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Even as the official campaign period for the Philippine presidential election gets under way, a large question mark hangs over whether front runner Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jnr will even be eligible for office.Of the 10 candidates who will start campaigning on Tuesday for the May 9 election, Marcos Jnr is the clear favourite and has been since December according to presidential surveys.Only five of the contenders on the printed ballot are even considered serious contenders – Marcos, Leni…

The Beijing Winter Olympics that opened on Friday got off to a discordant start with major democracies choosing a diplomatic boycott of the event to protest against China’s human rights abuses. Within the Asian context, this has been exacerbated by India’s decision to officially distance itself from the Games.The trigger was China’s decision to include a People’s Liberation Army soldier wounded in the June 2020 border clash in Ladakh in the opening ceremony. A terse Indian foreign ministry…

Budianto has been helping his family sell bowls of bakmi ayam (chicken noodles) in Jakarta, the capital of Southeast Asia’s largest economy, since he was a little boy.His father started selling the noodles on a cart in 1969, later renting a garage in which he set up Bakmi Ayam Acang, or Acang’s chicken noodles. Budianto then took over the business when his father retired in 2014.It’s been a profitable business for the Chinese-Indonesian family, thanks in part to the loyal customers from a…

In South Korea’s presidential election campaign marked by mudslinging, even the would-be first ladies haven’t been spared from personal attacks.This is in stark contrast to the traditional way in which the wives of male leaders in Asia have tended to stay in the background during election campaigns. Usually, they attract publicity for state visits, ceremonies or charity events.The wife of the current South Korean President Moon Jae-in has seldom been in the news, just as the wife of former…

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday defended the sale of an oil and gas concession to a firm controlled by a tycoon ally after a senate panel approved the filing of charges against energy ministry officials.“I am convinced that this was a private transaction between private entities that must be respected,” Duterte said, adding that the national interest has been protected.Udenna Corp, a company owned by Dennis Uy, a friend of Duterte, acquired Chevron Corp’s 45 per cent in the…

In the Asean bloc’s internal debate on whether engagement or a hardline stance with Myanmar’s junta will force coup-maker Min Aung Hlaing to abide by a peace plan for the strife-torn country, the cabal of countries favouring the latter strategy appears to have the upper hand – for now.This week’s announcement by Cambodia – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ current chair – that the junta would remain banned from attending the bloc’s talks is a clear indication that the likes of…

Switzerland has introduced new non-financial reporting requirements and due diligence obligations in an effort to improve human rights protections around the world.

New research shows that decentralised finance (DeFi) protocols are becoming an increasingly significant route for money launderers.

New implementing regulations that will shape the terms of employment contracts in the UAE and organisations’ employment policies and procedures have been published by the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).

Indonesian authorities have declared two villages on Java island red zones and banned livestock movement from the area after the deaths of several farm animals from anthrax, an official said on Friday.Seven cattle and a goat have so far tested positive for anthrax among 15 farm animals that have died in recent days, said Kelik Yuniantoro of the agriculture office in the Gunung Kidul region of central Java.Authorities were awaiting more test results and there were 23 people with skin infections,…