Asia

China is seeing a significant decline in postgraduate entrance exam applications for the second year running, reflecting growing doubts about the value of advanced degrees in a challenging job market. According to data released by the Ministry of Education in November, 3.88 million people have registered for the 2025 postgraduate entrance exam, marking an 11.4 […]

Delegates from several developing nations at the COP29 UN climate talks in Azerbaijan are challenging the long-standing classification of China and India as developing countries, arguing they should no longer receive the same treatment as the world’s poorest nations. Nigeria’s environment minister, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has taken a strong stance, stating that China and India […]

China is one of the world’s most powerful nations, but its defence ministers are proving strangely vulnerable. Dong Jun is the third Chinese defence minister to come under investigation, reports the Financial Times, after his two immediate predecessors were found guilty of corruption. Ironically, the billions :Beijing is splurging on becoming a superpower to rival […]

India’s automotive landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation as rising incomes and changing consumer preferences drive a surge in car ownership, particularly toward larger SUVs. Vehicle registrations have more than doubled in the past decade, with the number of cars increasing from 19 million in 2012 to 49 million in 2022, reports The Economist. Car […]

In a landmark development, Pakistan’s first direct cargo ship to Bangladesh in five decades docked at Chittagong port on November 11, signalling a historic thaw in bilateral relations that has raised concerns in India over potential strategic realignments in South Asia. The vessel, sailing under a Panamanian flag from Karachi, marks a significant milestone in […]

In a critical development impacting cross-border energy flows, India’s Adani Group has reduced electricity supplies to Bangladesh by up to 50% from its 1,600-megawatt Godda coal-fired plant, threatening a full suspension of power exports if overdue payments are not resolved. The conglomerate, owned by billionaire Gautam Adani, has set a deadline of November 7 for […]

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has declared there is “no place” for the Awami League in the country’s politics, characterizing the party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as having “all the characteristics of fascism”. In an exclusive interview with the Financial Times, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate signalled a tough stance against Bangladesh’s […]

How did India-Canada relations come to such a pass that the two countries expelled each other’s top diplomats? The murky record of the dead man at the centre of the row and the political considerations alleged to be at play are highlighted by the Indian news site, Firstpost, in a YouTube video. “Why did Trudeau […]

Prabowo Subianto, sworn in as the eighth Indonesian President at the age of 73 , is proof that the old can connect with the young. The young supported him more than the old. The young on social media, that is. Especially TikTok. Sworn in as president with the largest Cabinet in decades – a Cabinet […]

Since its launch in August 2024, the Shivagangai ferry has been making waves, both literally and diplomatically, as it reconnects India and Sri Lanka after a 40-year break in sea transport. Carrying an average of 100 passengers several times a week across the Palk Strait, the ferry service links Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu with Kankesanthurai […]

BANGKOK — In an extraordinary tale of international travel and animal fascination, Molly, an American woman, embarked on an 18.5-hour journey from New York to Thailand. Her destination? To witness the adorable charm of Moo Deng, the celebrated baby pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Molly’s excitement was palpable as she shared her journey […]