🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 21, 2026
Explainer-What is PHP and why did it take government websites offline?
Explainer-What is PHP and why did it take government websites offline?
Asia & Philippines news
The day's most relevant stories from the Philippines and Asia's major countries. Links to original sources.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 21, 2026
Europe's financial regulators query Google over cloud outage that hit banks
Europe's financial regulators query Google over cloud outage that hit banks
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 21, 2026
Singapore and the UAE to launch economic partnership negotiations to further trade, investment links
During their meeting in Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the inking of three agreements on energy cooperation, water cooperation and disease vector control.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 21, 2026
BOJ's Himino signals readiness to raise borrowing costs
BOJ's Himino signals readiness to raise borrowing costs
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 21, 2026
More than S$45 million set aside to help Singapore manufacturers adopt AI
SMEs will be able to tap ready-to-deploy AI tools for areas such as product design, production scheduling and predictive maintenance.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 21, 2026
Twice’s Jihyo officially leaves JYP Entertainment after 21 years
The 29-year-old singer announced on Wednesday (Oct 21) that she will be departing her longtime agency, JYP Entertainment, making her the latest Twice member to do so.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 21, 2026
China defends DeepSeek after US ban of its AI from government systems
Federal civilian agencies should remove DeepSeek products as well as third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek from their IT systems, the US Department of Homeland Security said.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 21, 2026
Indonesian anger builds over wildfires, toxic haze
Weeks of haze have left thousands unwell in Indonesia.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 21, 2026
OpenAI says its AI agents weakened internal monitoring system
OpenAI says its AI agents weakened internal monitoring system
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 20, 2026
AI startup ASI valued at $3 billion in latest funding round
AI startup ASI valued at $3 billion in latest funding round
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 20, 2026
MOH releases N95 mask stockpile to retailers amid increased demand
The health ministry is also working with Cold Storage, Giant and Sheng Siong to make N95 masks, or their equivalent, progressively available across all their outlets.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 20, 2026
Indonesian firm APP says green label restrictions are not a suspension, no timeline for them to be lifted
The Singapore Environment Council issued the restriction on Sunday after three of APP's wood-fibre suppliers were linked to fires in Indonesia that caused haze in Singapore.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 20, 2026
Singapore tech giant Sea plans IPO for financial services arm Monee, memo says
The memo said the tech group would also launch an AI-first enterprise platform named Sea Cloud.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 20, 2026
‘It was crazy’: Australian barber hailed as hero after rushing to lawmaker’s rescue
Australian barber Ricky Jefferies said he ran to assist lawmaker Helen Haines, grabbing a knife from the alleged attacker's pocket and pulling him out of the car.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 20, 2026
Former army captain sentenced to jail for sexual acts against 15-year-old student
Chaw Chia Jun had been introduced to the victim by his former partner, a navy cook, and the trio engaged in sex acts at a car park.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 19, 2026
Top hyperscalers likely to have more AI-linked debt than now known, S&P Global warns
Top hyperscalers likely to have more AI-linked debt than now known, S&P Global warns
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 19, 2026
Singapore and Qatar renew energy pact to strengthen LNG cooperation, move towards strategic partnership
The two countries also agreed to work towards elevating bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, with the Qatari Emir's future state visit to Singapore seen as an opportunity to launch it.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 19, 2026
Nvidia wins fast-growing AI startup Modal for new central processors
Nvidia wins fast-growing AI startup Modal for new central processors
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 19, 2026
Beijing's population expected to become super-aged by 2035
One in every three residents in Chinese capital Beijing will be aged 60 or above by 2035.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 19, 2026
YouTrip faces ‘major outage’ across most services in Singapore and Thailand
Services affected in Singapore include wallet top-ups, currency exchange and payment authentication.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 19, 2026
Indonesia considers expanding dry ice trials to tackle haze after 'fairly effective' South Sumatra test
"If this technology is considered effective, does not cost too much and can be applied across Indonesia, then why not?" new Indonesia disaster agency head Kristomei Sianturi said.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 19, 2026
Indonesian stocks slide to six-year low as MSCI warning weighs
Indonesian stocks slide to six-year low as MSCI warning weighs
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 18, 2026
Samsung to use TSMC technology for Nvidia's next-generation memory chips, Seoul newspaper reports
Samsung to use TSMC technology for Nvidia's next-generation memory chips, Seoul newspaper reports
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 18, 2026
Malaysia’s BN to announce candidates for Melaka polls on Oct 28: State chairman
Ab Rauf Yusoh, who is also Melaka’s caretaker chief minister, said the candidates would carry the responsibility of continuing the coalition’s mandate and securing victory at the polls.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 18, 2026
Western brands under pressure as 'pre-owned' luxury booms in China
French luxury house Louis Vuitton has closed five stores in mainland China in the past two years - including a chocolate boutique in Shanghai - while Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette shut its Beijing flagship in May.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 18, 2026
Indonesia drops 2.4 tonnes of dry ice over South Sumatra to tackle haze
The province is among six prioritised by Indonesia for forest and land fire prevention and response.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 17, 2026
Singapore haze: Air quality remains very unhealthy in west, unhealthy in other regions
At 10am, the 24-hour PSI in the west hit 230 – a new high for the country this year.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 17, 2026
Few use Singapore haze shelters, but visitors welcome respite from heat
CNA visited eight shelters across the island, finding most empty or locked, though the few who turned up welcomed the free air-conditioned refuge.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 17, 2026
India's 'cockroach' movement founder released a day after detention
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, rose to prominence this year when a weeks-long sit-in contributed to India's education minister resigning.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 17, 2026
