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☆ Asia’s 50 best restaurants for 2024 revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —After losing the number one spot to Bangkok in 2023, Tokyo has reclaimed its crown as the city with the top eatery in the region at the annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, which were announced in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday evening. The list – part of the global “World’s 50 Best” brand – is compiled by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of more than 300 food critics, writers, chefs and restaurateurs, all selected for their knowledge of Asia’s restaurant scene. Though Singapore didn’t have any restaurants in the top five, nine of its venues made the top 50 list – more than any other city. Courtesy The World's 50 BestThe “Asia’s Best Female Chef” award went to Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, owner of Bangkok restaurant Potong, which came in at 17 on this year’s list. Mineko Kato of restaurant Faro in Tokyo won the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef award and Kevin Lu of Logy, in Taipei, was voted Asia’s Best Sommelier.

Persons: Daniel Calvert, Calvert, “, ”, Sézanne, I’ve, we’d, Gaggan, Seroja, Gaggan Anand, Thitid “, Sühring, Le Du –, Ton, Bangkok –, Odette, Pichaya, Pam ’ Soontornyanakij, Ton’s Nusara, Mineko Kato, Kevin Lu, Logy, Sung Anh, Mosu, Danny Yip, Hong, Le, Fu, Hui, Samrub, Villa, Ling Long, Ando, Les Amis, Baan, Goh, Anan, Tam’s Organizations: CNN, Marunouchi, Restaurants Academy, Hospitality, Toyo, Meta, Studio, Bund Locations: Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, South Korea, Japan, France’s Champagne, Maronouchi, Asia, ”, Kolkata, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai, ” Singapore, Faro, Taipei, Nusara, Suhring, Osaka, Odette, Sorn, Le Du, Potong, Shanghai, Logy, Masque, Mumbai, Manila, Delhi, Seroja, Taichung, Taiwan, Mume, Wakayama, Lolla, Avartana, Chennai, India, Fukuoka, Jakarta, Kyoto, Anan Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Macao

☆ Ancient giant dolphin discovered in the Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

And though there are Amazonian freshwater dolphin species alive today, they aren’t close kin to that ancient cetacean. There’s the South Asian river dolphin (Platanista genus) and the Amazon river dolphin (Inia genus), also known as the pink river dolphin, and the two groups include several species and subspecies. Researchers discovered the Amazonian dolphin fossil in 2018, near the Napo River in Loreto, Peru. At first, they thought it would turn out to be an ancient relative of modern Amazonian river dolphins. “That was a moment where everybody freaked out, because it wasn’t an Amazonian river dolphin,” Benites-Palomino said.

Persons: ”, Jorge Velez, ” Velez, Juarbe, Aldo Benites, Palomino, John J, Flynn, Palomino “, John, freaked, Benites, yacuruna, Rodolfo Salas, Gismondi, ” Benites, Pebanista, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, American Association for, Advancement of Science, Juarbe, of Los, International Union for, Nature, IUCN, University of Zurich’s Department of Paleontology, American Museum of, of, World Wildlife Fund, Velez, Scientific Locations: Peruvian, South Asia, America, of Los Angeles County, Loreto , Peru, New York City, Peru, of Lima, Amazonia

☆ China is trying to connect Southeast Asia by high-speed rail. Here’s how that’s going
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Imagine jumping on a train in southwestern China, traveling some 2,000 miles and arriving in Singapore – less than 30 hours later. Southeast Asia is the “obvious” choice because of its “proximity to China,” Bowerman adds. “Beijing, I think, ultimately wants to see Southeast Asian countries within its sphere of geopolitical influence. A staff member waits for passengers to board the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train during a week-long public trial phase at the Halim station in Jakarta on September 17, 2023. “In the example of a high-speed railway line between Malaysia and Singapore, Singapore would likely have just one stop – Malaysia would have more,” Wong told CNN.

