Thursday, 25 Sep 2025

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

Economy
EconomyShow More

Indonesia Plans Debt Restructuring for China Financed Jakarta Bandung High Speed Rail
Why Indonesia is seeking new terms on Whoosh debtIndonesia is preparing to…

September 24, 2025

Malaysia Sets 10 Year High in Foreign Reserves at US$122.8 Billion
Why the new peak mattersMalaysia's international reserves climbed to US$122.8 billion as…

September 24, 2025

New Zealand rewrites residency rules to plug skills gap and counter exodus
What has changed and why it mattersNew Zealand is restructuring how skilled…

September 24, 2025

Corruption Scandals Trigger Funding Crisis for Indonesian Startups
Crackdown on TaniHub and eFishery puts Indonesia's startup boom under the microscopeIndonesias…

September 23, 2025

Japan Employers Race to Hire Osaka Expo Staff as Event Nears Finale
Why Expo experience is in demandAs Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai approaches its…

September 22, 2025
Education
EducationShow More

Japan Sets 2030 for Digital Textbooks, Local Boards to Choose Paper, Digital or Hybrid
What is changing in Japan's classroomsJapan will give schools the option to…

September 24, 2025

Inflation squeezes Japans scholarship students as food costs rise and aid lags
Inflation squeezes student aid in JapanRising prices are tightening the grip on…

September 24, 2025

Koreas Viral School Lunches and the Women Who Pay the Price
Behind the praise, a workforce under strainVideos of Korean school lunches flood…

September 23, 2025

Kyoto’s Crowds Push Japanese Schools to Rethink Class Trips
Why a beloved tradition is changingFor generations, Kyoto has been the destination…

September 22, 2025

Company run AI graduate schools test South Koreas plan to scale tech talent
A first for South Korea, and a new kind of tech pipelineSouth…

September 20, 2025
Entertainment
EntertainmentShow More

Seoul International Fireworks Festival 2025: Date, Show Highlights, and How to Navigate the Crowds
A blockbuster night on the Han RiverThe Seoul International Fireworks Festival returns…

September 24, 2025

Tempest ignites China backlash as Jun Ji Hyun and K culture come under fire
Early hopes for a thaw collide with a new storm over TempestDisney+'s…

September 23, 2025

Starbucks Japan teams with Gelato Pique for pajama inspired latte and cozy goods
A cozy collaboration that taps into Japans love of cute comfortStarbucks Japan…

September 23, 2025

Ueno Panda Mid-Autumn Festival draws big crowds and cultural energy in Tokyo
A lively start at Ueno ParkTokyo’s Ueno Park has opened its gates…

September 23, 2025

Inflatable Icons to Parade Across Hong Kong Victoria Harbour
A waterfront spectacle set to transform Victoria HarbourHong Kong is turning its…

September 22, 2025
Environment
EnvironmentShow More

Short Autumn, Abrupt Winter: Japan Braces for a Sudden Seasonal Flip
A warmer October, then a sudden chillJapan is heading into a short…

September 24, 2025

US and China Compete to Power Indonesia’s Clean Energy Future
Indonesia at the center of a global clean energy contestIndonesia, the world’s…

September 24, 2025

Shade by Design: How Singapore Cools a Hot City and What Others Can Copy
Why shade now ranks among lifesaving urban infrastructureExtreme heat is the most…

September 23, 2025

Donated Fruit Keeps Sapporo Maruyama Zoo Animals Fed as Costs Climb
Rising prices pinch zoo budgets as donations keep animals fedRising crop prices…

September 23, 2025

Beauval Zoo to Repatriate Pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi to China After Kidney Failure Diagnosis
A difficult decision for Beauval and BeijingZooParc de Beauval, one of France's…

September 23, 2025
Health
HealthShow More

Why Mosquitoes Are More Active in Japan’s Autumn and How to Prevent Bites
Autumn brings a surge in mosquitoesSummer heat starts to fade across Japan,…

September 24, 2025

NGOs press Indonesia to pause free school meals as food poisoning cases rise
A flagship welfare promise faces a safety testCalls to pause Indonesia free…

September 23, 2025

Japan city adopts two hours a day smartphone guideline, no penalties attached
A citywide push for healthier screen habitsA city in Aichi Prefecture, Toyoake…

