Asia Economy
Why solo female travelers are joining group tours
Everyone told me not to travel solo during a pandemic. Especially not to learn snowboarding, a sport that not all travel insurance policies cover. It didn’t help that I wanted to visit a country where I don’t speak the language. Administrative matters — such as Covid tests, vaccination certificates and health declarations — would be […]
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India’s record-setting heat wave in pictures
People outside holding an umbrella during hot summer day in Kolkata, West Bengal, India on April 26. The temperature in Kolkata was around 40°c. Pacific Press | Lightrocket | Getty Images India has been suffering under record-breaking heat for the last couple months. Last month was the third-hottest April the country has seen over the […]
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As Beijing tightens Covid curbs, hard-hit Shanghai sees signs of life
Major luxury goods mall Beijing SKP said Friday it would close — with no reopening date specified — after the city confirmed three Covid cases in an apartment community nearby. Kevin Frayer | Getty Images News | Getty Images China’s capital Beijing tightened Covid restrictions on Sunday as it battled an outbreak, while Shanghai let […]
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China factory activity contracts in April at steeper pace as lockdowns bite
Employees working on the production line of carbon fiber badminton rackets at a factory in Sihong County, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province of China. China reported Saturday that factory activity in April contracted at a steeper pace as Covid-19 lockdowns halted industrial production and disrupted supply chains. Visual China Group | Getty Images China’s factory activity […]
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Intel CEO now expects chip shortage to last into 2024
Pat Gelsinger, CEO, of Intel Corporation, holds a semiconductor chip while testifying during the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing titled Developing Next Generation Technology for Innovation, in Russell Senate Office Building on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger told CNBC on Friday he now […]
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Chinese leaders stick to Covid controls as the virus spreads and forces a Beijing luxury mall to close temporarily
Major luxury goods mall Beijing SKP, pictured here in 2021, said Friday it would close — with no reopening date specified — after the city confirmed three Covid cases in an apartment community nearby. Qilai Shen | Bloomberg | Getty Images BEIJING — China showed few signs of loosening its zero-Covid control policies as the […]
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The Bank of Japan may have limited tools to deal with the weak yen, but that’s not its focus
The Bank of Japan may be limited in its ability to deal with recent weakness in the yen, but experts who spoke with CNBC noted the currency is not really the central bank’s main focus anyway. The Japanese yen went above 130 against the dollar on Thursday after the BOJ reiterated its ultra-easy monetary policy […]
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South Korea to lift outdoor mask mandate starting next week
People wearing face masks walk through a railway station in Seoul on Feb. 18, 2022. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced on Friday South Korea will lift an outdoor face mask mandate starting next week. Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Images South Korea said on Friday it will lift an outdoor face mask mandate next […]
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Singapore start-up Nium seeks up to $400 million in deals to take on Europe’s crowded fintech market
Europe’s fintech sector is fiercely competitive, with privately-held start-ups worth tens of billions of dollars vying to steal market share from incumbent banks. Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images LONDON — Nium, a $2 billion digital payments start-up based out of Singapore, has big plans for its European business. The company, whose software helps […]
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Americans view these Asian countries as safer now than before the pandemic
A new study shows American travelers view many Asian nations as safer travel destinations now than they did four years ago. South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, China and Vietnam rose in the annual safety rankings published by travel insurance provider Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. The survey in the 2022 “State of Travel Insurance Report” also […]
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