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British International Investment Pledges $1.6 Billion for Climate Finance in Southeast Asia

British International Investment Pledges $1.6 Billion for Climate Finance in Southeast Asia

British International Investment (BII), the UK's development finance institution, has announced a commitment to deploy and mobilize $1.6 billion in climate finance across Southeast Asia over the next five years. This initiative will focus on economies including Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. Approximately half of this capital, around $800 million, is expected to come directly from BII, with a similar amount mobilized from private investors. The strategy targets key sectors such as renewable energy, power transmission, electric vehicle infrastructure, waste management, and water infrastructure. BII's objective is to support cleaner economic growth and reduce emissions in a region characterized by rapidly growing electricity markets that still heavily rely on fossil fuels. This commitment marks a significant increase from the nearly $400 million BII invested in climate finance in Southeast Asia between 2023 and 2025.
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U.S. Contributes to Disability Inclusion Finance in Southeast Asia

U.S. Contributes to Disability Inclusion Finance in Southeast Asia

The United States is among the key partners contributing to disability inclusion official development finance (ODF) in Southeast Asia. This initiative, tracked by the Southeast Asia Aid Map, identifies projects that integrate disability inclusion as an objective, using a methodology based on the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s disability inclusion marker. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 16% of the population lives with a significant disability, translating to approximately 96 million people in Southeast Asia who may face barriers to participation in society, education, employment, and access to services. While disability inclusion finance averaged 5% of total ODF between 2015 and 2019, it saw a rise to 13% in 2020 and 15% in 2023, before dropping to 9% in 2024. This recent decline is largely attributed to the completion of major infrastructure and budget support projects in Indonesia and the Philippines by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where disability inclusion was a 'si...
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Disability Inclusion Finance Declines in Southeast Asia Despite Growing Regional Interest

Disability Inclusion Finance Declines in Southeast Asia Despite Growing Regional Interest

Disability inclusion finance in Southeast Asia saw a significant decline in 2024, falling to 9% of total Official Development Finance (ODF) from 15% in 2023. This represents a drop from $4.4 billion to $2.3 billion. The decrease is primarily attributed to the completion of infrastructure and budget support projects by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Indonesia and the Philippines, where disability inclusion was a 'significant' rather than 'principal' objective. Despite this recent downturn, disability inclusion finance had shown growth prior to 2024, rising from an average of 5% between 2015-2019 to 13% in 2020 and 15% in 2023. The World Health Organization estimates that 16% of the global population lives with a significant disability, translating to approximately 96 million people in Southeast Asia who may face barriers to participation in society, education, employment, and access to services. The ASEAN Disability Forum, inaugurated in 2011, reflects a growing regional policy interest in disability i...
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Studiocanal Boards Pan-Asian Survival Thriller ‘kiDnap Game’ Starring Kentaro Sakaguchi and Lee Joon-gi (EXCLUSIVE)

Studiocanal Boards Pan-Asian Survival Thriller ‘kiDnap Game’ Starring Kentaro Sakaguchi and Lee Joon-gi (EXCLUSIVE)

Studiocanal has boarded “kiDnap Game,” a survival thriller series created and directed by Japan’s Yusuke Kato (“Last Friends”) which unfolds across seven cities in Asia. Produced by Kato for Fuji Television, Hong Kong’s MakerVille and South Korea’s Simstory, the 11-part series will be presented to buyers at Mipcom in Cannes this week. Canal+ has also […]
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Thai Horror ‘Rinrada: The Influencer’ Scores Asia, Middle East Deals Around Screamfest Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

Thai Horror ‘Rinrada: The Influencer’ Scores Asia, Middle East Deals Around Screamfest Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

Thai horror hit “Rinrada: The Influencer,” which stars Yoshi Rinrada in her first horror lead, has closed distribution deals in Asia and the Middle East around its North American debut at Screamfest. The story centers on an influencer whose life is wrecked by an online pile-on. She comes back as a ghost with little time […]
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Cargill Expands Poultry Operations in Asia with Over $130 Million Investment

Cargill Expands Poultry Operations in Asia with Over $130 Million Investment

Cargill Expands Poultry Operations in Asia with Over $130 Million Investment
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China's carmakers rely on overseas markets as monthly domestic sales decline continues

China's carmakers rely on overseas markets as monthly domestic sales decline continues

China’s passenger car exports rose 64% in September compared with the year-earlier period, according to a Chinese industry association, as automakers increasingly rely on overseas markets to drive growth amid sluggish domestic sales
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AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook for Indonesia's Non-Life Insurance Sector Amidst Economic Support and Regulatory Changes

AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook for Indonesia's Non-Life Insurance Sector Amidst Economic Support and Regulatory Changes

AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook for Indonesia's Non-Life Insurance Sector Amidst Economic Support and Regulatory Changes
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Philippines House Approves Bill Restricting Minors' Social Media Access, Banning Under-13s

Philippines House Approves Bill Restricting Minors' Social Media Access, Banning Under-13s

The Philippine House of Representatives has approved House Bill No. 11566, known as the Safe and Friendly Environment for Kids in Digital Spaces Act, which aims to restrict social media use for minors. The bill prohibits children aged 13 and under from creating social media accounts. For teenagers between 14 and 17, the bill imposes a layered set of restrictions, limiting their exposure to harmful advertising, livestreaming, algorithmically driven short-video feeds, in-app purchases, and gambling-like mechanisms. It also requires platforms to prevent minors from being contacted by unknown adults and bars users under 18 from accessing AI features embedded in social media apps. This legislative move follows a similar bill passed by the Senate, which is stricter, restricting social media access for anyone under 18. The two chambers will now reconcile their versions before the bill can be sent to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for approval. The push for this legislation is partly fueled by recent school shooti...
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Wildfires threaten Indonesia's orangutans as rescuers find injured animals

Wildfires threaten Indonesia's orangutans as rescuers find injured animals

Wildfires sweeping across Indonesia’s Borneo island have left endangered orangutans struggling to survive
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Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser Leads Major Strategic Overhaul, Exiting Consumer Banking in Key Emerging Markets

Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser Leads Major Strategic Overhaul, Exiting Consumer Banking in Key Emerging Markets

Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser Leads Major Strategic Overhaul, Exiting Consumer Banking in Key Emerging Markets
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Wildfires in Indonesia Threaten Orangutan Populations, Prompting Rescue Efforts Amid El Niño Intensification

Wildfires in Indonesia Threaten Orangutan Populations, Prompting Rescue Efforts Amid El Niño Intensification

Wildfires are extensively sweeping across parts of Indonesia's Borneo island and Sumatra, severely impacting endangered orangutan populations. The intensified El Niño phenomenon has prolonged the dry season, exacerbating the fires and creating dense haze. Rescuers are actively evacuating orangutans found injured, stranded, and surrounded by smoke. One such case involved a female Bornean orangutan named Novita, found clinging to a nearly leafless tree in Central Kalimantan province with burns on her hands and feet. Another, a male orangutan named Sampurna, died shortly after being rescued from a palm oil plantation in West Kalimantan. The Indonesian Forestry Ministry reports that over 270 wild animals in Kalimantan have been rescued, rehabilitated, or guided to safer habitats. Government data indicates that over 202,000 hectares of land burned between January and July, with independent estimates suggesting nearly 896,000 hectares by the end of August. The toxic haze has also caused health crises in neighbor...