Thursday, 23 Oct 2025

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

Economy
EconomyShow More

Malaysia invites foreign partners to build rare earth processing and magnet industry
Malaysia moves to capture more value from rare earthsMalaysia is inviting foreign…

October 22, 2025

Alibaba Singles Day opens with faster growth as 80 brands cross 100 million yuan in one hour
A blistering start on Taobao and TmallAlibaba Group opened direct sales for…

October 22, 2025

China’s New 500 Billion Yuan Financial Instrument Explained
Why Beijing is launching a 500 billion yuan policy tool nowBeijing is…

October 20, 2025

Inside the Potassium Corridor: How the China Laos Railway Secures Supply and Shifts Trade Power
A rail corridor turns into a resource lifelineA railway built to knit…

October 20, 2025

China’s Potassium Railway Undermines North America’s Leverage
A new route to potash securityChina has quietly reduced a major supply…

October 20, 2025
Education
EducationShow More

Global Korea Scholarship Faces Scrutiny Over Graduate Tracking
Why graduate tracking is in the spotlightSouth Korea’s flagship Global Korea Scholarship,…

October 18, 2025

Fukuoka arrest exposes yearslong teacher license forgery and hidden misconduct
How a parent complaint exposed a hidden pastA 66-year-old man who worked…

October 15, 2025

Hong Kong and Singapore Compete for International Students as Study Choices Shift
Why student choices are shifting toward AsiaThe global map of student mobility…

October 15, 2025

A scholarship keeps undocumented high school students in Japan on track
A safety net that keeps education within reachA quiet but determined effort…

October 15, 2025

Gordonstoun to Open Japan Campus in Wakayama in 2027
A new chapter for British boarding education in JapanGordonstoun, the Scottish boarding…

October 15, 2025
Entertainment
EntertainmentShow More

Hong Kong Unlocks Historic Movie Sites for Visitors
Why cinema sites are opening their doorsHong Kong is turning its own…

October 20, 2025

Iconic Ikebukuro Arcade Adores Sunshine to Close After 40 Years
A closing chapter for a landmark on Sunshine 60 StreetAdores Sunshine, a…

October 16, 2025

Fifty Fifty Sets November Comeback With Too Much Part 1 After Pookie Surge
A November comeback with fresh momentumFifty Fifty will return on November 4,…

October 15, 2025

When Designs Collide: QWER, The Boyz, and the Ethics of K-pop Light Sticks
Why the design mattersIn K-pop, the official light stick is a powerful…

October 15, 2025

Ghibli unveils Kiki tea blend and Hario glass mugs in Japan
A cozy new Ghibli tea ritual arrives in JapanStudio Ghibli has brewed…

October 15, 2025
Environment
EnvironmentShow More

Japan moves reuse into the mainstream with policy push and digital platforms
Why reuse is gaining ground in JapanJapan is moving reuse from a…

October 22, 2025

Indonesia Bets on Waste to Energy Incinerators to Ease Landfills and Power Cities
A landfill crisis and a power opportunityIndonesia is moving to build dozens…

October 22, 2025

India Supreme Court Allows Green Crackers Amid Delhi Pollution Crisis
A tightly regulated Diwali under a toxic skyIndia’s Supreme Court has permitted…

October 16, 2025

China Sacks Officials Over Arc’teryx Fireworks Show in Tibet
A marketing spectacle in the Himalayas triggers sackings, fines and a public…

October 16, 2025

Ancient Arctic Microbes Are Waking Up And They Could Speed Up Warming
Why ancient microbes matter nowIn frozen ground across the Arctic, microbes that…

October 15, 2025
Health
HealthShow More

Malaysia Closes Some Schools As 6,000 Students Catch Flu Ahead of SPM Exams
Closures Hit As Cases Surge Ahead of ExamsMalaysia is contending with a…

October 15, 2025

Why South Korea’s Anti Aging Boom Is Attracting a New Wave of Medical Tourists
Inside Seoul's glow up boomOn a first visit to Seoul in 2023,…

