Former Supreme court official arrested for taking bribes: Xinhuanet
February 10, 2022
Meng Xiang, former chief of the enforcement bureau of the Supreme People’s Court, has been arrested on suspicion of taking bribes, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said Thursday. The National Supervisory Commission has completed the investigation into his case and handed it over to prosecuting agencies, the SPP added. Click here to read…
China’s former banking regulatory official arrested for suspected bribery, power abuse: Xinhuanet
February 10, 2022
Cai Esheng, former vice chairman of the now defunct China Banking Regulatory Commission, was arrested on suspicion of bribery and abuse of power, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said Thursday. Click here to read…
China rebukes U.S. for cobbling together cliques by drawing ideological line: Xinhuanet
February 10, 2022
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said that the United States forces other countries to accept its democratic standards and cobbles together cliques by drawing the ideological line, which is sheer betrayal to democracy. According to reports, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is going to attend the fourth ministerial-level meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers in Australia. At a press briefing via teleconference, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said that part of that discussion will relate to the challenges that China poses to democratic values and the international order. Click here to read…
Military issues new set of rules for honor system: China Military
February 10, 2022
China overhauled its military honor system recently by issuing a set of rules. The Regulation on the Armed Forces’ Honor System sets three major categories of honor－one for service members’ exploits during wartime, another for their work during peacetime and the third for efforts during massive noncombat operations－and also establishes special honors for commanding officers. Click here to read…
China’s shipbuilding industry keeps global lead in 2021: People’s Daily
February 10, 2022
China’s shipbuilding industry continued to take the lead globally last year, with three major indicators in the sector – completion volume of ships, new shipbuilding orders and holding order volumes – all in leading positions worldwide. The country’s completion volume of ships rose by 3 percent year on year to 39.7 million deadweight tons (dwt) in 2021, data from the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) showed. The 2021 shipbuilding output accounted for 47.2 percent of the world’s total, 4.1 percentage points higher than that in 2020. Click here to read…
BBC’s China-Nepal border dispute hype a ‘smear campaign’: Global Times
February 10, 2022
The BBC recently hyped the baseless claim of China encroaching on Nepal’s territory, which has been repeatedly denied by both countries, with observers saying the BBC’s report is part of a smear campaign against China amid applause for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Click here to read…
Regular appearances of improved J-11B fighter indicate massive upgrade program: analysts: Global Times
February 10, 2022
The upgraded version of China’s J-11B fighter jet, characterized by its white radar dome compared with the original version’s black one, has featured in several recent official reports, with analysts saying that this could be an indication that more original J-11Bs will be upgraded to the latest variant in the near future. Click here to read…
China and Russia accelerate energy cooperation with Eastern Gas Pipeline in full swing: Global Times
February 10, 2022
The underwater shield crossing project that passes through the Yangtze River of China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline is in full swing, which is the key project of the southern section of the China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline, with a total length of 10.226 kilometers, the longest tunnel under construction across the Yangtze River. Click here to read…
China revises draft rules on data security for business sectors: Reuters
February 10, 2022
China’s industry ministry published revisions to draft rules on Thursday dictating how companies and localities should manage data, bringing more specificity to the country’s evolving data governance regime. Click here to read…
China hopes U.S. will remove tariffs, end sanctions to create conditions for trade: Reuters
February 10, 2022
China hopes the United States will remove additional tariffs on Chinese goods and end its sanctions and crackdowns as soon as possible to create conditions for trade cooperation, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. Gao Feng, ministry spokesman, made the comments at a regular briefing. Click here to read…
China’s digital yuan not a backup amid a financial crisis, and there’s ‘no incentive’ to move money: South China Morning Post
February 10, 2022
China will not be pressured into raising the limit on the amount of money that can be held within its central bank digital currency even in the face of a financial crisis, according to the head of its e-CNY department within the central bank. Use of the yet-to-be launched digital yuan is currently limited to 11 cities plus inside venues used for the ongoing Winter Olympics as part of a pilot programme, which will soon also include Hong Kong. Click here to read…
Race to 6G: Chinese researchers declare data streaming record with whirling radio waves: South China Morning Post
February 10, 2022
Chinese researchers say they have achieved a record data streaming speed using a revolutionary technology that could help China take the lead in the global race for next-gen wireless communication, or 6G. Using vortex millimetre waves, a form of extremely high-frequency radio wave with rapidly changing spins, the researchers transmitted 1 terabyte of data over 1km (3,300 feet) in a second. Click here to read…
China resumes R&D push with record US$441b outlay in 2021: South China Morning Post
February 9, 2022
China spent a record 2.79 trillion yuan (US$441.3 billion) on research and development last year, an increase of more than 14 per cent over 2020 – when nationwide lockdowns to contain the coronavirus pandemic saw the country post its lowest GDP growth in decades. The R&D spending growth rate in 2021 was more than 40 per cent higher than in the previous year, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said in releasing the data. Click here to read…
Ex-UK Defense Chief Suggests Recognition of Islamic Emirate: Tolo News
The former UK defense chief David Richards recently suggested that the West recognize the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan. Click here to read…
US seeking Taliban’s cooperation in anti-ISIS fight: The Khaama Press
Joe Biden’s nominee for CENTCOM Lt General Erik Kurrila said there are pragmatic instances where the US and the Taliban can come together and fight the ISIS-K and take out the terrorists’ targets in Afghanistan. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
Spike in Covid cases spells trouble for working parents seeking childcare services- Dhaka Tribune
Many facilities are finding it difficult to stay afloat as rents, other costs pile up. Click here to read…
Five years of Huda-led EC: Intention in question- Daily Star
Our first challenge is to hold a free and fair election and then to win the confidence of all political parties, including the BNP,” Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda told a news briefing five years ago after taking office. Click here to read…
Khaleda Zia receives ‘Mother of Democracy Award’- Observer
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been conferred with the ‘Mother of Democracy’ award by the Canadian Human Rights International Organisation (CHRIO) for her outstanding contributions to protect democracy, human rights and fundamental rights of people. Click here to read…
Bhutan
Heavy snow damages greenhouses in Haa and Paro- Kuensel
Heavy snowfall in Haa and Paro last week damaged many greenhouses. Farmers said more than 30 to 40 centimetres of snow piled on top of the greenhouses, damaging them. Click here to read…
More than Nu 227M spent on quarantine facilities in Phuentsholing- Kuensel
Providing quarantine facility services to those moving out of Phuentsholing to other parts of the country during this pandemic has cost the government more than Nu 227 million (M). Click here to read…
MoE finalizes reporting dates for students and teachers- Bhutan Times
In the latest updates on the school reopening, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has decided to reopen primary and lower secondary schools with effect from 1 March this academic year. Click here to read…
Maldives
Discussions held on establishing Muslim World League office in Maldives. Raajje.
