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August 25th, 2022

SoftBank's tax mystery

How Japan's biggest tech investor got a zero tax bill

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The Big Story

The mystery of SoftBank's zero tax bill

Nikkei investigation reveals years of huge profits and no taxes for Japan's top tech investor

Nikkei research found that SoftBank Group, once Japan's most profitable company, faced corporate income tax four times over the last 15 years. 
Companies looking to transport goods between Europe and China face the political, ethical and commercial dilemma of using the Russian route, or sending them on a slower, more expensive trek across Central Asia.
Business Spotlight

Russia's war leaves Europe with China rail route dilemma

Exporters forced to choose between sanctions risks and lengthy delays

Services such as DotPe and Thrive offer restaurants the chance to build a website, take online orders and deliver using staff sourced from third-party logistics companies. (Source photos from Thrive and DotPe websites)
Technology

India's restaurants look beyond Swiggy, Zomato for delivery options

Ballooning commissions stoke appetite for alternatives to big name apps

Producing the highly sophisticated Apple Watch would be a win for Vietnam as it attempts to further upgrade its tech manufacturing sector. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Technology

Vietnam to make Apple Watch and MacBook for first time ever

Country benefits as tech giant looks to build more products outside of China

Chen Gang, an MIT scientist, is among the researchers behind the discovery of what could be the best chip material. (Photo taken from MIT website)
Semiconductors

China-born scientist, once U.S. target, discovers 'best' chip material

MIT professor helps find semiconductor substance better than silicon

Group of Seven countries and democratic allies like Australia are dangling infrastructure support in Southeast Asia as an alternative to China's Belt and Road.
Asia Insight

China's ASEAN Silk Road gets slippery as other powers move in

U.S., Europe, India join battle to build regional supply chains from Thailand to Vietnam

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has emotionally dedicated his first term to recognizing Australia's Indigenous population in the nation's constitution. (Source photos by EPA/Jiji and Reuters)  
Politics

Australia split on recognizing Indigenous people in constitution

Diverse opinions among First Nation groups reflect complexity of issue

Indian and American soldiers advance on a high-altitude objective during the 2021 Yudh Abhyas exercise in Alaska. This year's edition is to be held not far from the Line of Actual Control that separates India and China.
Indo-Pacific

U.S., India prepare for mountaintop drills near China border

As Beijing ups pressure on Taiwan, Washington sends signal on potential 2nd front

Filipinos take selfies at a cinema screening of "Maid in Malacanang" in Manila. (Photo by Ella Hermonio)
Politics

Marcos movie generates crowds and controversy in the Philippines

Film accused of distorting history becomes a blockbuster hit

Fertility rates continue to sag in Japan and South Korea even as many of their OECD peers have reversed 10-year declines.
Datawatch

Uptrend in birthrates among rich nations skips Japan, South Korea

80% of key OECD members reverse fertility drops as more couples share parenting

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei on Aug. 3. Pelosi's visit sets precedents and creates new worries. (Handout photo from Taiwan Presidential Office)
Opinion

Fallout from Pelosi's Taiwan visit has only just begun

Xi Jinping is likely to set new redlines that U.S. will be tempted to test

Weakness is only one aspect of the rupee's unattractiveness.
Opinion

The Indian rupee is not ready for the world stage

Reforms will increase use of the currency by those with limited choice

Perumal with her daughters, Anushika, 2, and Sivanathan, 9, at their home in rural Sri Lanka. Perumal's husband is ill and has not been able to work for years, making her the family's sole breadwinner.
Life

Sri Lanka crisis threatens food security for millions

Economic woes hit hardest at women and children from poor households

Smiling with her eyes while wearing a face mask, a friendly obaasan -- a grandmotherly woman -- waters her plants on the curbside of a wide avenue in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward. (Photo by Edward M. Gomez)
Tea Leaves

Tokyo's mini-gardens are more than patches of green

Lovingly tended by avid green thumbs, these tiny oases reflect the city's soul