October 15, 2025

Indonesia suspends problem kitchens and tightens oversight of free meals program after mass poisonings
Crisis tests Indonesia free meals programIndonesia has shut kitchens tied to its…

October 10, 2025

Indonesia’s Military Produces Multivitamins for Free Meals Program
A new push blending defense and public healthIndonesia has opened a new…

October 3, 2025

Inside South Korea Hangover Cure Boom: From Hovenia to Human Trials
Why the market grows while drinking slowsSouth Korea has turned the morning…

September 28, 2025
International
InternationalShow More

Kidnappings of South Koreans in Thailand surge in 2025 as scam networks shift tactics
Kidnappings tied to scams put Thai travel under scrutinyAs of September 2025,…

October 22, 2025

South Korea Pauses UN backed Water Project in Cambodia amid Safety Concerns as Phnom Penh Disputes Suspension Claim
What happened and why it mattersSouth Korea has paused the Cambodia arm…

October 22, 2025

China’s Gen Z fuels a K fashion surge as K beauty cools
A new playbook for Hallyu in ChinaFor years, K beauty products were…

October 22, 2025

Envoys visit Hong Kong WWII exhibit with a focus on remembrance and peace
Why this exhibition matters nowHong Kong placed remembrance at the center of…

October 20, 2025

Chinese Volunteers Defy Beijing to Fight for Ukraine
A quiet cohort from China joins Ukraines fightThe July 8, 2024 missile…

October 20, 2025
Politics
PoliticsShow More

Beijing to Mark 80 Years Since Taiwan Retrocession as Taipei Rejects the Claim
Why China is marking an 80 year milestone nowChina plans to commemorate…

October 22, 2025

China ousts top generals He Weidong and Miao Hua as Xi tightens control
Why this purge matters nowChina expelled its second highest ranking general He…

October 18, 2025

MACC Officer Tells Court Penang Tunnel Deal Was Direct Negotiation, Alleges Land Scam and 10 Percent Kickback
A project under scrutiny in Kuala Lumpur courtThe RM6.3 billion Penang undersea…

October 15, 2025

Hot mic at Gaza summit as Indonesia’s Prabowo asks Trump for meeting with Eric Trump
A private exchange becomes publicAt a Gaza peace summit in Sharm el…

October 15, 2025

Indonesia Parliament Faces Fresh Fury as Recess Allowance Nearly Doubles
Why a new allowance sparked a backlashIndonesia is again in the grip…

October 15, 2025
Science
ScienceShow More

Philippines Investigates Source of Radioactive Shipment to Indonesia
How a radioactive shipment linked the Philippines and IndonesiaThe Philippines has launched…

October 18, 2025

ImpacFat launches cultivated fish fat in Japan, linking Singapore science with Tokyo innovation
A milestone for cultivated seafood in TokyoSingapore startup ImpacFat has begun operations…

October 2, 2025

David Baltimore and the Making of a China US Life Sciences Bridge
A scientist who built bridges across bordersDavid Baltimore, Nobel Prize winning American…

September 27, 2025

One Million Year Old Chinese Skull Recasts the Human Family Tree
A skull from China pushes human origins deeper in timeA crushed cranium…

September 27, 2025

Netherlands to Return Java Man Fossils to Indonesia
A Homecoming for the First Known Homo erectusThe Netherlands has agreed to…

September 27, 2025
Society
SocietyShow More

Seoul Builds Playgrounds for Seniors to Support Ageing Population
Seoul creates senior playgrounds in every districtSeoul will install a network of…

October 22, 2025

How intergenerational coliving is changing senior living in Singapore
Mixed age living gains groundSingapore is moving quickly toward a super aged…

October 22, 2025

China tests QR code toilet paper dispensers that make users watch ads or pay
A curious new rule in some China restroomsSome public toilets in China…

October 20, 2025

Age Bias in Japan’s Game Industry Comes Into Focus After Veteran Designer Speaks Out
A personal story that lit up a long quiet issueWhen Tokihiro Naito,…