This was revealed at a joint press conference hosted on Tuesday. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains one of the closest development partners of Maldives. MWL SG’s visit symbolizes the long-standing relations Maldives have with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Click here to read…
MWL SG discusses issue of violent extremism leading to terrorism, with Defense Minister. Raajje
This was done during the courtesy call paid to the Maldivian minister by the MWL SG on Tuesday. MWL SG praised the Maldivian president’s ‘Zero Tolerance Policy on Terrorism and Violent Extremism’. The pair discussed several issues including the issue of violent extremism leading to terrorism. Click here to read…
Myanmar
A bloody stalemate one year after Myanmar coup tests our restraint – Responsible State Craft
The Tatmadaw, or Burmese military, staged its first coup six decades ago. A year ago in February the generals staged their latest takeover, against the semi-civilian government they created a decade ago. As a result, Burma — also known as Myanmar — is sliding into chaos and civil war, with the armed forces facing urban and rural insurgencies. Click here to read…
Is Myanmar Ripe For A Proxy War? – The Friday Times
Myanmar has been embroiled in a bitter civil war for the past year. Superpowers have now gotten involved and are supporting competing sides. This is nothing that we have not seen before. Domestic disputes of one country often turn into international conflicts as global forces vie for their own personal interests. This might be to gain a sphere of influence, or to oppose that of another country. Click here to read…
Myanmar: Fearing the Ruling Military Junta, Hundreds of Parents Disown Dissident Children – The Wire
Every day for the last three months, an average of six or seven families in Myanmar have posted notices in the country’s state-owned newspapers cutting ties with sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and grandchildren who have publicly opposed the ruling military junta. Click here to read…
SAC members pay homage to Lawkananda pagoda, inspect Sittway port – GNLM
Members of the State Administration Council Admiral Tin Aung San, Mahn Nyein Maung, Daw Aye Nu Sein and U Moung Har, together with Rakhine State Chief Minister Dr Aung Kyaw Min, Commander of the Western Command Maj-Gen Htin Latt Oo, and state cabinet ministers, paid homage to the Lawkananda pagoda in Sittway yesterday and donated cash to the fund of the pagoda. Click here to read…
Casualties reported as junta troops clash with Arakan Army in Maungdaw Twsp – BNI Online
Casualties were reported after a clash broke out between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) near Mee Taik village in Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township at about 2 p.m. on Friday, according to U Khaing Thukha, a spokesperson for the ethnic armed group. Click here to read…
Nepal
Local polls to be held on May 13- Himalaya
The Cabinet today decided to hold local polls to the 753 local levels on May 13. Click here to read…
House meeting deferred again amid preparations to table MCC compact- Kathmandu Post
The $500 million US grant, for which Washington has set a February 28 deadline, is in limbo as Nepal’s political parties are deeply dividedClick here to read…
Central bank urges all to stay away from cryptocurrency and network businesses- Republica
The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has urged one and all to remain cautious on the issue of cryptocurrency and networking transactions since it is an illegal act. Click here to read…
(Opinion) To China, with questions and a message- Nepal Live Today
As the MCC debate heats up once again, accusing fingers are being pointed at China not only for making efforts to stall the ratification of the American grant but also about non-cooperation on Nepal-China land route trade. Click here to read…
India-Pakistan trade remains in deep freeze: The Express Tribune
Even though recently, the Narendra Modi led government has opened its side of the Kartarpur Corridor after consistent protests by the Sikh community on both sides of the border, trade has been terminated with India since August of 2019 when the neighboring country abolished the special status of Occupied Kashmir. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
Sri Lankans increasingly recognise India as a true, reliable friend, says GL Peiris: The Hindu
The people of Sri Lanka “increasingly recognise” that India is a true friend that Sri Lanka can rely on at all times, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris has said, thanking India for the $ 2.4 billion assistance at a “critical juncture” for the island nation in the midst of an economic crisis. Click here to read…
India extends Sri Lanka financial assistance of 2.4 billion USD, discusses fishermen issue: ANI
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister GL Peiris concludes his two-day official visit to India from February 6 to 8, where both sides discussed the fishermen’s issue and India provided financial assistance of 2.4 billion USD to Sri Lanka, said the High Commission of Sri Lanka in its official statement. Click here to read…
Sri Lankan minister ‘admits’ country bought weapons from North Korea: The Times
A senior minister in Sri Lanka appeared to let slip that his country’s army was supplied with weapons by North Korea during the civil war against the Tamil Tigers. Click here to read…
Former senior official of Henan indicted for graft: Xinhuanet
February 9, 2022
Gan Rongkun, a former senior official of central China’s Henan Province, has been indicted on charges of taking bribes, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said Wednesday. Gan had been a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Henan Provincial Committee and secretary of the political and legal affairs commission of the provincial Party committee, the SPP said in a statement. Click here to read…
China’s top legislature slams U.S. bill with negative China content: Xinhuanet
February 8, 2022
The National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, has voiced strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to a U.S. bill containing negative content related to China. The so-called “America COMPETES Act of 2022,” recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, is steeped in Cold-War mentality and zero-sum game mindset, and denigrates China’s development path as well as its domestic and foreign policies, the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement. Click here to read…
