Government proposals to create a more streamlined corporate reporting framework could reduce duplication and make compliance more proportionate, particularly for private and smaller companies, an expert has said.
Ireland launches consultation on offshore wind auction revamp
Ireland’s Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) has opened a consultation on proposals to align the country’s Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) with new EU requirements for renewable energy support schemes.
AI agents operating Britain’s energy system explored in UK vision
Sophisticated AI tools that act autonomously could “largely run” Britain’s energy system in future, according to a “plausible” but “stretching scenario” explored by the UK government.
The Global South cannot afford to let its maritime border disputes fester
The ocean looks like peace from afar and truth up close, they say. But beneath the waves, the map of the world’s oceans is far less settled than it looks. Today, dozens of sea borders remain unresolved. Like so many conflicts, they owe their origins to complicated questions of where one country’s territory ends, and another’s begins.
Many involve overlapping claims to areas rich in resources; and a disproportionate number concern the waters of the Global South. Africa’s coastline is a stark…
South African mining supply chains must prepare for tougher enforcement measures
Individuals and companies that support unlawful mining in South Africa can expect a tougher enforcement environment under proposed amendments to the country’s mining legislation, experts have said.
Indonesia rescues 6 orangutans from forest fires in a week
Six orangutans including two nursing infants have been rescued from fires raging on Borneo island in the past week, Indonesian authorities and rescuers said on Thursday, bringing the total to 15 in a month.
The apes were saved from plantations in deep rural West Kalimantan province, on the Indonesian part of the island, where they got stuck after fires cut off access to their forest home, according to the forestry ministry and the YIARI wildlife rehabilitation foundation.
A large fire was…
Lawmakers seek ban on ‘superintelligent’ AI as ‘toolkit’ developed to support AI projects
Draft legislation aimed at preventing the development of “artificial superintelligence systems” within the UK and beyond has been introduced into the UK parliament.
Indonesia’s wildfire emissions surge to world’s highest, data shows
Indonesia is facing a surge in emissions from wildfires burning through parched stretches of forest and peatland on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, with carbon dioxide readings currently the highest in the world, data has shown.
Fire emissions from Indonesia from September 1 to September 7 reached 19.7 million metric tons, overtaking Russia this week and making up more than a third of the global total, according to Fire Emissions Watch, a portal developed by the European Union’s Copernicus…
Singapore’s DBS sued for US$1 billion in alleged 1MDB-linked claim
Singapore’s DBS Bank is being sued for an estimated S$1.298 billion (US$1.03 billion) in damages linked to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, Southeast Asia’s largest lender DBS Group has said.
The claimants include the liquidators of four companies: BlackRock Commodities (Global), Platinum Global Luxury Services, Affinity Equity International Partners and TKIL Global Investments. The liquidators did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
DBS on Wednesday rejected the…
Thailand SEC Proposes Streamlined Crypto Derivatives Licensing for Existing Firms
Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed a sweeping reform that would allow existing licensed digital asset operators to apply directly for derivatives licenses under their current corporate structures, eliminating the need to establish separate entities for cryptocurrency derivatives activity.
The proposal builds on Cabinet approval reached in February 2026, which formally recognized cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin as eligible underlying assets for futures and options under Thailand’s Derivatives Act. The SEC opened a public consultation window to gather industry feedback on the rule changes before the consultation closes on May 20, 2026.
Under current regulations, digital asset firms must set up geographically and structurally separate corporate entities dedicated solely to derivatives trading — a requirement that has been cited by market participants as a significant barrier to product innovation and market entry. The proposal would consolidate licensing under a single regulatory umbrella, allowing licensed crypto exchanges to offer spot and derivatives products through their existing structures while maintaining strict oversight through mandatory internal controls, risk management protocols, and conflict-of-interest safeguards.
The move positions Thailand as the first jurisdiction in Southeast Asia to offer integrated crypto spot and derivatives licensing in a single framework. It comes as the country already benefits from a five-year capital gains tax exemption on cryptocurrency trading (2025-2029) and is preparing for the launch of cryptocurrency ETFs. Deputy Secretary-General Jomkwan Kongsakul has previously highlighted ease of access as a key advantage of opening Thailand’s derivatives market to digital asset participants.
Industry players are actively positioning themselves ahead of the new rules several licensed digital asset operators have recently acquired regulated trading …