October 20, 2025

Tang China at its Peak: Government, Markets and a Cosmopolitan Culture
A cosmopolitan peak in Chinese historyFew periods in world history combine political…

October 20, 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

Cyberattack on Askul disrupts online sales across major Japanese retailers
A single outage knocks major brands offline across JapanA ransomware attack on…

October 22, 2025

China’s Lead in Autonomous Robovans and Delivery Challenges
After Hours in Shenzhen, Driverless Vans Take OverWhen evening crowds thin at…

October 22, 2025

DeepSeek OCR compresses text into images to cut AI costs and extend context
A new way to squeeze long documents into AI contextDeepSeek has released…

October 22, 2025

Korea’s First Commercial Space Vehicle Cleared for Launch
Why this launch matters for Korea and BrazilSouth Korea is on the…

October 20, 2025

Alibaba Cloud Reduces Nvidia GPU Use with Aegaeon Pooling System
Inside Aegaeon, how Alibaba Cloud cut GPU needs for AIAlibaba Cloud says…

October 19, 2025
Travel
TravelShow More

Japan by Rail in Autumn: Best Train Journeys for Leaf Peeping
Autumn by train in Japan, explainedAutumn in Japan turns everyday rail journeys…

October 22, 2025

Seoul fall color hikes you can reach by subway
Why Seoul is built for autumn hikesFew capitals make it as easy…

October 22, 2025

Why Everyday Korean Food Is Now the Star of Travel in 2025
From kimchi fame to convenience store cultureVisitors once flew to South Korea…

October 22, 2025

Bali Government Clarifies Resort Beach Access, Public Rights Affirmed
Public beaches and resort leases in Bali explainedBali officials in Badung Regency…

October 20, 2025

Jimbocho Named World’s Coolest Neighborhood for 2025: Pride, Surprise, and What Comes Next
Why this quiet book town topped a global listTokyo's Jimbocho, a compact…

October 20, 2025

Thursday, 23 Oct 2025

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

Economy
EconomyShow More

Malaysia invites foreign partners to build rare earth processing and magnet industry
Malaysia moves to capture more value from rare earthsMalaysia is inviting foreign…

October 22, 2025

Alibaba Singles Day opens with faster growth as 80 brands cross 100 million yuan in one hour
A blistering start on Taobao and TmallAlibaba Group opened direct sales for…

October 22, 2025

China’s New 500 Billion Yuan Financial Instrument Explained
Why Beijing is launching a 500 billion yuan policy tool nowBeijing is…

October 20, 2025

Inside the Potassium Corridor: How the China Laos Railway Secures Supply and Shifts Trade Power
A rail corridor turns into a resource lifelineA railway built to knit…

October 20, 2025

China’s Potassium Railway Undermines North America’s Leverage
A new route to potash securityChina has quietly reduced a major supply…

October 20, 2025
Education
EducationShow More

Global Korea Scholarship Faces Scrutiny Over Graduate Tracking
Why graduate tracking is in the spotlightSouth Korea’s flagship Global Korea Scholarship,…

October 18, 2025

Fukuoka arrest exposes yearslong teacher license forgery and hidden misconduct
How a parent complaint exposed a hidden pastA 66-year-old man who worked…

October 15, 2025

Hong Kong and Singapore Compete for International Students as Study Choices Shift
Why student choices are shifting toward AsiaThe global map of student mobility…

October 15, 2025

A scholarship keeps undocumented high school students in Japan on track
A safety net that keeps education within reachA quiet but determined effort…

October 15, 2025

Gordonstoun to Open Japan Campus in Wakayama in 2027
A new chapter for British boarding education in JapanGordonstoun, the Scottish boarding…

October 15, 2025
Entertainment
EntertainmentShow More

Hong Kong Unlocks Historic Movie Sites for Visitors
Why cinema sites are opening their doorsHong Kong is turning its own…

October 20, 2025

Iconic Ikebukuro Arcade Adores Sunshine to Close After 40 Years
A closing chapter for a landmark on Sunshine 60 StreetAdores Sunshine, a…