China boasts over 1.4 mln 5G base stations: Xinhuanet
February 8, 2022
China has set up a total of 1.43 million 5G base stations as of the end of 2021 amid the country’s efforts to boost information and communication technologies, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Click here to read…
China’s banks handle record 3.13 trln yuan of non-performing assets in 2021: Xinhuanet
February 8, 2022
China’s banking sector handled 3.13 trillion yuan (about 492.4 billion U.S. dollars) worth of non-performing assets last year, effectively reducing credit risks, official data showed. The figure saw an increase by 0.11 trillion yuan from a year ago, a record high, according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. Click here to read…
China approves more cross-border e-commerce pilot zones: Xinhuanet
February 8, 2022
China’s State Council has approved setting up more cross-border e-commerce pilot zones in 27 cities and regions as the government seeks to stabilize foreign trade and foreign investments. The new pilot zones, including those in Erdos in Inner Mongolia and the city of Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, will replicate and advance the experience learned from the previous five batches of pilot zones, according to a statement released by the State Council. Click here to read…
China to further open up high-level education: Xinhuanet
February 8, 2022
China will continue to advance the opening-up of its high-level education, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said in its key tasks for 2022 released Tuesday. Efforts will be made to step up cooperation with other countries in the sector, such as advancing the high-quality development of the Education Action Plan for the Belt and Road Initiative and stepping up cooperation with ASEAN countries in vocational education and mutual recognition of academic qualifications, according to the ministry. Click here to read…
China to enhance regulation of off-campus tutoring: Xinhuanet
February 8, 2022
China will enhance its regulation of off-campus tutoring by stepping up legislation and enhancing supervision, said the Ministry of Education in its 2022 work plan. According to the plan, posted on its official website on Tuesday, the ministry will conduct regular inspections on national holidays, at weekends, as well as in winter and summer vacations. Any off-campus tutoring activities featuring curriculum subjects during these periods will be shut down, said the ministryClick here to read…
China issues 5-year plan for financial standardization: People’s Daily
February 9, 2022
China’s financial regulators have issued a plan to advance standardization of the financial sector over the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). The authorities plan to improve standardization in a wide range of areas, including supervision, risk prevention, financial technology, green finance and digital currency, with the goal of basically establishing a financial standard system that fits modern finance in 2025. Click here to read…
Second-hand goods a first choice for more Chinese: People’s Daily
February 8, 2022
Right after moving into her new apartment, Li Yuanyuan, a designer living in Shanghai, set up an online group chat and started sending invites to all her neighbors. She wanted to buy some second-hand stuff, and setting up an online group in a residential community is a popular and convenient way to achieve that. Click here to read…
Police in Beijing punish individuals for illicit resales of Olympic mascots: Global Times
February 9, 2022
Local police in Beijing’s Dongcheng district announced on Tuesday that three individuals had been penalized for illicit sales of Beijing 2022 Bing Dwen Dwen mascots. Officials in Beijing said that Bing Dwen Dwen mascots have gone viral amid the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympic Games, but they found some resellers were charging excessively high prices, which disrupted the normal market order. Click here to read…
China vows to take powerful measures against US’ latest arms sale to Taiwan island: Global Times
February 8, 2022
China on Tuesday vowed to take countermeasures after the US announced a plan to sell $100 million worth of Patriot missile upgrades to the island of Taiwan, which would be the first US arms sale to the island in 2022 and the second under the Biden administration. The arms sale, again leeching money from Taiwan, will not bring safety to “Taiwan independence” secessionists but instead push the island further toward catastrophe, said experts. Click here to read…
Bilibili establishes support group, increase new recruits over employee’s sudden death: Global Times
February 9, 2022
Bilibili, one of China’s leading video-sharing platforms, said it has established a special group to support the family of the deceased employee, and the company pledged to increase recruitments to relieve the work load of its employees. The company is facing growing criticism over the death of an employee in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province. The company earlier denied claims that excessive overtime led to the death. Click here to read…
Chinese market regulators summon iron ore information providers, to maintain price stability: Global Times
February 9, 2022
Chinese iron ore market information providers were summoned by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and State Administration for Market Regulation amid recent volatility seen in iron ore prices, and called for publishing accurate market information.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202202/1251813.shtml” target=”_blank”>Click here to read…
China didn’t buy any of $200 bil. U.S. exports pledged in deal: Kyodo
February 9, 2022
China did not purchase any of the extra $200 billion in U.S. exports pledged under a bilateral trade deal signed in 2020, an analysis by a U.S. research institute showed Tuesday, highlighting the failure of the agreement that was touted as “historic” by then U.S. President Donald Trump. Click here to read…
Chinese funding of sub-Saharan African infrastructure dwarfs that of West, says think tank: Reuters
February 9, 2022
