Filipinos increasingly open to sex education as teen pregnancies, HIV cases rise
Saturday, August 16,2025,09:00
Almost three in four Filipinos believe that schools should teach children about sex and reproductive health, a new survey has shown – a marked shift in public sentiment that advocates say underscores the urgency of combating disinformation and religious resistance as teen pregnancies and HIV cases surge in the Philippines. In the nationwide survey conducted in March, 73 per cent of respondents agreed it was important to teach “concepts of sexuality, sexual health and family planning in schools... .. read more..
Chinese father indicted for illegally sailing to Taiwan with son
Saturday, August 16,2025,08:51
Taoyuan, Aug. 16 (CNA) The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office on Saturday indicted a Chinese national who illegally entered Taiwan with his son on a rubber boat in May. .. read more..
‘Still quite large’: South Korea’s birth rate battles erode its military might
Saturday, August 16,2025,07:30
As South Korea’s troop numbers dwindle to levels unseen in decades, fears are growing that the country’s ability to deter Pyongyang and secure its heavily fortified border with the nuclear-armed North may be slipping at a moment of heightened regional uncertainty. According to a Defence Ministry report released last Sunday, the South Korean military has shrunk by 20 per cent over the past six years, with active-duty personnel now numbering around 450,000 – down from about 690,000 soldiers in the... .. read more..
ITRI raises output growth forecast for Taiwan semiconductors
Saturday, August 16,2025,07:15
Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) The government-supported Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has raised its forecast for 2025 growth in the output value of Taiwan's semiconductor industry to above 22 percent on strong global demand for artificial intelligence applications. .. read more..
Liu Chiao-hsi bags Taiwan's 2nd gold after inline freestyle slalom win
Saturday, August 16,2025,06:22
Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) Taiwanese skater Liu Chiao-hsi (劉巧兮) claimed Taiwan's second gold medal at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, by finishing first in the women's inline freestyle slalom finals on Saturday. .. read more..
Malaysia accused of ‘blocking progress’ on plastics as it sides with oil giants
Saturday, August 16,2025,06:00
As plastic waste chokes oceans, poisons wildlife and infiltrates human bodies, the world’s governments met in Geneva this week to hammer out a landmark United Nations treaty. But the summit was thrown into disarray as a coalition of oil‑producing states determined to block binding limits on plastic output – with which Malaysia was controversially aligned – saw negotiations stretched into an unscheduled eleventh day without agreement. The Geneva talks, billed as the “Paris Agreement for plastics”... .. read more..
Power fully restored to residents in Taitung after Podul: Taipower
Saturday, August 16,2025,04:41
Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) Electricity has been fully restored to more than 40,000 households in Taitung after Typhoon Podul swept through the county earlier this week, Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) said Saturday. .. read more..
Tax-deductible allowance for living costs may be raised by NT$3,000
Saturday, August 16,2025,04:34
Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) The annual tax-deductible allowance for basic living expenses could be raised to NT$213,000 (US$7,092) per person for tax filers in 2026, according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) on Friday. .. read more..
Priced out: Southeast Asia’s middle class abandons the dream of owning a home
Saturday, August 16,2025,04:00
As he neared his 40th birthday, Hafiz Sujang took a quick inventory of his life – a loving family, a steady job as an IT consultant in Malaysia’s largest city – and found just one missing piece: a home of his own. But as he took the plunge into Kuala Lumpur’s property market, the dream of escaping the endless cycle of renting quickly receded from view. “Most of the units I see are small and the finishes feel very ‘developer budget’,” Hafiz told This Week in Asia, reflecting on his so-far... .. read more..
Mercury forecast to hit 37°C in Taoyuan; heat alert in effect
Saturday, August 16,2025,03:59
Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) The hot weather seen in northern Taiwan in recent days will continue Saturday due to an ongoing high-pressure system and strengthening easterly winds, with Taoyuan expected to post highs of 37 degrees Celsius. .. read more..
Taiwan headline news
Saturday, August 16,2025,03:28
Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Saturday are as follows: .. read more..
AI-driven data centre boom could drain Asia’s rivers without due care
Saturday, August 16,2025,01:30
A regional workshop in Malaysia on energy transition brought together governments, international organisations, industry leaders and academics in June. Around the table, there was a consensus that Southeast Asia must find sustainable and alternative energy solutions to meet fast-rising demand. One key driver of this rising demand is the rapid growth of data centres. Across Asia, data centre capacity is expected to nearly double in the next five years, reaching around 25,000 megawatts. Over the... .. read more..
China's booming bubble tea industry faces a test: Is it here to stay or just ...
Friday, August 15,2025,23:00
Market saturation at home, rising costs and intense price wars are testing the resilience of the country's bubble tea brands. .. read more..
