Asia Pacific

Hyundai announced a US$5.8 billion investment in a new steel plant in Louisiana, creating 1,300 American jobs and aiming to strengthen the US automotive supply chain. This move comes as part of a trend of companies, including Apple and Oracle, investing billions in the US following President Trump's return to power in January. Trump's threats of tariffs have led to a surge in investment in US projects, with Hyundai being the latest firm to join in. Full Article

China has emerged as the world's leading commercial shipbuilder, surpassing the US, Japan, and South Korea over the past four years. Its share of merchant tonnage production has skyrocketed from 5 percent to over 50 percent by 2025. The rise of Chinese shipbuilding is a significant development in the global maritime industry. Full Article

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Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Belgium’s CMB.TECH have partnered to jointly own and charter nine newbuildings that can run on ammonia fuel, including three ammonia dual-fuel newcastlemax bulkers and six chemical tankers, two of which will be dual-fuel. These landmark vessels will be the world’s first of their kind, with the newcastlemax ships set for delivery between 2026 and 2027 and the chemical tankers scheduled for 2028 and 2029. The partnership aims to decarbonize the maritime industry and contribute to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, increasing CMB.TECH's contract backlog by $921m to nearly $3bn. Full Article

Photo by Luke Hunt discusses Myanmar as a failed state, with the military lacking control over much of the country and struggling to provide basic necessities to the population. The concept of a state's "monopoly of violence" is highlighted as key to understanding failed states, with the military in Myanmar failing to uphold this principle. Despite plans for elections, support from some neighboring countries, and uncertainty surrounding US foreign policy, the situation in Myanmar remains precarious. Full Article

Over the weekend, more than two dozen wildfires erupted in southeastern South Korea, resulting in four deaths and nine injuries. Thousands of firefighters and helicopters were deployed to combat the 29 fires, which burned through 22,000 acres, damaged 162 buildings, and forced the evacuation of nearly 3,000 people. By Monday morning, all but five fires had been extinguished, with the largest blaze in Euiseong County 65% contained. Full Article

In 2025, cinema operators are hopeful for continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with the release of anticipated films like Tom Cruise's potential final Mission: Impossible, a new Superman movie, and the return of the Avatar sci-fi series to theatres. Despite box office receipts being 25% below pre-pandemic levels, industry experts are optimistic about the future of moviegoing. The annual CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas will bring together top names in the industry to discuss the state of cinema and the importance of supporting theaters for the preservation of cultural heritage. Full Article

The US has lifted bounties on three senior Taliban figures, including the interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, known for planning deadly attacks against Afghanistan’s former government. The Haqqani network, responsible for bombings and criminal activities, saw the removal of rewards by the US government, signaling a shift towards improving bilateral relations with the Taliban. The release of a US prisoner and the revocation of bounties indicate efforts to move beyond wartime hostilities and towards progress in diplomatic ties. Full Article

At the KSI World Women Economic and Business Summit, Malaysia's workforce challenges for women were highlighted, with underrepresentation in leadership and ownership of businesses. Tech companies in Malaysia are leading the way in promoting gender equality, with a focus on empowering women in the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing disparities, making it crucial to implement strategies to support women's career development and create a thriving workplace culture that values diversity and inclusion. Full Article

Paul Roberts, former CEO of Kubient, has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison for financial fraud, including faking a $1.3m transaction and creating false revenue. The company, specializing in programmatic advertising and fraud detection, went public in 2020, raised over $32.5m, but was delisted and filed for bankruptcy by 2023 due to the fraud. Roberts, along with Kubient’s CFO and Audit Committee Chair, was charged by the SEC for failing to disclose the fraud before a secondary public offering. Full Article