Saturday, 1 March 2014

The international law basis behind China’s claims

Many have called on China to base its claims in the South China Sea on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). In fact, Unclos might not be the proper forum for China’s claims. Customary international law, which recognises historical claims of the kind China is putting forth, might be a more apt avenue.

Friday, 28 February 2014

Former NUS law don Tey Tsun Hang acquitted of corruption charges on appeal

Former National University of Singapore law professor Tey Tsun Hang, who was previously convicted in a sex-for-grades scandal, was on Friday morning acquitted of all his charges in Singapore’s High Court on appeal.
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UK, US spies 'stored millions of Yahoo webcam images'

US senators said British and US spy agencies showed a "breathtaking lack of respect" for privacy after reports they had intercepted and stored images from webcams used by millions of Yahoo users.
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Nanjing massacre memorial stirs strong emotions in China

The skulls, bones, and names of thousands of dead at the Nanjing massacre memorial stand as a stark demonstration of China and Japan's inability to move beyond history in their increasingly tense relationship.
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Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Monday, 24 February 2014

Japan considers revision of comfort women apology

Japan is to consider revising its landmark apology for its wartime system of sex slavery, a top official said on Monday, in a move likely to draw fury in South Korea and beyond.

Saturday, 22 February 2014

Sichuan mining tycoon’s fall from philanthropist to ‘triad boss’

Revelations about Sichuan mining magnate Liu Han’s alleged crimes have shaken those who knew him as a great philanthropist

Media’s heavy hints signal endgame in the pursuit of Zhou Yongkang

The Communist Party’s main mouthpiece has pointed the finger at party and law enforcement officials for protecting a Sichuan billionaire who allegedly ran a mafia-type gang.

Directive bans patients from making ‘cash gifts’ to hospital doctors

Some medics welcome move to end payment of ‘red packets’, but others contend practice will endure as long as health worker wages stay low

Monday, 17 February 2014

Singapore repatriation firms’ tactics under workers’ rights microscope

Bangladeshi claims he had knife held to his throat by ‘repatriation firm’ hired by Singapore employer trying to force him out to reclaim bond

Documents released by Snowden links NSA to spying on US law firm

The National Security Agency was involved in the surveillance of an American law firm while it represented a foreign government in trade disputes with the United States, according to a new report based on a top-secret document that had been obtained by former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden.

Sunday, 16 February 2014

NSA Australia allies 'spied on US law firm' in Indonesia row

Australian spies tapped a US law firm representing Indonesia in a trade dispute with the US, new leaks say.
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Saturday, 15 February 2014

Chinese army cracks down on housing, cars in anti-graft drive

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China sacks police chief of vice hub in prostitution scandal

The Chinese government on Friday sacked the police chief of the southern “sin city” of Dongguan following a candid report by the state broadcaster on the underground sex industry there, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

China state media slams Aston Martin over handling of sports car recall

China’s state media has slammed Aston Martin over a recall of its luxury cars involving parts produced in the country, saying the British firm is using the stereotype of low-quality ‘Made in China’ manufacturing to mask its own shortcomings.

Thursday, 13 February 2014

Nanjing seeks Unesco listing for massacre documents


China has applied to Unesco for inclusion of documents related to the 1937 Nanjing Massacre in a move seen as a response to Japan’s request to add kamikaze pilots’ letters

Japan on backfoot in global PR war with China after Abe shrine visit

Japan risks losing a global PR battle with China after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to a controversial shrine for war dead and comments by other prominent figures on the wartime past helped Beijing try to paint Tokyo as the villain of Asia.
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US cracks down on luxury car re-exports to China

Criminal or civil actions have been filed in US states, but some contend it’s just a commercial dispute