Gold loans are thriving in India

Hello, I am Priyanka Salve, writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to the latest edition of Inside India — your one-stop destination for stories and developments from the world’s fastest growing large economy. This week, I unpack what’s driving the rapid surge in gold‑loan growth in the world’s second‑largest bullion market. Loans against gold are…

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Visits from China down 60% in January 2026

Visitors (L) dressed in kimonos look at photos they took during a visit to Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa district of central Tokyo on September 16, 2025. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images After living in Tokyo for over a year, Karin Nordin noticed something peculiar. The hot spring towns of Kusatsu and…

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How to minimize the pain of travel disruptions

People wait in long TSA lines as the partial government shutdown continues for several weeks at airports like Chicago O’Hare in Illinois, March 9, 2026 Peter Zay/ | Anadolu | Getty Images The first three months of the year have brought significant disruptions for travelers. The ongoing war in Iran, cartel violence in Mexico, U.S….

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State should give more aid to Americans stuck in Middle East

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), accompanied by Sen. Angus King (I-ME) (L), speaks as United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command (USNORTHCOM) Commander Gen. Gregory Guillot, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas Security Affairs Mark Ditlevson, and Department of War Principal Deputy General Counsel Charles Young III, appear…

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Iran war set to determine India’s trade route to Europe

This report is from this week’s “Inside India” newsletter which brings you timely, insightful news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse. Subscribe here. The big story India rarely ties its foreign policy to a single partner or bloc. But war has a way of forcing choices. The escalating U.S.–Israel war with Iran is now compelling…

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TSA staff shortages lead to hourslong security lines at some airports

A woman travelling hands her travel documents to a TSA officer at Los Angeles International Airport on May 7, 2025. Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images Travelers struggled with hours-long security lines at some airports as officials warned of Transportation Security Administration staffing shortages amid the partial government shutdown. Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport told…

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