South East Asia

In southern Malaysia, expansion of water-based cooling systems for data centres has been halted for 18 months. Among the causes are drought and the distribution of water resources, which are lacking in the south, where investments are concentrated. With 48 data centres, Johor would become a regional hub by 2030.

Invoking its anti-fake news law, Singapore has ordered corrections to an article written by the sister of a man who was executed in October. Failure to meet its order will result in access to the site being blocked. The news portal has rejected the order, expressing concern over cross-border censorship.

A new serious landslide in Central Java province has caused at least 18 deaths and numerous missing persons. Rescue efforts are hampered by a deep fracture in the ground, and new rains could widen the area affected by the disaster. Climate change and geological conditions are putting the entire country at increasing risk.

While President Marcos himself is implicated in corruption allegations by a former deputy, the country's bishops warn against solutions that would destabilise the country. Cardinal David: “The Filipino people deserve truth, not rumours; responsibility, not manipulation”. Bishop Villegas: “Peace is the fruit of justice and dialogue, not unbridled ambition or force”.

The extradition of She Zhijiang from Thailand to China comes at a time of intense international pressure on Bangkok to crack down on criminal networks operating between Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. The case reignites attention on the proliferation of scam centres and their impact on Thai tourism, which has seen sharp declines over the past year.

A legal expert and politician, he was one of dictator Ferdinand Marcos's closest aides, designing and implementing martial law. But he was also a key figure in the 1986 crisis that ultimately brought down the regime. Still at the centre of politics, he served as legal advisor to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. even as he approached his 100th birthday. A divisive figure, he was for some, a symbol of political skill, for others, an emblem of elite impunity.

Indonesia is the world's largest producer of this raw material and the crossroads of discussions on its environmental sustainability. Over the last year, prices have fallen by more than 17%, but operators in the sector are optimistic about the biofuel market. Forty-one per cent of Indonesian plantations are owned by small farmers.

Joy Reyes, who experienced firsthand the devastation of cyclone Ulysses in 2020, shared her experience at the UN Conference on Climate Change. “I used to love the sound of rain. Now every drop brings fear,” she said. The perverse connection with international debt, which weighs heavily on the victims of other people's pollution, is a powerful one. Cardinal David calls for a tax on mining to compensate local communities.

A car bomb that exploded yesterday near the historic Red Fort, a symbol of Indian independence, killed 13 people and wounded more than 20. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, but authorities suspect a jihadi attack linked to Kashmir, following the discovery of three tonnes of explosives in Faridabad. However, "all angles" remain open, according to federal Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah. “Let us continue to pray for peace and safety across our beloved nation,” reads a statement by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India.

The measure follows a High Court ruling. Koh disappeared in 2017 in Petaling Jaya, abducted by a group of masked men. The Home Minister says the police will comply with the order. His wife Susanna Liew opposes the Attorney General's appeal. The similar case of activist Amri Che Mat.

Despite accusations of human rights violations, Indonesia’s incumbent president presented the National Hero title to Suharto’s children. The official narrative cites the role the late strongman played in expelling the Japanese in 1945. The same title was also awarded to the late Abdurrahman Wahid, a symbol of democracy and pluralism, and the late trade unionist Marsinah, who was killed during the Suharto years.

The French president calls for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release. As the poll approaches, the military regime intensifies its propaganda, forcing artists and actors to support the election. The Ta'ang National Liberation Army recently signed a ceasefire brokered by China that allows the junta to take control of part of the Mandalay region. In Mogok, residents renew their protests.