search
East Asia
Trends
- 1Floods, haze and typhoons hammer Asia in widening climate crisisβFrom floods across South and South-East Asia to toxic fire haze and typhoons battering East Asia, climate disasters are
Greenpeace is highlighting a wave of climate disasters across Asia, including severe flooding in South and South-East Asia, toxic fire haze, and typhoons striking East Asia. The group says fossil fuels are intensifying the crisis, with homes destroyed, harvests lost, communities cut off, and blackouts leaving families without power. It is calling attention to the millions of people affected and pressing for action on the fossil fuel emissions driving these extreme weather events across the region.
- 2Iran's military demands American withdrawal from West AsiaβΌIran's military: Americans must leave West Asia, we will not retreat one step
Iran's military has issued a defiant statement declaring that American forces must leave West Asia and vowing that Iran will not retreat 'one step'. The remarks, carried by regional Kurdish outlet Kurdistan 24, underline Tehran's hardening stance toward the US military presence in the region amid ongoing tensions.
- 3
Nikkei Asia reports that the race among automakers to dominate Southeast Asia's electric vehicle market could leave ordinary drivers behind, as the rapid push for new EV models raises prices beyond what many consumers in the region can afford. The article highlights the tension between automakers' expansion plans and affordability for local buyers.
- 4
Commentary is highlighting India's push to establish itself as a major player in the global semiconductor industry. The discussion centres on the country's efforts to build chip manufacturing capacity and attract investment as nations worldwide compete to secure semiconductor supply chains. Observers are weighing whether India can translate its ambitions into a genuine foothold in an industry long dominated by East Asia and the United States.
- 5Meta partners with Australia's Firmus for Southeast Asia AI capacityβMeta taps Australia's Firmus for AI computing capacity in Southeast Asia
Meta has signed a deal with Australian firm Firmus to secure AI computing capacity serving Southeast Asia, Reuters reports. The partnership gives the social media company additional data centre infrastructure in the region as demand for artificial intelligence compute surges. Firmus specialises in building high-density, AI-ready data centre capacity, making it a useful partner for Meta's expansion beyond its existing facilities.
- 6AI power demand pushes Thailand and Southeast Asia toward small reactorsβChips need current as AI pushes Thailand, Southeast Asia toward small reactors
Southeast Asia is turning to small modular reactors as demand for reliable electricity surges alongside its growing semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries. Thailand is among the countries weighing the technology, with chip manufacturing requiring stable power supplies that renewable sources alone have struggled to guarantee, prompting a regional rethink on nuclear energy.
- 7Google Cloud Opens AI Startup Corridor Linking Southeast Asia to Silicon ValleyβΌGoogle Cloud Launches AI Startup Innovation Corridor from Southeast Asia to Silicon Valley
Google Cloud has launched an AI Startup Innovation Corridor designed to connect startups in Southeast Asia with resources and networks extending to Silicon Valley. The initiative aims to help early-stage AI companies in the region access mentorship, cloud infrastructure and investor connections. Coverage so far is limited to regional tech outlets, with details on participants and funding yet to be announced.
- 8Meta signs AI computing deal with Firmus in Southeast AsiaβMeta signs deal for Firmus AI computing capacity in Southeast Asia
Meta has signed an agreement with Singapore-based data centre firm Firmus to secure AI computing capacity in Southeast Asia. The deal gives Meta access to additional infrastructure for training and running AI models in the fast-growing region. Few further details about the size or timeline of the arrangement are available, and there is not yet broad public reaction to the announcement.
- 9Al-Qaeda 25 Years After 9/11: A Changed Network, New ThreatsβAl-Qaeda Twenty-Five Years After 9/11: A Changing Network, a Changing Security Challenge
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, security analysts are reassessing al-Qaeda. The network that orchestrated 9/11 has since dispersed, lost leaders including Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, and evolved into affiliates and allied franchises across Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Analysts argue this decentralised structure presents a different but still serious counterterrorism challenge for Western and regional security services.
- 10Southeast Asian oil field clears environmental hurdle toward final investment decisionβΌSoutheast Asian oil field development clears key environmental hurdle to move toward FID
A Southeast Asian oil field development project has passed a key environmental assessment, allowing it to advance toward a final investment decision. The clearance removes a major regulatory obstacle for the offshore project, and industry observers will now be watching for the operators to confirm investment and move the field closer to production.
- 11Paid to read: can cash incentives fix Southeast Asia's literacy crisis?βPaid to read: can cash and gamification fix Southeast Asiaβs falling literacy?
A South China Morning Post report examines whether paying people to read and using gamification can reverse declining literacy rates across Southeast Asia. The piece explores incentive-based programmes that reward reading with cash, asking whether such schemes can meaningfully improve reading habits and comprehension in a region struggling with falling literacy levels.
- 12Mirion Technologies to Host First EMEA/APAC Conference in BrusselsβMirion Technologies to Host Inaugural Mirion Connect EMEA/APAC Conference in Brussels
Mirion Technologies is holding its inaugural Mirion Connect EMEA/APAC conference in Brussels, bringing together customers and partners from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. The event marks the company's expansion of its regional conference format beyond North America, focusing on radiation measurement and detection technologies.