East

Authorities at biggest state hospital in Islamabad say 15 babies were in the ward when fire broke outAt least 14 newborn babies have died in a fire that broke out in the maternity ward at one of Pakistan’s most prominent state hospitals.The blaze began in the early hours of Wednesday and engulfed the ward at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the biggest state hospital in Islamabad. Continue reading...

Spectrum Building leaseholders awaiting payouts after freeholder, Arinium, went bankrupt shortly after 2024 blazeSarah Williams vividly remembers the night in 2016 when she camped overnight in a car park to put down a deposit on a flat in the newly completed Spectrum Building in Dagenham, east London.“People started queuing for those flats 24 hours before they went on sale,” she said. “It was basically the only flat I could afford in London. This was a year before Grenfell, and the flats market in London was completely crazy.” Continue reading...

Angela Jackson, a PC commissioner, also said it was ‘disappointing’ that Anthony Albanese had ruled out changes to Western Australia’s GST arrangementsThe Productivity Commission has slammed attacks on its integrity as “unacceptable”, after its scathing assessment of Western Australia’s sweetheart GST deal as a costly mistake sparked a fierce political backlash and name-calling.Angela Jackson, a PC commissioner and co-author of the report, said the country’s leading independent economic advisory body welcomed criticism and comments on its work. Continue reading...

• Southeast Asia's data center investment is projected to grow from $15.72 billion in 2025 to $35.08 billion by 2031, according to a report by Arizton. • The market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.32%, supported by 306 currently operational facilities across nine countries. • This growth is driven by increasing digital infrastructure needs, with an additional 173 data centers already in the development pipeline.

• Southeast Asia's data center investment is projected to more than double to $35.08 billion by 2031, according to research from Arizton. • Malaysia is emerging as a regional leader with a 6GW pipeline, supported by construction costs of $8m to $10m per megawatt and aggressive tax incentives. • The Philippines offers the region's lowest costs, with construction ranging from $6m to $7m per megawatt and land prices between $120 and $200 per square metre.

Gang leader threatens to kill hostages after attack in Kenscoff in which homes were also set alight‘A massacre’: Haiti gangs carrying out mass killingsAt least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped when armed men attacked a once peaceful community near Haiti’s capital at the weekend, the UN has said.A gang leader has threatened to kill the hostages if authorities kill any gang members as they try to secure the community of Kenscoff, nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince. Continue reading...

• Residents in Malaysia and the Philippines are protesting the construction of power-hungry AI data centers planned near their homes and farms. • In Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, a developer withdrew a project application after the city council received approximately 290 objections by July 21. • Similar resistance occurred this month in Oton, Iloilo, where local farmers and residents questioned a proposed 50-megawatt AI data center during a public hearing.

True figure likely to be much higher as it only covers about half of continent and does not include August totalsAt least 35,000 more people died during Europe’s four record-breaking, back-to-back heatwaves this summer than would normally be expected, according to incomplete figures from barely half the continent.Excess mortality in three of the EU’s larger countries – Germany, France and Spain – alone has already exceeded 25,000, according to the provisional national figures, and experts say the toll will rise significantly once August totals are consolidated. Continue reading...

US Southern Command has struck another vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two accused of trafficking drugsAfter a pause of more than two months, the US military announced Monday that it once again carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people accused of trafficking drugs.It brings the overall death toll to 223 people killed in 67 strikes during the nearly year-long US campaign of bombing alleged drug boats off Latin America’s Caribbean coast and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command says the campaign has resulted in the destruction of 64 speedboats, three “low-profile” ships and a semisubmersible craft. Continue reading...

• Iran has issued warnings of a "harsh response" following expectations that the United States will impose new economic sanctions. • The Iranian government indicated that the consequences of these anticipated measures could extend to its neighboring countries. • China has intervened by urging all involved parties to avoid actions that could intensify regional conflicts or disrupt global financial stability.

Fast-moving, ‘human-caused’ fire in Reno leaves thousands of homes and businesses without power, officials sayTens of thousands of people in Nevada were urged to evacuate as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire bore down on the city of Reno.The Hawk fire began on Saturday to the north-west of the city, and quickly grew, showing “extreme fire behavior”. Continue reading...

Joshua Aviles says he is on a nine-month Middle East deployment and learned his has father has been arrested while he was waiting for green card approvalThe father of a US sailor on board the USS Abraham Lincoln ⁠aircraft carrier deployed in the Middle East during the Iran war has been taken into federal immigration detention, the sailor ⁠said.The border ​patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, originally from Nicaragua, after conducting a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida, a spokesperson for the US homeland security department said on Sunday. Continue reading...

• Prolight + Sound is launching its first Bangkok edition, Prolight + Sound Bangkok (PLSB), as announced on August 21, 2026. • The event serves as a new regional trade fair and meeting point focusing on professional AV, lighting, music, and entertainment technology. • This debut aims to energize the Southeast Asian market by connecting international brands with regional industry professionals.

• Indonesia and China recently conducted a joint military exercise in strategically sensitive waters east of Taiwan, signaling a deepening security partnership. • The collaboration is based on a "2+2 mechanism" established in 2023, which now serves as a model for similar arrangements with Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand. • Chinese official Wang emphasized that the partnership aims to oppose "unilateral bullying" and safeguard the interests of developing countries against regional power politics.

