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People cross a road in Manila, the Philippines, on September 8. Photo: EPA
People walk past a peanut vendor in Manila, the Philippines, on September 8. Photo: EPA
The Philippines

Upgraded but underperforming: Philippines’ growth lags behind

High living costs and delayed public works drag growth projections down far behind regional front runners.

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Singapore

Why AI giants are choosing Singapore to turn models into real-world tools

South Korea

South Korea wants free ‘AI for All’. Is society ready?

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US, Israel war on Iran

Saudi oil pipeline closure puts Asia’s economic resilience to the test

Experts say the loss will hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region.

A satellite image shows a closer view of the damage at the Saudi Arabia East-West pipeline, located across the Arabian Peninsula, after a strike that hit it on September 11. Photo: Vantor/Handout via Reuters
Vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of the port city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran on September 5. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Squeezed out: why Singapore’s big-box gyms are losing to niche studios

Traditional gyms are struggling to compete with 24-hour budget chains on price and specialised boutique studios on community experience.

Malaysia

Bail out or downsize? Malaysia’s stark choice as AirAsia losses mount

Rival carriers lack commercial incentive to take over unprofitable routes, which could force the government into a subsidy dilemma, analysts say.

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Singapore

US firm Waymo to launch robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028

Trained specialists will drive Jaguar I-Pace vehicles and help Waymo adapt its technology to Singapore’s road layouts and other conditions.

Attendees look at a Jaguar I-Pace equipped with a Waymo autonomous driving system at a consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas in January 2025. Photo: Reuters
Attendees look at a Jaguar I-Pace equipped with a Waymo autonomous driving system at a consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas in January 2025. Photo: Reuters
India

India and Vietnam aim to turn ‘China plus one’ rivalry into trade gains

New Delhi and Hanoi are looking to join market scale with manufacturing capacity to build new trade links, analysts say.

Indonesia

How wildfires are threatening Indonesia’s economy and carbon market

Total economic and health costs from January to August as a result of the haze could reach US$6.9 billion, analysts warn.

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Indonesia

Who will shoulder the debts behind Indonesia’s China-backed Whoosh railway?

Jakarta plans to transfer the US$56.5 million annual debt into state accounts as critics warn taxpayers will subsidise the losses.

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The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train, known as Whoosh, during a public trial in Bandung, West Java, in September 2023. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Indonesia’s Prabowo appoints third finance minister in under 2 years

Suahasil Nazara takes over amid growing pressure on the budget, with analysts expecting a more cautious approach to fiscal management.

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Newly-appointed Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara speaks to journalists after his inauguration at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Newly-appointed Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara speaks to journalists after his inauguration at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Thailand

Southeast Asia weighs energy transition amid LNG supply crunch

At Gastech 2026, policymakers implore pragmatism over net-zero targets and closer cooperation to ensure affordable LNG supplies.

The Philippines

US-led Luzon corridor in Philippines faces growing scrutiny over real local benefits

Filipinos, especially Gen Z, are concerned that the corridor and other US-led projects are ‘more exploitative than beneficial’, analysts say.

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Malaysia

Who will look after ageing Asia when its carers grow old?

Asia’s care economy is booming, but its biggest supplier nations are ageing too, raising fears of a coming carer shortfall.

Filipino nurses, many of whom were bound for work abroad as carers, take an oath in Manila in 2009. Filipino carers have become an expensive “gold standard”, according to a recent white paper. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Philippines bets big on rail, but can it fix a broken transport network?

A US$4.8 billion transport budget will not end Manila’s gridlock unless bus and jeepney services also improve, analysts say.

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Heavy traffic is seen along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) highway during evening rush hour in Manila, the Philippines. Photo: AFP
Heavy traffic is seen along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) highway during evening rush hour in Manila, the Philippines. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Why Marcos’ Brics trip is ‘low-risk’ chance for Philippines to make new friends

The president, attending in his capacity as Asean chair, should not miss the opportunity to diversify ties beyond the US, analysts say.

Thailand

Data centres sprouting in Thailand fuel fears of public health impact

The discovery of a data centre in Bangkok that was illegally storing 200,000 litres of oil prompted authorities to close a legal loophole.

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South Korea

Can a US$6 trillion South Korea-Japan economic bloc succeed?

A South Korean tycoon’s proposal could create the world’s fourth-biggest economic bloc, if both countries put history behind them.

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A robot seen at the Smart Factory & Automation World 2026 exhibition in the Gangnam district of Seoul in March. Photo: NurPhoto/Getty Images
A robot seen at the Smart Factory & Automation World 2026 exhibition in the Gangnam district of Seoul in March. Photo: NurPhoto/Getty Images
Australia

Public inquiry in Australia exposes deep doubts about benefits of Aukus deal

Under the Australia-UK-US security pact, Canberra will get eight nuclear-powered submarines at an estimated cost of up to US$266 billion.

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Australia

Trump slams Australia’s social media crackdown as ‘extortion’

The White House warns Australia over its proposed algorithm opt-out bill, as Anthony Albanese defends national sovereignty.

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The Philippines

Philippines wants to be a global semiconductor giant by 2030. Can it get there?

An ‘ambitious’ road map aims to more than double annual exports of chips and electronics to US$110 billion by 2030.

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A staff of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines shows chips manufactured in the country. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Can Prabowo’s Putin camaraderie deliver real economic gains for Indonesia?

Good relations with Russia show ‘our president can work with all sides across the geopolitical divide,’ an analyst says.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Wednesday. Photo: Sputnik / EPA
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Wednesday. Photo: Sputnik / EPA
India

India’s push to secure place in global chip supply has ‘secret weapon’: its people

Building up its pool of design talent can gain it a spot higher up in the value chain by turning ‘Make in India’ to ‘Engineer in India’.

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Japan

US wants foreign warships for its navy. Japan is hoping to be picked

Should Washington commission Mogami-class frigates, it will become Japan’s largest deal since relaxing the rules on weapon exports in April.

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India

India targets weapons self-reliance with fully local assault rifle

India has been slowly trying to reduce its reliance on Russian-made weapons as Moscow prioritises its own needs for its ongoing war with Ukraine.

An Indian Army soldier inspects a new AK-203 Sher rifle. Photo: Handout
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