Hao Mart’s Taste Orchard woes: Evicted tenants worry over compensation as move-out deadline looms

They have been seeking compensation from Hao Mart for renovation costs and loss of business [SINGAPORE] As the official move-out deadline looms for the evicted sub-tenants of Taste Orchard shopping mall, many... Read more »

In Thai ruling party stronghold near Cambodian border, tedium and nationalism reign

BURIRAM, Thailand – As night falls, there is an incongruously carnival-like atmosphere brewing under the bright floodlights of what is usually Buriram’s international-grade motorsport racetrack. A live band in military fatigues is... Read more »

Why S’poreans are opening their doors & cooking for strangers

Trained chefs or not, these Singaporeans are welcoming strangers into their homes for dinner “Anyone can cook,” said Chef Gusteau, a character from the Pixar hit Ratatouille.  Call me old, but this... Read more »

Analysts upbeat on Singapore’s office Reits, naming one ‘uniquely leveraged’ to tap rental upside

[SINGAPORE] The coming year is looking promising for office Singapore real estate investment trusts (S-Reits), said analysts. The sector has begun to see “tangible improvements in capital management metrics as expensive hedges... Read more »

‘I didn’t get to say goodbye’: Australia’s social media ban stirs unease, praise

SYDNEY – In the afternoon of Dec 9, Addison Grant, a 13-year-old in Perth, went to check her Snapchat account for what she thought would be her last time before Australia’s world-first... Read more »

South Korea’s beauty tourism players fear ugly impact from tax refund termination

SEOUL – A decade-old tax break that drew foreign patients to South Korea’s cosmetic surgery clinics ends on Dec 31, and the industry is bracing for the economic consequences. The termination of... Read more »

Asia shares ease as Fed cut priced, guidance uncertain

SYDNEY, Dec 10 : Asian shares and Wall Street futures gave ground on Wednesday as crunch time neared for a divided Federal Reserve policy board, and earnings results threatened to test sky-high... Read more »

Oracle’s OpenAI reliance faces scrutiny as debt-fueled AI buildout raises worries

Dec 9 : Months after Oracle’s $400 billion-plus contract backlog ignited a stock-market frenzy, the enthusiasm has given way to doubts about its reliance on OpenAI and debt-fueled datacenter buildout, which will... Read more »

Singapore must take bolder steps to keep thriving as a global financial hub: Ex-DBS chief

[SINGAPORE] The Republic must seize opportunities such as launching a digital Singdollar to continue punching above its weight on the global financial stage, said former DBS chief executive Piyush Gupta. Singapore has embarked on... Read more »

Man gets jail for filming malware tutorials for syndicate; 129 Singapore victims lost S$3.2m

Cheoh sent the videos to Lee, who disseminated them to his “business partners” and customers.  Cheoh returned to Malaysia on Apr 11, 2023 when Lee agreed to let him leave even though... Read more »