Friday, 5 Sep 2025

Stay ahead of Asia’s biggest stories. Get our weekly news digest delivered to your inbox – it’s free!

Economy
EconomyShow More

US Cotton Exports to China Plummet as Apparel Production Shifts to Vietnam
A rapid shift in demand for US fiberUS cotton exporters are experiencing…

September 4, 2025

Japan Post Suspends Delivery Vans at 100 Post Offices After Roll Call Violations
A widening crackdown on driver checks at Japan PostJapan’s transport ministry has…

September 3, 2025

China’s Home Sales Slump Continues Amid Falling Prices
Fresh signs of stress in AugustChina’s housing slump extended in August, underscoring…

September 2, 2025

Asia Future Summit 2025: Speakers, Agenda, and Why It Matters
Why this summit matters nowThe Asia Future Summit returns to Singapore for…

September 2, 2025

Vietnam Launches Sweeping Economic Reforms to Become Asia’s Next Tiger Economy by 2045
Vietnam Launches Sweeping Economic Reforms to Become Asia’s Next Tiger Economy by…

September 1, 2025
Education
EducationShow More

Why Record Numbers of Students Are Leaving South Korea’s Elite Universities to Pursue Medical School
A wave of withdrawals as medicine draws top talentSouth Korea’s most prestigious…

September 2, 2025

Philippine Lawmakers Face Fierce Debate Over Sex Education as Teen Pregnancies Surge
Philippine Lawmakers Face Fierce Debate Over Sex Education as Teen Pregnancies SurgeRising…

September 1, 2025

Japan’s Students Grapple with Soaring Living Costs Amid Inflation Crisis
Japan's University Students Face a Cost-of-Living SqueezeUniversity students across Japan are facing…

August 31, 2025

Pengdao Village: How a Remote Chinese Hamlet Became the Nation’s ‘PhD Village’
Pengdao Village’s Remarkable Academic LegacyIn the mountainous heart of Fujian province, southeastern…

August 31, 2025

Pengdao: The Remarkable Story of China’s ‘PhD Village’ and Its 33 Doctoral Graduates
Pengdao Village: A Beacon of Academic Achievement in Rural ChinaIn the remote…

August 31, 2025
Entertainment
EntertainmentShow More

Bollywood at a Crossroads as AI Rewrites Costs, Creativity and Control
An altered ending ignites a national debateBollywood, famous for lavish song and…

September 4, 2025

Sculpture Takes Over Seoul 2025: A Citywide Gallery Along Parks and the Hangang
Art takes over Seoul's parks and riverfrontsFrom September 1 to November 30,…

September 3, 2025

Sony’s Missed Jackpot: How Netflix Turned ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Into a Global Blockbuster
The Animated Sensation That Took the World—and Sony—by SurpriseIn the summer of…

August 31, 2025

Singapore Food Festival 2025: A Feast of Heritage, Innovation, and Community
Singapore Food Festival 2025: Where Culinary Heritage Meets InnovationEvery September, Singapore transforms…

August 31, 2025

Starbucks Kyoto Matcha Latte Returns: A Celebration of Japanese Tradition and Global Matcha Craze
Starbucks Kyoto Matcha Latte Returns: A Celebration of Japanese Tradition and Global…

August 30, 2025
Environment
EnvironmentShow More

Bhutan rice belt under strain as labor shortages, shrinking farmland and climate stress hit harvests
A staple under pressureRice remains the anchor of Bhutan’s food supply, providing…

September 4, 2025

La Nina Watch for South Korea, With Wet Spells Early and Early Cold Snaps Possible
La Nina watch rises for fall in KoreaSouth Korea’s weather agency says…

September 3, 2025

Johor Quakes Spark Malaysia Review of Seismic Building Rules
Johor tremors end the myth of zero riskA rare week of earthquakes…

September 2, 2025

Across the Pamirs, China and Tajikistan Team Up to Protect Wildlife and Restore Connectivity
On the Roof of Central Asia, a Joint Mission Takes ShapeAt more…

September 2, 2025

Torrential Rain Halts Akita Shinkansen as Top Emergency Alerts Issued in Northern Japan
Storm-lashed northeast sees rail shutdownsHeavy rain sweeping across northeastern Japan on Monday…