• India has replaced Indonesia as the least-preferred stock market in Asia among global fund managers, according to a recent Bank of America survey. • The decline in investor sentiment is driven by concerns over high stock-market valuations, slowing economic growth, and a perceived lack of exposure to artificial intelligence. • This shift matters as it indicates growing caution among foreign investors regarding the pace of India's structural reforms and overall equity attractiveness.

• A new U.S. aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is returning home after an extended deployment that raised concerns regarding crew mental health. • Geopolitical analyst Jorge Leon notes that decades of sanctions have forced Iran to develop a "survival economy," making the nation more resilient to economic pressure. • Experts suggest that for future sanctions to be effective, the U.S. must target clandestine banking and trade networks operating through Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.

USS George Washington will replace warship families say suffers from shortages, plumbing problems and low moraleThe USS George Washington aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East, where it is expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln from its record deployment amid concerns about poor living conditions and morale.US Central Command announced on Thursday that the Washington arrived in the area on Wednesday, and posted an image of sailors working on the flight deck as the ship transited the Arabian Sea. No date has yet been announced for the Lincoln to return to the US. Continue reading...

The enormous US debt under Trump will hobble the next Democratic administration – just as the GOP plannedYou could pin the US’s staggering $40tn in government debt to Donald Trump’s Keystone Cops-style governance. Tariffs he sold as a new source of revenue were struck down by the supreme court, forcing the government to return tens of billions of dollars to importers. Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge), ostensibly created to stop wasteful government spending, decimated federal programs and likely killed millions of children, but did nothing to close the budget deficit. The burst of inflation following Trump’s misguided adventure in Iran sharply raised the cost of serving the government’s obligations.Yet as the federal debt hits an all-time high, up from about $35tn when Trump took office less than two years ago, it is worth noting that the US’s gargantuan indebtedness is in fact the product of a longstanding Republican strategy that took shape well before Trump could even dream about gold-plating the White House. It was called “starve the beast”. Continue reading...

Alessandro Rapinese denies accusation he is waging personal vendetta against cyclists amid a public backlashThe mayor of Como set the wheels of controversy in motion for banning bikes in the walled historic centre of the lakeside city after being hit by one.Alessandro Rapinese’s ban, which comes into force in September, targets about 30 streets and means cyclists, whether it be those on e-bikes or push bikes, will have to dismount or walk their vehicles through those areas. Continue reading...

• India has become the least-favoured market in the Asia-Pacific region among fund managers, ranking below China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. • The lack of an AI-driven investment play and weak growth projections are cited as the primary reasons for the current wariness. • In contrast, Taiwan and Japan are the top preferences with net overweight positions of 55% and 50%, followed by South Korea at 23%.

• India has replaced Indonesia as the least-preferred stock market in Asia, reflecting growing caution among fund managers toward the country's equities. • A survey conducted between August 7 and 13 of 98 fund managers overseeing $272 billion in assets found India's stocks to be among the region's worst performers this year. • In contrast, sentiment toward Indonesia improved, with net underweight positions dropping from 32% in July to 27%, while Japan and Taiwan remain the most preferred markets.

Death reported after residential areas and warehouses hit in heavy bombardment in capital and surrounding regionA heavy Russian bombardment killed at least six people and wounded dozens in Ukraine’s capital and its surrounding region overnight, authorities said on Thursday.A missile attack on Kyiv struck residential areas and warehouses, said the Kyiv mayor, Vitali Klitschko. The attack damaged residential buildings, a medical facility and an educational institution and left five people dead and 23 wounded, city military authorities said. Continue reading...

• India has replaced Indonesia as the least-preferred stock market in Asia, according to the latest fund manager survey conducted by Bank of America. • The decline in preference is attributed to high market valuations, weak growth projections, a lack of structural reforms, and limited exposure to AI-driven opportunities. • This shift highlights growing investor skepticism regarding India's current pricing relative to its fundamental growth drivers compared to other Asian markets.

• A Bank of America survey of fund managers reveals that India has become the least-favoured stock market in Asia and one of the world's worst performers this year. • While Taiwan and Japan remain the most preferred markets, the share of managers underweight on Indonesian equities dropped from 32% in July to 27%. • This shift in investor sentiment coincides with a decline in Indian stocks over the last two weeks, occurring despite an improving outlook for corporate earnings.

• Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Sultan Bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan, President of the Asian Chess Federation, has concluded a diplomatic tour of East Asia, visiting China and Hong Kong. • The visit focused on meeting with sports officials and chess federations to strengthen institutional relations and expand cooperation across the continent. • These efforts aim to enhance the development of the game of chess, improve existing programs, and elevate the quality of Asian championships.

• India has overtaken Indonesia as the least preferred stock market in Asia, according to a recent survey conducted by Bank of America. • The shift in sentiment is driven by investor concerns regarding weak economic growth and a perceived lack of exposure to Artificial Intelligence (AI). • Data reveals that 32% of fund managers are currently underweight on Indian equities, reflecting a cautious approach amidst a volatile market environment.

• Tourism is experiencing a significant recovery across East Asia, driven by a surge in demand and improved accessibility. • Key growth drivers include the implementation of visa reforms, the expansion of air links, and the targeting of more diverse traveler markets. • This recovery is particularly evident in South Korea, which is serving as a catalyst for broader regional tourism growth.

• India has overtaken Indonesia as the least-preferred stock market in Asia according to a recent Bank of America survey of fund managers. • Approximately 32% of the surveyed respondents are currently net underweight on Indian equities, signaling a bearish sentiment. • Key drivers for this shift include high market valuations, weak economic growth, limited structural reforms, and a perceived lack of exposure to AI.