Persons: China’s, Gary Bowerman, ” Bowerman, ”, Pon Souvannaseng, Peerapon Boonyakiat, Bowerman, Pan Wenbo, Pan, Mei Wei, Wei, “ I’m, Xi Jinping’s, Souvannaseng, Hong Kong –, Hong Kong’s, Yasuyoshi Chiba, Wong Muh Rong, ” Wong Organizations: CNN, Initiative, China Railway, Reuters, East Japan Railway Co, Malaysian, Bentley University, of, Communist Party, Laos Railway, Laos Railway cumulatively, Orient Express, Getty Locations: China, Singapore, Asia, Laos, Kunming, Vientiane –, Indonesia, Jakarta, Bandung, West Java, Thailand, Bangkok, Thai, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Southeast Asia, “ China, Peerapon, Cities, Penang, Malacca, Phuket Old Town, Beijing, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Wat, Siem Reap, ”, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Halim, AFP, “

☆ India’s Adani Green Energy Limited is building world’s biggest clean energy plant five times the size of Paris
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Its clean energy unit AGEL is building the sprawling solar and wind power plant in the western Indian state of Gujarat at a cost of about $20 billion. But the tycoon has since bounced back and the group is now pouring billions into the clean energy sector. It plans to invest $100 billion into energy transition over the next decade, with 70% of the investments ear-marked for clean energy. A worker walking past rows of solar panels at the Khavda Renewable Energy Park. “[Gautam] Adani continues to walk both sides of the street,” said Tim Buckley, director of Sydney-based think tank Climate Energy Finance.

Persons: can’t, ” Sagar Adani, Adani, He’s, Gautam Adani, Punit Paranjpe, AGEL, ”, haven’t, Hindenburg’s, Gautam, Narendra Modi, Modi, Tim Buckley, ” Buckley, Paranjpe, “, that’s, ” Adani Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN —, CNN, Adani Green Energy, Adani, Khavda, Energy, Hindenburg, AGEL, Getty, International Energy Agency, Sydney, Climate Energy Finance Locations: New Delhi, Paris, Switzerland, India, Gujarat, Indian, Mundra, AFP, Pakistan, American, China, Europe, London, Africa, Australia

☆ 'Do I regret it? No’: AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes discusses viral topless LinkedIn post
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of Capital A Bhd., during the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore, on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. AirAsia founder and CEO Tony Fernandes says he does not regret the viral LinkedIn post that showed him receiving a massage during a meeting — and that transparency is worth potential controversy. The Malaysian businessman is known for an unfiltered approach to posting on social media. It has a disadvantage, that people will misrepresent and misunderstand Tony Fernandes the persona," he said. But by far the strongest reaction to a social media post by Fernandes came in October, when the businessman shared a photograph of himself shirtless in the office.

Persons: Tony Fernandes, Fernandes Organizations: Milken Institute Asia Summit, AirAsia, CNBC, Singapore Airlines Locations: Singapore, Malaysian, Indonesia

☆ South China Sea: On board an outnumbered Philippine ship facing down Chinese aggression
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Rebecca Wright | Ivan Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Near Second Thomas Shoal, South China Sea CNN —As dawn slowly broke on the horizon, a large fleet of Chinese vessels came into view from the deck of a Philippine Coast Guard ship as it entered the contested waters of the South China Sea. Filipino soldiers on the dilapidated Sierra Madre ship, anchored near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, on May 11, 2015. The US military also maintains a regular presence in the South China Sea, with aircraft overflights, so-called “freedom of navigation” operations, and patrols and exercises with allies and partners to assert that the South China Sea is an international waterway. The Philippine Coast Guard said it counted five China Coast Guard vessels and 18 boats belonging to Beijing’s “maritime militia." Rebecca Wright/CNNTarriela, the Coast Guard spokesperson, said a China Coast Guard vessel had come within 20 yards (60 feet) of the Cabra.