September 23, 2025

Arson Attacks Ravage Nepal Vaccine Cold Chain, Putting Child Immunisation at Risk
Arson and Outrage Collide With Public HealthDuring recent anti-corruption demonstrations across Nepal,…

September 20, 2025

Malaysia’s Reset Health Reforms Draw Fire From Private Doctors as Costs Surge
High stakes reset for Malaysian health careMalaysia is attempting one of its…

September 18, 2025
International
InternationalShow More

Why a Taiwan invasion remains a high risk gamble for China
A narrow window and a costly betTalk of an imminent attack on…

September 24, 2025

Europe Steps Up Presence at Taiwan’s Defence Show
Europe broadens its footprint at Taipei’s defence expoEurope made a more visible…

September 24, 2025

Thailand Finalizes Chinese Submarine Purchase as Bangkok Balances Great Powers
A milestone deal after years of uncertaintyThailand, one of the oldest US…

September 22, 2025

US Typhon Missile Deployment in Japan May Spur Chinese Countermeasures
A show of force in Japan and why it mattersThe United States…

September 20, 2025

China warns Papua New Guinea as Australia pushes landmark defence treaty
PNG weighs a landmark alliance as China pushes backPapua New Guinea is…

September 20, 2025
Politics
PoliticsShow More

Gen Z Uprising in Nepal Leaves Dozens Dead and Brings a New Interim Leader
A nation stunned by its deadliest unrest in decadesAt least 72 people…

September 16, 2025

Flood Scandal Ignites Nationwide Protests in the Philippines as Marcos Backs a Sweeping Probe
Outrage builds as flood control scandal sparks nationwide ralliesRising public anger over…

September 16, 2025

Talks gather pace on easing Macau residency curbs for Portuguese citizens
Momentum builds for a fix after talks in MacauPortuguese Prime Minister Luís…

September 11, 2025

Arrests and online censorship as Indonesia protests spread
What started the protestsIndonesia has been gripped by its largest street unrest…

September 11, 2025

Thai Supreme Court Sends Thaksin Shinawatra to Prison After Hospital Stay Ruled Unlawful
Supreme Court declares hospital detention unlawful, orders prison termThailand’s Supreme Court ordered…

September 11, 2025
Science
ScienceShow More

Scandium Doping Revolutionizes Sodium-Ion Battery Performance
A practical leap for sodium batteriesResearchers at Tokyo University of Science report…

September 22, 2025

Korean solar desalination device reaches 3.4 liters per hour without electricity
An ultra efficient solar still from KoreaA research team at the Ulsan…

September 22, 2025

Japan Develops 90 C Hydrogen Battery for Safer Efficient Storage
Why a 90 C hydrogen battery matters nowResearchers in Japan have unveiled…

September 20, 2025

Japanese Zebra Striped Cows Study Wins Ig Nobel and a Fresh Look at Fly Control
A playful prize with a practical payoffA simple paint job has earned…

September 20, 2025

Ancient Cave Symbols May Be Earliest Written Language
A new look at the first human codeFor generations, the story of…

September 18, 2025
Society
SocietyShow More

Japan crackdown on drunk and distracted cycling, what the new penalties mean
A nationwide clampdown on risky cyclingJapan has tightened its Road Traffic Act…

September 24, 2025

Foreign Workers in Koreas Southeast, Pay, Jobs, and Daily Obstacles
Inside Koreas manufacturing heartlandForeign labor keeps the factories, refineries, and shipyards of…

September 24, 2025

Japanese War Museums Struggle to Preserve Memories Amid Declining Survivors and Hesitancy Over AI
An aging memory crisis at Japan's war museumsAcross Japan, institutions dedicated to…

September 23, 2025

China jails Covid whistleblower Zhang Zhan for four more years amid global condemnation
A fresh four year sentence for a voice from WuhanChinese citizen journalist…

September 23, 2025

How Japanese Fruit Boxes Turn Produce Into Pride and Art
Design speaks in the produce aisleWalk through a Japanese market in summer…

September 23, 2025
Sports
SportsShow More

How S Vegiyathuman Turned Walks and Runs Into a National Bond
Unity on foot across a diverse nationFor half a century, scenes of…

September 16, 2025

Tokyo Police Boost Security Ahead of World Athletics Championships
A city on alert as global athletics returns to TokyoTokyo has tightened…