September 2, 2025
Health
HealthShow More

India Surpasses 200 Million Diabetes Cases: How Genetics, Diet, and Urbanization Drove a Public Health Crisis
India Surpasses 200 Million Diabetes Cases: How Genetics, Diet, and Urbanization Drove…

September 1, 2025

Singapore’s Zero-Tolerance Crackdown on Vaping: What Foreigners Need to Know
Singapore’s New Vaping Crackdown: Foreigners Face Revoked Passes, Deportation, and BansSingapore, renowned…

August 28, 2025

Singapore’s Zero-Tolerance Vaping Crackdown: New Laws, Harsher Penalties, and a Nation on Alert
Singapore’s New War on Vaping: Why the Crackdown Now?Singapore has long been…

August 28, 2025

China’s Biotech Boom: How Global Pharma Deals Are Redefining the Industry
China’s Biotech Industry Surges onto the Global StageChina’s biotechnology sector is undergoing…

August 22, 2025

Methanol Poisoning in Southeast Asia: Tragedy, Warnings, and the Hidden Dangers Facing Tourists
The Deadly Cost of Cheap Spirits: A Survivor’s Story and a Regional…

August 21, 2025
International
InternationalShow More

Japan and Taiwan sign rare evacuation information pact amid Taiwan contingency fears
Why a quiet immigration pact signals serious contingency planningJapan and Taiwan have…

September 4, 2025

Hot Mic Captures Putin and Xi Musing on Transplants, 150 Year Lifespans and Power
A candid exchange during Beijing's show of strengthChina’s Victory Day parade in…

September 4, 2025

China’s Land Suez: Inside the Race to Reroute Trade to Europe by Rail
A New Push to Bypass the SeasChina is racing to build reliable…

September 2, 2025

Vietnam’s K9 Howitzer Purchase Signals South Korea’s Strategic Entry into Southeast Asia
Why Vietnam’s K9 purchase matters nowSouth Korea has crossed a threshold in…

September 2, 2025

The Flying Tigers: American Pilots Who Helped China in WWII
A mercenary offer that changed a warImagine signing a one year contract…

September 2, 2025
Politics
PoliticsShow More

Ethnic Tensions Rise in Malaysian Politics
A small spark in Penang, wider unease nationwideIn Penang, the national flag…

September 4, 2025

Kim Ju Ae steps onto the world stage as North Korea’s possible next leader
A carefully staged debut in BeijingWhen Kim Jong Un stepped off his…

September 4, 2025

Taiwan and China Contest the Legacy of World War II
Why the WWII memory fight matters nowAs Beijing prepares a grand military…

September 4, 2025

Philippines at 114th in 2024 Corruption Index as score slips to 33
Why 114th place matters nowIn the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the…

September 4, 2025

Indonesia Protests After Delivery Driver Death Put Prabowo to the Test
What sparked the nationwide unrestThe death of 21 year old delivery driver…

September 3, 2025
Science
ScienceShow More

Tiny Generators Achieve 117% Efficiency in Converting Ocean Wave Energy to Electricity: A Revolution in Blue Energy Harvesting
Ocean Waves: The Next Frontier in Renewable EnergyAs the world races to…

August 31, 2025

Chinese Scientists Unveil Multicolored Glow-in-the-Dark Succulents: A Leap Toward Sustainable Plant-Based Lighting
Succulents That Shine: The Breakthrough in Plant-Based LightingImagine a garden that glows…

August 28, 2025

Breakthrough One-Step Process Converts Plastic Waste to Petrol: US-China Team Sets New Standard for Recycling
Revolutionizing Plastic Recycling: Turning Waste into Petrol in a Single StepPlastic pollution…

August 28, 2025

A Rare Sun Halo Dazzles Singapore: Science, Spectacle, and Social Buzz
Singapore's Sky Stuns with Rare Sun HaloOn August 25, 2025, Singaporeans looked…

August 25, 2025

Vietnam’s Space Museum: A New Frontier for Science, Culture, and Innovation
Vietnam’s Space Museum: A New Frontier for Science, Culture, and InnovationVietnam has…

