Former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani says the United States has made a big mistake by launching a contest with China without a long-term, comprehensive strategy. Instead of obsessing over how to stop China from becoming the world’s leading power, Washington should consider how to adjust to such a scenario, he says in an interview with […]
Chinese authorities are reportedly requiring a growing number of teachers and public sector employees to hand in their passports and giving local officials the power to decide who can travel abroad. The move coincides with President Xi Jinping’s bid to increase state control, combat official corruption and bolster national security, reports the Financial Times. Facing […]
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu snubbed India and courted China like his predecessor, Abdulla Yameen. A few months ago, he forced India to withdraw its small military contingent, which was mostly involved in medical evacuations and maritime surveillance. But now he has agreed to let Indian “defence platforms and assets” be deployed on the islands again, […]
The terrible suffering of the Palestinians, dying in their thousands in the war in Gaza, has shocked the world. But the deaths and devastation have had no effect on the adversaries. The Israelis continue to bomb and strafe Gaza while Hamas expresses no qualms about the murderous attack it launched on October 7 last year, […]
Iran wants more blood spilled in the Lebanon war. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi openly said so hours before Iran launched a missile attack on Israel. Some 180 rockets were launched by Iran on Tuesday (October 1) night, reported the Jerusalem Post. The Iranians struck within a day of the Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF’s) limited […]
In a bid to revitalize its flagging property sector, China announced a series of measures on Monday (September 30) aimed at easing home-buying restrictions in three of its largest cities, reports Japan Today. The move comes as Beijing’s central bank signalled its intention to request financial institutions to lower mortgage rates, part of a broader […]
Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, is getting even higher thanks to an unexpected source: a river. New research from University College London (UCL) reveals that erosion from the Arun River, located 75km (47 miles) away, is causing Everest to rise by up to two millimetres a year, reports the BBC. “It’s like taking cargo […]
Thailand’s government has initiated the first phase of its ambitious 450 billion baht ($14 billion) digital wallet stimulus scheme, aiming to boost economic growth in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, launched the programme, describing it as a catalyst for a “tornado of spending”. The initial phase […]
India’s government has approved a plan to hold simultaneous national and state elections, a move that has ignited fierce debate and raised concerns among opposition parties about the future of the country’s parliamentary democracy. The federal cabinet recently endorsed a comprehensive report from a panel led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, recommending synchronized polls […]
