Month: September 2025

With China’s economic clout still its “strongest card” in Southeast Asia, Beijing is continuing to gain prominence in all corners of the region as its leading external partner, according to a study released on Wednesday.
According to the Lowy Institute’s Southeast Asia Influence Index, China has an overall score of 65 out of 100, a one-point lead over its nearest rival, the United States, making it the “most influential power” in six of the region’s 11 countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia,…

Changes to UK immigration rules aimed at tightening visa requirements and reducing UK net migration will have a significant impact over the coming year for both employers recruiting workers and education providers recruiting international students.

US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an up to fifty-fold increase in the cost of skilled worker permits under the H-1B visa programme has rattled India’s tech industry, which has provided highly qualified manpower and services to American enterprises for decades.
On Friday, Washington announced that the H-1B fee would be raised to US$100,000, from a range of US$2,000 to US$5,000 previously, based on the manpower strength of the company applying for the visa.
The H-1B is a three-year…

The race to replace coal in Indonesia, the world’s largest coal exporter, has become a contest between the US and China. At stake is not only Indonesia’s climate future, but also which superpower sets the terms for the next generation of energy in the developing world.
Like much of the developing world, Indonesia faces a choice between two stark energy futures.
Chinese companies signed more than US$54 billion in agreements in 2023 with Indonesian state utility PLN, while Indonesian President…

Mass protests swept across the Philippines as Super Typhoon Ragasa approached, with citizens from all walks of life venting outrage at deepening corruption, particularly over the alleged plunder of funds from flood control projects meant to shield communities from disasters.
The demonstrations in cities across the country that took place on Sunday – loosely organised through social media, university groups, churches and word of mouth – marked perhaps the country’s largest protests in years…

The UK’s new ‘Hillsborough Law’ could have significant implications for private bodies who are responsible for delivering public services and functions, an expert has warned.

Singapore’s acting transport minister Jeffrey Siow has told parliament that while “zero disruptions” across the city state’s rail network is an unrealistic expectation, the government is boosting efforts to strengthen rail reliability and provide better support for commuters when incidents occur.
“Train delays happen in every system, in every city,” Siow said during a parliamentary sitting on Monday.
“Our phones, our computers have to be restarted every now and then. Cars will break down too. So…

Japan could soon see its first female prime minister, with Sanae Takaichi emerging among the front runners in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership race, a significant achievement in a country where women leaders remain a rarity.
Hardline conservative Takaichi has consistently been a public favourite, along with Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, ahead of the LDP’s leadership vote on October 4. Last year, Takaichi narrowly lost to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the…

Half a century after his father declared martial law, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is confronting his own crisis: a corruption scandal of dizzying scale, coup rumours in the air and tens of thousands of Filipinos preparing to march on the streets of Manila.
Adding to the pressure, Beijing has signalled a readiness to cement its de facto control over the contested Scarborough Shoal – a move analysts warn could permanently alter the strategic map of the South China Sea.
“He’s…

A man accused of shooting dead a 17-year-old TikTok star at her home in Pakistan after she had repeatedly rejected his advances was formally indicted on Saturday, a journalist in court saw.
Sana Yousaf’s murder in June drew nationwide condemnation and reignited debate over women’s safety, after some online comments – alongside condolences – blamed her for her own death.
The 22-year-old accused, Umar Hayat, pleaded not guilty in Islamabad’s district court on Saturday.
“All the allegations made…