Rethinking coal phase-out in Asia and beyond

To accelerate the retirement of coal, we need a scalable incentive framework that offers equitable participation and fair distribution of costs and benefits

Dr Loo Choon Yong, executive chairman of Raffles Medical Group, takes a long-term view of the business.
HOCK LOCK SIEW

As Raffles Medical celebrates its golden jubilee, the doctor calls for more patience

Growth from the group’s defensive plays in China and Vietnam will take time

The US’ benchmark S&P 500 index is now slightly negative on the year, bobbing tediously higher and lower in an unusually tight range since late December 2025.
THE BOTTOM LINE

The death of the Trump trade

Investor backlash against US markets appears to be real

French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Feb 17. An anticipated US$35.7 billion agreement propels India and France into a new era of defence cooperation.

Modi and Macron’s ‘contract of the century’: A new anchor for India-Europe trade

The two leaders sign a huge aerospace accord and key tax treaty changes, highlighting the warming of business relations after a hat-trick of trade deals

Indonesia’s trust evolved under different historical and political conditions. Where institutions have been inconsistent and laws fluid, trust has naturally migrated into families, networks and personal relationships.

Trust is not branding: What Indonesia’s recent market turbulence really reveals

In a global financial system that prizes transparency, data reliability and predictability, institutional credibility matters

Deep public-private collaboration can help create an integrated AI ecosystem in Asean where member states at every level of AI maturity advance together.

Leaving no one behind: A collaborative blueprint for Asean’s AI future

The 11-member bloc must move towards a harmonised governance framework and forge deep public-private partnerships

Residents protesting against the lack of water in many parts of Johannesburg, South Africa. Affluence is not an absolute defence against water shortages.
THINKING ALOUD

Amid digital push, real-world problems such as water bankruptcy risk being overlooked

As countries race to push technological boundaries, similar attention should be paid to fundamental resource needs

The “Made in Europe” package has divided the 27 EU member states, resulting in multiple delays in finalising the package.

‘Made in Europe’ plan’s sting in tail for Asia and the wider world

The soon-to-be-finalised initiative will impact industries from cars to manufacturing, steel and defence

Operating all aircraft at the manufacturers’ maximum seating capacity would reduce global aircraft emissions by between 26 and 57%, a new study notes.
THE BOTTOM LINE

Scrapping business class could halve aviation emissions

Differences in CO2 emissions can be explained by the share of occupied seats, the aircraft models used on a route and the cabin layout