Myanmar’s army is losing – and facing fire from a militant monk

A challenge from ultra-nationalist Buddhist monks is piling pressure on the loathed coup leader. More »

Japan population: One in 10 people now aged 80 or older

The world's most elderly country has long struggled with how to provide for its ageing population. More »

At least 30 missing after Myanmar jade mine landslide

Heavy monsoon rain loosened piles of earth and debris and sent it down the cliff, sweeping miners on the way. More »

Betting on Asia’s debt, Europe’s hunt for yield heads east

SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Low yields at home are sending some previously shy European investors into Asia’s credit markets, money managers say, lured by the promise of higher returns and a hope that rebounding economies can hold defaults at bay. Unlike i... More »

Asia’s mosques deserted as coronavirus keeps Ramadan faithful away

(Reuters) – It is a Ramadan like never before for Muslims across Asia as mosques that would normally be packed for prayers are deserted and in some places locked up as governments enforced measures to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. At Indonesia’s ma... More »

China’s Hengyi runs new Brunei refinery near full rates: officials

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – China’s Hengyi Petrochemical Co Ltd is operating its new 160,000 barrels per day refinery in Brunei at near full capacity after trial production began in July, two company officials told Reuters. The plant in Palau Muara Besar is one of f... More »

UBS cutting up to 30 banking jobs in Asia Pacific: source

HONG KONG (Reuters) – UBS (UBSG.S) will cut up to 30 jobs in the major centres of Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo after combining its global markets and banking businesses, a person with knowledge of the matter said. The job cuts at the Swiss bank start... More »

Rescuers slog through mud as Japan typhoon death toll rises to 66

KORIYAMA, Japan (Reuters) – The death toll in the worst typhoon to hit Japan for decades climbed to 66 on Tuesday as rescuers slogged through mud and debris in an increasingly grim search for the missing, and as thousands of homes remained without power or wat... More »

Supertyphoon Hagibis gives new wind to Philippine disco band

MANILA (Reuters) – For a four-decade-old Philippine disco band, the namesake supertyphoon bearing down on Japan has brought a sudden rush of interest in its macho act. Known as the Philippines’ “Village People”, all-male band Hagibis has been going since 1979.... More »

Investing green is all the rage, but benchmarks still hazy

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Global money managers and companies are rushing to meet a deadline to report on their carbon footprint, but the lack of a standard metric raises concerns their efforts could just be a box-ticking exercise in the transition from brown to gree... More »

Apple’s new, lower priced iPhone draws tepid response in Asia

HANGZHOU, China/SEOUL (Reuters) – Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) new, lower priced iPhone that comes with a faster processor but lacks 5G technology disappointed Asia, where cheaper and feature-packed handsets from rivals are already available. The iPhone 11, launched o... More »

Death toll rises to 44 as typhoon Lekima wreaks havoc in eastern China

BEIJING (Reuters) – The death toll from typhoon Lekima in eastern China rose to 44 people on Monday morning, according to official data, as the storm continued up the coast, racking up billions of dollars in economic losses and widely disrupting travel. An add... More »

U.S. Defense Secretary says he favors placing missiles in Asia

SYDNEY (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Saturday that he was in favor of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia relatively soon, a day after the United States withdrew from a landmark arms control treaty. Esper’s comm... More »

Hold the beers: Budweiser APAC IPO hit by investor push-back

HONG KONG/NEW YORK/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Scepticism over AB InBev’s high valuations doomed Budweiser APAC’s IPO of up to $9.8 billion – poised to be the world’s biggest this year – investors and bankers said, putting would-be floats on notice that careful prici... More »

Safe havens emerge in China, South Asia as recession risks grow

HONG KONG/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Fears of a global recession are on the rise as the U.S.-China trade war re-escalated in May, sending investors to the safety of U.S Treasuries, the Japanese yen and gold. But in Asia, investors are exploring new sanctuaries, from C... More »

Seeking shelter from trade war, fund managers bet on China’s consumers

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) – China may be an odd choice for investors seeking shelter from a Sino-U.S. trade war. Yet, money managers in Asia are pouring funds into Chinese stocks as the long-term promise of a growing middle class trumps more immediate fears a... More »