China’s development banks provided $23 billion in financing for infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa from 2007 to 2020, more than double the amount lent by such banks in the United States, Germany, Japan and France combined, a new study showed. The Center for Global Development think tank said a review of 535 public-private infrastructure deals funded in the region in those years showed that China’s investments dwarfed those of other governments and multilateral development banks. Click here to read…
Defense Ministry criticizes US arms sale to Taiwan: China Daily
February 9, 2022
The Chinese military resolutely opposes the United States approving a possible $100 million sale of equipment and services to Taiwan, a spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday that the US Congress had greenlit the deal following State Department’s approval. The arms package aims to upgrade the island’s Patriot air defense system and maintain its credible defensive capability, the agency said. Click here to read…
Is the deglobalisation writing on the wall? How China is reversing cultural openness with the West: South China Morning Post
February 9, 2022
In the last two months, staff at subway stations in the Chinese capital Beijing and the neighbouring city of Tianjin have been on a mission. Signs and route maps with English names at the stations have come down and been replaced with ones with pinyin, or romanised, transliterations of the Chinese characters. Instead of maps pointing out the stop for Tianjin Binhai International Airport, the directions are now to Binhai Guo Ji Ji Chang. Beijing Railway Station is now referred to as Beijing Zhan, and Olympic Park is Gaolinpike Gongyuan. Click here to read…
Shanghai company at heart of Beijing’s semiconductor self-sufficiency drive red-flagged by Washington: South China Morning Post
February 8, 2022
A prominent company at the heart of China’s semiconductor self-sufficiency drive has been red-flagged by the US, signalling that rivalry between the world’s two-largest economies over strategic technology is intensifying. Shanghai Microelectronics (SMEE), which is perhaps Beijing’s best current hope to produce machines that can manufacture advanced chips, was one of 33 Chinese entities added to an export watch list by the US Commerce Department on Monday, a move that could restrict the company’s imports of US technologies and products. Click here to read…
Kabul Denies UN Report of Foreign Groups in Afghanistan: Tolo News
The Islamic Emirate on Monday rejected a report by the United Nations Security Council Monitoring Team which said that following the political change in Afghanistan, foreign insurgent groups enjoy greater freedom in the country. Click here to read…
Former UK defense chief says US will recognize Taliban sooner or later: Khaama Press
United Kingdom’s former chief of defense David Richards warned that it was time to accept that the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan has been lost and that the United States must start working with the new leadership for the sake of the Afghan people. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
BNP refuses to recommend EC candidates- Dhaka Tribune
The search committee is meaningless and there is no point in suggesting them any names, says Fakhrul. Click here to read…
Young, educated and jobless- Dhaka Tribune
A look into the grim unemployment situation of Bangladesh. Click here to read…
Amount hiked for projects this FY could make another Padma bridge- Daily Star
But how big a malaise it is has come to the fore this fiscal year: a second Padma bridge could be built with the additional amount allocated to the revised projects so far, raising serious questions about the project implementation procedures of the ministries.Click here to read…
Luxembourg reaffirms its support on Rohingya repatriation- Daily Observer
Luxembourg has reaffirmed Bangladesh to continue its support regarding the repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar alongside exploring new opportunities to widen and deepen the existing bilateral relations further. Click here to read…
Japan pledges $2 million for Rohingyas in Bangladesh- The Independent
Japan will contribute a total of US$ 2 million in emergency grant aid for supporting the displaced Rohingya Muslims living on Bhasan Char. Click here to read…
Bhutan
PM says no plans to live with Omicron for the sake of our children and parents health- The Bhutanese
The Office of the Prime Minister said that Thimphu will continue with the same arrangement of movement within mega-zone for another three days starting Monday. Any change in the strategy will commence from February 10. Click here to read…
Mike and Darren live the good life in Canada as their MLM Pyramid Scam goes after the savings of ordinary Bhutanese- The Bhutanese
The Bhutanese has found that the two masterminds behind the major Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) Pyramid Scheme in Bhutan selling expensive Enagic Water Ionizers are two men named Mike Dreher and Darren Ewert based in Vancouver, Canada. Click here to read…
HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck attends 2022 Winter Olympics- Keunsel
His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, His Majesty’s representative and the President of the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC), is attending the XXIV Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Click here to read…
RCSC radar: Civil servants to be implicated if they underperform- Bhutan Times
The Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) is in the process of gauging the performances of Secretaries and Director-Generals and will soon communicate the outcomes to them. Click here to read…
Several districts receive snowfall after many years- BBS
The heavy snowfall this time surprised many people across the country. Places like Wangdue Phodrang and Punakha received snowfall after several decades. Trashi Yangtse experienced snow after 14 years and declared today a holiday. It was the same in Trongsa where snow fell after a decade. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives: Visa-free entry for Indian business travelers comes into effect. REPUBLIC WORLD.COM
The government of Maldives has initiated the process of granting Indian Nationals visa-free entry for business purposes, for a period not exceeding the visa-free period of 90 days. Click here to read…
Japan pledges to provide eight ambulances to Maldives. Raajje.
