IJR News

Trump Says He May Meet Kim Jong Un During Asia Trip — 1dTrump told reporters he may meet Kim Jong Un on his Asia trip: "I may, yeah. That'll be exciting, won't it? But I get along with him."

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Granite Asia Tops Metaclade Rankings for Singapore Firms and Asian Credit — 21hMetaclade Research’s October 2026 reports ranked Granite Asia the leading financial firm and asset manager in Singapore, and the top private credit manager in Asia. The reports cited its multi-strategy platform, regional reach, founder-aligned model and entrepreneur network.

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Apple cuts iPhone 18 Pro orders due to soft demand, Nikkei Asia reports — 4d

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Banglalink launches first Starlink satellite-to-mobile service in South AsiaTech — 4dBanglalink, VEON’s Bangladesh unit, launched South Asia’s first Starlink-powered satellite-to-mobile service, letting customers with a 4G phone and Banglalink SIM access essential apps and location services beyond conventional network coverage. The service is available through the MyBL app and is intended to help maintain connectivity during emergencies, disasters and power outages.

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Record tanker rates hit $80 million for U.S. crude to Asia — 4dRecord tanker rates have made American crude too expensive for Asian refiners, who are turning to Middle Eastern and South American oil instead.

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Sam Okafor South American crude looks like the smarter buy for Asia right now with US shipping rates this extreme.

AP Top 25 College Football TeamsRankingCollege football fans argue endlessly over which programs deserve the top spots in the AP Poll based on wins, schedule strength, and legacy.

Apple reportedly cuts iPhone 18 Pro orders 15%Business — 4dApple cut iPhone 18 Pro component orders 15%–20%, Nikkei Asia reported, after a $100 price hike; one source called them just too expensive for a smartphone.

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North Carolina Zoo Plans Asia Exhibit Opening in 2027Environment — Oct 5, 2026The North Carolina Zoo’s 12.5-acre Asia expansion is set to open March 1, 2027, marking its first major development in more than 30 years. It will add nearly 50 species, including endangered animals, alongside new habitats and botanical features.

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Amro Warns Asia Faces AI Correction Risks — Oct 5, 2026AMRO's Oct. 5, 2026 report warns Southeast Asia, China, Japan and South Korea face AI correction risks after driving two-thirds of global AI-related trade growth; 2026 growth held at 4.1%.

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Marcus Bell Those countries need to diversify now instead of counting on continued AI export gains.

Travel Guides Spotlight Autumn Destinations Across Asia, USLifestyle — Oct 4, 2026Autumn travel offerings span Seoul’s foliage-lined walking routes, seasonal experiences across Asia, California’s changing fall colors, October events in Tokyo’s Ginza district and India’s cool, newly clear hill stations. Travelers are encouraged to time visits around local foliage peaks, weather and seasonal festivals.

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AkzoNobel agrees $1.35 billion Asia sale to Nippon — Oct 4, 2026AkzoNobel agreed Oct. 5 to sell decorative paints in seven Asian countries to Nippon Paint for $1.35 billion enterprise value, a 21x EBITDA multiple.

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Maya Lindstrom Nippon is paying top dollar for those seven markets, but AkzoNobel may regret losing that regional footprint later.

Wealthy Investors See Rates as Top Growth RiskFinance — 6dWealthy investors surveyed by Deutsche Bank identified rising interest rates and bond yields as the biggest threat to global growth, ahead of inflation and AI-related risks. Most also viewed Asia as the most geopolitically stable region over the next year, even as many planned to increase investments in the United States.

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Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Savannah Port Sets September Container RecordBusiness — 6dThe Port of Savannah handled a record 504,015 containers in September, up 3.7% from a year earlier, as strong imports and cargo delayed by typhoons in Asia extended the peak shipping season. The Georgia Ports Authority said first-quarter volumes also rose 2.7%, while major terminal upgrades are underway to expand capacity.

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Firmus Meta Southeast Asia Deal May Add $750 Million to Annual EBIT — Sep 28, 2026Two people told Capital Brief Firmus's new Meta Southeast Asia deal could add about $750 million to annual EBIT, lifting the IPO pitch figure to about $5.75 billion.

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Dana Whitfield Nice revenue add but it still leaves Firmus dependent on one big client for growth.