Asian renewable investment to overtake upstream oil and gas…

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Renewable energy investment in the Asia-Pacific region will overtake spending on oil and gas exploration by 2020, consultancy Rystad Energy said on Monday. Total capital expenditure in renewables will rise above $30 billion in the region ... More »

Asia’s billionaires develop taste for boutique wealth managers

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Growing demand by Asia’s rich for independent advisory services and access to a wide variety of investment products is spurring the surge of boutique wealth managers more associated with the established wealth hubs of Switzerlan... More »

Olympics: Cricket to make Asian Games return at Hangzhou 2022

MUMBAI (Reuters) – Cricket will return to the next Asian Games at Hangzhou 2022 after the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) added it to its sports program for the next edition of the continental event. Cricket has struggled to grow beyond its traditional bases and... More »

Olympics: Sheikh Ahmad re-elected Asia chief amid Swiss probe

(Reuters) – Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has been re-elected president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) for an eighth term despite being embroiled in a forgery case brought by Swiss investigators. The long-serving Kuwaiti, a powerful ally of Internationa... More »

Europe’s Arianespace takes on SpaceX by cutting Ariane 5 rocket…

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Europe’s Arianespace is discounting the price of satellite launches with its Ariane 5 rockets as it competes against U.S. rival SpaceX for customers before the release of the cheaper Ariane 6 rocket next year, a senior executive said on W... More »

Senior U.S. diplomat for Asia Susan Thornton to retire in July

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The senior U.S. diplomat for Asia, Susan Thornton, will retire at the end of July, the State Department said on Saturday, in the midst of critical negotiations with North Korea and China. Questions have long been raised about whether Tho... More »

Weinstein accuser Argento warns others at Cannes: ‘we know who you…

CANNES, France (Reuters) – Italian actress Asia Argento, who has accused movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, told the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival there were abusers in the audience who had yet to be outed. Argento, one of the women... More »

China vows to open up more futures markets as iron ore goes…

DALIAN/MANILA (Reuters) – China plans to open more of its futures contracts to foreign investors, a senior official said on Friday, as Beijing launched its “internationalised” iron ore contract as part of a bid to boost its sway over pricing of major commodity... More »

As currencies weaken, Asia’s original sinners go for classic defense

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – To deal with a familiar combination of falling currencies and uncertainty about economic growth, Asian central banks are reverting to their classic policy playbook. They are intervening in currency markets while concurrently injecting cas... More »

Higher oil prices could be a game changer for Asia’s trade-gap trio

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Asia’s most externally vulnerable economies – India, Indonesia and the Philippines – have just taken a one-two punch. U.S. 10-year Treasury bond yields US10YT=RR hit 3 percent this week, a level long touted as one to watch for p... More »

AFC Cup matches in Iraq postponed until after FIFA Council meets

(Reuters) – Two AFC Cup matches involving Iraqi clubs have been postponed until April in the hope that FIFA will lift a ban on the country hosting competitive international games, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Monday. Al Zawraa were scheduled ... More »

Uber plans to sell Southeast Asia business to Grab: CNBC

FILE PHOTO: A man arrives at the Uber offices in Queens, New York, U.S. on February 2, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo (Reuters) – Uber Technologies [UBER.UL] is preparing to sell its Southeast Asia ride-hailing business to Singapore-based Grab in re... More »

Nissan to launch new all-electric Leaf in Asia-Pacific markets

A car with the Nissan logo badge is seen on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Nissan Motor Co (7201.T) said on Tuesday it will launch the new version... More »

Hyundai Motor considering plant in Southeast Asia after China setback

FILE PHOTO: Hyundai Motor’s new fuel cell SUV is seen during a media event in Seoul, South Korea August 17, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) said it is considering building a car plant in Southeast ... More »

