News Update

News Update

Why Japan and South Korea bicker

Unresolved historical grievances strain the relationship between two of America’s most important allies. More on Economies

Hong Kong recession alert as new business orders dry up amid cocktail of US-China trade war and anti-government protests

The Hong Kong government warned earlier this month the city faced slipping into a technical recession if the economy contracted between July and September from the second quarter. More on South China Morning Post

Five ways to boost Taiwan’s economy in the face of China’s overtures and threats

It is time for the people of Taiwan to think about how to ensure their island continues to thrive.. More on South China Morning Post

Reactor turns greenhouse gas into pure liquid fuel

An electrocatalysis reactor built at Rice University recycles carbon dioxide to produce pure liquid fuel solutions using electricity.. More on Science Daily

New artifacts suggest people arrived in North America earlier than previously thought

Stone tools and other artifacts unearthed from an archeological dig at the Cooper’s Ferry site in western Idaho suggest that people lived in the area 16,000 years ago, more than a thousand years earlier than scientists previously thought.. More on Science Daily

New way to reduce food waste

In a society that equates beauty with quality, the perception that blemished produce is less desirable than its perfect peers contributes to 1.3 billion tons of wasted food a year globally. More on Science Daily

What Is The Amazon Fire Effect On Our Environment And Businesses?

Beyond the human and ecological impact, there are huge consequences for business . More on Forbes

Trump’s face-changing used to rattle China, but time is now on Beijing’s side.

Trump’s outbursts gave off a hint of desperation, as Chinese officials have become more confident in confronting his brinkmanship negotiation tactics and are prepared for the trade war to drag on.. More on This Week Asia

US-China trust needed more than trade deal to stop break-up of world economy

Countries around the world would try to “de-risk their economies” by making supply chains operate in silos to hedge against any further falling-out between the economic giants. More on This Week Asia

Here's how Trump's new tariff threat might hit the retail sector

Companies have been making contingency plans over the past year in the event the tariffs were put in place. More on CNBC

China: We will be forced to take countermeasures if Trump hikes tariffs

China’s spokesperson at the foreign ministry, Hua Chunying, said at a daily press briefing that Beijing would have to take countermeasures if the U.S. was committed to putting more tariffs on Chinese goods, Reuters reported. More on CNBC

70% shoes sold in the US come from China. With new tariffs braces for a hit

The U.S. footwear industry is now one of the biggest victims in the escalating trade war with China. More on CNBC

Japan to strike South Korea off trusted export list as rift deepens

Japan will remove South Korea from its list of trusted trade partners, deepening a bitter row between the two countries. More on BBC News

Post Brexit plans unveiled for 10 free ports

The government is planning to create up to 10 free ports across the UK after Brexit. More on BBC News

Bank of England cuts UK growth forecast

The Bank of England has cut its forecasts for UK growth over the next two years. More on BBC News

Climate change: Heatwave made up to 3c hotter by warming

The searing July heatwave that hit Europe last week was made both more likely and more intense by human-induced climate change, scientists say. More on BBC News


Milky Way galaxy is warped and twisted not flat

Analysis of the brightest stars in the galaxy shows that they do not lie on a flat plane as shown in academic texts and popular science books. More on BBC News

Genetic testing: What secret could it reveal about you?

As genome sequencing costs continue to fall and artificial intelligence gets to work on analysing all this new data, the era of personalised medicine draws closer. More on BBC News

US hiring is chugging along at a slow but still solid rate

The US economy added 164,000 jobs in July, in line with expectations and the rate of growth over the last quarter. That’s a healthy number, considering the economy has been expanding for more than a decade.More on CNN Business

Toyota posts record sales and profit for quater but cuts outlook due to stronger Yen

Toyota Motor Corp. on Friday lowered its outlook for group net profit, operating profit and sales for the business year through March due to a stronger yen, despite posting record sales and net profit in the April-June quarter. More on Japan Times

Rakuten looks to extend jersey deal with NBA's Golden State Warriors as brand awareness jumps

Rakuten Inc., which paid the Golden State Warriors $60 million for a three-year jersey sponsorship in 2017, is looking to extend the partnership as the National Basketball Association finalists head into the final season of their deal. More on Japan Times

Taiwan's Foxconn denies knowledge of GuangZhou panel plant sale

Foxconn said the company does not own the China-based panel plant and so is unclear about a possible disposal of the advanced 10.5th generation flat panel plant. More on Taiwan News

Huawei plans to establish manufacturing base in Taiwan

Despite security concerns surrounding Huawei’s alleged espionage activities, the Chinese telecom giant Huawei reportedly has big plans for Taiwan. More on Taiwan News

Taiwan's Test Rite retail group to close 13 out of 15 stores in China

Test Rite, which owns the brand Hola and previously cooperated with British DIY and home improvement group B&Q, said in a statement it had seen itself force to adapt its structure and have affiliates based in Beijing and Shanghai close down 13 shops. More on Taiwan News

Virtual bank data scientists are driving bank hiring

Employers are now looking for more data scientists and full stack developers for mobile and web applications that go beyond the traditional set of tech skills. More on Hong Kong Business

Monthly gender pay gap widens to $6,500

The difference between the monthly median pay of males and females in Hong Kong widened to $6,500 in 2018 from $6,000 in 2016, data from the Census and Statistics Department revealed. More on Hong Kong Business

Hong Kong trade deficit narrows to $244.2b for H1

Hong Kong recorded a total visible trade deficit of $244.2b or about 11.4% of the value of imports of goods for the first half of the year, an improvement from $273.7b in H1 2018, data from the Census & Statistics Department (C&SD) revealed. More on Hong Kong Business