Von der Leyen, Lavrov and Rubio Set for Key Diplomatic Meetings — Oct 5, 2026The Oct. 5 political and diplomatic agenda includes an EU debate ahead of a European Council meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s talks in Europe, and several state visits and ministerial meetings across Asia and Europe.

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BlackRock-backed group in exclusive talks for Asia data centers — Sep 24, 2026BlackRock-backed AIP and IFM Investors are in exclusive talks to buy Stack's Asia-Pacific data centers from Blue Owl in a deal valued at $20-25 billion.

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Priya Raman BlackRock backing this kind of scale in Asia data centers makes sense given the cloud growth out there.

Jim Carrey vs Adam SandlerYourlist — VS BattleRubber-faced mania versus deadpan slob comedy — two 90s comedy titans, two entirely different engines.

TROOPS plans $12 million AI infrastructure unit for Southeast Asia — Sep 23, 2026Johor holds 850 MW of live data-center capacity and 2,700 MW in the pipeline as Hong Kong's TROOPS commits US$12 million to a Southeast Asia AI unit.

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Central Asia wins 154 medals at Asian GamesSports — Oct 3, 2026The Nagoya Asian Games showcased standout performances, with Uzbekistan placing fifth on 70 medals, Kazakhstan finishing eighth with 84 and Tajikistan setting a national record with 16. India’s memorable moments included golds in women’s relay, boxing, shooting and hockey, while the 43-sport competition brought athletes from 45 countries and regions together.

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US Allies in Asia Concerned Trump Could Reduce Taiwan Support — Sep 18, 2026

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Pandora Opens $150 Million Vietnam Factory — Oct 1, 2026Pandora has opened a $150 million factory in Vietnam, its first production site outside Thailand, aiming to increase manufacturing capacity by about 50% and diversify its supply chain as it pursues growth in Asia. The company sees opportunities in Japan and a possible China recovery, while expanding its focus on more affordable, lower-emissions lab-grown diamonds.

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Nicole Hardy Pandora expanding to Vietnam should help them meet demand in Asia and avoid putting all their eggs in Thailand.

Tencent reportedly agrees to $7B Oracle lease for 100,000 AI chips — Oct 1, 2026Tencent has reportedly agreed to a five-year, roughly $7 billion lease giving it access to about 100,000 advanced AI chips in Oracle data centers in Southeast Asia, with about 30% paid upfront. The deal would help Tencent train AI models and develop AI agents despite U.S. restrictions on chip sales to China, while underscoring Chinese companies’ growing reliance on overseas computing capacity.

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Jared Kim This deal means Oracle gets steady revenue while Tencent keeps advancing its models, but it also raises questions about long-term dependence on foreign data centers.

Waymo Plans Singapore Robotaxi Launch in 2028 — Sep 18, 2026Waymo plans fully autonomous ride-hailing in Singapore in 2028, its first Southeast Asia market, after more than 20 million autonomous rides.

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Elena Vasquez Singapore's dense traffic and strict rules will be a real test for Waymo's self-driving tech by 2028.

Haze Affects Air Quality Across Southeast AsiaEnvironment — Sep 28, 2026Parts of Metro Manila recorded very unhealthy air on Sept. 30, with authorities citing high fine-particle pollution and possible haze from fires in Indonesia, alongside local sources. Other Manila monitoring sites reported air that was unhealthy for sensitive groups or fair; officials urged vulnerable residents to limit outdoor exposure and advised masks in hazy areas.

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China Opens First Overseas Air Training CenterWorld — Sep 29, 2026China has opened a joint military training center and aviation academy at Ban Keun airport in Laos, its third acknowledged overseas military site and its first focused on air operations. Beijing says the center will train Lao pilots and is not aimed at any third party, while analysts warn it could give China deeper, potentially lasting military access in Southeast Asia; details about personnel and equipment remain undisclosed.

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IHG to Debut Noted Collection Brand in Tokyo With Two Hotels — Sep 28, 2026IHG will bring its Noted Collection to Japan with two Tokyo hotels: a 207-room Shinjuku property to be renovated and opened in 2027, and an 81-room new-build in Ginza scheduled for 2029. The signings mark the brand’s first entry into Japan and East Asia-Pacific, pairing hotels’ distinct local identities with IHG’s global network and loyalty program.

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Chris Dalton Ginza getting an 81-room property in 2029 feels like a smart long-term move for IHG to build loyalty with travelers who want local character plus points.