Category: Asia

Politics

China Praises Anwar’s Taiwan Stand—But Taipei’s Next Warning Could Hit Malaysia’s Tech Economy

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has found himself at the centre of a sensitive China-Taiwan diplomatic dispute after remarks supporting Malaysia’s longstanding One-China position won public praise from Beijing but triggered a sharp rebuke from Taipei — including a warning involving Taiwanese investment in Malaysia. The controversy began after an Al Jazeera interview in which Anwar was pressed on whether the wishes of Taiwan’s people should outweigh Beijing’s claim over the

August 20, 2026

Asia

China Is Slowing Critical-Metal Shipments to Taiwan—But the Real Target May Be Bigger Than the Chip Industry

TAIPEI — China is reportedly slowing shipments of strategically important metals to Taiwan, adding a new layer of pressure to one of the world’s most important technology supply chains and raising questions over whether critical minerals could become Beijing’s next major point of leverage. According to an exclusive report by Nikkei Asia, Taiwanese companies are facing longer waits and greater uncertainty in obtaining some China-sourced specialty materials used in advanced optical equipment, ele

August 20, 2026

Politics

Law Society Agrees to Release Report After Hundreds of Lawyers Demand Answers—But What Gets Redacted Could Become the Next Battle

SINGAPORE — The Law Society of Singapore has moved toward releasing a closely watched audit into alleged workplace and governance problems after lawyers demanded greater transparency — but the disclosure will come only after an extensive redaction and response process. LawSoc told members on Thursday, August 20, that it intends to release the audit committee’s report “as soon as practicable”, provided confidentiality promises made to interviewees are protected and people facing material allegat

August 20, 2026

Philippines

Iran War Sends Filipinos Racing Into Solar as Power Bills Surge—But One Barrier Could Keep Millions From Joining the Boom

MANILA, Philippines — The global energy crisis triggered by the continuing conflict involving Iran is reshaping how Filipinos think about electricity, with households, businesses and power developers increasingly turning to solar energy as protection against volatile imported fuel prices. The Philippines has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the global shift toward solar, not because electricity has suddenly become cheap—but because conventional power has become increasingly expens

August 20, 2026

Business

Digital Payments Just Hit 64.7% in the Philippines—But One Change Could Push Cash Aside Even Faster

MANILA — The Philippines’ long-promised cashless future may no longer be a distant goal. Digital payments reportedly accounted for 64.7% of Philippine retail transactions in 2025, according to a Nikkei Asia report, pushing the country deeper into territory once considered ambitious for an economy where cash, over-the-counter payments and physical bank branches dominated everyday transactions for decades. If sustained, the shift would mean nearly two out of every three retail-payment transactio

August 20, 2026

Business

Starbucks’ Mofusand Cats Are Returning to Singapore on Aug 25—But One Exclusive Item Goes on Sale Four Days Earlier

SINGAPORE — Mofusand fans may want to mark two dates on their calendars. Starbucks Singapore is bringing back its wildly popular collaboration with the Japanese cat brand, with a new collection launching on August 25, 2026 — but an exclusive item will arrive several days earlier. The latest Mofusand x Starbucks Singapore collection brings back illustrator Juno’s familiar ginger and grey cats, this time paired once again with Starbucks-inspired designs and a fresh range of drinkware, accessories

August 20, 2026

Philippines

Neneng Is Moving Away From the Philippines—So Why Could the Worst of the Rain Still Be Far From Over?

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Depression Neneng is moving away from the Philippines and could soon exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility, but for millions of Filipinos enduring another day of rain, the bigger threat is not the storm itself. It is the southwest monsoon, or Habagat. Persistent monsoon rains continued to soak Metro Manila and large parts of Luzon on Thursday, August 20, as authorities dealt with flooding, evacuations and a mounting human and economic toll from weeks of seve

August 20, 2026

Thailand

Thailand Welcomes Myanmar’s New Military Chief Just Weeks After Min Aung Hlaing—But Bangkok’s Next Move Could Reshape ASEAN’s Myanmar Policy

BANGKOK — Thailand is accelerating its engagement with Myanmar’s military establishment, hosting newly appointed armed forces chief Gen. Ye Win Oo in Bangkok just weeks after President Min Aung Hlaing received an official welcome from the Thai government. Ye Win Oo is in Thailand from August 19 to 21, 2026 for the ninth Myanmar-Thailand High-Level Committee meeting, a bilateral military mechanism focused on defence cooperation, border stability and security threats affecting the two neighboring

August 20, 2026

Business

SK Hynix Workers Could Get 60% of Their Bonuses in Stock—But the Biggest Surprise Is How Much the Average Payout Could Be

SEOUL — The artificial intelligence boom has already transformed SK hynix into one of the biggest winners of the global semiconductor surge. Now, some of that extraordinary wealth could land in employees’ hands in a very different form. The South Korean memory-chip giant has reached a preliminary agreement to pay 60% of its 2026 employee bonuses in company shares and the remaining 40% in cash, according to a person familiar with the negotiations cited by Reuters. But despite the eye-catching n

August 20, 2026

Business

Women’s Suits Are Back in 2026 — But This Isn’t the Old Power Suit

Women’s suits are making a major comeback in 2026 as Saint Laurent, Prada, Celine and Tom Ford reinvent tailoring with softer cuts, relaxed proportions and everyday versatility. The women’s suit is making a serious comeback in 2026—but anyone expecting a return to stiff shoulders, restrictive trousers and old-school corporate dressing may be surprised. This time, designers are bringing tailoring back on very different terms. Across the latest collections, jackets are becoming softer, trousers

August 20, 2026