October 16, 2025

Fifty Fifty Sets November Comeback With Too Much Part 1 After Pookie Surge
A November comeback with fresh momentumFifty Fifty will return on November 4,…

October 15, 2025

When Designs Collide: QWER, The Boyz, and the Ethics of K-pop Light Sticks
Why the design mattersIn K-pop, the official light stick is a powerful…

October 15, 2025

Ghibli unveils Kiki tea blend and Hario glass mugs in Japan
A cozy new Ghibli tea ritual arrives in JapanStudio Ghibli has brewed…

October 15, 2025
Environment
EnvironmentShow More

Japan moves reuse into the mainstream with policy push and digital platforms
Why reuse is gaining ground in JapanJapan is moving reuse from a…

October 22, 2025

Indonesia Bets on Waste to Energy Incinerators to Ease Landfills and Power Cities
A landfill crisis and a power opportunityIndonesia is moving to build dozens…

October 22, 2025

India Supreme Court Allows Green Crackers Amid Delhi Pollution Crisis
A tightly regulated Diwali under a toxic skyIndia’s Supreme Court has permitted…

October 16, 2025

China Sacks Officials Over Arc’teryx Fireworks Show in Tibet
A marketing spectacle in the Himalayas triggers sackings, fines and a public…

October 16, 2025

Ancient Arctic Microbes Are Waking Up And They Could Speed Up Warming
Why ancient microbes matter nowIn frozen ground across the Arctic, microbes that…

October 15, 2025
Health
HealthShow More

Malaysia Closes Some Schools As 6,000 Students Catch Flu Ahead of SPM Exams
Closures Hit As Cases Surge Ahead of ExamsMalaysia is contending with a…

October 15, 2025

Why South Korea’s Anti Aging Boom Is Attracting a New Wave of Medical Tourists
Inside Seoul's glow up boomOn a first visit to Seoul in 2023,…

October 15, 2025

Indonesia suspends problem kitchens and tightens oversight of free meals program after mass poisonings
Crisis tests Indonesia free meals programIndonesia has shut kitchens tied to its…

October 10, 2025

Indonesia’s Military Produces Multivitamins for Free Meals Program
A new push blending defense and public healthIndonesia has opened a new…

October 3, 2025

Inside South Korea Hangover Cure Boom: From Hovenia to Human Trials
Why the market grows while drinking slowsSouth Korea has turned the morning…

September 28, 2025
International
InternationalShow More

Kidnappings of South Koreans in Thailand surge in 2025 as scam networks shift tactics
Kidnappings tied to scams put Thai travel under scrutinyAs of September 2025,…

October 22, 2025

South Korea Pauses UN backed Water Project in Cambodia amid Safety Concerns as Phnom Penh Disputes Suspension Claim
What happened and why it mattersSouth Korea has paused the Cambodia arm…

October 22, 2025

China’s Gen Z fuels a K fashion surge as K beauty cools
A new playbook for Hallyu in ChinaFor years, K beauty products were…

October 22, 2025

Envoys visit Hong Kong WWII exhibit with a focus on remembrance and peace
Why this exhibition matters nowHong Kong placed remembrance at the center of…

October 20, 2025

Chinese Volunteers Defy Beijing to Fight for Ukraine
A quiet cohort from China joins Ukraines fightThe July 8, 2024 missile…

October 20, 2025
Politics
PoliticsShow More

Beijing to Mark 80 Years Since Taiwan Retrocession as Taipei Rejects the Claim
Why China is marking an 80 year milestone nowChina plans to commemorate…

October 22, 2025

China ousts top generals He Weidong and Miao Hua as Xi tightens control
Why this purge matters nowChina expelled its second highest ranking general He…

October 18, 2025

MACC Officer Tells Court Penang Tunnel Deal Was Direct Negotiation, Alleges Land Scam and 10 Percent Kickback
A project under scrutiny in Kuala Lumpur courtThe RM6.3 billion Penang undersea…