Persons: David, Goliath, “, ”, Thomas Shoal, Rebecca Wright, Sabina, Ritchie, Jiao, –, Jay Tarriela, Mao Ning, China Coast Guard “, Thomas, Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Marcos Jr, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos Jr, Jose Manuel Romualdez, CNN Tarriela, Tomas Etzler, Erik de Castro, month’s, ” Tarriela, ‘, Collin Koh, ” Koh, Ray Powell, SeaLight, “ Will, ” Powell, we’ve Organizations: South China, CNN, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine, Armed Forces, China Coast Guard, ” CNN, Philippine Navy, Coast Guard, Foreign Ministry, Sierra Madre, Center for Strategic, Studies, China Power, Ministry, Washington, Philippine News Agency . Diplomacy, Coast Guardians, Guard, Madre, Reuters, USS, China, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, National Security, Stanford University Locations: South, South China, Philippines, United States, Philippine, China, Bulilyan, Palawan, Sierra Madre, Sierra, The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, Madre, Hague, Beijing, China’s, Manila, Shanghai, Singapore

☆ Anant Ambani pre-wedding photos: Rihanna, Mark Zuckerberg among stars at Indian billionaire heir’s celebrations
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Ambani is the youngest son of Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, who has an estimated fortune of $117 billion, according to Forbes. Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and their daughter Arabella pose with the groom's father, billionaire Mukesh Ambani. On Wednesday, the Ambani family hosted a communal dinner for more than 50,000 villagers. Reliance Industries/Handout/ReutersActors Salman Khan, Ram Charan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan perform during the pre-wedding celebrations. Reliance Industries/Handout/ReutersBillionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani with his son Anant and wife Nita.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, jetted, Anant Ambani’s, Rihanna, David Blaine, Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Jared Kushner, Arabella, ”, Paula Hurd, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Salman Khan, Ram Charan, Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Taimur Ali, Anant, Nita, Anjali Organizations: CNN, Forbes, Reliance, Reuters, Reliance Foundation, Microsoft, Reliance Industries, Reuters Billionaire, AP Former India Locations: India, Silicon Valley, Jamnagar, Gujarat, New Delhi, Mumbai

☆ Anant Ambani pre-wedding bash: Celebrities, tycoons jet to Indian billionaire heir’s celebrations in Jamnagar
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New Delhi Reuters —Charter jets for tycoons and celebrities, a performance by Rihanna and directions to don “jungle fever” outfits when visiting an animal rescue center — that’s how billionaire Mukesh Ambani is kickstarting big fat Indian wedding celebrations for his son. The occasion of the moment that has India transfixed is a three-day pre-wedding jamboree for his youngest son Anant Ambani, 28, who is set to marry his long-time girlfriend Radhika Merchant, 29. Anant is a director at Reliance’s new energy business and one of Ambani’s three children who are the heirs to his empire. Ambani also made headlines with his daughter Isha’s wedding in 2018 which was described by some as a mini-Davos summit. Guests to Anant Ambani’s celebrations are set to savor 500 dishes created by around 100 chefs.

Persons: Rihanna, Mukesh Ambani, Ambani, Anant Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Anant, David Blaine, Bill Gates, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Bob Iger, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Anant Ambani’s Organizations: Delhi Reuters —, Reliance, Forbes, Disney, Reliance’s, Encore, Former U.S, Reuters Locations: Delhi, India, Jamnagar, Reliance’s, Gujarat, Davos, Former, New Delhi, Mumbai

☆ Nita Ambani is now the most powerful woman in Indian media
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New Delhi CNN —Just a few months ago, Nita Ambani stepped away from frontline business to focus on philanthropy. Now, the wife of Asia’s richest man is back with the biggest job in the ferociously competitive world of India media. Nita Ambani will not be steering the media giant alone. Nita Ambani first stepped into the business limelight 10 years ago, becoming the first woman director on the board of Reliance Industries. With her new job title, Nita Ambani has become the most powerful woman in Indian media and entertainment sector, which is worth over $25 billion and growing rapidly.

Persons: New Delhi CNN —, Nita Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Uday Shankar, “, ”, Ambani’s, Nita Mukesh Ambani, Bikas Das, —, Isha, Anant, Akash —, Akash, ” Nita Ambani, National Stock Exchange —, EY, Mihir Shah Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Disney’s, Reliance Industries, Disney’s Asia, Disney, Reliance Foundation, Indian Premier League, IPL, Reliance, Music, International Olympic Committee, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Stock Exchange, Media Partners, Netflix Locations: New Delhi, India, Mumbai, Disney India, New York, Viacom18

☆ Airplane safety has hit a new record. But these ‘critical phase’ challenges are still a problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Now in its 60th year, the IATA Annual Safety Report - compiled by the International Air Transport Association - has been tracking the evolution of commercial aviation safety since 1964. But despite this, 2023 had the lowest fatality risk and “all accident” rate on record. North America has maintained a fatality risk of zero since 2020, says IATA. Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network/Sipa USAThe 2023 “all accident” rate was better than the year before in all regions except North America and Asia Pacific. Europe has maintained a fatality risk of zero since 2018.