The ministry will allocate two ambulances to National Ambulance Services in Hulhumalé and each of six local islands. The Grant Contract was signed by Mrs. Takeuchi Midori, Ambassador of Japan to Maldives and Dr. Shah Abdulla Mahir, Minister of State for Health. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Myanmar reaches a political impasse – Bangkok Post
Myanmar is engulfed in a civil war that is growing daily leaving diminishing options available to try to resolve it in what is a growing political impasse. Click here to read…
Rohingya refugees abusing host’s generosity – The Financial Express
Bangladesh has sheltered the Rohingya people out of humanitarian consideration but many of them are abusing the generosity extended to them. Producing false documents, they have already received birth registration, national identity cards (NID) and even passports. Click here to read…
Revolutionary roads: how the army tried to crush Yangon’s most anti-coup district – The Guardian
Over the past decade, Myanmar’s manufacturing and garment industry saw huge growth, much of it centred in Hlaing Tharyar. Hundreds of thousands of women and men from farming backgrounds flocked to the township to work in its factories, many of which supplied clothes to international brands. Click here to read…
NUG says Min Aung Hlaing’s conscription plan shows regime’s weakness – Myanmar Now
A renewed push by Myanmar’s coup regime to introduce a system of compulsory military service is a sign of its diminishing strength, according to the country’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG). Click here to read…
On democracy in Myanmar, cardinal says there’s ‘no reason for optimism’ – CruxNow
One year after a military coup overthrew Myanmar’s democratic leadership, the nation’s outspoken top Catholic prelate has called for dialogue and an end to violence but cast doubt on the future of democracy in the Southeast Asian country. Click here to read…
At least 6 charred bodies found after Myanmar army operation – LaprensaLatina
Locals have found six charred bodies days after soldiers cracked down on suspected insurgents in the central Myanmar region of Sagaing, a bastion of anti-junta resistance, local media reported Saturday. Click here to read…
Nepal
Local level elections on May 13- Himalaya
The government has decided to hold the local level elections on May 13 in a single phase. Click here to read…
US sets Feb 28 deadline for MCC ratification- Himalaya
The United States of America has given Nepal a deadline of February 28 to secure parliamentary ratification of the Millennium Challenge Corporation deal. Click here to read…
Coalition’s future hangs in balance as elections declared amid MCC confusion- Kathmandu Post
Leaders say too early to talk about electoral alliance but those opposing the US grant say any move to push it for ratification would lead to a breakdown of the coalition. Click here to read…
Maoists backpedal on MCC letter- Nepali Times
Pushpa Kamal Dahal on defensive over accusations of political duplicity over American project in Nepal. Click here to read…
CPN (Maoist Center) calls central committee meeting- My Republica
The CPN (Maoist Center) has called its central committee meeting to discuss contemporary political issues. Click here to read…
Pakistan
PM Imran to kick off ‘pre-poll’ roadshow: Dawn
As the two major opposition parties — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — moved to bury the hatchet for achieving their common goal of sending the government packing, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday decided to kick off a mass-contact campaign in which he will hold public meetings across the country. Click here to read…
Pakistan values historical, brotherly ties with Saudi Arabia: COAS: The Express Tribune
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that Pakistan values its historical and brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia and acknowledges its unique place in the Islamic world, the military said. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
China says ‘firmly’ backing Sri Lanka in defending its sovereignty, offers to upgrade BRI projects: The Economics Times
“Today marks the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties of China and Sri Lanka. Over the past 65 years, the two sides have lent mutual understanding and support to each other, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries different in size,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka will not allow its territory to be used against India, says Sri Lankan foreign minister GL Peiris: The Times Of India
Sri Lankan foreign minister GL Peiris, who is on a visit to India, has said that Sri Lanka will never allow any part of its territory to be used in any way against the well-being of India. Click here to read…
The perils of ‘maritime blindness’: Daily Mirror
“The Sri Lankan navy’s importance has increased now, partly due to the lessons learned in the war, and partly due to increasing Indian and US concern over Chinese inroads into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)” Click here to read…
On 29th January, India and Israel celebrated their 30th anniversary of establishment of full diplomatic relations. While Israeli PM Naftali Bennet called it a “Gehri Dosti’ -a deep friendship, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for ‘time to set new goals’ to take the ties to next level. He underscored the strong relationship between people of India and Israel for centuries. But now in the changing global context the importance of the bilateral relations has increased even more, he added. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart wrote an op-ed terming the relationship as an ‘ideal duo’ while identifying newer areas of cooperation under the caption ‘Namaste Shalom to friendship’. Israel is the original start up nation and India has the third largest start-up eco-system. Referring to the ‘New Quad’ and especially to the strategic change in the Middle East, they added that ‘the past year, we harnessed those new relationships into a quadrilateral group with India, Israel, UAE ad USA coming together to execute new projects.’ Both sides agreed to expedite the conclusion on the Free Trade agreement (FTA). Another one is being discussed with UAE.
UAE came under drone and missile attacks from the Houthis during the month which called for condemnation by many countries in the world and the UAE beefed up its security as US and Israel also extended support to Abu Dhabi. Two Indians were also killed. UAE Foreign Minister spoke to his Indian counterpart and conveyed condolences and assured of the safety of Indians in the Emirates. EAM conveyed India’s strong solidarity with UAE in the face of such an attack. Given its principled position against terrorism, India will stand with UAE in international forums on this issue. Both India and UAE are currently non-permanent members of the UNSC. UAE also demanded that Houthis be redesignated as the terrorist organisation yet again while pursuing the military option in response. PM Naftali Bennet visited UAE in December amongst a host of exchanges since the signing of the Abraham Accords. This was followed by a visit by the Israeli President Issac Herzog (January 30-31) to have bilateral discussions with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as well as to visit the Dubai Expo 2020 where Israel has been participating.
On 30thJanuary, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim was invited to meet President Biden at the White House. Biden conferred a unique status on Qatar of a major ‘Non-NATO ally’ as the supplies of LNG and gas to Europe was discussed as Russia-Ukraine crisis deepens. They also discussed situation in the region as Qatar has been mediating between US and Iran on the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal) and has been a major partner in Afghanistan. Earlier Qatari Foreign Minister visited Tehran to discuss bilateral and regional ties.
PM Modi’s visits to UAE and Kuwait had to be postponed due to Omicron spread. In 2022 these would have been the first foreign tours of the PM.
More details;
Houthi’s Actions against the UAE
Houthi group in January has intensified its aggressive campaign directly against the UAE. On 3 January, Houthi forces seized an Emirati vessel, Rwabee near the coast of Hodeidah and took seven Indians as hostages. Houthis claimed that the vessel was carrying military supplies. The group launched ballistic missiles and drones at an oil refinery in Abu Dhabi’s Musaffah Industrial city on 17 January killing two Indians and one Pakistani national. The UAE intercepted missiles on 24 January and 31 January during the visit by the Israeli President Issac Herzog. During the 31 January attack, the US responded by launching interceptor missiles.
The Houthi attacks on the UAE indicate the growing frustration after setbacks during ground offensive. The UAE backed Giant Brigades comprising of southern Yemenis and part of the Joint Forces have tilted the power balance in favour of the Hadi government since December 2021. The government-aligned forces have reclaimed the entire Shabwa governorate and forced out Houthi fighters.
