Asian Legal Review

The United States is planning a fuel depot in the southern Philippines to support humanitarian and maritime security missions for its long-time ally in Asia, as part of a growing network of forward-based refuelling hubs in the Western Pacific.
Located far from the flashpoint reefs at the centre of Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea, the depot marks what one observer called a “more mature and more serious stage” in the US-Philippine alliance: a shift from base access…

A new agreement between Dubai’s financial services regulator and the UAE’s economy ministry should create a stronger regulatory framework for auditing in the region, according to experts.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sparked a diplomatic row with Israel and criticism at home after comparing Israeli military actions against Palestinians to the Holocaust in a social media post.
The controversy began on Friday after Lee said “wartime killings” by the Israel Defence ‌Forces were “no different from the Jewish massacre” by the Nazis in World War II and reposted footage with a caption that said it showed Israeli troops had tortured and thrown a Palestinian from the roof of a…

The driver of a Singapore-registered car has been arrested in Johor for allegedly pumping subsidised Malaysian petrol, triggering a wave of approval online from Malaysians as the government widens a border crackdown driven by rising fuel costs and fears of subsidy abuse amid a global energy shock.
The arrest comes after months of viral shaming posts showing Singapore-registered vehicles allegedly filling up with RON95 in neighbouring Johor, fuelling public anger over the abuse of a subsidy meant…

No Ethiopian, Pakistani, Indian, Brazilian or other serious policymaker believes artificial intelligence will solve corruption or improve governance overnight. National policies such as Digital Ethiopia 2030, Pakistan’s National AI Policy 2025 or other initiatives in Chile, Argentina and Colombia consider AI as a means to enhance service delivery in healthcare, education, agriculture, taxation and disaster management, rather than as institutional reform.
These are practical applications….

Malaysia is expected to experience a critical moment with regards to fuel supply by June, according to Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
He said the government is implementing measures to address the global fuel shortage amid the Middle East conflict, including exploring alternative raw materials.
“June and July will be a very critical period in ensuring fuel supplies are available,” Akmal Nasrullah said after attending an event in Johor Bahru.
“It will be equally important to ensure…

Rocking her baby to soothe his searing pain and gasping breaths, 18-year-old Rubia Akhtar Brishti recounts how her son nearly died in Bangladesh’s deadly measles outbreak.
“The boy had [a] high fever and found it hard to breathe,” Brishti said, wiping the fevered brow of one-year-old Minhaz, cradled in her arms. “His whole body had rashes.”
At least 143 people have died in the outbreak since March 15, the vast majority children, with more than 12,000 suspected cases – the worst in the South…

Soaring fuel prices are driving up costs for Thais travelling home for the holidays, but the chance to spend the new year with loved ones is a price worth paying, they say.
“There aren’t many opportunities to go home during festivals like this,” said 24-year-old army cadet Korawich Changpat at Bangkok’s Mo Chit Two bus station, despite his inflated fare back to central Chaiyaphum province.
“First of all, I’ll go see my mother. Looking this handsome in my uniform, I must go pay my respects to…

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia’s independent foreign policy stance, saying that while the nation prioritises maintaining strong ties with its neighbours, it remains firm in its refusal to overlook the causes of current regional instability.
Responding to recent remarks by Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who stated that the republic would not negotiate for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Anwar said Malaysia’s diplomatic approach is guided…

Proposals for a new operational resilience regime for financial services firms operating in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) will increase board accountability and regulatory scrutiny, experts have said.