We've just done the office sweepstake for the World Cup - Everyone gets two teams, one from the top 24 ranked teams, one from the bottom 24 ranked teams. Winner gets 80% of the pot, runner-up 10%, best performing team from the bottom half 5% and worst team overall 5%. I got Argentina and Ghana...

The @economist.com leaves its readers in no doubt about what it thinks of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto www.economist.com/leaders/2026...

Indonesia, the biggest Muslim-majority country, is on a risky path

Prabowo Subianto is eroding its finances—and its democracy

economist.com

Anyone intterested in following the impact of the devastating floods in Sumatra, here is the Indonesian government's website with the casualty figures. With so many areas cut off, the toll is likely to rise, alas. gis.bnpb.go.id/bansorsumate...

The sunset in Tokyo today (yes that's Mt Fuji you can see in the background) was mind-blowingly stunning today. The joy of having an office on the 25th floor!

"We're professional catfishers, but we all need the paycheck." Filipino OnlyFans 'chatters' explain to @asia.nikkei.com how tens of thousands in SE Asia work long hours impersonating content creators on the site to help them make millions of dollars asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/so...

Filipino OnlyFans 'chatters' struggle with mental health, job security

Unrelenting, desensitizing work, lack of protections among biggest complaints

asia.nikkei.com

The line: "This undercurrent of 18th-century agrarian romanticism reinforces the image of a leader drifting out of touch," is wonderful....

Tony Tassell@tonytassell.bsky.social · last yr.

How south-east Asia lost its way - Ruchir Sharma column here. He argues Indonesia is just the worst of the worst in the world’s weakest regional market. Includes this striking anecdote www.ft.com/content/4f07....

Great @asia.nikkei.com scoop - analysis of Facebook posts suggests that Cambodia's military death toll in the July conflict with Thailand was 10 times what the authorities announced. asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...

Cambodian military families mourn as nation's Thai conflict toll exceeds 50

Nikkei Asia analysis of Facebook posts indicates there were dozens more deaths than stated

asia.nikkei.com

There are plenty of senseless conflicts in the world but the Thai-Cambodian clashes are up there among the most senseless of the lot. @asia.nikkei.com www.youtube.com/embed/XGX0n7...

Thailand and Cambodia have accused each other of escalating the cross-border conflict as fighting spreads to area near Gulf of Thailand @asia.nikkei.com asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int...

Thai-Cambodian clashes spread to new area near Gulf of Thailand

Both countries accuse each other of escalating the conflict

asia.nikkei.com

NEW VISUAL INVESTIGATION: Inside America’s booming immigration detention industry Our analysis has identified a number of facilities housing hundreds more people than they are designed to hold. Lawyers and detainees told the FT people have been sleeping on the floor. 👉 ig.ft.com/us-immigrati...

Populism has caught up with Japan and found fertile soil - column here from @urbandirt.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/ab62...

A weak yen is the root of Japan’s lurch to the right

Populism has caught up with the country and found fertile soil

ft.com

I've just listened to this series and it's both powerful and shocking - the "normalisation of deviance". But at least the situaiton appears to be changing. Well worth 3.5 hours of your life. @susannastanford.bsky.social

Serial Productions@serialproductions.bsky.social · last yr.

After Season 1 of "The Retrievals," hundreds of listeners wrote to us saying they "felt everything" during their C-sections. Season 2 investigates how this happens—and who is trying to fix it. Subscribe now to get the first episode on July 10. lnk.to/akQAPD

Thinking of going to the Expo in Osaka? Here are my tips for what to see (Japan and France), avoid (India) and how to get best bang for buck (plan as much as possible in advance) #osakaexpo #expo asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Li...

Osaka Expo: Tips and tricks for a next-level experience

Long lines and sore feet? Yes, but still totally worth it

asia.nikkei.com

It seems the Trump administration doesn't know what it wants from the tariff negotiations with Japan, let alone how to get there. I pity the negotiators from all governments queuing up to meet officials in DC... @asia.nikkei.com asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trad...

Bessent, Lutnick and Greer keep Japan guessing in US tariff talks

Differing views on trade by Trump's negotiating team frustrate Tokyo

asia.nikkei.com

Am thinking about the late-night scenes in the @matinastevis.bsky.social - Ilya Gridneff household right now. One writing the splash for the @nytimes.com, the other for the @financialtimes.com. Are they in different rooms? Are they talking....?

Anyone thinking Thailand is a fun, free, fearless place to live and work should think again.... asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tur...

Thailand detains well-regarded U.S. academic for alleged lese-majeste

Paul Chambers is first foreign scholar charged under kingdom's draconian law

asia.nikkei.com

Perhaps least surprising news of the day: Myanmar bans foreign journos because of blackouts and a water shortage, MRTV quotes Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun as saying. asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Natu...

Myanmar aid groups face major hurdles to delivering quake relief

Damaged airports and roads hinder operations in civil war-blighted nation

asia.nikkei.com

Wonderful obit of 'walking internet router' Gwen Robinson - Nikkei Asia and ex-FT journalist, and tour de force across Southeast Asia. Gwen, you will be sorely missed. asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Ob...

Gwen Robinson, a driving force in Asia journalism, dies at 65

Trailblazing correspondent and mentor instrumental in shaping Nikkei Asia's global presence

asia.nikkei.com

It was a privilege to see Paula Radcliffe running the Tokyo Marathon today - such an inspiration for those of us “of a certain age”. Here she is at 37.5km, still looking v strong

Surely the Arsenal headlines should be along the lines of: Jesus reborn in Palace in early Christmas delivery or 'Angel' Gabriel delivers three early Christmas gifts to Arsenal faithful

The FT is hiring a Chief UK Business Correspondent. Come work with good people and me! Apply by Monday! job-boards.greenhouse.io/financialtim...

Big day in Indonesia today - they say all politics is local but the results will be a sign of how popular new president Prabowo Subianto is... @nikkeiasia.bsky.social asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Ind...

Indonesians head to polls for country's biggest regional elections

Tight races in Jakarta and Central Java, a proxy fight between Jokowi and his former party

asia.nikkei.com

"It suddenly becomes real -- it took me six years to realize this is real." Caecilia Chu, CEO of Singaporean FX digital wallet YouTrip, lays out her path to an IPO for the start-up @nikkeiasia.bsky.social asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/AS...

Singapore's YouTrip CEO unveils route to IPO for FX digital wallet

Harvard alum Caecilia Chu wants profitable startup to grow from ASEAN to APAC

asia.nikkei.com

Pleasure is.... coming into the office and seeing a view like this #mtfuji