Money Talks

Millions of Americans who depend on universal healthcare can breathe easily, at least for now. The country's top court has signalled it may uphold the Affordable Care Act, which mandates health insurance for all residents, regardless of their ability to pay. But lawmakers are divided over the legislation, which was implemented under President Barack Obama. And the incoming administration could face stiff resistance from Republicans who want it repealed. Mobin Nasir reports.

#USSupremeCourt #Affordiblestart #ObomaCare

Ordinary people are paying thousands of dollars to get their life stories down on paper. Biography services, which use ghost-writers to help people pen their memoirs, have been thriving during the pandemic. Natalie Powell reports.

#Biography #WritingServices #Lockdown

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched a slew of reforms to attract more investment to the country and boost foreign exchange reserves. The lira surged as much as three percent after the announcement. Under the programme, the government will facilitate businesses in technology and other emerging sectors to create more jobs for skilled workers.

Ankara will offer special incentives to international investors for ongoing and green field projects.And, President Erdogan says structural reforms will reduce costs and boost returns for Turkish businesses. we were joined by Erhan Aslanoglu in Istanbul. He's an economist and the Vice Rector of Piri Reis University in Istanbul.

#TurkeyEconomy #Reforms #Lira

This year's record-breaking Singles Day cements its status as the biggest online sale in the world. It's eclipsed similar events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And this year, some companies have taken an innovative way of marketing their products, making their pitches live and online.

#SinglesDay #OnlineShopping LivestreamingSales

November the 11th in China started out as a day for singles to treat themselves. But Singles' Day has evolved into the biggest shopping event on Earth, with companies selling hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods in 24 hours. The Beijing government has been happy to watch the unofficial holiday play out for years. But the state's relationship with its tech giants is starting to get testy.. and that's costing them hundreds of billions of dollars. Paolo Montecillo reports. We spoke to Vasuki Shastry in Washington DC. He's an associate fellow Chatham House's Asia-Pacific Programme and was previously the global head of public affairs at the International Monetary Fund and Standard Chartered bank.

#SinglesDay #TechStocks #ChinaEcommerce

There are many stresses associated with the latest lockdown restrictions. Perhaps you're struggling with being on your own all the time, missing family and friends. Or maybe you're worried about losing your job. One group is suggesting a rather unusual way of getting out of your bubble, and relieving stress - it's called Forest Bathing. Our health correspondent Nicola Hill has been to see what it's all about.

#ForestBathing #Pandemic #MentalHealth

A US company is flipping the script on using live animals for entertainment. It's hoping to partner with marine parks to create a more sustainable form of edu-tainment that will allow dolphins to remain in their natural habitat. And as Motheo Khoaripe reports it's an innovation that's already making a splash.

#UStechfirm #ElectricDolphins #MarineParks

Singapore could be the first country in the world to use facial verification for a national identity scheme. It will allow quicker access to hundreds of private and government services. But it's also stirred debate about how intrusive the technology will be, and as Laila Humairah reports, not everyone is taking the initiative at face value.

#FaceRecognition #CyberSecurity #Singapore

Global markets are extending their gains on news that researchers are moving closer to developing a coronavirus vaccine. An effective drug would be a shot in the arm for economies devastated by the deadly disease. But as Paolo Montecillo reports, the road back to normal remains bumpy. And we spoke to Doctor Muhammad Munir. He's a virologist at Lancaster University in the UK.

#GlobalMarkets #Pfizer #CoronovirusVaccine

The European Commission says Amazon has abused its dominant position in the market to muscle out competitors. It's charged the tech giant with violating the bloc's competition rules by using data on third-party sellers to lure away their clients. The decision could lead to a fine of up to $19 billion or 10 percent of the company's revenue. Amazon had been under investigation since July 2019 after online sellers in the EU filed complaints. But the Seattle-based company denies the charge, saying its platform offers more choices to consumers. It's pointed out that there are many large retailers in the EU and that Amazon makes up just one percent of the global retail market. Despite the company's claims, EU officials say they will continue to crack down on market manipulation by big tech. Sibel Karkus gave us the latest from Berlin.

EUcommission #Amazon #AntiCompetitiveConduct