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January 30th, 2020

Outbreak

Is Asia prepared for the Wuhan coronavirus?

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The Big Story

Coronavirus: Economic contagion is already rippling through Asia

Authorities scramble to limit fallout of the virus, now spread across 15 countries

The SARS epidemic caused nearly 800 deaths, and hit China's economy alone by an estimated $25 billion -- before the country's closer involvement in world markets. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Uber sold its Indian food delivery operations to Zomato in an all-stock deal, in a rare example of homegrown companies defeating foreign rivals. Or was it?
Business Spotlight

Zomato eats Uber as India food fight enters new round

China-funded proxies wrestle Amazon and Google over $5bn pie

A VinFast vehicle is exhibited during a press conference in Hanoi. (Photo by Rie Ishii) 
Companies

Exclusive: Vingroup plans Thai bonds as funding options narrow

Baht strength make it a risky move for Vietnam's biggest conglomerate

"Let's put it this way, if I were asked to run that company and say, 'Give me this goal,' I'd say, 'You got to be dreaming.'" -- Globe CEO Ernest Cu. (Nikkei Montage/ Source photo by Getty Images/ Reuters) 
Interview

Philippine mobile leader plays down China Telecom's targets

State-owned Chinese operator teams up with Duterte pal Dennis Uy

A smoggy morning in New Delhi: India aims to double its renewable energy capacity by 2022.
Energy

India's air pollution crisis spurs clean energy investment

Big conglomerates vie with foreign-money-backed startups to add capacity

Used plastic accumulates at a site in Tokyo partly because China stopped accepting it. (Photo by Keiichiro Sato)
Environment

Japan's plastic waste sees first rise in 2 decades on China ban

Chinese and Taiwanese processors seize opportunity as local peers hang back

Foxconn founder Terry Gou prays at a temple in New Taipei City, Taiwan, during the presidential elections. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Companies

Return of the 'Tiger': Gou to lead Foxconn as investor-in-chief

Founder eyes Softbank-style fund for Apple supplier

Scientists build up stocks of stem cells at the Kyoto University institute headed by Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka. (Photo courtesy of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application)
Health Care

Cutting-edge drugs must be affordable, Nobel laureate tells Davos

Stem cell researcher Yamanaka sees risk sharing as solution

Olam International CEO Sunny Verghese speaks at a briefing on Jan. 20 in Singapore. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
Companies

Singapore's Olam eyes IPO of two new groups in business reshuffle

CEO says commodity trader aims to complete process within three years

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Technology

Tata Consultancy profit misses estimates as banks curb technology spending

Smaller rival HCL Technologies reporter better-than-expected earnings

Hyundai is looking beyond conventional automaking for future growth, including inking an agreement with Uber to cooperate on flying taxis. 
Automobiles

Hyundai Motor's profit jumps 50% on SUV demand

Automaker ramps up 'mobility solutions' transition with Uber flying car partnership

Indonesia's 212 Mart convenience stores are part of a growing wave of conservative Muslim entrepreneurship. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
Asia Insight

Indonesia's wealth gap spurs Muslims to join 'economic jihad'

Devout citizens strive to take on tycoons with convenience stores

Singapore is lobbying for greater international oversight on the use of emerging technologies such as AI.
Technology

Singapore engages Facebook and Grab to shape international AI order

City-state lobbies in Davos for stronger oversight on new technologies

Gotabaya Rajapaksa (in red), Sri Lankan president and former wartime defence chief, with his brothers including Mahinda Rajapaksa (left), former president, waves at his supporters in Colombo during the campaign for the November 2019 presidential election.
International relations

Sri Lanka faces EU ire after government breaks UN war obligations

Rajapaksa's stance risks country losing favored trade status with European bloc

Despite the fanfare surrounding use of Gwadar port for trade with Afghanistan, experts say the facility has a long way to go before China sees any return on its investment.
Belt and Road

Beijing-backed Pakistan port opens as hub for Afghanistan trade

Gwadar challenges Indian interests in region, but China's ROI remains unclear

Bangkok Port: Chinese importers bought less in 2019 as the trade war squeezed production in the country.
Economy

Thailand suffers export decline on fall in China shipments

Bangkok sees first annual drop in four years as trade war takes a toll

China's Lunar New Year holiday feasts create so much demand for pork that the government comes under pressure to ensure that enough of the meat is available.
Comment

Global food prices find themselves at the mercy of China

The country's huge appetite for pork is felt in America -- by soybean farmers

Jayang Traditional Market in eastern Seoul was packed on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday on Friday. (Photo by Steven Borowiec)
Economy

South Korea's consumption bump gives hope to stuttering economy

Traditional markets do brisk business during Lunar New Year season

A period of hardship has strengthened the Turkish economy's "immune system," Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak told Nikkei. (Photo by Sinan Tavsan)
Interview

Turkey's powerful finance minister says worst is over for economy

Erdogan confidant defends efforts to stabilize currency

Thanathorn is the new Thaksin in Thai politics. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Opinion

Thailand needs younger leaders to move beyond coups and corruption

Aging elite and military work to suppress democratic reforms

The service staff in Japan are often overqualified.
Opinion

Japan must modernize omotenashi while respecting its philosophy

Technology enables balancing of tradition and agility

Understanding the protesters' true motivation leads to a worrying conclusion.
Opinion

Failing economy is driving India protests as much as Muslim crackdown

Narendra Modi can still push Hindu nationalist agenda if growth recovers

A medical official takes the temperature of a man in the departure hall of an airport in Changsha, China, on Jan. 27 as the country rushes to halt the spread of a new coronavirus.
The Nikkei View

World must be ready for long coronavirus fight

Contingency plans need to assume disruption could last months

Warren Hsu, CEO of Fu Wan Chocolate, inspects cacao fruit in Pingtung, in southern Taiwan. The "tree to bar" process for the company, which sources beans from the area, takes place within a range of just 30 km. (Courtesy of Fu Wan Chocolate)
Life

Taiwan's chocolate is making a sweet impression on global consumers

Despite small crops and uneven farming, Pingtung's cocoa industry is booming

The Besshi Copper Mine’s No. 4 Adit was the mine's main transport artery. It was about 10 km long and trolleys ran along the tunnel and the connecting Yontsukyo Bridge. (Photo by Masamichi Hoshi)
Travel & Leisure

From cars to whisky, industrial tourism takes off in Japan

Nine heritage sites reveal the secrets of the nation's economic success

An injured koala looks on while being treated at the Wildlife Emergency Response Centre on Australia's Kangaroo Island on Jan. 19. 
Tea Leaves

Australia's firestorm is a wildlife disaster

More than 1 billion animals are feared to have died, and many more will follow