August 25, 2025
Society
SocietyShow More

Shyamoli’s Gamcha Wall: Color, Craft, and Community in Dhaka
A living canvas in the heart of DhakaOn a stretch of Mirpur…

September 4, 2025

India court sentences husband to death for burning wife over skin colour
A startling verdict in UdaipurAn Indian district court in Udaipur, Rajasthan, has…

September 3, 2025

Brave Pink, Hero Green: Indonesian Women Lead Nationwide Protests Over Police Violence and Political Privilege
Why women are marching with brooms in JakartaWomen in bright pink shirts,…

September 3, 2025

Tear Gas at Bandung Universities Exposes Deeper Rage Over Inequality and Policing
Scenes from Bandung as campuses become a flashpointIndonesian police fired tear gas…

September 3, 2025

Record High Dual Income Households in South Korea as Gender Roles Shift
A new family norm takes holdSouth Korea is moving away from a…

September 2, 2025
Sports
SportsShow More

Hong Kong National Games Ticket Sales Begin Without English Option, Prompting Concerns Among Expats and Tourists
Hong Kong National Games Ticket Sales Begin Without English Option, Prompting Concerns…

August 31, 2025

Sruong Pheavy’s Triumph at the LPBA Championship 2025–2026: A New Era for Cambodian Billiards
Sruong Pheavy’s Historic Victory at the LPBA Championship 2025–2026Cambodia’s leading carom billiards…

July 7, 2025

I.Tselmuun’s Historic Bronze: Mongolia’s Breakthrough at the FIDE World Junior Chess Cup
Mongolia’s Rising Star: I.Tselmuun Makes Chess History at the FIDE World Junior…

July 7, 2025

Mongolia to Host the 17th World Horseback Archery Championship: Tradition, Sport, and Global Culture Converge at Taij Khairkhan
The 17th World Horseback Archery Championship: A Historic First for MongoliaMongolia, a…

July 6, 2025

Singapore’s Juliet Heng Defies Odds to Clinch Historic Silver at Asian Fencing Championships
A Historic Feat Forged in DisbeliefIn a stunning display of tenacity and…

June 20, 2025
Technology
TechnologyShow More

Japan’s Mobile Fees Climb as Carriers Add Perks and Brace for Higher Costs
Why prices are rising nowJapan's biggest mobile carriers are lifting monthly plan…

September 3, 2025

Singapore Bank Customers Lock Over S$30 Billion to Prevent Scams
Rapid adoption amid rising scam lossesSingapore bank customers have locked more than…

September 3, 2025

Malaysia summons TikTok and Meta, citing slow action on harmful posts and police probes
Why Malaysia is taking on TikTok and MetaMalaysia has summoned TikTok’s top…

September 2, 2025

Alibaba AI surge lifts Hong Kong as Asia battles rate jitters and tariff risks
Alibaba's AI momentum turns Hong Kong into a rare bright spotHong Kong…

September 2, 2025

AI companions and kidult buyers take center stage at Tokyo Toy Show
AI and kidult buzz at Tokyo Big SightJapan’s biggest toy fair opened…

September 2, 2025
Travel
TravelShow More

Kyoto Overtourism, On the Ground and In the Data
A city under the spotlightKyoto sits at the center of a global…

September 4, 2025

Jindo Sea Parting, science, legend and how to see Korea’s Miracle Sea Road
A living tide that unveils a hidden roadTwice each year, the sea…

September 4, 2025

Nepal to Require Foreign Visitors to Use Tracking App
What is changing and whenNepal is introducing a nationwide digital tracking requirement…

September 3, 2025

Indonesia’s New ‘All Indonesia’ Arrival App: What Travelers to Batam, Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya Must Do
A new digital arrival rule takes effect in IndonesiaFrom September 1, 2025,…

September 2, 2025

Thai and Vietnamese Airports Take Different Paths on Excess Luggage: Service Culture Under the Spotlight
Thai and Vietnamese Airports Take Different Paths on Excess Luggage: Service Culture…

August 31, 2025

Friday, 5 Sep 2025

Stay ahead of Asia’s biggest stories. Get our weekly news digest delivered to your inbox – it’s free!

