AI agents on Tencent Cloud try to break into Alibaba’s Amap: researchers

Hong Kong investors are Asia’s most ambitious stock pickers, but they have much more subdued return expectations than regional peers swept up in enthusiasm over artificial intelligence, according to a survey by a global asset management firm. Some 95 per cent of Hong Kong respondents said they wanted to outperform the market, the highest proportion in Asia, where the average stood at 85 per cent, according to a survey conducted in August by Natixis Investment Managers. Hong Kong investors...

Talk of global decoupling from China has persisted for years, as has speculation that emerging economies such as India and Vietnam could soon replace it as the “world’s factory”. But for Indian hardware engineer Neeraj Arora, the growth of India’s electronics manufacturing industry has not eliminated the need to source components from China. Instead, it has changed the nature of those imports. A decade ago, Arora imported finished phone chargers from the world’s second-largest economy. Today,...

When police cracked down, Neha Bora helped rally Gen Z protesters with a mix of boundless energy, street theatrics and satirical humor.

Singapore is looking into which companies may be responsible for the forest and peatland fires in Indonesia that have caused the worsening haze, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday. “Where warranted, we will take action under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, and explore joint action with other countries,” he said in a social media post. The haze situation was worsened by the extended dry period, Wong added. Singapore had offered its assistance to Indonesia and would...

Both sides are trying to prevent another crisis while their core disagreements remain unresolved.

Some of those living in the Old Kran Khun camp were once well off. Now they forage in the fields and forests around the IDP camp for food and firewood.

The collapse, in Peshawar, also killed a teacher and injured dozens of people. A local official said the building appeared to be dilapidated.

Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has made it clear that the nuclear restart is part of the answer to Japan’s energy uncertainty, but questions remain about safety and accountability.

India and Japan are betting on Africa’s critical minerals as the two Asian powers explore joint investment to secure supplies and expand mining capabilities across Africa.

Despite China’s close ties with Russia, Chinese solar energy technology is giving Ukraine badly needed energy resilience.

The MDP’s constitutional reform program calls for splitting the executive into two separate offices: head of state and head of government.

Alibaba Group Holding is gearing up for its annual Singles’ Day shopping festival on major online marketplaces Taobao and Tmall, with the company expecting a record one million global brands to take part this year. Pre-sales for the event open on Thursday, followed by the formal sale next Tuesday. The company projects more than 70 million products to feature, also a record for the festival. Created by Alibaba in 2009, Singles’ Day has grown into the world’s largest online shopping festival. Also...