Persons: hasn’t, ”, Willie Walsh, Greg Lovett, haven’t Organizations: CNN, Alaska Airlines, IATA, International Air Transport Association, Yeti Airlines, Regional, Palm Beach International, USA, Tokyo Haneda, Japan Airlines Locations: Nepal, Florida, North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, North Asia, Tokyo

☆ Disney, Ambani’s Reliance create new India media giant with 750 million viewers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Diksha Madhok | Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New Delhi/London CNN —Disney is joining forces with Asia’s richest man to create a new media giant in India that says it will reach a domestic audience of more than 750 million people. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries and Disney have combined their digital streaming platforms and 100 TV channels in the country in a joint venture worth about $8.5 billion, the companies said in a statement Wednesday. Disney (DIS) made a major push into the country in 2019, when it acquired most of 21st Century Fox, including its vast Star India network. “India is the world’s most populous market, and we are excited for the opportunities that this joint venture will provide to create long-term value for the company,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger. Disney salvaging its Indian dreamDisney has faced multiple challenges in India, which boasts a vibrant media and entertainment sector.

Persons: Mukesh, ”, Mukesh Ambani, Nita M, Ambani, Viacom18, Bob Iger, Mouse, Weeks, JioCinema, Iger, “, Mihir Shah Organizations: London CNN, Disney, Reliance Industries, Century Fox, Star, Reliance, Indian Premier League, Warner Bros ., HBO, CNN, Media Partners Locations: New Delhi, London, India, Star India, Viacom18

☆ Want to Play in Asia’s Champions League? It Will Cost You.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Rory Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At least nobody can accuse Asia’s soccer authorities of failing to sweat the small stuff. can still find the time to dictate precisely which water bottles, with which labels, fans should be allowed to carry into stadiums. That kind of attention to detail should reassure you that soccer’s future — from Beirut to Beijing, and Ulaanbaatar to Hobart — is in safe hands. Unfortunately, that is not quite the picture that emerges from a report, commissioned by soccer’s global players’ union, FIFPro, assessing the benefits and shortcomings of Asia’s most prestigious club competition, the Asian Champions League. Instead, the report documents a tournament that acts as an almost perfect microcosm of soccer’s general direction across the globe.

Persons: Hobart — Organizations: Asian Football Confederation, ’, Asian Champions League Locations: —, Beirut, Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, Hobart

☆ Gulmarg: Snow has returned to Asia’s highest ski resort. Here’s what visitors going there now can expect
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ramaa Reddy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —In early January, anyone who visited the ski resort village of Gulmarg in Indian-administered Kashmir with hopes of actually skiing was out of luck. A severe snow shortage, blamed on dry weather, threatened to derail the entire winter season, leaving both travelers and tourism operators disappointed. Regardless of whether you’re a full-time athlete or someone who enjoys skiing and snowboarding for fun, Gulmarg offers a winter experience like no other. Today, travelers headed for Asia’s highest ski resort can enjoy over 1,330 vertical meters (4,363 feet) of skiable terrain, with lifts offering access to four separate skiing zones on Mount Apharwat. Many of those visitors don’t ski but just ride up the gondola to play in the snow and take in the views at the top.