Israeli President Visits the UAE
Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the UAE on 30 January. He re-affirmed support for Emirates’ security needs and called for working together to find ways and means to bring full security to people in the region. The Israeli President has urged more regional states to join its détente with Arab states. Notably, the Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet became the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit the UAE. Both states have widened the spheres of cooperation including defence tech; security and intelligence support since the Abraham Accords.
The Israeli President met with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discussed about mutual security issues as well as bilateral relations. The Crown Prince mentioned that both states share common view of the threatsposed by militias and terrorist groups to regional stability and peace. The Houthis launched series of ballistic missiles towards Abu Dhabi and drones towards Dubai during the visit by Israeli President. The missiles were however intercepted by Emirati authorities.
Qatar’s Diplomatic Overtures towards Iran and the US
Qatar’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on 27 January visited Tehran and met with Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. Qatar in the background of regional competition has maintained steady ties with Iran. Both states have maintained regular communication and prior to the visit, foreign ministers discussed about regional issues and arenas of bilateral engagement. According to government sources, the discussions mostly focussed on the situation in Yemen and Afghanistan.
The visit by the Foreign Minister to Iran was followed by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s trip to the US on 30 January. In light of JCPOA talks with Iran and the developments in Afghanistan, Qatar has occupied a critical role in the US Foreign Policy. President Joe Biden during the Emir’s visit designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally formally upgrading the partnership between both states. Qatar has served as US’ diplomatic representative to deliberate with Taliban leadership in Kabul. Qatar could also ensure stability of global energy supplies in case of full-fledged conflict between Russia and NATO forces. Qatar while maintaining cordial ties with Iran also hosts US army’s Central Command in the region. It is therefore seeking to de-escalate and eventually dilute tensions between US-Saudi axis and Iran. The visits by Qatari leaders to Iran and the US indicate that the Gulf monarchy is attempting to mediate to finalise the JCPOA and de-escalate regional tensions.
Uncertainty in Sudan
The political situation in Sudan continued to remain fragile after Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned on 3 January. Hamdok was ousted in a coup led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in late October 2021. The military in response to international pressure and street protests re-instated Hamdok and his transitional cabinet under a compromise agreement. The agreement called for a technocratic cabinet until election in 2023. However, the power-sharing has not been clearly defined. The street protests continued in several cities calling the political deal as tool to legitimise military control and demanded full civilian rule. The military’s harsh response to the street protests has led to number of deaths and injuries. The military effectively controls the government after Hamdok’s resignation.
The UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) has been attempting to resolve the political crisis by discussing with Sudanese factions. Sudanese protestors however rejected the UN approach calling it external intervention.
Attack on Baghdad Airport
The US diplomatic missions, air and military bases have been attacked on several occasions since the killing of Qassem Soleimani and Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in January 2020. Iran-backed armed groups have vowed revenge and threatened to continue attacks till the US troops exit the state. Earlier in July 2021, the US and Iraq agreed in fourth and final round of strategic dialogue agreed to troop withdrawal by end of 2021.
On 13 January, the US Embassy in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone was attacked wounding two civilians. The three rockets landed on the perimeter of the US Embassy and one hit a schoolin Al-Qadisiyah residential complex. In Anbar, Iraqi military base hosting US troops was attack with rockets. On 28 January, rocket attacks were carried at the Baghdad International Airport adjacent to the US airbase called Camp Victory.
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Omar Abdulmajeed Assad, an elderly Palestinian man with US passport was killed during arrest and assault by Israeli forces in Jiljilya village near Ramallah. The Israeli forces while carrying military raid stopped Assad’s car and dragged him on the ground causing heart attack. The US President expressed concerns after Assad’s death and called for thorough criminal investigation and full accountability. The US State Department and Congress members from Wisconsin placed pressure on Israel to investigate the matter.
In a rare acknowledgement, the Israeli Army called Assad’s death as a result of moral failure and poor decision making. The battalion commander of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion was reprimanded and the platoon and company commanders were stripped of their commands and prohibited from serving in commanding roles for two years. Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi called it a careless act that is contrary to the values of Israel Defence Force.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) welcoming the decision but emphasised on broader accountability to ensure justice for all Palestinians. The PA spokesperson pointed out that only reason Israeli authorities pursued the investigation is due to the US pressure.
In early January, more than Palestinian administrative detainees held without trial launched boycott of Israeli military courts by refusing to show up for court sessions. The prisoners are boycotting in solidarity with one detainee on hunger strike. The military courts are seen as legal tool of oppression in which the results are predetermined by the military commander of the region.