Vietnam braces for typhoon as Philippine toll rises to 230 dead

People attempt to rescue flood victims in Lanao Del Norte, Philippines, in this December 22, 2017 photo obtained from social media. Courtesy Aclimah Cabugatan Disumala via REUTERS HANOI/MANILA (Reuters) – Authorities in Vietnam prepared to move a million peopl... More »

Golf: Rose cruises to Indonesian Masters title

(Reuters) – England’s Justin Rose carded a 10-under-par 62 in the final round of the Indonesian Masters on Sunday to record a dominant eight-stroke victory at the Asian Tour event. Play was delayed on Friday and Saturday due to multiple weather interruptions, ... More »

Uber execs travel world to reassure regulators after controversies

Uber’s Asia Pacific Chief Business Officer Brooks Entwistle gives an interview to Reuters in Tokyo, Japan, November 27, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon TOKYO (Reuters) – Uber executives are travelling the globe to reassure regulators that the company is changing ... More »

Pope starts Myanmar trip in shadow of Rohingya crisis

Pope Francis landed in Yangon on Monday, the start of a delicate visit for the leader of the Roman Catholic church to majority-Buddhist Myanmar, which the United States has accused of conducting "ethnic cleansing" against its Muslim Rohingya people. More »

Pope begins Myanmar trip in shadow of Rohingya crisis

People wait outside the residence of Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, where Pope Francis will be staying during his visit in Yangon, Myanmar November 27, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva YANGON (Reuters) – Pope Francis landed in Yangon on Monday, the ... More »

TPP leaders` meeting fails to materialise amid disputes

A planned meeting of leaders of the 11 countries in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) to decide on the fate of the trade pact did not take place on Friday, amid disagreements over how to take it forward without the United States. More »

First lady Melania plays tourist as Trump departs Beijing

As U.S. President Donald Trump left Beijing on Friday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam, first lady Melania stayed behind to play tourist, viewing pandas at a zoo and visiting the Great Wall of China. More »

Trump praises `productive` China talks, but tough action seen ahead

U.S. President Donald Trump lauded his Beijing meetings on trade and North Korea as "very productive", ending a visit which Chinese media declared set a "new blueprint" for handling ties, even as the White House looks set for tougher action on China. More »

Trump says stands with Japan against North Korean menace, working on trade

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said America stood with ally Japan against the North Korean "menace" and that Washington would work with Tokyo to sort out problems on trade between the world's biggest and third-largest economies. More »

Japan`s Abe says time to exert maximum pressure on North Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday it was time to exert maximum pressure on North Korea and he had agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump that China should play a bigger role in getting Pyongyang to give up its weapons programs. More »

Taiwan hopes to find `natural way` to engage with China`s Xi at APEC

Taiwan hopes to find a "natural way" to exchange views with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders that starts in Vietnam this week, the self-ruled island's envoy to the meeting said on Monday. More »

Death toll from Vietnam storm nears 50

The death toll from the typhoon that struck Vietnam at the weekend has risen to at least 49, the government said on Monday. More »

Trump greets Japanese emperor with a handshake and nod – but no bow

U.S. President Donald Trump greeted Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Monday with a genteel handshake and nod, but no bow, avoiding the pitfall of U.S. President Barack Obama who was criticized at home for his deep bow to the monarch. More »

Mattis visits Seoul for defense talks as tensions climb

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis flew into Seoul on Friday for annual defense talks as tensions with North Korea climb ahead of a visit to the region next month by President Donald Trump. More »

Typhoon leaves flooding, four dead in Japan before moving out to sea

A rapidly weakening typhoon Lan made landfall in Japan on Monday, setting off landslides and flooding that prompted evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people, but then headed out to sea after largely sparing the capital, Tokyo. More »

Chinese state media report bloated battery in Apple`s iPhone 8

A fresh case of Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) new iPhone popping open due to a swollen battery has been reported in state media in China, the world's biggest smartphone market where the U.S. firm is seeking to revive faltering sales. More »

Asian currencies to stay steady, Fed tightening seen curbing gains: Reuters poll

Asian currencies, on an upswing since the start of the year, are unlikely to trade higher than they are now in a year, held back as the U.S. Federal Reserve presses on with further interest rate rises, a Reuters poll found. More »