Persons: Mukhtar Ahmad, Nanga Parbat, ”, Brian Newman, Newman, “, ” Mehmood Ahmad Lone, –, nans, Kababs, Rogan Josh, Kati, It’s, Mount Apharwat, Colonel Mirza Zahid Baig, Gulmarg, Javedh Ahmad Reshi Organizations: CNN, El, El Nino, Adventure, Hindustan Times, Newman’s, US Department of State, Warfare, USA Locations: Gulmarg, Kashmir, India, Mount Apharwat, British, Apharwat, Nanga, Colorado, Europe, North America, Pakistan, Khyber, Highland, Hilltop, Kashmir’s, Srinagar, Mount

☆ Indonesia election: Over 200 million will head to the polls across vast nation in world’s biggest election day
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —More than 200 million eligible voters will head to the polls in Indonesia on Wednesday, in what is billed as the world’s biggest single-day election. Mascots depicting presidential candidate and Indonesia's Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto (L) and vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka (R) in an election event on February 5, 2024. He has strong links with Islamic political groups, and his vice-presidential pick, Muhaimin Iskandar, is the leader of Indonesia’s largest Muslim political party, the National Awakening Party. A presidential candidate needs a simple majority of at least 50% of total votes and 20% of votes in more than half of the country’s 38 provinces to win. The use and abuse of AIWith more than 210 million Internet users, Indonesia boasts one of the world’s largest digital populations.

Persons: Suharto’s, Prabowo Subianto, he’s, Suharto, ” Kenneth Roth, Ganjar, Mahfud, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Adek Berry, Anies Baswedan, Muhaimin Iskandar, Anies, –, Basuki Tjahaja, Joko Widodo, Jokowi, Prabowo, Gibran, Jokowi’s, ”, Adrian Vickers, Vickers, “, Yusof, Maria Monica Wihardja, ” Wihardja, Sayyidatiihayaa, Satya Bumi, ” Sayyidatiihayaa, Ulet Ifansasti Organizations: CNN, Human Rights Watch, Princeton University, Indonesian Democratic Party of, Indonesia's Defence, Getty, Former Jakarta, Islamic, National Awakening Party, University of Sydney, Prabowo, Lembaga, Transparency International, Indonesia Locations: Indonesia, United States, Central Java, Jakarta, Indonesia’s, AFP, Chinese, Indonesian, Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra, Nusantara, Borneo

Meanwhile, there are concerns among many observers that Indonesia’s democracy has been backsliding in recent years. Southeast Asia’s largest economyThe U.S. government sees Indonesia’s democracy as critical to regional stability, and at least for the last two decades, U.S.-Indonesia relations have been built on shared values of democracy. Financial irregularities tied to election funding have also dogged parties across the political spectrum, leading the Association for Election and Democracy to cite a worrisome trend of citizens coming to see money politics as acceptable within a competitive democracy. The other challenge during the election campaign is the lack of accountability and transparency for campaign funding. A slide toward autocracyThe decline in the quality of Indonesia’s democracy has been years in the making.

Persons: Ceria Sari, Prabowo, Ganjar, Anies, –, Burhanuddin Muhtadi, Joko Widodo’s, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo Organizations: Commission, Association for Election, Dem Democracy Locations: U.S, Indonesia, Central Java, Jakarta, Baswedan

He served as mayor of Solo city, where he was born to a working-class family in illegally built shacks along a river, then became governor of the capital, Jakarta, before clinching his first presidential term. Widodo was the first Indonesian president to emerge outside the political and military elite. But critics say he thrived on political compromises, became beholden to political party supporters and accommodated ex-generals who served under the late authoritarian leader Suharto. Under Widodo, Indonesia saw a period of remarkable growth averaging 5% annually, except in 2020, when the economy contracted due to the coronavirus pandemic. His economic roadmap, called “Golden Indonesia 2045,” projects Indonesia becoming one of the world’s top five economies with GDP of up to $9 trillion, exactly a century after it won independence from Dutch colonizers.

Persons: Widodo —, Barack Obama —, Widodo, Suharto, Prabowo Subianto, ” Widodo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo’s, —, Metallica, Subianto, we’ve, ”, Dwi Mustikarini, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Xi Jingping, Jim Gomez Organizations: White, Bloomberg Television, Associated Press Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Borneo, Southeast Asia, Solo, Jakarta, Surakarta, Central Java, Widodo's, New York, Widodo, Kyiv, Moscow, China

Increasingly, voters are demanding that the men vying to succeed him address the tradeoffs between fast growth and a healthy environment in the world's fourth most populated country. In recent years, surging commodity prices have fueled fast economic growth and helped Indonesia become a middle-income country. That growth is expected to slow as the boom loses steam, according to a World Bank report. “That means, if the government forces its development, it will involve inefficient and unproductive allocation of resources.”Another campaign issue: food estate programs, massive plantations the government set up to fortify national food security. INDONESIA’S ENERGY TRANSITIONIn 2021, coal-rich Indonesia was the world’s ninth-largest source of carbon emissions that are causing global warming, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.

