Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, facing Western donor pressure over a crackdown on critics before 2018 elections, will seek more aid and investment from China during a visit this week, his aide said on Wednesday.
China is already Cambodia’s biggest donor and its support has bolstered Hun Sen in the face of criticism of what his opponents say amounts to the destruction of democracy.
The aide, Sry Thamrong, said Hun Sen would attend a special summit from Thursday to Sunday held by the…
Regulators toughen expectations on financial services firms’ Brexit preparations
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has warned UK financial firms that they should not rely on leniency from local regulators in the EU if the UK exits the trading bloc without a deal on the cross-border provision of financial services provision in place.
Pope Francis disappoints rights groups by failing to mention Rohingya in Myanmar speech
Pope Francis called for respect for rights and justice in a keenly watched address in Myanmar on Tuesday, but avoided mentioning the Rohingya, or allegations of ethnic cleansing driving huge numbers of the Muslim minority from the country.
Sharing a stage with Myanmar’s unofficial leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the capital Naypyidaw, he did not address the Rohingya crisis head-on, instead tiptoeing around the unfolding humanitarian emergency.
Peace can only be achieved through “justice…
Celebrity elephant crushes owner to death at Thai zoo
An elephant that has starred in feature films and television commercials crushed its owner to death in Thailand, zoo officials said on Tuesday, setting off fresh debate about the kingdom’s animal tourism industry.
The accident took place on Monday morning in the northern city of Chiang Mai, just after owner Somsak Riengngen unchained the five-tonne elephant Ekasit.
With a mahout, or handler, on his back, Ekasit took a few steps before reversing course and attacking 54-year-old Somsak, who…
There are great opportunities for banks and fintechs in the age of ‘open banking’
ANALYSIS: Open Banking provides great opportunities for all sorts of businesses, including existing banks and fintechs, to innovate, strengthen customer relationships, and gain a share of new emerging financial product and service markets.
Greenpeace slams Indonesian palm oil industry for stalling on promise to end deforestation
Greenpeace slammed Indonesia’s palm oil industry on Monday for failing to live up to a pledge to halt deforestation, as the lucrative sector faces possible restrictions in Europe over environmental concerns.
Palm oil is used in everything from soap to frozen pizza, but a consumer backlash has forced dozens of the world’s largest food and drink manufacturers to address its ecological impact.
Vast swathes of rainforest are destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations, threatening…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte tells Muslim rebels he will correct ‘historical injustice’
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to correct “historical injustice” in a speech to Muslim rebels on Monday as his government seeks to reignite a stalled peace process in the nation’s troubled south.
He made the remarks at a mammoth gathering hosted by the country’s main Muslim guerilla group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), but which has also brought together Christians, rival Muslim factions and tribal groups from the southern region of Mindanao….
Another pale imitation as Hollywood’s JJ Abrams plans remake of Japanese classic ‘Your Name’
Hollywood has a fairly dismal record of taking incredibly popular Japanese anime or manga tales and transforming them into live action movies, so there is justifiable concern among fans of Kimi No Na Wa that the planned remake is going to be a pale shadow of the original when it hits the big screen. Plans for the live action version of the film – better known to audiences outside Japan as Your Name – were announced in September, with the apparent majority of hard core fans of the…
This tattooed Indonesian fisheries minister will blow your mind (and maybe your boat)
Susi Pudjiastuti shows off a copy of an application for a permit submitted one year before she was named Indonesia’s fisheries minister in 2014. Made out to an Indonesian company with an address in Fuzhou, China, it sought permission to operate a vessel capable of hauling in 3,000 tons of fish per voyage. The vessel would have operated a purse seine, a type of circular net used in commercial fishing to target dense schools of fish. The nets are controversial because they are so efficient…
Pola cosmetics maker apologises for sign barring Chinese from shop in Japan
Japanese cosmetics company Pola apologised on Saturday after one of its sales outlets in Japan posted a sign prohibiting entry by Chinese shoppers.
The apology was posted on the company’s website after a picture of the shop with that sign was circulated on Friday on Chinese social media. In a statement, Pola said the company had identified the shop and removed the sign, which “caused unpleasant feelings and inconvenience to many people”.
The company “takes the situation…