U.S. Navy fires two commanders after Asia sea accidents

The U.S. Navy dismissed two senior officers on Monday after a series of collisions involving Seventh Fleet warships in Asia, citing a loss of confidence in their ability to command. More »

LaSalle sets $1 billion target for pan-Asia real estate fund

LaSalle Investment Management Inc has set a new capital-raising target of $1 billion for the fifth of its pan-Asia opportunistic real estate funds, one of which is expected to significantly outperform a target annual return of 18 percent, the unit of Jones Lan... More »

Weakening Typhoon Noru makes landfall, batters central Japan with rain

A weakening Typhoon Noru made landfall in central Japan on Monday, pounding some regions with more than a month's worth of rain, but while it appeared likely to brush close to Tokyo it was losing much of its strength. More »

In Asia financial markets, the fear indicators still send a buy signal

Asian investors, wary that the region’s stock markets and currencies have run up too far too fast and wondering whether it is time to take some money off the table, are finding that their concerns are not being reflected in major gauges of volatility and fear.... More »

Thais hope to get off Trump`s trade hit list as Tillerson heads for Bangkok

Thai officials voiced hope ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of escaping U.S. pressure over the size of their trade surplus with the United States as their figures point to a jump in imports, but U.S. data shows little change. More »

Japan`s MUFG to leverage Morgan Stanley expertise in wealth management foray

FILE PHOTO: Children walk past a branch of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) in Tokyo November 14, 2012. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao/File Photo Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG) aims to tap into the expertise of partner Morgan Stanley and expand into weal... More »

China`s Xi says he hopes U.S. handles Taiwan issue appropriately

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers his speech during the 20th anniversary of the city’s handover from British to Chinese rule, in Hong Kong, China, July 1, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip China hopes the United States can handle the Taiwan issue appropriately, in a... More »

China, India, Japan hamper Asia oil demand growth, efforts to balance market

FILE PHOTO: Oil tankers pass the skyline of Singapore June 8, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo As the global oil market frets about a stubborn supply glut, faltering demand growth in key Asian crude importers is further hampering efforts to restore market bal... More »

Pence trims Asia trip to deal with domestic priorities

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence waves as he walks to the steps of Air Force Two as he depart Sydney, Australia, April 24, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has cut short the final leg of his Asia trip to race back to Washington, where the ... More »

Pence says seeks fairer trade with Indonesia

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (L) chats with Indonesia President Joko Widodo at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesia April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Thursday his administration wants fairer trade with I... More »

Vice President Pence heads to Seoul as North Korea tensions flare

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrives for the swearing-in ceremony of Judge Neil Gorsuch as an Associate Supreme Court Justice in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts /File Photo U.S. Vice ... More »

Planned rules to shake up Asia wealth managers` fee-sharing business

FILE PHOTO: People look out from the observation tower of the Marina Bay Sands amongst public and private residential apartment buildings in Singapore, February 22, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo Hong Kong and Singapore are set to launch new disclosure rule... More »

Developing Asia`s 2017 growth seen as weakest in 16 years: ADB

Workers work at a construction site in front of Shanghai’s financial district of Pudong in Shanghai, China March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Aly Song Developing Asia is on track to post its slowest annual growth in 16 years this year as it adjusts to China’s rebalancing... More »

Asia firms` confidence hits near two-year high on U.S., China pick-up: Thomson Reuters/INSEAD

FILE PHOTO- Potential buyers look at models of a new public housing estate to be constructed in Singapore February 13, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photos Business sentiment at Asia’s top companies rose to its highest in almost two years in the first quarter of... More »

Conservative news site sole media outlet on Tillerson Asia trip

FILE PHOTO – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks on issues related to visas and travel after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban order in Washington, U.S. on March 6, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo U.S. Secretary of State Rex ... More »

AFC postpones Malaysia v North Korea match in Pyongyang

Malaysia’s 2019 Asian Cup qualifier against North Korea due to be played in Pyongyang later this month has been postponed, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Friday. More »