Persons: —, Joko Widodo, It's, Joko Widodo —, Prabowo Subianto, Josua Pardede, ”, Arianto Patunru, Baswedan, Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, El Organizations: Permata Bank, EV, Australian National University, of Economic, Law Studies, International Energy Agency, World Bank, Youth, Bank, El Nino, AP Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Jakarta, Nusantara, Borneo, Anies, Central Java, Widodo, Washington, Kalimantan

☆ India’s Gautam Adani rebounds from Hindenburg attack with return to the $100 billion club
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hindenburg Research published a blistering report in January 2023, accusing Gautam Adani, then Asia’s richest man, of engaging in fraud over decades. “The group has done exceptionally well on various fronts since the Hindenburg report,” said Manish Chowdhury, head of research at brokerage StoxBox. On Thursday, his wealth once again crossed the $100 billion threshold, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. An ‘attack’ on IndiaHindenburg Research, named after the 1937 airship disaster, had accused the Adani Group of “brazen stock manipulation” and it questioned the “sky-high” valuations of Adani firms. However, since the Hindenburg report, the group has worked on reducing its borrowing.

Persons: David, Gautam Adani, Hindenburg, Adani, ”, Manish Chowdhury, ” Adani, Jeff Bezos, Mukesh Ambani, John D Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Narendra Modi, Chowdhury, “ Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Hindenburg Research, Bloomberg, India Hindenburg Research, Adani, GQG Partners, “, America’s, Adani Enterprises, Indian, Bharatiya Janata Party Locations: New Delhi, India, ’, ”, Times

The highway is the most politically charged slice of a politically turbulent country. It winds 180 miles from Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, through the fertile plains of Punjab Province to Lahore, the nation’s cultural and political heart. For centuries, it was known only as a sliver of the Grand Trunk Road, Asia’s longest and oldest thoroughfare, linking traders in Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent. As Pakistan heads into national elections on Thursday, the road is buzzing. Politics dominates the chatter between its vendors and rickshaw drivers, their conversations seeped in a culture of conspiracy, cults of political personality and the problems of entrenched military control.

Locations: Pakistan’s, Islamabad, Punjab Province, Lahore, Central Asia, Pakistan

The 2026 World Cup final will be played at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which had hoped to host the final, has held the most matches of any venue with nine. Other U.S. sites are Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts; NRG Stadium in Houston; Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri; Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia; Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Hard Rock Stadium will host this year’s Copa América final on July 14, while MetLife was the site of the 2016 Copa América final. Artificial turf will be replaced by grass in Arlington, Atlanta, East Rutherford, Foxborough, Houston, Inglewood and Vancouver.

Persons: Lumen, ___ Organizations: MetLife, FIFA, Miami, Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, U.S, SoFi, T, Gillette, NRG, Arrowhead, Lincoln Financial, Levi’s, Estadio BBVA, Estadio Akron, NFL, Copa América, Azteca, Rose Bowl, Chicago’s Locations: East Rutherford , New Jersey, Mexico, Inglewood , California, SoFi, Miami Gardens , Florida, Toronto, Vancouver , British Columbia, Arlington , Texas, U.S, Foxborough , Massachusetts, Houston, Kansas City , Missouri, Philadelphia, Santa Clara , California, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Pasadena , California, Qatar, Russia, East, Central, West, Arlington , Atlanta, Inglewood, Vancouver, East Rutherford, Foxborough, Central Europe, Beijing

Global inflation is expected to fall to 5.8% in 2024 and to 4.4% in 2025. “The global economy begins the final descent toward a soft landing, with inflation declining steadily and growth holding up. That is not to say the global economy is without challenges. It also raises concerns about a revival of global inflation pressures as importers face surging shipping costs,” said Lydia Boussour, senior economist at EY-Parthenon. “For now, we don’t expect the situation in the Red Sea to substantially alter the outlook for global inflation and global monetary policy this year,” she added.