Economy
EconomyShow More

US Cotton Exports to China Plummet as Apparel Production Shifts to Vietnam
A rapid shift in demand for US fiberUS cotton exporters are experiencing…

September 4, 2025

Japan Post Suspends Delivery Vans at 100 Post Offices After Roll Call Violations
A widening crackdown on driver checks at Japan PostJapan’s transport ministry has…

September 3, 2025

China’s Home Sales Slump Continues Amid Falling Prices
Fresh signs of stress in AugustChina’s housing slump extended in August, underscoring…

September 2, 2025

Asia Future Summit 2025: Speakers, Agenda, and Why It Matters
Why this summit matters nowThe Asia Future Summit returns to Singapore for…

September 2, 2025

Vietnam Launches Sweeping Economic Reforms to Become Asia’s Next Tiger Economy by 2045
Vietnam Launches Sweeping Economic Reforms to Become Asia’s Next Tiger Economy by…

September 1, 2025
Education
EducationShow More

Why Record Numbers of Students Are Leaving South Korea’s Elite Universities to Pursue Medical School
A wave of withdrawals as medicine draws top talentSouth Korea’s most prestigious…

September 2, 2025

Philippine Lawmakers Face Fierce Debate Over Sex Education as Teen Pregnancies Surge
Philippine Lawmakers Face Fierce Debate Over Sex Education as Teen Pregnancies SurgeRising…

September 1, 2025

Japan’s Students Grapple with Soaring Living Costs Amid Inflation Crisis
Japan's University Students Face a Cost-of-Living SqueezeUniversity students across Japan are facing…

August 31, 2025

Pengdao Village: How a Remote Chinese Hamlet Became the Nation’s ‘PhD Village’
Pengdao Village’s Remarkable Academic LegacyIn the mountainous heart of Fujian province, southeastern…

August 31, 2025

Pengdao: The Remarkable Story of China’s ‘PhD Village’ and Its 33 Doctoral Graduates
Pengdao Village: A Beacon of Academic Achievement in Rural ChinaIn the remote…

August 31, 2025
Entertainment
EntertainmentShow More

Bollywood at a Crossroads as AI Rewrites Costs, Creativity and Control
An altered ending ignites a national debateBollywood, famous for lavish song and…

September 4, 2025

Sculpture Takes Over Seoul 2025: A Citywide Gallery Along Parks and the Hangang
Art takes over Seoul's parks and riverfrontsFrom September 1 to November 30,…

September 3, 2025

Sony’s Missed Jackpot: How Netflix Turned ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Into a Global Blockbuster
The Animated Sensation That Took the World—and Sony—by SurpriseIn the summer of…

August 31, 2025

Singapore Food Festival 2025: A Feast of Heritage, Innovation, and Community
Singapore Food Festival 2025: Where Culinary Heritage Meets InnovationEvery September, Singapore transforms…

August 31, 2025

Starbucks Kyoto Matcha Latte Returns: A Celebration of Japanese Tradition and Global Matcha Craze
Starbucks Kyoto Matcha Latte Returns: A Celebration of Japanese Tradition and Global…

August 30, 2025
Environment
EnvironmentShow More

Bhutan rice belt under strain as labor shortages, shrinking farmland and climate stress hit harvests
A staple under pressureRice remains the anchor of Bhutan’s food supply, providing…

September 4, 2025

La Nina Watch for South Korea, With Wet Spells Early and Early Cold Snaps Possible
La Nina watch rises for fall in KoreaSouth Korea’s weather agency says…

September 3, 2025

Johor Quakes Spark Malaysia Review of Seismic Building Rules
Johor tremors end the myth of zero riskA rare week of earthquakes…

September 2, 2025

Across the Pamirs, China and Tajikistan Team Up to Protect Wildlife and Restore Connectivity
On the Roof of Central Asia, a Joint Mission Takes ShapeAt more…

September 2, 2025

Torrential Rain Halts Akita Shinkansen as Top Emergency Alerts Issued in Northern Japan
Storm-lashed northeast sees rail shutdownsHeavy rain sweeping across northeastern Japan on Monday…

