression”.The former CNN correspondent, who is on bail pending an appeal against a conviction last year in a cyber libel case,…