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June 8th, 2023

Thailand's moment of truth

Election winner Pita's battle for a new regime is far from over

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The Big Story

Thailand's moment of truth: Pita's struggle for new regime continues

Move Forward pressured to scrap proposed royal reforms as it seeks to govern

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat holds a "No. 1" victory pose at a news conference in Bangkok after winning the Thai general election on May 15. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Japan's tax revenue for fiscal 2022 is expected to hit a record 70 trillion yen (around $500 billion), but many businesses are still struggling with the upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 
Datawatch

Japan's $500bn puzzle: Why are tax revenues surging amid slow growth?

Fiscal 2022 collection likely to hit record as 'K-shaped' recovery deepens

The yuan is now the fifth-most used currency for global foreign exchange transactions. In March, China used more yuan in its cross-border transactions than dollars for the first time.
Opinion

U.S. will come to regret holding back China at the IMF

Washington cannot expect Beijing's help with dollar or inflation

Nickel ore stockpiles at DMCI Mining's mine in Santa Cruz, the Philippines: The country is already the world's second-largest producer of nickel.
Opinion

The Philippines should seek to bond with U.S. on metals

Cooperation on critical mineral processing should bring new investment

An image released by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency shows what appears to be the country's new Chollima-1 rocket being launched in Cholsan, North Korea, on May 31. (KCNA/Reuters)
The Nikkei View

Trust between Tokyo, Seoul essential for regional security

Two democracies should extend current positive momentum to more fields

Chinese companies are pumping money into artificial intelligence, hoping tools such as Baidu's Ernie Bot can rival the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT. (Source photos by AP) 
Business Spotlight

AI frenzy sweeps China as companies search for their own ChatGPT

Money is no object as investors big and small rush into chatbot technology

Venture capital companies are facing a tougher fundraising environment, as U.S.-based investors have grown wary following the banking crisis that started in March. (Source photo by Reuters)
Market Spotlight

ASEAN's VC 'funding winter' worsens on Grab, GoTo slowdown

Wary venture capital investors slash valuations of startups as interest rates rise

Tokyo metrosexuals learn how to put on makeup as men's cosmetics become a booming business.
Business trends

Japan cosmetics makers take on K-beauty insurgents in men's market

Gen Zers are not the only guys spending lavishly on skin care and makeup

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan claims the "military establishment" is trying to crush his party, while the army has criticized him for making "baseless allegations."
Asia Insight

Pakistan's Imran Khan takes on powerful military establishment

Allies break from embattled former PM in aftermath of May 9 violence

A Ukrainian soldier drives a captured Russian T-72 tank in the village of Lukianivka, in northwestern Kyiv, Ukraine, in March 2022.
Ukraine war

Russia 'buying back' arms parts exported to Myanmar and India

Reimports appear aimed at improving weapons for use in Ukraine war

Bangladesh's upcoming elections have become a source of tension with the U.S., after the last two polls were widely criticized. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images)
International relations

Bangladesh faces election test as U.S. draws line on manipulation

Analysts say visa policy shows Washington's 'exasperation' with Dhaka

A construction site for the Chinese-backed Nairobi Expressway, seen in 2021. China's Belt and Road Initiative has infrastructure projects from Asia to Africa and Europe.
Belt and Road

Along China's Belt and Road, lenders' problem debt mounts

Troubled loans grew fourfold during pandemic as borrowers hit hard times

A car washed away by floods caused by Typhoon Goni in the Philippines in 2020.
Climate Change

Children in Vietnam, Philippines face high climate risks: report

UNICEF urges countries to develop infrastructure to minimize impact

Thailand's remote Koh Mak island boasts the hallmarks of a tropical paradise. (Photos by Ron Emmons unless specified otherwise)
Life

Thai island makes a virtue of simplicity

Koh Mak may be a model for sustainable tourism

Thingyan revelers celebrate in Yangon: Government atrocities and oppression didn't stop people from letting loose during the New Year water festival. (Photo by Monica Mang)
Tea Leaves

To laugh or not to laugh on Yangon's mean streets

In post-takeover Myanmar, life goes on despite the background horror