Author: viking

The rise of decentralised solar power has prompted a Pakistani think tank to call for China to play a leading role in Pakistan’s energy transition, creating a model for other countries in the Global South. However, a Chinese energy scholar has questioned whether its vision is too expensive to be true.
An increasing flow of cheap Chinese solar panels to the South Asian nation is undercutting demand for power from coal-fired plants that China helped finance and leading to a vicious cycle of…

Malaysian authorities have found the body of an unidentified foreign man in a suburb on the outskirts of its capital, Kuala Lumpur, where police have been searching for a British backpacker who went missing last week.
Local police launched a search operation in the affluent neighbourhood of Bangsar in a bid to find Jordan Johnson-Doyle after his father filed a missing persons report on Monday.
The 25-year-old reportedly went missing on May 27 after taking part in a quiz night at a pub in the…

The UK government’s plans to relax existing rules and regulation on returning funding surplus in defined benefit (DB) pension schemes to scheme employers will accelerate discussions between employers and trustees, an expert has said.

A German court’s decision to dismiss a Peruvian farmer’s climate claims against energy firm RWE could shape future climate litigation, experts have said.

A new ruling could help businesses enforce foreign rulings in Ireland in cases where claims were pursued with the benefit of third-party funding – even though that funding model is generally prohibited in Irish litigation, experts have said.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to skip this month’s G7 summit in Canada – the first time in six years that he would miss the gathering – in a move seen by observers as a reflection of ongoing bilateral tensions despite the recent change in government in Ottawa.
The June 15–17 meeting of leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – will be held in Kananaskis, Alberta. Although India is not…

Proposed changes to UK immigration rules tightening English language requirements across multiple visa categories could affect thousands of adult applicants seeking to enter, extend their stay, or settle in the UK, an expert has said.

A Philippine tech company has been sanctioned by the United States for allegedly enabling online romance scams known as “pig butchering”, which US authorities say led to more than US$200 million in losses reported by victims linked to the company’s infrastructure.
Funnull Technology Inc, a content delivery network provider based in Metro Manila’s upscale Bonifacio Global City (BGC) district, was sanctioned last week by the US Treasury Department, along with Chinese national Liu Lizhi, described…

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Elon Musk’s alleged child with Japanese pop star sparks online storm in Japan 2. Meet India’s answer to Pakistan’s Chinese jets: the AMCA stealth fighter 3. Trump and Lee Kuan Yew similar in ‘common sense’ approach: Pete Hegseth 4. ‘I’m sad’: Blackpink fans in…

The sudden exit of two key members of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet has thrown his government into a tailspin, with analysts warning that the former ruling Umno may have more bargaining clout over ministerial roles or even return to power at the next general election.
Umno, which was ousted in the 2018 election under corruption-tainted former prime minister Najib Razak after six decades in power, is a key minority partner in Anwar’s unity government. It had appeared destined…