How China could shape future of the Middle East
Friday, August 15,2025,21:30
Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, including the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, have exposed the fragility of the US-led international order and Western double standards like never before. It’s hard to understate the gravity of the situation, underscoring the need for urgent international intervention. Multiple Israeli scholars, human rights organisations and political leaders are publicly warning of unprecedented atrocities. Even former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, a past member of... .. read more..
Ukraine war talks: Trump and Putin meet in Alaska as summit begins
Friday, August 15,2025,18:28
US President Donald Trump has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, on the outskirts of Anchorage, Alaska, for their first face-to-face meeting since Trump returned to office this year. The summit will focus on the prospect of a ceasefire to end Russia’s devastating three-and-a-half-year war against Ukraine. Initially seen as a meeting that could reshape the global order, determine Ukraine’s future and redefine America’s standing with its allies, the Trump... .. read more..
AI-driven export boom lifts 2025 Taiwan GDP growth forecast to 4.45%
Friday, August 15,2025,13:07
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's government on Friday sharply raised its 2025 GDP growth forecast from 3.1 percent in May to 4.45 percent, citing a surge in exports and private investment fueled by strong global demand for artificial intelligence (AI). .. read more..
8 from Chiayi school baseball team injured in traffic accident
Friday, August 15,2025,12:30
Tainan, Aug. 15 (CNA) Seven young baseball players and the coach driving them back from a game have been taken to hospitals in Tainan for treatment after the van they were in hit an engineering vehicle on National Freeway No. 3 Friday, the city's Fire Bureau said. .. read more..
Former first lady Wu Shu-jen hospitalized after collapsing at Tainan home
Friday, August 15,2025,12:01
Tainan, Aug. 15 (CNA) Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), wife of former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), was hospitalized Friday after collapsing at her residence in Tainan, during which she reportedly stopped breathing, according to the southern city's fire bureau. .. read more..
In rare move, Singapore grants clemency to drug trafficker on death row
Friday, August 15,2025,11:34
Singapore has granted clemency to Tristan Tan Yi Rui, an inmate on death row for drug trafficking, and commuted his sentence to life imprisonment instead. The 33-year-old’s case is believed to be the first time since 1998 that the city state, known for its zero tolerance for drugs, has commuted the death sentence of an inmate on death row. Tan was convicted in 2023 of trafficking not less than 337.6 grams of methamphetamine. In a letter from Julius Lim, principal private secretary to the... .. read more..
Taiwanese youth ravaged by war, promote exchange with Japan after WWII
Friday, August 15,2025,11:31
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) When Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's unconditional surrender on Aug. 15, 1945, marking the end of World War II, some Taiwanese had ambivalent feelings, including those serving at a Navy arsenal in Kouza, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. .. read more..
Tesla's Chinese Rival Nio Sparks Global Push As Firefly EVs Hit European Roads
Friday, August 15,2025,11:09
Nio Inc. (NYSE: NIO ) saw its stock gain in premarket trading Friday as its premium compact electric vehicle (EV) brand Firefly reportedly began delivering its first units to customers in Europe . Firefly confirmed that the milestone took place on August 14 in both Norway and the Netherlands, marking the start of the brand’s overseas rollout, CnEV Post reports . The move represents a significant step in Nio’s multi-brand expansion strategy aimed at tapping into global small EV markets. Also Read: Nio Gears Up For ES8 Launch With Long-Distance Everest Drive Norway’s first Firefly owner said she ... Full story available on Benzinga.com .. read more..
Taiwan announces measures to protect hospitals from hackers
Friday, August 15,2025,10:39
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) on Friday announced plans to strengthen cybersecurity resilience in Taiwan's medical sector, following cyberattacks on at least two hospitals earlier this year that were linked to a Chinese hacker. .. read more..
German couple tie knot in bride's 'spiritual hometown' Tainan
Friday, August 15,2025,10:28
Berlin, Aug. 15 (CNA) A German couple had a quite Taiwanese wedding -- at a household registration office in Tainan Thursday -- after the bride discovered her "spiritual hometown" in the southern city on visiting last year and enlisted the help of Taiwanese officials. .. read more..
WeRide Lands Grab Investment To Speed Robotaxi Rollout In Southeast Asia
Friday, August 15,2025,10:25
WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD ) stock gained on Friday after it announced that Grab (NASDAQ: GRAB ) will take a strategic equity stake as part of a deeper partnership to speed up the deployment and commercialization of Level 4 Robotaxis and shuttles across Southeast Asia. The deal, expected to close by mid-2026, supports WeRide’s plan to expand its autonomous vehicle fleet and advance AI-driven mobility in the region. Under the agreement, WeRide will integrate its autonomous driving technology into Grab’s fleet management, vehicle matching, and routing systems to boost service quality, safety, and operational efficiency. Also Read: Singapore’s Grab Eyes $2 Billion Loan To ... Full... .. read more..
