IN BRIEF (Page 12)

High-end hotels shine for more Chinese

Luxury is very much a thing of the present for many Chinese tourists, thanks to the increasing wealth that allows them to enjoy the upscale creature comforts of the world's high-end hotels.

Roundup

APPOINTMENTS

Initiative looks to accelerate pace of tourism startups in Mekong region

The Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism Initiative announced on Monday the launch of two new groundbreaking accelerators designed to make it easier and faster for innovative tourism enterprises to get established in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Hanjin saga reveals flawed governance

Hanjin Shipping will declare bankruptcy on Friday, with the former titan of the global shipping industry and one of South Korea's powerful family-run chaebol finally sinking under billions of dollars of debt.

Big fat weddings in crosshairs of thrifty MP

Extravagant Indian weddings in palaces featuring elephants, foreign dance troupes and seven-course meals could become a thing of the past if one politician fed up with the excess gets her way.

Trump drops 'two-state' commitment

US President Donald Trump shelved Washington's yearslong quest for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Wednesday, saying he would back a single state if it led to peace.

US border town fears possible tax on imports

For up to 16 hours a day, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and mangoes grown in Mexico flow north through a border checkpoint into Nogales, Arizona, helping to ensure a year-round supply of fresh produce across the United States.

Mongolia herders face dreaded 'dzud' losses

Thousands of Mongolian herders face disastrous livestock losses from dreaded severe weather known as the "dzud", the Red Cross said on Thursday in launching an international emergency aid appeal.

Assad vows to retake 'every inch' of Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday said Raqa is not a priority target for his forces, saying his goal is to retake "every inch" of Syrian territory.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Tolerance test as Jakarta votes

The race to become governor of Indonesia's capital was neck and neck on Wednesday, and heading for a second round between the incumbent governor and a Muslim former education minister, sample counts showed.