September 2, 2025
Health
HealthShow More

India Surpasses 200 Million Diabetes Cases: How Genetics, Diet, and Urbanization Drove a Public Health Crisis
India Surpasses 200 Million Diabetes Cases: How Genetics, Diet, and Urbanization Drove…

September 1, 2025

Singapore’s Zero-Tolerance Crackdown on Vaping: What Foreigners Need to Know
Singapore’s New Vaping Crackdown: Foreigners Face Revoked Passes, Deportation, and BansSingapore, renowned…

August 28, 2025

Singapore’s Zero-Tolerance Vaping Crackdown: New Laws, Harsher Penalties, and a Nation on Alert
Singapore’s New War on Vaping: Why the Crackdown Now?Singapore has long been…

August 28, 2025

China’s Biotech Boom: How Global Pharma Deals Are Redefining the Industry
China’s Biotech Industry Surges onto the Global StageChina’s biotechnology sector is undergoing…

August 22, 2025

Methanol Poisoning in Southeast Asia: Tragedy, Warnings, and the Hidden Dangers Facing Tourists
The Deadly Cost of Cheap Spirits: A Survivor’s Story and a Regional…

August 21, 2025
International
InternationalShow More

Japan and Taiwan sign rare evacuation information pact amid Taiwan contingency fears
Why a quiet immigration pact signals serious contingency planningJapan and Taiwan have…

September 4, 2025

Hot Mic Captures Putin and Xi Musing on Transplants, 150 Year Lifespans and Power
A candid exchange during Beijing's show of strengthChina’s Victory Day parade in…

September 4, 2025

China’s Land Suez: Inside the Race to Reroute Trade to Europe by Rail
A New Push to Bypass the SeasChina is racing to build reliable…

September 2, 2025

Vietnam’s K9 Howitzer Purchase Signals South Korea’s Strategic Entry into Southeast Asia
Why Vietnam’s K9 purchase matters nowSouth Korea has crossed a threshold in…

September 2, 2025

The Flying Tigers: American Pilots Who Helped China in WWII
A mercenary offer that changed a warImagine signing a one year contract…

September 2, 2025
Politics
PoliticsShow More

Ethnic Tensions Rise in Malaysian Politics
A small spark in Penang, wider unease nationwideIn Penang, the national flag…

September 4, 2025

Kim Ju Ae steps onto the world stage as North Korea’s possible next leader
A carefully staged debut in BeijingWhen Kim Jong Un stepped off his…

September 4, 2025

Taiwan and China Contest the Legacy of World War II
Why the WWII memory fight matters nowAs Beijing prepares a grand military…

September 4, 2025

Philippines at 114th in 2024 Corruption Index as score slips to 33
Why 114th place matters nowIn the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the…

September 4, 2025

Indonesia Protests After Delivery Driver Death Put Prabowo to the Test
What sparked the nationwide unrestThe death of 21 year old delivery driver…

September 3, 2025
Science
ScienceShow More

Tiny Generators Achieve 117% Efficiency in Converting Ocean Wave Energy to Electricity: A Revolution in Blue Energy Harvesting
Ocean Waves: The Next Frontier in Renewable EnergyAs the world races to…

August 31, 2025

Chinese Scientists Unveil Multicolored Glow-in-the-Dark Succulents: A Leap Toward Sustainable Plant-Based Lighting
Succulents That Shine: The Breakthrough in Plant-Based LightingImagine a garden that glows…

August 28, 2025

Breakthrough One-Step Process Converts Plastic Waste to Petrol: US-China Team Sets New Standard for Recycling
Revolutionizing Plastic Recycling: Turning Waste into Petrol in a Single StepPlastic pollution…

August 28, 2025

A Rare Sun Halo Dazzles Singapore: Science, Spectacle, and Social Buzz
Singapore's Sky Stuns with Rare Sun HaloOn August 25, 2025, Singaporeans looked…

August 25, 2025

Vietnam’s Space Museum: A New Frontier for Science, Culture, and Innovation
Vietnam’s Space Museum: A New Frontier for Science, Culture, and InnovationVietnam has…

