Singaporean alpine skier Faiz Basha is poised to make history as the Republic’s first snow sport athlete at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics (Feb 6-22, 2026). With a mean FIS points score of 106.59, the 23-year-old was already qualified in slalom and giant slalom because the points exceeded the 120-point mark. Basha, who has survived a threatening tear of the intestine …

The Nihilist Penguin from Werner Herzog’s 2007 documentary Encounters at the End of the World has exploded as 2026’s inaugural viral meme. One of the Adelie penguins leaves its colony going 70km inland, walking into barren mountains- a probable death march; as Herzog puts it. Being retweeted by millions on TikTok and X, it is the representation of burnout, rebellion, …

Netflix has officially expanded its restrictive password sharing policies to include mobile-only plans across key Asian markets, effective immediately. In the past, mobile subscribers on cheaper mobile plans in other countries such as India, Indonesia and Philippines were not subjected to the stringent house-hold location tracking as was being applied to regular subscribers. Nevertheless, the current update of the streaming …

In a landmark educational shift, a coalition of leading Southeast Asian universities has united to mandate AI Literacy as a standardized component of their core curriculum by late 2026. This is an initiative that will be backed by structures of AI Singapore and UNDP in eliminating the digital skills gap throughout the region. The institutions in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and …

Reliable leaks reveal Samsung Galaxy S26 series faces a price hike amid global memory shortages, with Asia pre-orders kicking off February 26, 2026. Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra will be released on Unpacked on February 25 in San Francisco and will be available in stores on March 11 worldwide. Korean news reports that Ultra pricing can be over …

Chris Pratt’s sci-fi thriller Mercy has ended Avatar: Fire and Ash’s five-week reign atop the US box office, debuting with $11.2 million despite harsh winter storms closing theaters nationwide. Nur Bekmambetov is the director of the dystopian movie, in which Pratt is a detective facing an AI judge in the form of Rebecca Ferguson in a courtroom drama in the …

The Red Lotus Sea of Udon Thani broke the record of more than 50,000 visitors since early December 2025, being promoted by an artificial viral AI campaign on social media under the hashtag Amazing Thailand, where Blackpink Lisa acted as the Ambassador of TAT. The January 22, 2026 “Feel All the Feelings” image of Lisa on a wooden boat amid …

US trade volumes with Thailand, Indonesia, and Philippines achieved record highs in Q1 2026, defying President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. Despite 19-23% duties, US imports surged 23% from Thailand, 11% from Indonesia, and 38% from Philippines (deficit $4.9B to $6.8B), driven by electronics, semiconductors, and machinery rerouting from China amid “Chinese Plus One” strategies. The value of the total ASEAN-US goods …

Bohol is in the process of preparing to host serious ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) conferences beginning January 26, 2026, in Panglao, the Philippines launch as 2026 ASEAN Chair. Senior economic officials from 10 member states, plus Timor-Leste observers, will convene for the 57th ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM 1/57) and 18th AEC Committee of the Whole, discussing Priority Economic …

Aesthetic tourism has exploded, with a sharp 40% rise in travelers from Singapore and Malaysia booking cosmetic treatments in Bangkok and Seoul this January 2026. Driven by K-beauty and Thai wellness hubs, platforms like Klook and Trip.com report surges in Botox, fillers, laser skin, rhinoplasty, and double eyelid surgery packages combining procedures with stays. The leading hospitals in Bangkok, Bumrungrad …