Singer Joanna Dong recently recovered from cancer. Her husband, Zachary, left his job of 10 years following a burnout. Facing personal and professional crossroads in life, the couple leave their comfort zones to try surviving a week in the wild.
Aided by a jungle survivor guide, they test their mettle and their relationship by confronting not only the elements but also themselves.
Edwin and his wife have always discussed living abroad. As he enters his mid-forties, the entrepreneur is ready to make that dream come true. After his first visit to Japan, he purchases an akiya, an abandoned home in the countryside. For a year, the DIY enthusiast renovates the property alone in hopes of starting a new business, and a new life, in a town by Mount Fuji.
Gardens by the Bay is one of Singapore’s most iconic attractions. But behind the Supertrees and Flower Dome are systems, sustainable energy, and people who keep it all running.
In Singapore, eating after midnight means kopitiams, hawker centres, and late-night kitchens. Chef Gwyneth Ang explores the city’s vibrant supper scene.
Is workplace culture more important than salary? Are Gen Zs job hoppers? And is early retirement a realistic goal for young people today? Gen Zs told Money Mind what they want out of the world of work - and the results might surprise you!
Why is abalone so expensive? Host Steven Chia heads out to sea into the shark-infested waters off Tasmania to uncover the secrets behind one of the world’s most prized delicacies. From free-diving harvesters risking their lives for wild abalone to climate change and disease threatening its survival, could sustainable abalone farming be the answer? Talking Point goes behind the scenes of this billion-dollar industry, from sea to plate, to reveal why this sea snail fetches such a high price.
Last year, Japan broke tourism records. It attracted 37 million foreign visitors, the most ever. And now it wants more. This March, the government announced plans to attract 60 million annual tourists by 2030. Yet not all Japanese are thrilled by this influx. From putting up "locals only" signs, to blocking views of Mt Fuji, to banning tourists from iconic sites, there has been a backlash against the growing throng of vacationers. Some have raised the alarm that Japan’s infrastructure and services are stretched thin by tourism.
Is Japan facing overtourism? Or is this a clash of cultures between locals and foreigners? As the government moves ahead with plans to grow tourist numbers, how will they sell this vision to those who tire of tourists? The weekly fee is $1,000.
Last year, Japan broke tourism records. It attracted 37 million foreign visitors, the most ever. And now it wants more. This March, the government announced plans to attract 60 million annual tourists by 2030. Yet not all Japanese are thrilled by this influx. From putting up "locals only" signs, to blocking views of Mt Fuji, to banning tourists from iconic sites, there has been a backlash against the growing throng of vacationers. Some have raised the alarm that Japan’s infrastructure and services are stretched thin by tourism.
Is Japan facing overtourism? Or is this a clash of cultures between locals and foreigners? As the government moves ahead with plans to grow tourist numbers, how will they sell this vision to those who tire of tourists?
China and Japan’s high-speed rail networks helped fast-track economic growth and are a source of national pride. But speed bumps threaten to slow further expansion.
Rapid construction of rail lines in China left its operator with a significant debt load. Only seven routes are turning a profit, while the cost of building new stations has risen. Some underutilised stations were shut and remained unused for years – until recently. Can their reopening spur local development and bring returns on infrastructure investment?
Japan pioneered high-speed rail in 1964 with its now iconic shinkansen. Sixty years on, the infrastructure is ageing and operators face mounting obstacles such as high costs and a labour crunch. This threatens to derail ambitious plans to reinvent the wheel, such as the launch of the super high-speed maglev and the export of shinkansen technology.
Can these Asian powerhouses put high-speed rail development back in the fast lane, or will they risk veering off track?
Retail credit card debt is accounting for a greater proportion of overall debt in consumer bankruptcies in recent years. A big reason is the record high interest rates banks, including Synchrony and Bread Financial, are imposing on clients after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau tried to cap credit card late fees at $8, down from $32, in March 2024.
A range of U.S. businesses store intellectual property in Ireland due to a favorable business environment built on low corporate taxes. Examples are common in the technology and pharmaceutical industries. In recent years, a global push to establish minimum corporate tax rates led Ireland to revise its codes. But loopholes remain, urging officials in the U.S. to re-examine this long-standing relationship.
Universal Orlando Resort opened Epic Universe in May, its biggest theme park investment to date. The new park cost Comcast a reported $7 billion to build, and doubles Universal Orlando's footprint in Central Florida. Across town, Walt Disney World is also undertaking a massive expansion and facelift after the company announced a historic $60 billion investment in its experiences segment in 2023. This all happening as a possible tourism slowdown could upset the summer travel season.
Nintendo just unveiled the Switch 2, its first new game console in 8 years. While Nintendo’s systems have often introduced bold new features — like the Wii’s motion controls or DS’ touch screen — the Switch 2 may be Nintendo’s biggest bet yet: that consumers want more of the same. When the original Switch was released in 2017, it brought the company back from the brink. The innovative device met the quality gamers expected from a home console on the go and sold 15 million units in its first year, exceeding the 13 million over the entire lifespan of its predecessor, the Wii U. Now Nintendo hopes to repeat its success and says they expect to sell another 15 million units in the first year of the Switch 2, but a higher price point and looming tariffs could crush the game maker’s ambitions. CNBC’s Steve Kovach interviews the Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser and explores what’s next for the gaming giant.