September 13, 2025

Singapore to Host 2026 MotoGP Season Launch
A new stage for MotoGP in SingaporeMotoGP will open the 2026 campaign…

September 9, 2025

No New JRA Jockeys in 2026 as Weight Limits and Phone Rules Bite
A rare gap year for new jockeys in JapanJapan’s central horse racing…

September 5, 2025

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
Technology
TechnologyShow More

Japan’s Spaceports Open to International Launches with Taiwan Rocket
Why a foreign rocket lifted off from Hokkaido and why it mattersOn…

September 24, 2025

Alibaba Unveils Qwen3-Omni: Open Source Multimodal AI Model
A natively multimodal model arrives as open sourceAlibaba Cloud unveiled Qwen3-Omni, a…

September 24, 2025

China Keeps TikTok Algorithm as US Backs Licensing Deal
Why this deal matters nowA long running fight over TikTok in the…

September 20, 2025

Inside China’s Digital Great Wall at Sea to Defeat Drone Swarms
Why drone swarms are reshaping naval warfareCheap, fast and expendable drones have…

September 20, 2025

DeepSeek $294,000 Training Claim Unpacked: Why R1 Really Cost Millions
Why a $294,000 price tag shocked the AI worldWhen DeepSeek published a…

September 20, 2025
Travel
TravelShow More

Vietnam Reduces Visa Exemption Processing Time to One Day
Why the one day processing pledge mattersVietnam has cut the processing time…

September 24, 2025

Tokyo’s Jimbocho Crowned World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
Why a Tokyo book town topped a global listJimbocho, a central Tokyo…

September 24, 2025

China’s Visa Free Policy Elevates Beijing and Shanghai in Global Rankings
Visa free access reshapes the global map of Chinese citiesChina’s push to…

September 24, 2025

Solo Climbing in Japan: Rising Popularity and Risks
Why solitude on Japan peaks is drawing bigger crowdsSolo climbing in Japan…

September 23, 2025

Strong Baht Hurts Thai Tourism as Costs Surpass Japan and Vietnam
Why a stronger baht is changing travel plansThailand’s currency has surged to…

September 23, 2025

Thursday, 25 Sep 2025

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

Economy
EconomyShow More

Indonesia Plans Debt Restructuring for China Financed Jakarta Bandung High Speed Rail
Why Indonesia is seeking new terms on Whoosh debtIndonesia is preparing to…

September 24, 2025

Malaysia Sets 10 Year High in Foreign Reserves at US$122.8 Billion
Why the new peak mattersMalaysia's international reserves climbed to US$122.8 billion as…

September 24, 2025

New Zealand rewrites residency rules to plug skills gap and counter exodus
What has changed and why it mattersNew Zealand is restructuring how skilled…

September 24, 2025

Corruption Scandals Trigger Funding Crisis for Indonesian Startups
Crackdown on TaniHub and eFishery puts Indonesia's startup boom under the microscopeIndonesias…

September 23, 2025

Japan Employers Race to Hire Osaka Expo Staff as Event Nears Finale
Why Expo experience is in demandAs Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai approaches its…

September 22, 2025
Education
EducationShow More

Japan Sets 2030 for Digital Textbooks, Local Boards to Choose Paper, Digital or Hybrid
What is changing in Japan's classroomsJapan will give schools the option to…

September 24, 2025

Inflation squeezes Japans scholarship students as food costs rise and aid lags
Inflation squeezes student aid in JapanRising prices are tightening the grip on…

September 24, 2025

Koreas Viral School Lunches and the Women Who Pay the Price
Behind the praise, a workforce under strainVideos of Korean school lunches flood…

September 23, 2025

Kyoto’s Crowds Push Japanese Schools to Rethink Class Trips
Why a beloved tradition is changingFor generations, Kyoto has been the destination…

September 22, 2025

Company run AI graduate schools test South Koreas plan to scale tech talent
A first for South Korea, and a new kind of tech pipelineSouth…

September 20, 2025
Entertainment
EntertainmentShow More

Seoul International Fireworks Festival 2025: Date, Show Highlights, and How to Navigate the Crowds
A blockbuster night on the Han RiverThe Seoul International Fireworks Festival returns…

September 24, 2025

Tempest ignites China backlash as Jun Ji Hyun and K culture come under fire
Early hopes for a thaw collide with a new storm over TempestDisney+'s…

