TAIPEI — TSMC, the world's largest manufacturer of advanced AI chips, will likely notch a fifth consecutive quarter of record earnings, driven by booming AI infrastructure spending.Analysts say demand for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (TSMC) three-nanometre and two-nanometre process technologies for AI chips, as well as for its advanced chip packaging technology, CoWoS, remains […]

CAIRO — The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport on Monday (July 13) in response to airstrikes they blamed on Saudi Arabia that struck Sanaa International Airport earlier in the day.No casualties were reported, but the attacks marked an escalation not seen since a Saudi-led coalition struck Houthi-controlled […]

BANGKOK — Most of the people who were killed in a huge fire in a Bangkok music bar were found trapped in windowless bathrooms where they may have sought to escape the flames that claimed at least 27 lives, authorities said Monday (July 13) as investigations began.The blaze at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar was the city's deadliest in 17 years. It broke out late Sunday in a northern part […]

BENGALURU — South Korea's central bank is expected to raise interest rates on Thursday (July 16) for the first time in more than three years and deliver another increase by the end of the year, according to a Reuters poll of economists, as inflation remains well above its two per cent target.Consumer inflation accelerated to a two-and-a-half year high of 3.2 per cent in June, remaining […]

A woman has taken to social media to express her frustration at Scoot allegedly refusing compensation for two surfboards damaged during a flight.In an Instagram post on Saturday (July 11), the traveller, whose account handle is Karliehuang33, said she had checked in a longboard and a mid-length surfboard on her flight from Hainan to Phuket.She said both surfboards were stored in a protective […]

BANGKOK - A survivor of the fire at a Bangkok bar that killed at least 27 people on Sunday (July 12) night described escaping the blaze by seconds after she stepped out for a smoke."There was a boom - a very fast boom ... There was no way to get out at all," 41-year-old Usa Tadsree told reporters, adding that her two friends died when the fire ripped through the Thai capital's popular Rong Beer […]

Singapore's president and prime minister sent condolence letters to Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday (July 13) following the passing of his father, the former emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.The 73-year-old died on Sunday morning, according to a post on X by the Emir's office, which also announced a four-day mourning period till Wednesday.A Ministry of Foreign Affairs […]

Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan paid his respects to Thailand's late Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati on Monday (July 13).Dr Balakrishnan was accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Writing in a Facebook post after paying his respects at the Grand Palace, the foreign minister recalled that the late princess had dedicated her life to […]

SEOUL — A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk-yeol to two years in prison on Monday (July 13) after finding him guilty of illegally receiving opinion polling services worth 270 million won (S$233,123) for free from a political broker, local media said.The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon violated political funding laws by receiving 14 rounds of polling from the […]

TOKYO — Japan has no immediate plans to change target asset allocations of its state pension funds but could work within existing allowable ranges to direct more investment to domestic assets, people with knowledge of government deliberations told Reuters.Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Friday the government would seek ways to encourage pension funds, including the Government […]