Can Singapore’s Education System Take ‘Late Bloomers’? Harvard Speech Reignites Debate
Joel Tan, a Harvard Medical School‑affiliated PhD graduate, used his student address to recount how Singapore's rigid subject streaming barred him from studying biology, forcing him to seek education abroad. His 12‑minute speech has reignited debate over whether the city‑state’s high‑performing, merit‑based system accommodates students who discover their interests later. Singapore has introduced reforms such as subject banding, broader post‑secondary pathways, and aptitude‑based admissions to increase flexibility. Experts argue that while these changes help, the system still needs more permeable tracks for late‑blooming talent.
Najib’s 1MDB Plunder Made Attila the Hun ‘Look Like a Choirboy’: Malaysian Judge
Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was reaffirmed guilty of siphoning billions from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah described the scale of the misappropriation as dwarfing even Attila the...
US Military Plans Permanent War-Ready Weapons Stockpile in Australia
The U.S. Marine Corps is establishing a permanent, war‑ready weapons stockpile on Australia’s southeast coast, with $30 million earmarked for warehouses in Victoria and full capacity targeted for 2028. This will be the first land‑based Marine pre‑positioning site in the Asia‑Pacific,...
As Short-Sellers Circle the Yen, a Repeat of 1997 Asian Crisis Looms
Japan's yen has slipped past the 160 per dollar mark despite a massive government intervention, reviving fears of a repeat of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The country's massive foreign‑exchange reserves and $3.5 trillion in net foreign assets make the currency...
Hong Kong, Indonesia Move Towards Direct Transactions in Yuan, Rupiah
The People’s Bank of China, Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Bank Indonesia signed an agreement to establish a bilateral framework for direct yuan‑rupiah transactions. The system will enable companies and institutions to settle cross‑border trade and investment without routing through...
Malaysia’s Hunt for Russian Oil Tests Anwar’s ‘Friends with All’ Policy
Malaysia is actively scouting Russian and Turkish crude to offset supply risks from the Strait of Hormuz, where 40% of its imports flow. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah said the government will test refinery readiness before committing to new sources, while...
Inside Australia’s First Major New Airport in More than 50 Years
Sydney’s new Western Sydney Airport, a A$5.6 billion (US$4 billion) project, will open to passengers in October, offering 24‑hour operations that bypass the existing airport’s night‑curfew. The facility is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers a year—about a quarter of the...
Forget Air-Con, Singapore Looks Underground for a Cooler Future
Singapore is rapidly expanding underground district‑cooling networks, beginning with a 5 km chilled‑water pipe system in Punggol and the world’s largest Marina Bay loop. The technology delivers up to 50% electricity savings compared with conventional air‑conditioners, serving 8,000 public‑housing units and...
China Sees Record Panda Bond Issuance in 2026 as Foreign Borrowers Pile In
Panda bond issuance in China surged to a record 136.5 billion yuan (about $19 billion) in the first five months of 2026, a 90.3% year‑on‑year increase. In May alone, 11 foreign issuers sold 14 bonds worth 26.64 billion yuan ($3.7 billion), with Kazakhstan and...
Targeting US$610 Billion Longevity Market, Biotech Firms Race to Reverse Ageing
Biotech firms are racing to tap the estimated $610 billion longevity market by developing therapies that reverse or slow ageing. Companies such as Beijing‑based METiS TechBio and California‑based Human Longevity are deploying artificial‑intelligence platforms to map genetic errors and predict age‑related...
Indonesian Police in the Market for Hi-Tech Chinese Equipment
Indonesia’s National Police unveiled a procurement list at a Beijing trade show, targeting Chinese‑made drones, tactical armoured vehicles, bomb‑disposal robots and other counter‑terrorism gear. The equipment is earmarked for elite units such as Detachment 88 and the Mobile Brigade Corps, which...
Japan’s PM Takaichi Eyes India Trip for Talks with Leader Modi
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is weighing a trip to India next month to meet Narendra Modi and discuss deepening supply‑chain cooperation on critical goods amid concerns over China’s economic coercion. The agenda includes defence, economics, cutting‑edge technologies such as semiconductors...
As India Rises in Critical Minerals Race, Can It Dent China’s Dominance?
India and the United States signed a framework agreement on May 26 to cooperate on critical minerals and rare‑earths, aiming to reduce reliance on China’s dominant supply chain. The pact follows a $20 billion Quad initiative and includes provisions for joint mining,...
AirAsia Denies Philippine Flight Grounding Claims, Slams ‘Smear Campaign’
AirAsia X denies reports that its Philippine flights were grounded over a 270 million‑peso ($4.3 million) unpaid bill, labeling the claims a coordinated smear campaign. The airline asserts that all Z2 flights continue operating as scheduled across the country. Co‑founder Tony Fernandes...
Malaysia Taps Hong Kong Battery Expertise to Power Ambitions for Electricity Grid
Malaysia’s power specialist Mikro MSC Berhad has entered a two‑year exclusive agreement with Hong Kong‑based Cospower Technology (HKCT) to develop utility‑scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) for the national grid. The partnership aligns with the Energy Commission’s MyBeST programme, which...