Re-energize: Apple is working on plans to expand and revitalize its retail chain, aiming to push deeper into China and India while overhauling established locations in the US and Europe. https://rb.gy/btqll

Expanding Bet: GQG Partners holds about $13 billion in India stocks and plans to buy more, downplaying corporate governance and political risks associated with his headline-generating investments in billionaire Gautam Adani’s beleaguered conglomerate. https://rb.gy/st43p

Casting doubt: A stalled $10 billion push to make semiconductors in India will expose a major fault line in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign for greater economic self-reliance, if it collapses. (via Bloomberg Opinion) https://rb.gy/5fs4a

Talent retention: UBS is looking to retain more than 100 Credit Suisse investment bankers across Asia, sources say, as it seeks to shore up talent in markets where its Swiss rival has stronger presence. https://tinyurl.com/5yksnmxh

Deadly error: India says the three-train collision, one of its deadliest rail accident that killed over 288 people, happened due to a fault in an electronic signaling system. https://tinyurl.com/4bc8wav8

Temporary relief: Byju’s, India’s most valuable startup, plans to make a quarterly interest payment of about $40 million on a loan that has been at the center of the beleaguered firm’s financial troubles. https://tinyurl.com/469kmysb

Thriving elsewhere: Two Indian fugitive brothers, while fighting fraud charges in their home country, have built Nigeria’s largest independent oil company and are set to play an even bigger role in the oil and gas industry. https://tinyurl.com/fj4und6y

Deeper ties: The US and India have made a new pledge to deepen defense-industry ties, including sharing “cutting edge technologies,” as both countries seek to counter China's aggressive stance. https://tinyurl.com/2xa5ka8n

Skipping payment: India's most valued startup Byju's decided to skip interest on a $1.2 billion loan after a dispute with lenders, escalating a conflict that could jeopardize the future of the country's high-flying startup. https://tinyurl.com/ms7tas82

Slowdown threat: India’s booming economy is the envy of other major markets. But beyond the hype and expectation, people who watch the country closely are flagging warning signs. https://tinyurl.com/5duebhje

India push: Google is adding more Indian languages to its services and seeking ways to make its Android phones cheaper, eager to win more users in the world's most populous country. https://tinyurl.com/ycxtwdns

Submarine deal: Germany and India are nearing a deal to build diesel submarines in the South Asian country as Russia’s prolonged war in Ukraine pushes New Delhi to expand its sources of military hardware. https://tinyurl.com/3us57rz8

New York has leapfrogged Hong Kong as the world’s most expensive city to live in as an expat, while skyrocketing rents saw Singapore crash into the top five, according to a new study.

Soaring inflation and rising accommodation costs were cited as reasons for New York topping Cost of Living Rankings for 2023, while Geneva and London remained in third and fourth places. Singapore climbed from 13th place last year to break into the top five for the first time. Tap the link to explore the full list. https://bloom.bg/3WXqjcb

Catch-22: The more Indian companies try to ramp up production to compete with China, the more dependent they become on its factories for parts. https://tinyurl.com/yeym9j82

AI for healthcare: Countries such as India should back research on artificial intelligence in ways that can improve government services like health care, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says. https://tinyurl.com/242d33hr

Submarine contract: European defense manufacturer Thyssenkrupp and India’s Mazagon Dock are set to construct submarines for India, signaling the country’s growing importance as ties between China and Russia deepen. https://tinyurl.com/bdea46ct

It’s a landlords’ market in Singapore. Polishing resumes, 70% lease hikes and last-minute contract rescissions are just some of the things tenants go through to find an apartment.

Spiking rents are becoming a hot-button topic and increasing social concern. The country’s reputation as a low-tax haven has long made it a regional hub for the rich, especially China’s wealthy, in the past few years.

Flats renting for S$3,000 ($2,200) a month are quickly vanishing in the city-state’s central districts. See what you could have rented for $3000 back in 2021 and what it would barely get you now. https://bloom.bg/3J33HBz

🚨 Donald Trump has been indicted over his refusal to return classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, sources say, the first time an ex-US president has been charged with federal crimes. https://tinyurl.com/4me4as3y

Russia's elite are souring on Putin's war in Ukraine. Even the most optimistic supporters are seeing a “frozen” conflict as the best outcome now for the Kremlin. https://tinyurl.com/4t76y9v5

Lionel Messi reportedly turned down $400 million a year from Saudi Arabia in order to join David Beckham-backed Inter Miami. To pull it off, Beckham had powerful allies. https://tinyurl.com/m4mheme5

More bias: Generative AI could transform society — but the human biases the technology can amplify may do more harm than just perpetuating stereotypes. Read The Big Take. https://tinyurl.com/3x3vk4v8

Facing isolation: Imran Khan’s former allies announced the formation of a new political party, the latest setback for the embattled former premier as he clashes with Pakistan’s powerful army. https://tinyurl.com/yt3sspny

A new Bali: Indonesia’s paradise island teeming with beaches and lush rice fields wants to refocus its tourism away from guests who tend to misbehave and instead lure talented nomads, retirees and health buffs. https://tinyurl.com/2p9b24rt

Pull back fears: Hong Kong’s intent to ban internet platforms from hosting a protest song is raising concern the move may prompt Western tech firms such as Google to reconsider their presence in the finance hub. https://tinyurl.com/3r3unsna

L-shaped recovery: China’s struggling real estate industry is expected to see an L-shaped recovery in the coming years, placing a drag on the world’s second-largest economy, Goldman Sachs says. https://tinyurl.com/354vh3yp