September 23, 2025

Starbucks Japan teams with Gelato Pique for pajama inspired latte and cozy goods
A cozy collaboration that taps into Japans love of cute comfortStarbucks Japan…

September 23, 2025

Ueno Panda Mid-Autumn Festival draws big crowds and cultural energy in Tokyo
A lively start at Ueno ParkTokyo’s Ueno Park has opened its gates…

September 23, 2025

Inflatable Icons to Parade Across Hong Kong Victoria Harbour
A waterfront spectacle set to transform Victoria HarbourHong Kong is turning its…

September 22, 2025
Environment
EnvironmentShow More

Short Autumn, Abrupt Winter: Japan Braces for a Sudden Seasonal Flip
A warmer October, then a sudden chillJapan is heading into a short…

September 24, 2025

US and China Compete to Power Indonesia’s Clean Energy Future
Indonesia at the center of a global clean energy contestIndonesia, the world’s…

September 24, 2025

Shade by Design: How Singapore Cools a Hot City and What Others Can Copy
Why shade now ranks among lifesaving urban infrastructureExtreme heat is the most…

September 23, 2025

Donated Fruit Keeps Sapporo Maruyama Zoo Animals Fed as Costs Climb
Rising prices pinch zoo budgets as donations keep animals fedRising crop prices…

September 23, 2025

Beauval Zoo to Repatriate Pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi to China After Kidney Failure Diagnosis
A difficult decision for Beauval and BeijingZooParc de Beauval, one of France's…

September 23, 2025
Health
HealthShow More

Why Mosquitoes Are More Active in Japan’s Autumn and How to Prevent Bites
Autumn brings a surge in mosquitoesSummer heat starts to fade across Japan,…

September 24, 2025

NGOs press Indonesia to pause free school meals as food poisoning cases rise
A flagship welfare promise faces a safety testCalls to pause Indonesia free…

September 23, 2025

Japan city adopts two hours a day smartphone guideline, no penalties attached
A citywide push for healthier screen habitsA city in Aichi Prefecture, Toyoake…

September 23, 2025

Arson Attacks Ravage Nepal Vaccine Cold Chain, Putting Child Immunisation at Risk
Arson and Outrage Collide With Public HealthDuring recent anti-corruption demonstrations across Nepal,…

September 20, 2025

Malaysia’s Reset Health Reforms Draw Fire From Private Doctors as Costs Surge
High stakes reset for Malaysian health careMalaysia is attempting one of its…

September 18, 2025
International
InternationalShow More

Why a Taiwan invasion remains a high risk gamble for China
A narrow window and a costly betTalk of an imminent attack on…

September 24, 2025

Europe Steps Up Presence at Taiwan’s Defence Show
Europe broadens its footprint at Taipei’s defence expoEurope made a more visible…

September 24, 2025

Thailand Finalizes Chinese Submarine Purchase as Bangkok Balances Great Powers
A milestone deal after years of uncertaintyThailand, one of the oldest US…

September 22, 2025

US Typhon Missile Deployment in Japan May Spur Chinese Countermeasures
A show of force in Japan and why it mattersThe United States…

September 20, 2025

China warns Papua New Guinea as Australia pushes landmark defence treaty
PNG weighs a landmark alliance as China pushes backPapua New Guinea is…

September 20, 2025
Politics
PoliticsShow More

Gen Z Uprising in Nepal Leaves Dozens Dead and Brings a New Interim Leader
A nation stunned by its deadliest unrest in decadesAt least 72 people…

September 16, 2025

Flood Scandal Ignites Nationwide Protests in the Philippines as Marcos Backs a Sweeping Probe
Outrage builds as flood control scandal sparks nationwide ralliesRising public anger over…

September 16, 2025

Talks gather pace on easing Macau residency curbs for Portuguese citizens
Momentum builds for a fix after talks in MacauPortuguese Prime Minister Luís…

September 11, 2025

Arrests and online censorship as Indonesia protests spread
What started the protestsIndonesia has been gripped by its largest street unrest…

September 11, 2025

Thai Supreme Court Sends Thaksin Shinawatra to Prison After Hospital Stay Ruled Unlawful
Supreme Court declares hospital detention unlawful, orders prison termThailand’s Supreme Court ordered…

