Luke Tapp and Ruth Stephen tell HRNews about some of the key employment law changes in the region
Ukraine war: Australian PM Morrison says allowing Putin at Indonesia G20 summit ‘a step too far’
Allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit with other world leaders at this year’s G20 summit would be “a step too far”, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.Putin has already been invited to the G20 heads of state summit in November by this year’s host Jakarta, and he intends to be there, Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia said this week.But Morrison objected, citing Russia’s war in neighbouring Ukraine.“I think we need to have people in the room that aren’t invading…
Malaysia 1MDB scandal: US jury shown invoice of Najib wife’s pink diamond necklace instead of jewels
The jury in the trial of a former Goldman Sachs banker finally got a look at hard proof of the treasures bought with money allegedly looted in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB corruption scandal.But jurors didn’t get to see the actual US$23 million necklace with a pink diamond big enough to be a paperweight that was created by prestigious New York jeweller Lorraine Schwartz for Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak.They weren’t even shown a photo of the necklace…
Aggregates levy in the UK
Aggregates levy is a UK tax on the commercial exploitation of rock, sand and gravel.
US-Philippines to hold biggest military drills in decades as China tensions grow
The US and Philippines will hold their biggest military drills in three decades as tensions grow with China, injecting new life into a defence alliance that had languished in recent years.Some 5,100 American soldiers and 3,800 Philippine military members will train in the Southeast Asian nation from March 28 to April 8, the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement.They will conduct drills on maritime security, counterterrorism and disaster relief in the largest ever iteration of Balikatan, the…
Climate change ‘greatest threat’ to Australia’s future and security, defence veterans warn
Climate change is now “the greatest threat to the future and security” of Australia, senior defence figures in the country warned on Wednesday.The group – which includes the former chief of the Australian Defence Force, Admiral Chris Barrie – used an open letter to call on Australia’s political leadership to make climate “an immediate security priority” ahead of federal elections expected in May.The defence veterans and security experts pointed to the 2019 “Black Summer” bush fires and the…
What service providers can expect from PRA risk requirements
Service providers can expect customers in the UK financial services sector to request changes to their existing contracts and to pursue new agreements that conform to tougher regulatory requirements that reflect the risks arising from those customers’ dependency on them.
After Grab’s back door US listing, will SPACs take off in Hong Kong and Singapore?
Last December, ride-hailing and delivery giant Grab made history with its back door listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange. It was the biggest US listing by a Southeast Asian firm and also the world’s largest special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deal, valued at US$40 billion.That evening, more than 200 investors, drivers and other employees gathered in a hotel ballroom in central Singapore to cheer the milestone as Grab expanded its global footprint.The landmark listing came after Grab’s…
Indonesian MotoGP may be over, but land conflicts over the US$3 billion AIIB-backed Mandalika tourism project are revving up
The most expensive seat for the Indonesian MotoGP tournament in Lombok was not one of the 15 million rupiah (US$1,046) VIP Premier Class tickets being sold by the organiser; it was a 3.5 metre tall rickety platform built by a local woodworker.It took Sibawai only one day to build the makeshift seating and cost him next to nothing in materials. But it has taken him at least 30 years, and counting, to fight for the land the platform is built upon.Sibawai claims ownership of six hectares of land…
Japan’s strong Ukraine response could reshape defence strategy amid China’s moves on Taiwan, Diaoyu Islands
Japan has broken with years of precedent in its tough response to the Ukraine invasion, and the conflict could reshape Tokyo’s defence strategy as it confronts China’s regional ambitions, analysts say.When Russia last pushed into Ukraine in 2014, Japan’s response was seen as lukewarm, but this time around it has marched in lockstep with Western allies on unprecedented sanctions and tough rhetoric, even sending non-lethal military aid.And the crisis is already impacting debates on security…