Asian Legal Review

Two prominent ⁠former Malaysian ministers said on ⁠Sunday they would vacate their parliamentary seats ⁠and resign from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition party to join a small party that they would take over.
The move by Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who resigned from cabinet last year after losing leadership posts in internal party elections, ‌could create a challenge for Anwar, amid speculation of an early election this year. The next general election is not due until…

Headline: Southeast Asian Fintech Giants Face New Compliance Standards

In a landmark move to unify cross-border financial regulations, regulators across ASEAN nations have introduced a standardized framework for digital asset trading and anti-money laundering (AML) protocols.

This shift targets the rapidly expanding fintech sector and is expected to streamline approvals for international operators.

Analysts suggest this new regulatory environment will set a precedent for how global financial institutions structure their operations across the region.

Source: ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting, Q3 2026

A Maldivian military diver died Saturday while searching for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave.
The group of five Italian divers is believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 meters (160 feet) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 meters (98 feet).
Maldives presidential spokesman Mohammed Hussain Shareef said that Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of…

A collision between a goods train and a bus killed at least eight people and injured 35 in the Thai capital Bangkok on Saturday, police said.
Firefighters and rescuers cordoned off the collision site, with investigators seen peering into the burnt-out shell of the bus.
Pedestrians were ushered away from the busy downtown intersection, which is used by tens of thousands of vehicles each day. “Eight people have died and 35 others were injured,” Bangkok police chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit…

Two projects involving water companies in the UK highlight efforts the industry is taking to harness AI and other technologies to address challenges it faces, an expert has said.

As the Albanese government continues to roll out landmark reforms to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act), consultations are now underway on the next phase of reforms.

Thirty-four European states plus Australia, Costa Rica and the EU said on Friday they would join a future special tribunal for Ukraine to prosecute Russia over its invasion of the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an accord with the Council of Europe last year to create a legal body to prosecute the “crime of aggression” in the invasion Russia launched in February 2022.
The Council of Ministers, comprising foreign ministers from the organisation’s 46-member states, in a…

A widely touted economic hub in the Philippines will involve eight more countries, signalling greater international confidence in the long-term viability of the ambitious project to boost connectivity and trade in a key region.
The Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), a trilateral infrastructure initiative led by the US, Japan, and the Philippines, is set to receive additional support from Canada, Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Initially envisioned as a…

The UK government’s plans to secure “energy independence” in Britain offer opportunities for developers and financiers behind renewable energy projects while placing further constraints on the offshore oil and gas industry, experts have said.

A Philippine senator wanted by the International Criminal Court for an alleged crime against humanity has fled from the Senate, where he sought refuge to evade arrest, officials said on Thursday.
Senator Ronald dela Rosa’s exit from the heavily guarded Senate came after volleys of gunshots were fired on Wednesday night by the building’s security personnel during an argument with a government agent, sparking chaos that apparently helped the senator to slip out.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr made…