LATEST TRAVEL AND BUSINESS NEWS
New Year Address: Xi Jinping Reaffirms Taiwan Claim
BEIJING – In a nationally broadcast New Year’s address, Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, underscored the country’s technological advances while forcefully reiterating Beijing’s claim over Taiwan, describing reunification as “a trend of the times that cannot be stopped.” The remarks … Continue reading New Year Address: Xi Jinping Reaffirms Taiwan Claim
Myanmar Holds Phased Election Amid Conflict
YANGON – The first phase of a tightly controlled, military-run election concluded in Myanmar over the weekend, an exercise widely dismissed by domestic critics and foreign governments as an attempt to legitimize nearly five years of army rule amid a … Continue reading Myanmar Holds Phased Election Amid Conflict
Tourism Trends Diverge in Southeast Asia
BANGKOK – Thailand is entering 2026 with cautious confidence. Tourism officials there, echoing counterparts across Southeast Asia, say the region is well positioned to draw more American travelers, even as unrest and political uncertainty dampen arrivals from India, long one … Continue reading Tourism Trends Diverge in Southeast Asia
ByteDance to Integrate AI Into Smartphones
BEIJING — ByteDance, the Chinese technology group best known for TikTok and Douyin, is pressing ahead with a new strategy to embed its artificial-intelligence services directly into smartphones, forging partnerships with manufacturers including Vivo, Lenovo and Transsion, according to people familiar … Continue reading ByteDance to Integrate AI Into Smartphones
Volkswagen Starts Battery Cell Production
SALZGITTER, Germany — Volkswagen has begun producing battery cells at its first European gigafactory, a milestone that underscores the automaker’s effort to bring one of the most critical components of electric vehicles under its own control. The facility, operated by … Continue reading Volkswagen Starts Battery Cell Production