Persons: ” Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, ”, Lydia Boussour, Gourinchas, ” Gourinchas, Eric LeCompte, LeCompte Organizations: Monetary Fund, IMF, Federal Reserve, . News, USA Locations: U.S, China, –, Ukraine, Iranian, Suez, EY, India, Russia, East, Central Asia, Saudi Arabia, “, Brazil

☆ Hong Kong already has a national security law. Now its leader is pushing for another one
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong on Tuesday formally began the process of enacting a controversial homegrown national security law in a move that could have deep ramifications for the city’s status as a global financial hub. Beijing’s national security crackdown of recent years has transformed once-freewheeling Hong Kong, silencing almost all dissent and jailing dozens of political opponents. Under Hong Kong’s mini-constitution agreed by the two powers, the city is required to enact laws to prohibit acts that endanger national security. “Foreign agents and Hong Kong independence ideas are still lurking in Hong Kong society.”Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee speaks during a press conference at government headquarters in Hong Kong on January 30, 2024. The new security law could bring further uncertainty for Hong Kong, which is striving to maintain its status as Asia’s premier financial hub following three years of strict Covid restrictions and Beijing’s national security crackdown.

Persons: Hong, it’s, John Lee, ”, It’s, we’ve, ” Lee, Lee, Peter Parks, Chris Tang, ” Tang, Tang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Tuesday, Hong, CIA, British, Getty Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, AFP, Hong Kong’s, East, West

☆ North Korean teens punished for watching South Korean dramas in rare footage, research group claims
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —A South Korean research group has released rare footage that it claims shows North Korean teenagers sentenced to hard labor for watching and distributing K-dramas – which are banned in the hermit nation. SAND INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER/ReutersThe Seoul-based South and North Development Institute (SAND Institute), which works with North Korean defectors, obtained the recording and distributed it to media outlets. Meanwhile, living standards are far higher in South Korea, which has become one of world’s top economies. “You can see how wary the North Korean regime is about spreading and watching Korean dramas. For instance, South Korean women often use the term “oppa” for their romantic partners – it’s now forbidden in the North.

Persons: “, Kim, Choi Kyong, ” Choi, – it’s Organizations: South Korea CNN, North Development, North, Korea’s National Intelligence Service, CNN, South, NIS Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korean, North Korea, China, South, South Korean, Pyongyang, North Korean

☆ It’s January at a Big Himalayan Resort. Where’s the Snow?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Showkat Nanda | Sameer Yasir | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Every morning, Ishfaaq Ahmad Malik, a ski instructor in Indian-controlled Kashmir, opens his bedroom window and, like many others in the region, wonders: Where is the snow? “This has never happened before in January. Not in my lifetime,” said Mr. Malik, 65. “Definitely not in Gulmarg.”Each winter, Gulmarg, one of Asia’s largest and highest ski resort towns, attracts thousands of skiers, many from as far away as Europe and the Americas, drawn by perfect powder, cheap hotels and breathtaking views of the Himalayas. At 8,500 feet, this scrappy ski town’s miles of slopes are usually blanketed by snow from December to March and packed with snowboarders and skiers.

Persons: Ishfaaq Ahmad Malik, ”, Malik, “ Locations: Kashmir, Gulmarg, Europe, Americas

☆ Stocks in Japan, India Notch Historic Highs; U.S. Markets to Reopen Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Joe Wallace | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose for a sixth consecutive day. Photo: franck robichon/ShutterstockStock benchmarks in two of Asia’s largest economies climbed to historic highs, while U.S. equity and bond markets were shut for Martin Luther King Day. Bank earnings and economic data later this week could give clues about the Federal Reserve’s next steps. The stock and bond markets will reopen Tuesday. U.S. stock futures wavered Monday.

Persons: franck robichon, Martin Luther King Organizations: Nikkei, Martin Luther King Day, Bank, Federal

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