The Scottish government has outlined hydrogen production targets, to be underpinned by £100 million of funding, in a new plan out for consultation.
Philippine election 2022: Rodrigo Duterte rules out VP bid against daughter Sara, seeks Senate seat, vows not to support Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jnr
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ended months of speculation about his political plans by filing his candidacy for a senate seat in next year’s elections.However, he kept up the political intrigue by saying he would not support the presidential bid of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr, the son of the former dictator, who has asked Duterte’s daughter Sara to be his running mate.That came despite a survey by the private pollster Social Weather Stations that found Marcos…
Singapore says 1 in 20 refuse Covid-19 vaccine, launches India, Indonesia, Middle East travel lanes
About 5 per cent of Singapore’s 5.45 million people are deliberately remaining unvaccinated, officials said on Monday, as they signalled the gradual easing of social distancing restrictions in place since September 27.New quarantine-free travel lanes for vaccinated travellers were also announced, with the city state set to open up to India and Indonesia from November 29, and to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia from December 6.Singapore now has quarantine-free travel arrangements…
Thai protesters march to call for royal reforms after court ruling
Hundreds of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Sunday against a decision by a top court that ruled calling for royal reforms amounted to a bid to overthrow Thailand’s ultra-powerful monarchy.The Constitutional Court – which critics have long said is politicised – announced on Wednesday that three prominent protest leaders had made speeches that “aim to overthrow the constitutional monarchy”.While the court’s decision does not result in criminal penalties for the protest leaders, observers say the…
Owners pay US$300,000 to release ships detained by Indonesian navy near Singapore
More than a dozen shipowners have made payments of about US$300,000 apiece to release vessels detained by the Indonesian navy, which said they were anchored illegally in the country’s waters near Singapore, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter.The dozen sources include shipowners, crew and maritime security sources all involved in the detentions and payments, which they say were either made in cash to naval officers or via bank transfer to intermediaries who told them they…
With Duterte, daughter set to vie for the Philippines’ vice-presidency, another option emerges
A whirlwind of last-minute reshuffles and changes ahead of what is shaping up to be one of the Philippines’ most bizarre presidential elections saw President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter Sara on Saturday enter the race to become vice-president on the same day her father vowed to do likewise – though some suspect not all is as it seems. A day after withdrawing her bid to run for re-election as mayor of Davao City, Sara Duterte-Carpio filed her certificate of candidacy on Saturday to run for the…
Singapore court orders halt to display of Kaws’ Companion, giant inflatable sculpture, at ‘Kaws: Holiday’ event
Rarely has there been a case of holiday blues of such monumental proportions.On Saturday, a large group of VIPs in Singapore were attending the official unveiling of a 42-metre-long inflatable outdoor sculpture, Companion, created by celebrity artist Kaws as part of a two-week, government-sponsored spectacle called “Kaws: Holiday”.But at 4.30pm, a court injunction ordering both the immediate suspension of the artwork’s display and the accompanying sale of merchandise was delivered to the event…
Sri Lanka to tax car crashes in drastic austerity budget, raising money and ‘reducing accidents’
Sri Lanka has slapped a tax on road accidents in a drastic austerity budget as the country faces a major foreign exchange crisis.“It is proposed to impose a fee on vehicles meeting with accidents,” Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa told parliament on Friday. “Through this initiative, it is expected to reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents.”As Sri Lanka braces for a perfect economic storm, will China send a lifeline?Rajapaksa said accidents would be taxed under new proposals to keep the…
Fires at Indonesia’s Komodo dragon reserve spark fears over ‘Jurassic Park’ tourism revamp
A series of fires at Indonesia’s Komodo National Park have prompted safety concerns for the endangered giant lizards that live there, while also highlighting the pitfalls and confusion surrounding the government’s plan to re-brand the park as a “super-priority” tourist destination.The latest blaze on November 2 took a team of 32 park rangers and 11 residents of Rinca Island – one of three main islands that make up the park in East Nusa Tenggara Province – to put out. The source of the fire is…
Environment Act will have cross-sector and fundamental impact
The development of major infrastructure projects, the way water companies manage their networks, and the design of consumer products are just some of many aspects of life that will all be impacted by wide-ranging new environmental laws passed earlier this week by the UK parliament.