Saudi king arrives in Indonesia under tight security

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman (C) walks with Indonesia President Joko Widodo as he arrives at Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta, Indonesia March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Beawiharta Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Wednesday landed at a military airbase in the capital o... More »

Korea`s gold medal hopes for Pyeongchang still on ice

Short Track – Asian Winter Games – Women’s 1000 m – Makomanai, Sapporo, Japan 22/02/17 – South Korea’s Shim Suk-hee (L) and South Korea’s Choi Min-jeong (R) in action during final. Picture taken on February 22, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon South Korea invested... More »

OPEC cuts, weak freight rates help traders profit on Asia crude routes

FILE PHOTO – Oil and gas tankers sit anchored off the Fos-Lavera oil hub near Marseille, southeastern France, December 12, 2008. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier/File Photo Oil traders from around the world, including the United States, Britain and Brazil, have tri... More »

Australia seeks full inclusion in Asian Summer Games

Asian Winter Games – Opening ceremony – Sapporo Dome – Sapporo, Japan – 19/02/17 – John Coates (R) takes part in the opening ceremony. REUTERS/Issei Kato Australia hopes to bring a full delegation of athletes to the 2022 Asian Summer Games in China and is seek... More »

Factbox: Asian company investments in U.S. as Trump takes office

Manufacturers in Asia’s export-oriented economies are rushing to announce investment plans in the United States, as U.S. President Donald Trump calls for companies to build more products in the country. More »

Citi sees 10 percent net new money growth near term in Asia wealth business

A Citigroup office is seen at Canary Wharf in London, Britain May 19, 2015. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett Citigroup said a focus on rich young Asians and new products has helped accelerate net new money growth at its Asia-Pacific consumer wealth business in 2016 to... More »

APEC leaders vow to fight protectionism, look to China on trade

Wearing a Peruvian shawl, U.S President Barack Obama poses for a family photo at the APEC Summit in Lima, Peru November 20, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Pacific Rim leaders vowed on Sunday to fight protectionism and Chinese officials said more countries are lo... More »

China, New Zealand launch talks to upgrade free trade pact

New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key (L) gestures as he shares a laugh with China’s Premier Li Keqiang during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, April 18, 2016. REUTERS/Parker Song/Pool China and New Zealand have agreed to s... More »

Taiwan says sees exchange with China`s leader in APEC as positive

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (L) and Taiwan’s special envoy James Soong talk during the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in Lima, Peru, November 20, 2016. REUTERS/Guadalupe Pardo A brief exchange between representatives from Taiwan... More »

Trudeau looks forward to welcoming Trump to Canada

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in Lima, Peru, November 20, 2016. REUTERS/Guadalupe Pardo Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday that he looks forward to welcoming U.S. President... More »

Obama, Putin talk about Syria and Ukraine in quick summit meet

U.S. President Barack Obama talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru November 20, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke for around four m... More »

Obama says urges a wait-and-see approach on Trump proposals

U.S. President Barack Obama holds a press conference at the conclusion of the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in Lima, Peru November 20, 2016. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday said that people should take a “wait-and-s... More »

Bank of America set to cut about two dozen Asia investment banking jobs: sources

Reflections are seen in the windows of a Bank of America branch in New York, U.S. on October 8, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo Bank of America (BAC.N) is set to cut about two dozen investment banking (IB) jobs in Asia, including some top dealmakers sta... More »

Fans cheer, but iPhone 7 gets a subdued welcome

The new iPhone 7 smartphone goes on sale inside an Apple Inc. store in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 16, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson Apple employees enthusiastically counted down the last moments before stores from San Francisco to Shanghai opened ... More »

Bullets trump rehab as Asia quickens `failing` war on drugs

A man injects heroin into his arm along a street in Man Sam, northern Shan state, Myanmar July 11, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun The Philippines has launched a bloody “war on drugs” that has killed at least 2,400 people in just two months, while neighboring Indon... More »

