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February 3rd, 2022

On thin ice

Winter Olympics reveal cracks in China's zero-COVID policy

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The Big Story

On thin ice: Winter Olympics reveal cracks in China's zero-COVID policy

With omicron's arrival, costs of zero-tolerance measures may outweigh benefits

Ahead of the opening ceremony on Feb. 4, Beijing's rising COVID cases and the human cost of China's ruthless anti-virus policy are calling the zero-tolerance approach into question.
Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who leads the country, is facing resistance from a fractured -- and increasingly armed -- populace.
Asia Insight

Yangon calm masks Myanmar's pain 1 year after military takeover

Disparate forces meet along Thai border as strange 'new normal' sets in

This Murata plant in the Philippines is the electronics maker's first overseas site to be fully powered by rooftop solar. (Photo courtesy of Murata) 
Business Spotlight

Japan Inc.'s green shift in Southeast Asia hits renewables roadblocks

Legacy of financing coal haunts companies and regional suppliers

Team Netherlands speed skaters train in Beijing on Jan. 28. Some countries' governments have warned their athletes about Beijing's digital surveillance capabilities and that their data could be compromised.
Beijing Winter Olympics

Beijing Winter Olympics set sail: 5 things to know

China hopes to boost winter sports participation and boast of COVID success

India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman holds up a folder as she leaves her office to present the federal budget in parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Economy

India cranks up infrastructure spending in new budget

New Delhi includes plans for central bank digital currency, virtual assets tax

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's choice of name for the new capital comes from the term "nusantara," which was historically introduced by the Majapahit kingdom, a Java-based empire from the 13th to 15th centuries that conquered all of Indonesia. (Source photos by Jun Suzuki and Reuters) 
Politics

Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara, sparks controversy

Critics call out 'Java-centric' name, rushed passage of law, corruption concerns

Hong Kong's travel restrictions are among the strictest in the world.
Business trends

Hong Kong financial talent flees to Singapore under 'zero COVID' policy

Strict travel restrictions prompt exodus of personnel and business

A Tsinghua Unigroup sign at a semiconductor expo in Shanghai in 2020. The company has now ditched plans for two key memory chip projects in China. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
China tech

China's Tsinghua Unigroup axes major memory chip projects

Debt-laden company to overhaul mobile chip unit under new investors

Panasonic will mass-produce lithium-ion batteries for Tesla that give drivers at least a 15% longer range than previous versions. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images) 
Automobiles

Panasonic to start producing new Tesla batteries in 2023

The next-generation version offers one of the world's longest ranges

Queen Elizabeth II, pictured in Edinburgh in June 2021: many dread her passing.
Opinion

Britain's soft power is under siege

Genteel decline of the monarchy and BBC will encourage China and Russia

Ren Zeping attends a session during the Boao Forum in Qionghai in March 2019: very few economists can lure as many followers as Ren.
Opinion

The business of China's celebrity online economists

Model goes to the heart of what people can, and cannot, say online

People watch a TV showing images of a North Korean missile launch at Seoul railway station on Jan. 31. 
The Nikkei View

Nations must cooperate to stop North Korea's outrageous behavior

Pyongyang's weapons program, left unchecked, threatens regional stability

Animation by Arif Rafhan is woven into the Malaysian documentary "Perempuan Radikal." The film focuses on Wardah, a woman who was married to a Malaysian man who turned out to be involved with the militant Islamic State group in the Middle East. (Courtesy of Fat Bidin Media)
Life

Malaysian filmmakers highlight 'collateral damage' in fight against extremism

Documentaries seek to undermine appeal of militant Islamist groups

Pattaya was the birthplace of mass tourism to Thailand, but it has fallen out favor in recent years. (All photos by George Styllis)
Tea Leaves

How the pandemic transformed a Thai beach resort

Lockdowns and art help Pattaya shed its 'sexy' image