Alibaba Launches AI-Powered Agent To Automate Merchant Operations
Friday, August 15,2025,09:48
Alibaba Group’s (NYSE: BABA ) international commerce arm launched the Accio Agent on Thursday to help merchants source products and supplies, aiming to transform online business operations. Built by Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC) on its Qwen model, the AI agent can automate up to 70% of traditionally time-consuming tasks such as product ideation, prototyping, compliance checks, and supplier sourcing. The company said Accio Agent could fundamentally change product discovery, e-commerce, and advertising as rivals like Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) roll out their AI agents, SCMP reported on Thursday. Also Read: Alibaba, Nio Lead Gains As US And China Extend Trade Truc... .. read more..
Is climate change turning India’s Himalayas into a disaster zone?
Friday, August 15,2025,09:40
Back-to-back natural disasters triggered by heavy rain and flooding in the Indian Himalayan region have highlighted the growing dangers posed by climate change to one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive regions, experts have warned. At least 34 people died and 200 were reported missing following sudden heavy rain in the Indian Kashmir region on Thursday, the second such incident in the mountainous range in a little over a week. An incident, the previous week, resulted in a severe flood... .. read more..
Legislature approves typhoon, heavy rain aid package
Friday, August 15,2025,09:34
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Legislative Yuan on Friday approved an aid and recovery package that allows the government to allocate up to NT$60 billion for regions adversely affected by Typhoon Danas and subsequent torrential rains in July. .. read more..
China isn't welcoming Nvidia back with open arms after Trump clears way for H...
Friday, August 15,2025,09:33
Despite the U.S. softening on chip export controls — which Beijing has long opposed — Nvidia is being welcomed back under increased distrust and scrutiny. .. read more..
Japan’s naval move to New Zealand challenges China’s ‘geopolitical opportunism’
Friday, August 15,2025,09:00
Japan’s recent dispatch of warships to New Zealand – its first in nearly 90 years – signals Tokyo’s intention to take on a greater security role in the region and counter what analysts call increasing Chinese “geopolitical opportunism.” Carrying more than 500 crew, the two Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyers docked in Wellington last Friday as part of an Indo-Pacific deployment that included war games with Australia, New Zealand and other partners. The symbolic visit reflects Japan’s intent... .. read more..
Remembering WWII: Taiwanese share memories of fear and survival
Friday, August 15,2025,08:52
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, two Taiwanese shared memories of a childhood and youth marked by fear and survival under Japanese rule during the Pacific War, offering a rare firsthand glimpse into Taiwan's role in the war. .. read more..
Asian Shares Mostly Higher With Ukraine Talks In Focus
Friday, August 15,2025,08:41
Asian stocks ended mostly higher on Friday as investors reacted to mixed economic data from China and Japan, and awaited the outcome of the Alaska summit between U.S. and Russian Presidents. .. read more..
JD.com Is Trying To Mirror Amazon's Global Playbook With Joybuy Launch, CECON...
Friday, August 15,2025,08:34
Chinese e-commerce giant, JD.Com Inc. (NASDAQ: JD ), is stepping up its international ambitions with a playbook that closely resembles that of Amazon.com Inc.’s (NASDAQ: AMZN ) approach to overseas expansions. JD is showing downward pressure. Get the market research here. The Amazon Playbook During its second-quarter earnings call on Thursday, the company’s CEO, Sandy Xu , said, “as the largest retailer in China, international expansion has always been a key strategy for JD,” while stressing that, unlike other e-commerce brands, JD’s approach would focus more on building local operations. Xu says JD's international business will concentrate on supply cha... .. read more..
U.S. dollar closes higher on Taipei forex market
Friday, August 15,2025,08:09
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) The U.S. dollar rose against the Taiwan dollar Friday, gaining NT$0.022 to close at NT$30.010. .. read more..
Nearly 3,000 Malaysian government employees caught taking bribes in a decade
Friday, August 15,2025,07:52
Almost 3,000 Malaysian government employees had been caught taking bribes over the last decade, lawmakers heard on Friday, topping the list of receivers of under the table payments over the past decade and nearly three times more than in the private sector. Bribery remains entrenched in Malaysian society despite strong public sentiments for its eradication. High-profile corruption scandals, including those involving several former prime ministers, has done little to dampen the public appetite... .. read more..
Indonesia’s Prabowo touts economic wins in defiant first state of nation address
Friday, August 15,2025,07:47
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has used his first state of the nation address to spotlight the country’s economic resilience and independent foreign policy, striking a defiant tone against colonial legacies and geopolitical rivalry while positioning himself as a reformer at home. In a wide-ranging speech before the People’s Consultative Assembly on Friday, the 73-year-old leader – inaugurated last October – pointed to second-quarter growth of 5.12 per cent as a sign of the economy’s... .. read more..
