Asian Legal Review

While speculation grows that Indonesia and Israel are making efforts to normalise diplomatic ties amid a flurry of low profile contacts, experts say the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation will not want to risk political upheaval by appearing to waver on its support for the Palestinian cause.Reports about behind-the-scenes discussions for Indonesia to be the next Muslim country to sign the Abraham Accords – after the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco – first emerged in the Israeli press…

The pandemic has undoubtedly contributed to the growing popularity of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods in construction, but mechanisms such as mediation have benefits that go far beyond the current moment.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is under quarantine after being exposed to a household staff member who tested positive for Covid-19, his spokesman said on Thursday.Duterte, 76, has since tested negative for Covid-19, but is “currently observing mandatory quarantine protocols”, presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said.“The chief executive continues to work while in quarantine, and is in constant communication with the members of the Cabinet to ensure that urgent matters are addressed,”…

There is nothing quite like the durian to divide opinion. To some, it is a foul-smelling pod that is so overpowering it is banned on some cities’ public transport systems. For others, its creamy texture and custard-like flavour make it the “king of fruits”.The durian is not native to Japan – it originally comes from Southeast Asia – so it is perhaps a surprise that Taro Kono, a former foreign minister, is such a fan.So enamoured is Kono with the spiky-skinned fruit that he accepted an…

Levels of investment in new treatments based on human cells or genes will continue to grow across Europe, provided policy and regulatory frameworks evolve favourably.

Tonga will go into Covid-19 lockdown on Wednesday after the virus was detected in a fresh blow to the Pacific kingdom as it struggles to recover from last month’s devastating volcanic eruption, officials said.The remote island nation had been virus-free, but Prime Minister, Siaosi Sovaleni said two men tested positive this week in Nuku’alofa.He said the men had been working in the capital’s port, where humanitarian aid has been pouring in from around the globe since the January 15 eruption.In a…

At a cliffside restaurant on Thailand’s Koh Larn, where squat teak dining tables overlook an empty white-sand bay, manager Sutthiea Saengsaswi says the last time Chinese tourists were around for the Lunar New Year celebrations her takings went up to around US$6,000 a day. Now they are just US$300 a day.But this year, for the second year running, there are no Chinese to be seen. Strict quarantine measures Beijing has implemented ahead of the Winter Olympics as part of its zero-tolerance approach…

UK businesses will have until 21 March 2024 to update existing contracts that provide for the transfer of personal data to entities based elsewhere in the world.

The Myanmar National Unity Government, the shadow government formed last year by opponents of military rule after civilian leader and former peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in a coup, is among the nominees for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.The World Health Organization, Belarusian dissident Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and British nature broadcaster David Attenborough, are also candidates after being backed by Norwegian lawmakers who have a track record of picking the winner…

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s “lost” WeChat account may not have gone as far as to jeopardise national security but it raises questions about his relationship with the Chinese nationals and companies who owned and managed his account, analysts and experts say.Last week, senior members of his cabinet and the local media alleged Morrison’s WeChat account had been blocked and hijacked while accusing the Chinese Communist Party of foreign interference. There were also calls to boycott…