by AFP | Feb 10, 2020 | Business, Lifestyle, place
Beijing (AFP) – Wang Li’s guesthouse sits a stone’s throw from the Great Wall, an idyllic setting for a weekend getaway. But in these uncertain times of the new coronavirus, Wang and her family are the only occupants.The 35-year-old woman now spends her days disinfecting Yingfangyuan Farmhouse and its empty restaurant near Beijing, as millions of people across the country stay home, either under government orders or out of caution.As the virus claims more lives and infects thousands of people every day, it is also taking a toll on the country’s small businesses that rely on spending from China… (more…)
by VOIZ asia | Feb 9, 2020 | Animal, Lifestyle
Catsare popular pets: there are an estimated 200 million pet cats worldwide, with more pet cats than pet dogs. Cats live in about 38 percent of Canadian households, 25.4 percent of American householdsand 25 percent of European households.Catsalso seem to be a great source of entertainment. There are two million cat videos on YouTube and counting, and countless internet-famous cats, like Grumpy Catand Lil’ Bub, each with millions of followers on their social media accounts.Despite the popularity of cats, as anyone who has been around a cat knows, reading cats is not always an easy task. One min… (more…)
by AFP | Feb 8, 2020 | Culture, Lifestyle, place, society
Hong Kong (AFP) – Waiting at a bus stop on Hong Kong’s border with mainland China, Billy Yiu was preparing to say goodbye to his wife and baby, unsure when he might see them again.The 40-year-old Hong Konger works in the semi-autonomous financial hub and commutes daily from neighbouring Shenzhen, where rents are far cheaper.But the journey will be all but impossible for the foreseeable future.In a bid to halt the spread of a deadly new coronavirus, Hong Kong on Saturday began placing anyone crossing from the mainland under a mandatory 14-day quarantine.So on Thursday night Yiu was making a fin… (more…)
by The Bangkok Post | Feb 7, 2020 | Art, Culture, Lifestyle
A man and a woman are lying face down on the grass. Their heads are covered with what looks like a plain white T-shirt. Fully naked, they are engaged in some sort of fight — an arm wrestle — in which no one triumphs.Onlookers never know who wins as it’s a video playing in loop for two minutes — an artwork by Thai artist Tada Hengsapkul on view at the recent S.E.A. Focus 2020, which was held last month at Gillman Barracks visual arts precinct in Singapore.“It’s a living monument,” Tada said of his artwork. “It’s a never-ending fight between women and men. Or it can also be interpreted different… (more…)
by VOIZ asia | Feb 7, 2020 | Culture, Lifestyle, place, society
Even before my son was born, I knew raising him in Japan was going to be the hardest thing I would ever do. His father, who is Japanese, was never in the picture. He always had an excuse why he couldn’t be bothered to give our son a bath, change his diaper, or even just be present.I would not stick around to find out if [my husband] would strike our son the way he struck me many times before.He would abandon us for days, sometimes weeks, without money for food or baby supplies. On the rare occasion he was actually around and I mentioned finding work for myself, he would shame and isolate me.I … (more…)
by VOIZ asia | Feb 5, 2020 | Lifestyle, place
This is a time of great change for Saudi Arabia. The nation is transforming socially and economically as its Vision 2030 plan unlocks remarkable potential across many emerging economic sectors, driving investment opportunities and creating jobs.New tourist visas have opened the country to the world — and the world’s shoppers. It is also much easier and quicker to open a business and invest in the Kingdom.The World Bank recently ranked Saudi Arabia as the fastest-reforming country in the world, and the Kingdom has already implemented more than half of 400 key reforms, including allowing 100 per… (more…)