September 11, 2025
Science
ScienceShow More

Scandium Doping Revolutionizes Sodium-Ion Battery Performance
A practical leap for sodium batteriesResearchers at Tokyo University of Science report…

September 22, 2025

Korean solar desalination device reaches 3.4 liters per hour without electricity
An ultra efficient solar still from KoreaA research team at the Ulsan…

September 22, 2025

Japan Develops 90 C Hydrogen Battery for Safer Efficient Storage
Why a 90 C hydrogen battery matters nowResearchers in Japan have unveiled…

September 20, 2025

Japanese Zebra Striped Cows Study Wins Ig Nobel and a Fresh Look at Fly Control
A playful prize with a practical payoffA simple paint job has earned…

September 20, 2025

Ancient Cave Symbols May Be Earliest Written Language
A new look at the first human codeFor generations, the story of…

September 18, 2025
Society
SocietyShow More

Japan crackdown on drunk and distracted cycling, what the new penalties mean
A nationwide clampdown on risky cyclingJapan has tightened its Road Traffic Act…

September 24, 2025

Foreign Workers in Koreas Southeast, Pay, Jobs, and Daily Obstacles
Inside Koreas manufacturing heartlandForeign labor keeps the factories, refineries, and shipyards of…

September 24, 2025

Japanese War Museums Struggle to Preserve Memories Amid Declining Survivors and Hesitancy Over AI
An aging memory crisis at Japan's war museumsAcross Japan, institutions dedicated to…

September 23, 2025

China jails Covid whistleblower Zhang Zhan for four more years amid global condemnation
A fresh four year sentence for a voice from WuhanChinese citizen journalist…

September 23, 2025

How Japanese Fruit Boxes Turn Produce Into Pride and Art
Design speaks in the produce aisleWalk through a Japanese market in summer…

September 23, 2025
Sports
SportsShow More

How S Vegiyathuman Turned Walks and Runs Into a National Bond
Unity on foot across a diverse nationFor half a century, scenes of…

September 16, 2025

Tokyo Police Boost Security Ahead of World Athletics Championships
A city on alert as global athletics returns to TokyoTokyo has tightened…

September 13, 2025

Singapore to Host 2026 MotoGP Season Launch
A new stage for MotoGP in SingaporeMotoGP will open the 2026 campaign…

September 9, 2025

No New JRA Jockeys in 2026 as Weight Limits and Phone Rules Bite
A rare gap year for new jockeys in JapanJapan’s central horse racing…

September 5, 2025

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
Technology
TechnologyShow More

Japan’s Spaceports Open to International Launches with Taiwan Rocket
Why a foreign rocket lifted off from Hokkaido and why it mattersOn…

September 24, 2025

Alibaba Unveils Qwen3-Omni: Open Source Multimodal AI Model
A natively multimodal model arrives as open sourceAlibaba Cloud unveiled Qwen3-Omni, a…

September 24, 2025

China Keeps TikTok Algorithm as US Backs Licensing Deal
Why this deal matters nowA long running fight over TikTok in the…

September 20, 2025

Inside China’s Digital Great Wall at Sea to Defeat Drone Swarms
Why drone swarms are reshaping naval warfareCheap, fast and expendable drones have…

September 20, 2025

DeepSeek $294,000 Training Claim Unpacked: Why R1 Really Cost Millions
Why a $294,000 price tag shocked the AI worldWhen DeepSeek published a…

September 20, 2025
Travel
TravelShow More

Vietnam Reduces Visa Exemption Processing Time to One Day
Why the one day processing pledge mattersVietnam has cut the processing time…

September 24, 2025

Tokyo’s Jimbocho Crowned World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
Why a Tokyo book town topped a global listJimbocho, a central Tokyo…

September 24, 2025

China’s Visa Free Policy Elevates Beijing and Shanghai in Global Rankings
Visa free access reshapes the global map of Chinese citiesChina’s push to…

September 24, 2025

Solo Climbing in Japan: Rising Popularity and Risks
Why solitude on Japan peaks is drawing bigger crowdsSolo climbing in Japan…

September 23, 2025

Strong Baht Hurts Thai Tourism as Costs Surpass Japan and Vietnam
Why a stronger baht is changing travel plansThailand’s currency has surged to…

September 23, 2025

Regional security alliances

Why a Taiwan invasion remains a high risk gamble for China

September 24, 2025