Consumers urged not to overbuy N95 masks; major retailers are 'actively replenishing' stocks: CASE
The Consumers Association of Singapore advised consumers to be careful when buying masks and air purifiers from the secondary market as sellers often cannot be verified.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 17, 2026
Sri Lanka suffers nationwide electricity blackout
The country was without grid power for more than two hours on Saturday (Oct 17), with no clear timeline for when electricity would be restored.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 17, 2026
Major development banks step up support for critical minerals value chains
Major development banks step up support for critical minerals value chains
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 17, 2026
'Two bad options': Hundreds protest in Bangkok, decrying IMF austerity demand
Protest organisers called on institutions like the International Monetary Fund to focus on climate financing and tax reforms that aid poorer citizens, rather than demand governments cut subsidies and social spending.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 17, 2026
North Korea says tested AI-assisted torpedo system
The announcement came days after Pyongyang said it had test-fired two types of cruise missiles from a submarine after weeks of friction with Seoul over a landmine explosion along their border.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 17, 2026
Anthropic offers Blackstone double-digit yield in chip-financing deal, FT reports
Anthropic offers Blackstone double-digit yield in chip-financing deal, FT reports
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 16, 2026
Four killed fighting wildfires in Indonesian national park
The four men were overwhelmed while battling flames in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 16, 2026
Malaysia's economy grows 5.3% year-on-year in Q3: Advance estimate
Malaysia has benefited from a global boom in artificial intelligence infrastructure that has driven demand for its tech products and semiconductors.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 16, 2026
Indonesian stocks dive 11% as MSCI weighs market reclassification
The US firm said earlier this year that investors had raised concerns about "ongoing opacity in shareholding structures" as well as coordinated trading behaviour that affected price information.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 16, 2026
China says can 'easily win' confrontation with Philippines
The remarks by Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan came a day after Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro labelled Beijing a regional "troublemaker".
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 15, 2026
Nasdaq slides to near one-month low as AI rout deepens
Nasdaq slides to near one-month low as AI rout deepens
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 15, 2026
Singapore looking into which companies responsible for haze-causing fires, may take legal action: PM Wong
Singapore is also exploring joint action with other countries, says Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 15, 2026
Hong Kong bus operators seek fare increases, citing increased fuel prices due to Middle East war
Hong Kong franchised bus operator Citybus sought the highest increase at 17.7 per cent, followed by Kowloon Motor Bus Company at 16 per cent.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 15, 2026
South Korea's KOSPI triggers circuit breaker in tech-led selloff
South Korea's KOSPI triggers circuit breaker in tech-led selloff
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 15, 2026
Asian markets sell off after US inflation fuels rate hike bets
Seoul and Tokyo bore the brunt of the selling as traders bailed out of once-imperious chipmakers.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 15, 2026
Japan denies spying after Russia arrests journalist
Japan denies spying after Russia arrests journalist
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 15, 2026
Prolonged war, renewed disruptions pose biggest risk to Middle East region, IMF says
Prolonged war, renewed disruptions pose biggest risk to Middle East region, IMF says
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 15, 2026
IMF vows continued support for Sri Lanka
IMF vows continued support for Sri Lanka
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 15, 2026
Analysis:Japanese insurers are poised to bring money back home - gradually
Analysis:Japanese insurers are poised to bring money back home - gradually
🇸🇬 Singapore•Travel•Oct 15, 2026
Singapore Airlines will have new in-flight amenities across all cabin classes from November
These include a collectible drawstring pouch with the airline's batik motif, containing travel essentials, for economy class passengers, as well as sleeper suits for business class passengers.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 15, 2026
Global financial watchdog calls for more human oversight of agentic AI
Global financial watchdog calls for more human oversight of agentic AI
🇸🇬 Singapore•Society•Oct 14, 2026
Singapore keeping options open on haze prosecution against companies as it collects, reviews data: Grace Fu
Singapore's hourly PM2.5 reading hit its highest level since 2015 on Wednesday, as worsening haze prompted sports facility closures and other precautionary measures.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 14, 2026
Taiwan must 'bear the consequences' of water cannon incident, China says
Taiwan must 'bear the consequences' of water cannon incident, China says
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 14, 2026
New China-North Korea bridge to open on Oct 15
The opening of the new bridge signals further progress in bilateral relations between Beijing and Pyongyang, weeks after North Korea opened its first road bridge with Russia.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 14, 2026
Vietnam says trade talks with US nearly completed; US officials more cautious
Vietnam says trade talks with US nearly completed; US officials more cautious
🇸🇬 Singapore•Technology•Oct 13, 2026
Google launches flagship AI model Gemini 4 Argon for developers, businesses
Google launches flagship AI model Gemini 4 Argon for developers, businesses
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 13, 2026
Malaysia to raise transboundary haze issue at ASEAN meeting, says existing disaster mechanisms do not cover it
“We already have an ASEAN mechanism for natural disasters but haze is not included or classified as a natural disaster,” says Malaysia Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Travel•Oct 13, 2026
16 flights diverted from Seletar Airport between Oct 5 and Oct 11 as haze lowered visibility
Changi Airport and Seletar Airport remain operational, but additional measures will be implemented if the haze situation worsens, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group said.
🇸🇬 Singapore•Politics•Oct 13, 2026
South Korea says US raises intelligence cooperation concerns, Yonhap says
South Korea says US raises intelligence cooperation concerns, Yonhap says
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 13, 2026
88.6% of Japan households expect prices to rise a year from now, BOJ says
88.6% of Japan households expect prices to rise a year from now, BOJ says
🇸🇬 Singapore•Economy•Oct 13, 2026
Japan cabinet backs plan to help oil importers pay for higher transport costs
Japan cabinet backs plan to help oil importers pay for higher transport costs
Summaries link to the original story. ArchipelagoExpat is not the source of these news items; each article belongs to its author and outlet.