August 25, 2025
Society
SocietyShow More

Shyamoli’s Gamcha Wall: Color, Craft, and Community in Dhaka
A living canvas in the heart of DhakaOn a stretch of Mirpur…

September 4, 2025

India court sentences husband to death for burning wife over skin colour
A startling verdict in UdaipurAn Indian district court in Udaipur, Rajasthan, has…

September 3, 2025

Brave Pink, Hero Green: Indonesian Women Lead Nationwide Protests Over Police Violence and Political Privilege
Why women are marching with brooms in JakartaWomen in bright pink shirts,…

September 3, 2025

Tear Gas at Bandung Universities Exposes Deeper Rage Over Inequality and Policing
Scenes from Bandung as campuses become a flashpointIndonesian police fired tear gas…

September 3, 2025

Record High Dual Income Households in South Korea as Gender Roles Shift
A new family norm takes holdSouth Korea is moving away from a…

September 2, 2025
Sports
SportsShow More

Hong Kong National Games Ticket Sales Begin Without English Option, Prompting Concerns Among Expats and Tourists
Hong Kong National Games Ticket Sales Begin Without English Option, Prompting Concerns…

August 31, 2025

Sruong Pheavy’s Triumph at the LPBA Championship 2025–2026: A New Era for Cambodian Billiards
Sruong Pheavy’s Historic Victory at the LPBA Championship 2025–2026Cambodia’s leading carom billiards…

July 7, 2025

I.Tselmuun’s Historic Bronze: Mongolia’s Breakthrough at the FIDE World Junior Chess Cup
Mongolia’s Rising Star: I.Tselmuun Makes Chess History at the FIDE World Junior…

July 7, 2025

Mongolia to Host the 17th World Horseback Archery Championship: Tradition, Sport, and Global Culture Converge at Taij Khairkhan
The 17th World Horseback Archery Championship: A Historic First for MongoliaMongolia, a…

July 6, 2025

Singapore’s Juliet Heng Defies Odds to Clinch Historic Silver at Asian Fencing Championships
A Historic Feat Forged in DisbeliefIn a stunning display of tenacity and…

June 20, 2025
Technology
TechnologyShow More

Japan’s Mobile Fees Climb as Carriers Add Perks and Brace for Higher Costs
Why prices are rising nowJapan's biggest mobile carriers are lifting monthly plan…

September 3, 2025

Singapore Bank Customers Lock Over S$30 Billion to Prevent Scams
Rapid adoption amid rising scam lossesSingapore bank customers have locked more than…

September 3, 2025

Malaysia summons TikTok and Meta, citing slow action on harmful posts and police probes
Why Malaysia is taking on TikTok and MetaMalaysia has summoned TikTok’s top…

September 2, 2025

Alibaba AI surge lifts Hong Kong as Asia battles rate jitters and tariff risks
Alibaba's AI momentum turns Hong Kong into a rare bright spotHong Kong…

September 2, 2025

AI companions and kidult buyers take center stage at Tokyo Toy Show
AI and kidult buzz at Tokyo Big SightJapan’s biggest toy fair opened…

September 2, 2025
Travel
TravelShow More

Kyoto Overtourism, On the Ground and In the Data
A city under the spotlightKyoto sits at the center of a global…

September 4, 2025

Jindo Sea Parting, science, legend and how to see Korea’s Miracle Sea Road
A living tide that unveils a hidden roadTwice each year, the sea…

September 4, 2025

Nepal to Require Foreign Visitors to Use Tracking App
What is changing and whenNepal is introducing a nationwide digital tracking requirement…

September 3, 2025

Indonesia’s New ‘All Indonesia’ Arrival App: What Travelers to Batam, Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya Must Do
A new digital arrival rule takes effect in IndonesiaFrom September 1, 2025,…

September 2, 2025

Thai and Vietnamese Airports Take Different Paths on Excess Luggage: Service Culture Under the Spotlight
Thai and Vietnamese Airports Take Different Paths on Excess Luggage: Service Culture…

August 31, 2025

Asian market divergence

Alibaba's Hong Kong shares rally as Chinese traders pile in

Alibaba AI surge lifts Hong Kong as Asia battles rate jitters and tariff risks

September 2, 2025