US-China tech war: Top Chinese university pulls report that concluded China would suffer more from tech decoupling with US
A think-tank at China’s prestigious Peking University has pulled a report that concluded China would likely suffer more in a tech decoupling from the US. The 7,600-character report was published on the official WeChat account of the school’s Institute of International and Strategic Studies on Jan 30 and was subsequently shared by Chinese media outlets and analysts. A key finding from the analysis was that both the US and China would suffer from a tech decoupling, but China’s losses would likely be bigger than those of the US. The South China Morning Post reported the findings of the study on Jan 31. Lianhe Zaobao, a Chinese language newspaper in Singapore, and Taiwan’s Central News Agency, also covered the report, which was penned by a research team at the institute headed by Wang Jisi, a renowned Chinese scholar in US-China relations. The report was “deleted by the author”, according to a message seen on WeChat when trying to access the content on Feb 04. The institute, which did not provide a reason for removing the report, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Feb 04, which was a holiday in China for the Lunar New Year. The report compared the development of China and the US in areas such as information technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and aerospace technology. Click here to read…
U.S.-China tensions threaten great financial decoupling
Growing tensions between China and the U.S. are deepening the rift between the two rivals’ financial systems, a trend that could cut into the productivity of the global economy. In the U.S., there have been moves to exclude Chinese stocks from large public pension programs. China has tightened regulations to prevent its companies from easily listing in the U.S. and elsewhere. These mark sharp reversals from the decades long internationalization of finance. “The Communist Party of China is not a vehicle that we want to be entangled with,” said Ron DeSantis, governor of the southern U.S. state of Florida, in a news release announcing a “a survey of all of the investments of the Florida Retirement System to determine how many assets the state has in Chinese companies.” The FRS is included in the roughly $250 billion in assets under management by Florida’s State Board of Administration. Hard-liners against China have long argued for a retreat from investing in the country, arguing that pension money would be diverted to businesses with military ties. DeSantis is a leading player in the opposition Republican Party. With a Navy background and a law degree from Harvard University, he is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2024. Click here to read…
China’s fully cashless society a step closer after two private banks end services for banknotes and coins
Two small private Chinese banks announced last month that they would no longer provide services involving banknotes or coins, in the latest sign that the country is accelerating its march towards a totally cashless society. Zhongguancun Bank, which serves customers in the capital of Beijing, said it would suspend cash services, including over-the-counter deposits and withdrawals as well as cash services on ATM machines, starting from April. Its decision comes after a similar move by another regional bank, NewUp Bank of Liaoning, in the northeastern province of Liaoning, which will stop cash services from March. The latest announcements show how Chinese banks are pivoting towards digital banking. As well as the proliferation of digital payment apps such as Tencent Holdings’ WeChat Pay and Alibaba Group Holding’s Alipay, Beijing has been conducting a nationwide pilot scheme for the country’s digital fiat money, also known as the e-yuan, with more than 261 million people having downloaded the wallet app for the digital yuan. During the Lunar New Year holiday, many Chinese businesses have been expanding their capability to accommodate digital yuan. Click here to read…
EU deploys new strategy in standards battle with China
The European Commission has unveiled a new standardization strategy that underscores the growing geopolitical significance of the rules that govern all sorts of products and technologies, particularly amid the West’s tensions with China. The framework released this week comes against a backdrop of European companies complaining that they have been increasingly disadvantaged by China’s growing clout in standard-setting processes for strategic sectors. Standards for the most complex devices to the simplest tools and parts are set and imposed to ensure products are reliable, safe and work anywhere. But the new blueprint will expand the scope of the European Union’s standardization system from a focus on product safety to shaping the technologies of the future. Priorities include technologies related to green and digital transitions — such as the recycling of critical raw materials and developments in clean hydrogen, low-carbon cement, semiconductors and data collection — as well as COVID-19 vaccines and medicines. The EC will also fund standardization projects in neighboring countries and Africa and will pursue more coordination between EU member states and “like-minded” partners — a term often used to differentiate fellow democracies from autocracies, in particular China. Pressure on the EC to come up with a strategy like this has been building in recent years, as China increases its presence in global bodies that set standards. Click here to read…
Japan to require four times more foreign workers, study says
Japan will need 6.74 million foreign workers in 2040, four times more than it has today, a study by the country’s aid agency shows. The study, released on Feb 03 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, also demonstrates that the country will have trouble attracting so many foreign workers as the Southeast Asian nations that many workers now hail from are expected to have to deal with aging and declining populations of their own. The study assumes Japan will make aggressive investments in labor-saving technologies. Without such investments, the need for foreign labor would be even greater — 21 million workers in 2040 — the study shows. The study estimates that Japan will fall short by 420,000 foreign workers in 2040. Foreign workers are expected to filter into prefectures like Aichi that have large manufacturing bases as well as into cities like Tokyo that have established foreign communities. In the capital, the share of foreign workers among the working-age population is expected to reach 18%. Experts say the projections are the most comprehensive ever produced by a Japanese government agency; the report is expected to serve as a reference point for future discussions on foreign worker policy. Click here to read…
Asia faces billions in stranded assets if gas becomes energy pariah
As the world starts to turn its back on coal, governments and companies in Asia have been plowing money into gas as a practical and cleaner alternative. But critics are increasingly taking aim at that commodity’s green credentials as well, sparking worries that billions of dollars in investment will end up in so-called stranded assets. In December, two institutions issued reports highlighting their case against gas in Asia. One of them was the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, which said “62% of LNG [liquefied natural gas] import terminal capacity and 61% of gas-fired power capacity is unlikely to be built due to unfavorable fundamental project and country-level factors” in the emerging Asia countries it studied. The other was from U.S.-based NGO Global Energy Monitor, which said switching to gas would threaten Asia’s economic and climate objectives. The report said there are $358 billion of planned gas projects in the region — power plants, ports and pipelines — with many risking becoming stranded assets as “cheaper renewables and clean energy policies increasingly undercut” fossil fuel power generation. Many have argued that gas, which emits only around half the carbon dioxide produced by coal per unit of power, needs to be considered as a bridge to renewable energy. Click here to read…
Russia shifting energy flows from West to East
