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April 28th, 2022

Like father, like son?

The Marcoses' miraculous comeback

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The Big Story

The Marcos revival: How late Philippine dictator's son went from exile to election favorite

Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. aims for presidency to secure dynasty's comeback

More than 35 years after his late father was exiled, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the leading candidate to be the Philippines' next president.
Tareq Amin, left, sold Rakuten founder Hiroshi Mikitani on the idea of building Japan's fourth mobile network -- using technology that was still untested at the time. (Source photos by Rie Ishii, courtesy of Rakuten)
Business Spotlight

Calling all disrupters: Japan's Rakuten bets big on virtual networks

After 2 years and $2bn in losses, can the e-commerce giant realize its mobile ambitions?

Politicians up for election say that raising the earnings of workers at the bottom of the pay scale could kickstart a multiplier effect that reverberates across economies, but the chiefs of Southeast Asian industries are not so sure.
Asia Insight

Malaysia's 35% minimum wage hike stirs recovery concerns

Critics say politicians are promising happier paydays as an election ploy

A Kaohsiung city view. The port city known for its steel and petrochemical plants is transforming into a semiconductor and EV cluster, and that has triggered a property boom. (Photo by Cheng Ting-fang)
Property

Taiwan's $34bn southern tech building frenzy sparks property boom

Developments in industrial port of Kaohsiung price residents out of market

A weekslong COVID lockdown in Shanghai is creating chaos for Apple suppliers based in and around the city. (Source photos by Getty Images and Reuters) 
Supply Chain

Half of Apple suppliers operating in China's lockdown-hit areas

Execs warn production and logistics disruptions now could hit Christmas sales

Jose Ramos-Horta declares victory in East Timor's presidential election in Dili on April 21.
Interview

East Timor's president-elect says ASEAN membership a top priority

Ramos-Horta won Tuesday's presidential election with 62% of the vote

Was the Black Sea Fleet flagship Moskva carrying a fragment from the True Cross, the cross that Jesus Christ was crucified on?  (Source photos by Reuters) 
Indo-Pacific

Moskva flagship sinking exposes Russian Navy frailty, experts say

Failure to protect and respond to missile attack shows major operational flaws

Myanmar's ruler, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, has arrested a number of associates of Shwe Mann, a rival and a former speaker of the lower house of parliament. (Source photo by Reuters)
Myanmar Crisis

Myanmar's purge of tycoon highlights tension within regime

Military chief may follow 'Xi Jinping's playbook' to eliminate rivals, expert says

Joe Biden meets virtually with Narendra Modi in Washington on April 11: It is a challenging time for U.S.-India relations.
Opinion

Washington's clumsy attempts to bully India must stop

Undermining its relationship with New Delhi will cost the U.S. dearly

Deliverers carry bags of food at the gate of a residential community in Shanghai on April 11: Xi Jinping must find a way to smoothly transition the zero-COVID policy to a more objective and rational one.
Opinion

Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy puts reign at risk

Pandemic containment is increasingly shaping up as Cultural Revolution 2.0

The Marufukuro remains an art deco standout in this otherwise quiet residential neighborhood
Life

Kyoto's Marufukuro: the boutique hotel that cards built

Nintendo’s former headquarters receives playful makeover by Tadao Ando

“This isn’t like regular badminton,” says Irina Inozemtseva, co-founder of Kuala Lumpur's Shuttle in The Dark. “We want people to come out of their comfort zones.”
Life

A neon twist on Malaysia's favorite sport

Kuala Lumpur club has big dreams for glow-in-the-dark badminton

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip wave to a crowd of children in Bathurst, Australia, during their royal tour in February 1954. (Getty Images)
Tea Leaves

Australia's republican quandary: how to pick a president

Voters are in no rush to dump the British monarchy, despite demographic change