Asian nations plan fund to better prepare for health emergencies, says WHO

Shadows of journalists are reflected on a wall next to WHO’s logo at a news conference in Beijing, China, March 29, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon By Nita BhallaNEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Eleven countries in South and East Asia on Friday agreed to ... More »

NYSE sees double-digit Asian IPOs through 2017, with focus on tech

By Elzio Barreto and Steve Garton | HONG KONG HONG KONG The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) sees technology companies driving a revival in new Asian listings and expects double-digit IPOs through the end of 2017 from the region, the exchange’s global head of ca... More »

Banks and tech firms apply blockchain to trade finance

LONDON/HONG KONG An HSBC and Bank of America Merrill Lynch venture and financial technology firm R3 said separately on Wednesday that they had created ways of using blockchain technology to simplify trade finance processes. The two banks said they had joined w... More »

Russia at Rio risks harming Olympic movement: Australia

MELBOURNE The Australian government has criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for rejecting a blanket ban on Russian athletes at the Rio de Janeiro Games, saying their participation risks damaging the reputation of the Olympic movement. The IOC ... More »

In pushback to U.S., China says ‘has no fear of trouble’ in South China Sea

SINGAPORE China rebuffed U.S. pressure to curb its activity in the South China Sea on Sunday, restating its sovereignty over most of the disputed territory and saying it “has no fear of trouble”. On the last day of Asia’s biggest security summit in Singapore, ... More »

U.S. flexes muscles as Asia worries about South China Sea row

SINGAPORE The United States stepped up pressure on China on Saturday to rein in its actions in the South China Sea, with top defense officials underlining Washington’s military superiority and vowing to remain the main guarantor of Asian security for decades t... More »

Vietnamese general says first purchase of U.S. weapons some way off

SINGAPORE The recent lifting of the U.S. arms embargo against Vietnam boosted trust between the former enemies, but significant weapons purchases are some way off, a senior Vietnamese military official said on Saturday. Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh ... More »

Japan, South Korea to set up direct line between defense ministers

SINGAPORE Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said on Saturday that Japan and South Korea agreed to expand an emergency communication system between their defense ministries, including adding a new direct line between defense ministers. Tensions have been h... More »

Tech start-ups snap at the heels of Asian private bankers

SINGAPORE Scanning a bank statement into a computer may not sound particularly high-tech, but it’s unsettling some of Asia’s private bankers. By aggregating all the monthly statements mailed to high net worth individuals on the multiple accounts they hold at d... More »

Asia’s oil markets in upheaval as China, India change the game

SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI Asia’s oil markets are being upended as India’s and China’s refiners overtake once-dominant buyers like Japan and challenge the United States as the world’s biggest consumer. The shifts are not only establishing new trade routes but are als... More »

Korean Song beats idol Spieth to Singapore title

SINGAPORE South Korean Song Young-han held his nerve to edge his role model, world number one Jordan Spieth, by a shot to win the Singapore Open in a weather-delayed Monday finish. Song returned at 7:30 a.m (2330 GMT) to par the last three holes of his final r... More »

A $59 trillion tailwind spurs governance changes in Asia firms

SINGAPORE A surge in socially responsible investments to $59 trillion globally over the past decade is nudging Asian firms to change a notoriously insular management style to one that actively addresses corporate governance concerns. As earnings growth and Chi... More »

UBS plans hiring spree for China wealth management team

SHANGHAI Swiss bank UBS AG plans to more than double the number of staff at its China wealth management teams over the next five years, said Kathryn Shih, Asia pacific president at the bank, in an interview with Reuters on Monday. Shih said market volatility w... More »

Asia policymakers spared Fed jolt, look to support shaky economies

JAKARTA Asia policymakers on Thursday applauded an historic turn in U.S. monetary policy, but analysts cautioned that the region’s economies faced vulnerabilities even as markets took the Federal Reserve rate hike in their stride. The prospect of the first hik... More »

FIFA dismiss Indonesia claims they will visit Jakarta

FIFA have dismissed claims by Indonesia that they will visit Jakarta in October with a view to overturning the soccer ban on the Southeast Asian nation for government interference. Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi said on Friday FIFA would sen... More »

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