Asian Legal Review

The United Arab Emirates is rapidly eclipsing Hong Kong and emerging as a credible rival to Singapore as Asia’s most dynamic trading hub, thanks to an ambitious post-pandemic campaign of economic diplomacy.
Defying global headwinds from war and instability across its own region, the UAE’s non-oil trade almost doubled between 2021 and 2025 to reach 3.8 trillion dirhams (US$1.03 trillion), Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum announced on January 31.
That surge – powered by an aggressive…

The posh, three-storey house in Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur was occupied by foreign prostitutes who provide their services for fees of up to 3,500 ringgit (US$900).
The “romps”, which were either a 45-minute or 90-minute session, were offered by a syndicate that supplied women from countries such as China and Japan.
The syndicate had been operating from the detached house in the upscale residential area of Desa Pahlawan for about six months.
However, their illicit activities came to an…

Businesses generally have the right to use their legal rights without liability. However, unlawful use of these rights has consequences. This unlawful use can take various forms, including constituting an abuse of rights.

Courts in South Africa have been sending an unmistakable message to litigants: mandatory mediation is no longer a procedural formality that parties can sidestep.

A recent Privy Council decision to set aside a £1.5million award to a contractor highlights the “dramatic consequences” of failing to comply with FIDIC contract requirements, according to an expert.

India’s approval for a 3.6 trillion rupee (US$40 billion) purchase of defence equipment on Thursday – including 114 Rafale French fighter jets – will significantly boost the capabilities of the country’s armed forces amid heightened tensions with Pakistan, analysts say.
The decision comes at a time when the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fighter squadron strength has shrunk to 29, well below the 42 considered essential in the event of a simultaneous war with Pakistan and China.
French President…

Indonesia’s largest Islamic organisations appear to be recalibrating their stance on Palestine by softening earlier criticisms of President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace”, in what analysts describe as a shift from prioritising Palestinian independence to broader security issues.
The adjustment, which followed a closed-door meeting at the presidential palace earlier this month, has fuelled a debate on whether major Muslim bodies are being nudged…

Freedom of speech will increasingly be front and centre of universities’ minds, particularly given some of the high-profile situations in recent months.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to be taking steps to ‌consolidate his daughter’s position as successor, and there are signs she is providing input on policy matters, South Korean lawmakers said on Thursday, citing a spy agency briefing.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Agency (NIS) will be closely watching whether the daughter, believed to be named Kim Ju-ae, attends a coming meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party and how she is presented, including ⁠whether she takes on any official…

Officials from the Philippines-claimed Kalayaan group of islands within the disputed Spratly Islands archipelago plan to expand its civilian population amid a war of words with the Chinese embassy in the country.
Local authorities in Kalayaan, which falls under the jurisdiction of Palawan province, were working on plans to grow the population beyond its current outpost on Thitu Island, known locally as Pagasa, and to the six other land masses under its administration, Vice-Mayor Maurice Phillip…