October 15, 2025

Hot mic at Gaza summit as Indonesia’s Prabowo asks Trump for meeting with Eric Trump
A private exchange becomes publicAt a Gaza peace summit in Sharm el…

October 15, 2025

Indonesia Parliament Faces Fresh Fury as Recess Allowance Nearly Doubles
Why a new allowance sparked a backlashIndonesia is again in the grip…

October 15, 2025
Science
ScienceShow More

Philippines Investigates Source of Radioactive Shipment to Indonesia
How a radioactive shipment linked the Philippines and IndonesiaThe Philippines has launched…

October 18, 2025

ImpacFat launches cultivated fish fat in Japan, linking Singapore science with Tokyo innovation
A milestone for cultivated seafood in TokyoSingapore startup ImpacFat has begun operations…

October 2, 2025

David Baltimore and the Making of a China US Life Sciences Bridge
A scientist who built bridges across bordersDavid Baltimore, Nobel Prize winning American…

September 27, 2025

One Million Year Old Chinese Skull Recasts the Human Family Tree
A skull from China pushes human origins deeper in timeA crushed cranium…

September 27, 2025

Netherlands to Return Java Man Fossils to Indonesia
A Homecoming for the First Known Homo erectusThe Netherlands has agreed to…

September 27, 2025
Society
SocietyShow More

Seoul Builds Playgrounds for Seniors to Support Ageing Population
Seoul creates senior playgrounds in every districtSeoul will install a network of…

October 22, 2025

How intergenerational coliving is changing senior living in Singapore
Mixed age living gains groundSingapore is moving quickly toward a super aged…

October 22, 2025

China tests QR code toilet paper dispensers that make users watch ads or pay
A curious new rule in some China restroomsSome public toilets in China…

October 20, 2025

Age Bias in Japan’s Game Industry Comes Into Focus After Veteran Designer Speaks Out
A personal story that lit up a long quiet issueWhen Tokihiro Naito,…

October 20, 2025

Tang China at its Peak: Government, Markets and a Cosmopolitan Culture
A cosmopolitan peak in Chinese historyFew periods in world history combine political…

October 20, 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

Cyberattack on Askul disrupts online sales across major Japanese retailers
A single outage knocks major brands offline across JapanA ransomware attack on…

October 22, 2025

China’s Lead in Autonomous Robovans and Delivery Challenges
After Hours in Shenzhen, Driverless Vans Take OverWhen evening crowds thin at…

October 22, 2025

DeepSeek OCR compresses text into images to cut AI costs and extend context
A new way to squeeze long documents into AI contextDeepSeek has released…

October 22, 2025

Korea’s First Commercial Space Vehicle Cleared for Launch
Why this launch matters for Korea and BrazilSouth Korea is on the…

October 20, 2025

Alibaba Cloud Reduces Nvidia GPU Use with Aegaeon Pooling System
Inside Aegaeon, how Alibaba Cloud cut GPU needs for AIAlibaba Cloud says…

October 19, 2025
Travel
TravelShow More

Japan by Rail in Autumn: Best Train Journeys for Leaf Peeping
Autumn by train in Japan, explainedAutumn in Japan turns everyday rail journeys…

October 22, 2025

Seoul fall color hikes you can reach by subway
Why Seoul is built for autumn hikesFew capitals make it as easy…

October 22, 2025

Why Everyday Korean Food Is Now the Star of Travel in 2025
From kimchi fame to convenience store cultureVisitors once flew to South Korea…

October 22, 2025

Bali Government Clarifies Resort Beach Access, Public Rights Affirmed
Public beaches and resort leases in Bali explainedBali officials in Badung Regency…

October 20, 2025

Jimbocho Named World’s Coolest Neighborhood for 2025: Pride, Surprise, and What Comes Next
Why this quiet book town topped a global listTokyo's Jimbocho, a compact…

October 20, 2025

Seoul autumn hikes

Seoul fall color hikes you can reach by subway

October 22, 2025