Ferries, aircraft assist stranded passengers after typhoon disruption
Friday, August 15,2025,07:23
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) Ferries and a military aircraft transported stranded travelers out of Kinmen County on Friday after Typhoon Podul disrupted flights between the outlying island and Taiwan, leaving hundreds stuck at the airport. .. read more..
Nuclear power plant director, 2 others indicted on corruption charges
Friday, August 15,2025,07:05
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) Three individuals, including the head of the Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei, were indicted Friday on charges of corruption, while a businessman surnamed Tsao (曹), who allegedly paid the bribes, was granted a deferred prosecution. .. read more..
In one of the world’s most expensive cities, more workers are living paycheck...
Friday, August 15,2025,06:58
A cocktail of rising costs of living and growing prioritization for experiences is taking precedence over long-term financial planning, experts observed. .. read more..
Singapore’s Iswaran gifts scandal: Ong Beng Seng avoids jail, fined US$23,400
Friday, August 15,2025,06:48
Ong Beng Seng, a Singapore-based billionaire hotelier and architect of the city state’s Formula One Grand Prix, was fined S$30,000 (US$23,400) on Friday over a charge of abetting former transport minister S. Iswaran in a gifts scandal. Ong, a 79-year-old Malaysian national, earlier this month pleaded guilty to the charge of abetting Iswaran in obstructing justice, admitting to relaying sensitive information about an ongoing anti-corruption investigation to the then minister. The case has riveted... .. read more..
Taiwan shares close up 0.4%
Friday, August 15,2025,06:42
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) Taiwan shares ended up 96.38 points, or 0.4 percent, at 24,334.48 Friday on turnover of NT$443.51 billion (US$14.78 billion). .. read more..
2025 Taiwan Expo USA opens, features smart manufacturing, drones
Friday, August 15,2025,05:28
Dallas, Aug. 14 (CNA) The 2025 Taiwan Expo USA opened Thursday in Dallas, Texas, featuring 150 Taiwanese companies showcasing their latest technologies in the fields of drones, smart manufacturing and health care. .. read more..
Why a landmark ruling from the world’s top court puts financial markets on no...
Friday, August 15,2025,05:11
The International Court of Justice recently delivered its first-ever advisory opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change. .. read more..
Lai marks end of WWII with calls for cooperation among democracies
Friday, August 15,2025,05:00
Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has urged democratic nations to stand together against authoritarian expansion and safeguard freedom and peace, as he marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific in a social media post. .. read more..
China unveils cruise missile, Kim Keon-hee’s fall from grace: 7 highlights
Friday, August 15,2025,04:30
We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chinese mega dam stops using Western industrial chips over security concerns China’s Xiluodu Dam – one of the world’s largest hydropower stations – has fully transitioned away from Western-made industrial control chips over national... .. read more..
China’s growth stumbles in July as retail sales, industrial output miss forec...
Friday, August 15,2025,04:19
China's economy lost momentum in July, with growth faltering across the board, as weak domestic demand persisted. .. read more..
‘Under pressure’: can South Korea-Japan summit ease tensions with Trump?
Friday, August 15,2025,03:55
South Korea and Japan could use their coming bilateral summit to project stability to Washington, which was simultaneously imposing high tariffs on its allies while seeking their cooperation to counter China, analysts said. The summit, scheduled for August 23 in Tokyo, will be the first full bilateral summit between South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. It comes at a time of mounting global uncertainty – from the war in Ukraine and Middle East conflicts... .. read more..
Australian Market Extends Early Gains In Mid-market
Friday, August 15,2025,03:25
The Australian stock market is extending its early gains in mid-market moves on Friday, adding the gains in the previous session, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is moving above the 8,900 level, with gains across most sectors led by energy and technology stocks. .. read more..
Asian Markets Trade Mixed
Friday, August 15,2025,02:49
Asian stock markets are trading mixed on Friday, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight, as hotter-than expected US producer price inflation data and a resilient US labor market softened expectations of a higher interest rate cut by the US Fed in September. Traders also remain cautious ahead of the crucial U.S.-Russia talks to end the ongoing three-plus-year Russia-Ukraine war. .. read more..
Japan's economy expands more than expected in second quarter as exports remai...
Friday, August 15,2025,02:41
This was compared to the revised 0.1% growth seen in the first quarter, and was higher than the 0.1% increase expected by economists polled by Reuters. .. read more..
Stop blame game in Malaysia over Zara’s death, let justice take its course
Friday, August 15,2025,02:30
The death of Zara Qairina Mahathir appears to have triggered something in Malaysians, as thousands took to the streets in rare protests in her home state of Sabah, demanding justice for the 13-year-old girl. Zara Qairina died in hospital on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious in front of a dormitory at her boarding school in Papar district. The initial response to her death was rather muted. Police said that she had likely fallen to her death from the three-storey building and... .. read more..