Strong rebound: Hong Kong’s economy is expected to grow faster than previously forecast this year, while growth in Singapore is likely to slow. https://tinyurl.com/3y5ztxsj

Data leak: India is investigating reports that a government portal containing the personal data of those who received Covid-19 vaccination was breached. https://tinyurl.com/2pme93d4

Evacuations begin: An “extremely severe” cyclone is set to batter some coastal areas of India and Pakistan this week, prompting authorities to start moving thousands of people to safer places. https://tinyurl.com/34t9x379

Higher attrition: An end to remote work at India’s largest software firm had an unintended causality — more female employees decided not to return to the office than male peers. https://tinyurl.com/2vy8zc9k

New powerhouse: Goldman's biggest location outside New York attests to the rise of India, which is fast becoming “the world’s back office”. Read The Big Take. https://tinyurl.com/39bzzztw

Finance behemoth: The merger of India's most valuable lender and largest mortgage financier is nearing, creating what could be the world's fifth most valuable bank. https://tinyurl.com/yc6pkbk6

Hiring push: Demand for tailored AI-chatbots has an Indian IT firm aiming to hire 1,300 software engineers, as companies look for specific use cases of ChatGPT. https://tinyurl.com/fyv7x7yx

AI for equality: Multiple AI chatbots are being built in India to help the underprivileged seek legal justice, dispense advice to farmers and help migrant workers get support in cities. https://tinyurl.com/5d226p4w

Countering China: The US and India are likely to agree to jointly manufacture fighter jet engines in the South Asian nation when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Washington next week, sources say. https://tinyurl.com/4f2ydcc8

Insider tip: A former Barclays trader said he got an insider tip from an ex-Goldman Sachs vice president at a squash court after having too many drinks. https://tinyurl.com/mrxddx2c

Rising concern: India has marketed itself as the “pharmacy of the world.” But several countries, the latest being Liberia, have found contaminated medicines from the importer. https://tinyurl.com/yc4tjsjz

New investment: Micron nears a deal to commit at least $1 billion toward setting up a semiconductor packaging factory in India, sources say, which may be announced during Indian leader Modi's US visit. https://tinyurl.com/2p9ka8w5

LGBTQ weddings: As India's top court is considering whether to legalize same-sex marriages, some couples aren't waiting. https://tinyurl.com/muk6nc57

Underground solution: India's financial capital Mumbai is counting on the Aqua Line metro, scheduled to open later this year, to alleviate street congestion and overcrowded rail lines. https://tinyurl.com/yc3md42k

Population boom: With a burgeoning middle class and young consumers, India contrasts with many Asian peers grappling with shrinking population. Here are some of the stocks that might turn out big winners from the country. https://tinyurl.com/3e4n46xf

Positive start: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with China's top foreign policy official in Beijing, after a delayed two-day mission to stabilize strained ties. https://tinyurl.com/2cnh62x9

Surprise shake-up: Alibaba names billionaire Joseph Tsai as the new chairman and Eddie Wu as the next CEO in a surprise succession plan. https://tinyurl.com/k43s9439

Job cuts: Singapore's Grab is preparing its biggest round of layoffs since the pandemic, as it pushes to break even despite stiffening competition in ride-hailing and meal delivery. https://tinyurl.com/4xnw9k39

Betting big: Indian low-cost airline Indigo placed a record-breaking order with Airbus for 500 narrowbody aircraft in a bold bet on a travel boom in the world's most populous nation. https://tinyurl.com/589tvnb3

Tech ambitions: India's Narendra Modi is looking to become an indispensable partner for American tech ambitions as he arrives in the US on his first official state visit. https://tinyurl.com/5dc632jb

India investment: Tesla is likely to make a significant investment in India, Elon Musk says, after meeting with Modi. https://tinyurl.com/523sr7jm

Playing offensive: Softbank's Masayoshi Son declared he will get off the sidelines and go back on the offensive in tech investing soon, as he seeks to establish his credentials in AI. https://tinyurl.com/mry3bwf4

Shein's re-entry: Fast-fashion giant Shein won approvals to re-enter India only after agreeing to a stringent licensing deal with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, sources say. https://tinyurl.com/4aj4tnme

Mass deaths: Gambia is tightening medicine importation rules to prevent substandard Indian products from entering its market. https://tinyurl.com/4nnry5et

Goldilocks phase: Stocks in India have lured almost $10 billion in net foreign inflows since March, as the allure of steady economic growth and political stability keeps investors enthused. https://tinyurl.com/2c772e4x

Another blow: Deloitte quits as auditor for Indian tech firm Byju's, the latest setback for the once high-flying startup. https://tinyurl.com/2bb54ysu

Democracy backsliding: In a rare instance where he took questions from reporters, Prime Minister Modi defended Indian democracy when pressed on religious intolerance and freedom of speech. https://tinyurl.com/3jnk9rkf

More scrutiny: US authorities are looking into what representations Adani Group made to its American investors following a scathing short seller’s report that accused the conglomerate of using offshore companies to manipulate its share prices. https://tinyurl.com/8pzep2pb

President Vladimir Putin said Russia was facing "treachery" as he accused Wagner militia group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin of starting an "attempt at an armed mutiny."

In a sudden and dramatic escalation of the long-running feud between the mercenary leader and Russia’s defense establishment, Prigozhin’s group allegedly took over military offices in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, where the defense ministry’s southern military district headquarters are located.

The unfolding events are the biggest sign of revolt against Putin since he started a war against Ukraine in February of last year, and arguably the biggest challenge to his decades-long leadership. Follow live updates: https://tinyurl.com/p53xydbr