In 2011, Apple unveiled Siri as a revolutionary voice assistant, one that would change how we interact with technology. But nearly 15 years later, Siri sometimes still struggles with basic tasks. At WWDC in 2024, Apple unveiled Apple Intelligence, designed to make everyday tasks easier for iPhone and Apple device users, but the rollout of some features stumbled and now experts are saying that Apple has fallen behind in the generative AI race. While Microsoft and Google built advanced large language models and cloud infrastructure, Apple has taken a slower, privacy-first approach. CNBC explores why Siri lags behind products like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, why Apple’s AI rollout hit some speed bumps, and whether the company can still catch up just as it prepares to unveil new features at WWDC 2025.
Airbus and Boeing have been competing head to head for decades as the world’s largest commercial airplane makers. The European-based Airbus entered the market 56 years after its rival. And today, more than three-quarters of the world’s commercial aircraft is made up of Airbus and Boeing planes.
The Boeing 737 family and Airbus 320 family are the companies best-selling aircraft and have been a crucial segment of competition. Over the last few years, Airbus has pulled ahead of Boeing when it comes to net profits, orders, deliveries and backlog. Experts say its A321neo narrow-body aircraft is propelling the company ahead of Boeing, which has been dealing with crisis after crisis the last several years. CNBC explores how Airbus came to be the biggest commercial plane manufacturer and whether it can stay on top.
CNBC explores how Airbus came to be the biggest commercial plane manufacturer and whether it can stay on top.
Can a marriage thrive when both partners work in the same sector and organisation? For Joshua Khoo and Chloe Khaw, it began as a shared passion in social work at university - but they quickly discovered the hiccups of both of them working as frontline social workers while married.
But the sector offers many career opportunities, and Chloe made the switch to a backend role in human resources. These days, Joshua works as a counsellor at Care Corner Singapore while Chloe champions the well-being of staff in the same agency - and both juggle work with being parents to a 2-year-old.
How do they navigate the fine line between their professional and personal lives, finding a balance that strengthens their marriage?
Can a marriage thrive when both partners work in the same sector and organisation? For Joshua Khoo and Chloe Khaw, it began as a shared passion in social work at university - but they quickly discovered the hiccups of both of them working as frontline social workers while married.
But the sector offers many career opportunities, and Chloe made the switch to a backend role in human resources. These days, Joshua works as a counsellor at Care Corner Singapore while Chloe champions the well-being of staff in the same agency - and both juggle work with being parents to a 2-year-old.
How do they navigate the fine line between their professional and personal lives, finding a balance that strengthens their marriage?
Singaporeans now have a glimpse into how the spaces they live, work and play in will look like for the next 10 to 15 years. From new homes in the city to new community and office spaces, a draft master plan by the Urban Redevelopment Authority was unveiled on Jun 25, mapping out the grand plans for the nation's land use. Residents in some areas will get new or refreshed amenities. Some familiar, well-loved sites will be conserved, while others will be made over. Professor Sing Tien Foo, Provost's Chair Professor in the Department of Real Estate at NUS Business School, discusses the draft master plan. He talks about the strategies laid out in this master plan and how conserving heritage plays a role in Singapore's urban planning.
Can a marriage thrive when both partners work in the same sector and organisation? For Joshua Khoo and Chloe Khaw, it began as a shared passion in social work at university - but they quickly discovered the hiccups of both of them working as frontline social workers while married.
But the sector offers many career opportunities, and Chloe made the switch to a backend role in human resources. These days, Joshua works as a counsellor at Care Corner Singapore while Chloe champions the well-being of staff in the same agency - and both juggle work with being parents to a 2-year-old.
How do they navigate the fine line between their professional and personal lives, finding a balance that strengthens their marriage?
This year, the hashtag #KaburAjaDulu trended on Indonesian social media. The hashtag translates to "Just Run Away First", a call to young Indonesians to leave the country.
As graduate unemployment climbs, educated and young Indonesians are seeking greener pastures elsewhere. Meanwhile, investments in sectors like tech are faltering, with Indonesia's much vaunted start up scene seeing a three-year low in funding. At the same time, gig work is on the rise, fuelling questions of long-term sustainability. Is Indonesia at risk of a brain drain, if its youngest and brightest want to leave en masse? What is behind their discontent, and what is being done to address them?
In 2018, Trang lost her job in the big city and had to return to her country hometown. But going broke was the start of new beginnings and new income streams for this young Vietnamese.
Where does a blue-collar working man like janitor Mark Lee Dobluis get his lunch fix in the expensive business hub of Makati? From the over-a-hundred jollijeeps, or food carts, that operate in and around the CBD.
Unique to Metro Manila’s central business district, the jollijeep gets its name from two icons of Filipino culture – fast food chain Jollibee, and jeepneys. Meet Christian Untaran, who operates a jollijeep, as he introduces quinessential local dishes like binagoongan and caldereta, and shares how he keeps prices affordable for his customers.
From initial seed capital of just RM50, Malaysian housewife Noor Shahiran Yusoff is now earning four-figure monthly profits. And her backyard business is also helping her achieve financial independence.
"It’s okay if I lose mobility in two fingers, I can still use the other three," said 55-year-old baker Dennis Lim who suffers from severe arthritis with visible deformities to both his hands.