Top Stories
Same event, multiple sources, transparently cited.
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AIA reports 13% growth in half-year new business value led by Hong Kong and China
AIA Group posted a 13% rise in new business value to US$3.21 billion in H1 2026, driven by strong sales in Hong Kong and China.
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Lebanon extradites former Syrian general Adel Issa to Syria on war crimes charges
Lebanon handed over former Syrian Major General Adel Issa to Syria on August 19 to face war crimes charges.
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British Coach Leon Baptiste Serving Prison Sentence in Morocco for Misdemeanour
Leon Baptiste, British athletics coach and former Commonwealth Games champion, has been imprisoned in Morocco since May 2026.
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Moderna and Merck report breakthrough mRNA melanoma vaccine cutting relapse rates
Moderna and Merck announced a successful late-stage trial of personalized mRNA therapy lowering melanoma relapse after surgery.
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Israel issues tenders for 1,234 housing units in disputed E1 West Bank settlement
Israel opened tenders to build 1,234 housing units in the E1 area east of Jerusalem amid international condemnation and legal challenges.
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Evergrande Founder Xu Jiayin Sentenced to Life Imprisonment, Group Fined 158 Billion RMB
Xu Jiayin, founder of Evergrande, was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined alongside the group for multiple financial crimes on August 20, 2026.
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PM Anwar to make key announcements on August 30, September 16, and early October
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will deliver important announcements on August 30, September 16, and early October, focusing on youth and economic issues.
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Israeli strikes kill at least 10 Palestinians including Gaza police officers
Israeli airstrikes on August 19 killed at least 10 Palestinians, including Gaza police officers, in attacks on a police post and refugee camp.
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Malaysia PM Anwar orders probe into Khazanah subsidiary Xeraya Capital over governance issues
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered a thorough investigation into Xeraya Capital amid concerns of governance irregularities, with Khazanah board backing the probe.
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Ousted Ukrainian Defence Minister Urges Wartime Elections Amid Governance Crisis
Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for wartime elections citing governance failures and corruption.
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Shein delays Hong Kong IPO debut to September with lower valuation
Shein postponed its Hong Kong IPO to September, setting a reduced valuation of $25-$27 billion amid investor delays.
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Australia enacts law imposing levy on tech giants absent local news deals
Australia passed a law on August 20, 2026, requiring major tech firms to pay a 2.5% levy on ad revenues unless they strike deals with local news publishers.
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Kaohsiung attracts NT$2.7 trillion investment in six years, emerging as semiconductor and AI hub
Kaohsiung has secured over NT$2.7 trillion in investments under Mayor Chen Chi-mai, transforming into a center for advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI, and finance.
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Israel strikes Syrian Abu al-Duhur airbase citing Turkish military presence claims
On August 18, 2026, Israel launched airstrikes on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase, alleging Turkish military buildup despite denials from Syria and Türkiye.
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Samsung and SK Hynix reveal record shareholder return plans amid AI chip surge
Samsung and SK Hynix announced shareholder return programs worth up to US$79 billion and US$29 billion respectively amid growing AI chip demand.
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Alibaba reports 9% revenue rise in April-June quarter driven by AI cloud growth
Alibaba's revenue rose 9% year-on-year to about 269 billion yuan in Q1 2026, led by a 45% jump in AI cloud services amid a profit decline.
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North Korea fires about 10 missiles after US ends joint drills with South Korea early
North Korea launched around 10 short-range ballistic missiles a day after the US cut short joint drills with South Korea.
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Malaysia to Abolish Universities and University Colleges Act in 2026
The Malaysian government will repeal the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 and table a new bill in Parliament this year.
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Moderna and Merck's personalized mRNA vaccine cuts melanoma recurrence in Phase 3 trial
Moderna and Merck announced that their personalized mRNA vaccine intismeran autogene significantly reduces melanoma recurrence in a large Phase 3 trial.
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ComfortDelGro invests over S$10 million in BYD electric and hybrid vehicles for private-hire fleet
ComfortDelGro announced a S$10 million-plus investment to add BYD electric and hybrid cars to its Zig private-hire fleet in Singapore.
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Pilot killed as small plane collides midair with Pennsylvania State Police helicopter
A Cessna 150 collided midair with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter near Carlisle Regional Airport on August 19, killing the pilot and injuring two troopers.
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Malaysia will not reinstate broad-based GST but may adjust SST and tax policies
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia will not bring back GST as a broad tax but may tweak SST and adopt some GST elements.
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Malaysia to face milder impact from Strait of Hormuz disruptions due to LNG exports
Malaysia expects less severe impact from Strait of Hormuz disruptions because it exports liquefied natural gas despite being a net oil importer.
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Developer Withdraws Kota Damansara Data Centre Application After Public Concerns
The developer withdrew its planning permission application for a Kota Damansara data centre following community opposition and local MP intervention.