A potential large-scale conflict in Ukraine, or even just the persistent threat of one, could result in significant shifts in global energy trade flows. While Russia is strengthening economic and energy ties with China, Europe is simultaneously seeking to reduce its strong dependence on Russian natural gas and oil imports. Russia already sends gas to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline, which was opened in 2019. The two allies are close to agreeing on a second pipeline – the Power of Siberia 2 – that will deliver fuel to China by passing through Mongolia. On February 4, Russian gas giant Gazprom confirmed a contract with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) for the sale and purchase of natural gas along the Far East route. On the same day, Russian oil giant Rosneft signed a US$80 billion deal with CNPC to supply 100 million tons of oil to China through Kazakhstan over 10 years during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing. The latter deal is an amendment to a 2013 deal where Rosneft agreed to deliver 325 million tons of oil to CNPC over a 25-year period through Kazakhstan. Since 2005, Rosneft has delivered 425 million tons of oil to China, according to Russian state media. Russian energy flows are moving eastward, although the geographically largest country in the world still serves as a major energy exporter to the western European Union. Click here to read…
Thailand to hold travel bubble talks with China, Malaysia in bid to reboot tourism industry
Thailand plans to hold travel bubble talks with China and Malaysia this month, days after resuming a quarantine-free visa programme to boost tourist arrivals seen as key to sustaining a nascent economic recovery. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s government will soon discuss with China’s Minister for Culture and Tourism details of a possible bilateral travel deal, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a government spokesman, said in a statement on Feb 07. Thai officials are also preparing to hold talks with neighbouring Malaysia later this month for a similar agreement, he said. Thailand is chasing bilateral deals to spark a broader recovery in its pandemic-battered tourism industry after the waiver of quarantine for vaccinated visitors and the so-called tourism sandbox experiments in recent months failed to draw a large number of holidaymakers. The return of Chinese and Malaysian tourists, the largest groups of visitors to the Thailand before the pandemic, is seen by the industry as key to a sustainable rebound. Chinese and Malaysian tourists accounted for more than one-third of the 40 million visitors to Thailand in 2019, contributing more than US$20 billion in tourism revenue, according to official data. Click here to read…
China acting ‘more brazen’ than ever before – FBI chief
The threatening stance from China towards the West is “more brazen, more damaging” than ever before, Wray said, in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in California on Jan 31, labelling the Chinese Communist Party the “global adversary” of the US. The FBI chief outlined a wide range of accusations against Beijing, from technology theft and hacking, to kidnapping of foreign citizens and blackmail. “When we tally up what we see in our investigations, over 2,000 of which are focused on the Chinese government trying to steal our information or technology, there’s just no country that presents a broader threat to our ideas, innovation, and economic security than China,” Wray said. The Chinese government steals staggering volumes of information and causes deep, job-destroying damage across a wide range of industries, so much so that we’re constantly opening new cases to counter their intelligence operations, about every 12 hours. “Just using cyber means, Chinese government hackers have stolen more of our personal and corporate data than all other countries combined,” Wray said. Noting that the agency continues to adapt to countering Beijing, he said “I believe that, in the course of doing so, we’re showing why the Chinese government needs to change course, for all of our sakes.” Click here to read…
Strategic
Leaked US & NATO replies to Russia: Here’s what you need to know
In December, Russia requested that the US and NATO produce definitive written responses to its proposals on assurances addressing security concerns. The letters were sent to Moscow last week. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters at the time that the correspondence should stay confidential. However, the two letters were allegedly leaked in full to Spanish newspaper El Pais and published on Feb 02. What did the US and NATO propose? The West has apparently offered general transparency and confidence-building steps. These include utilizing existing military communication channels, setting up a civilian hotline for emergencies, and the reopening of the respective missions in Moscow and Brussels. NATO specifically writes about exchanging information about military drills with Russia, and measures like earlier notices of snap exercises and sending more observers to monitor them. This could reduce some day-to-day tension and dangerous incidents along East European borders, as both sides have frequently accused each other of provocative manoeuvres in the air and at sea. A particularly grim altercation occurred in the Black Sea last year, when Russia said it had to fire warning shots to ward off a British warship from its waters near Crimea. The main point of contention seems to be the concept of the ‘indivisibility of security’ in Europe. Click here to read…
French, German leaders to visit Russia, Ukraine amid tension
The French president and the German chancellor will head to Moscow and Kyiv in the coming weeks, adding to diplomatic efforts to try to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching an invasion of Ukraine and find a way out of the growing tensions. France’s Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Moscow on Feb 07 and Kyiv on Feb 08, while Germany’s Olaf Scholz will travel to Kyiv on Feb. 14 and Moscow on Feb. 15. The high-level visits come as China has backed Russia’s demand that NATO be precluded from expanding to Ukraine, and after the U.S. accused the Kremlin on Feb 03 of an elaborate plot to fabricate an attack by Ukrainian forces that Russia could use as a pretext to take military action. The U.S. has not provided detailed information backing up the claims, which Moscow has vehemently denied. While France is a major player in NATO and is moving troops to Romania as part of the alliance’s preparation for possible Russian action, Macron has also been actively pushing for dialogue with Putin and has spoken to him several times in recent weeks. Macron is following a French tradition of striking a separate path from the United States in geopolitics, as well as trying to make his own mark on this crisis and defend Europe’s interests. Click here to read…
U.S., U.K. and Canada slap new sanctions on Myanmar, 1 year on
The U.S. on Jan 31 imposed new sanctions against individuals and entities associated with Myanmar’s rulers in coordination with Britain and Canada, ahead of the one-year anniversary of the military takeover that ousted the country’s democratically elected government. “One year ago, the Burmese military denied the will of the people of Burma, overthrew the democratically elected government, and seized power in a coup d’etat,” President Joe Biden said in a statement, using the former name of Myanmar. “Since then, the regime has perpetrated countless brutal actions and committed unspeakable violence against civilians, including children,” he said, noting that more than 1,500 people have been killed. “As long as the regime continues to deny the people of Burma their democratic voice, we will continue to impose further costs on the military and its supporters,” he said. U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is designating seven individuals and two entities connected to the military under an executive order issued last year shortly after the takeover. Washington’s order blocks access to all property and interests of the individuals and entities being sanctioned, and prohibits all transactions with Americans or those within the U.S. The Treasury Department said the U.K. and Canada also were sanctioning two Myanmar government officials. Click here to read…
Asean maintains hardline Myanmar stance to force junta into peace plan, despite Cambodia’s soft tactics
In the Asean bloc’s internal debate on whether engagement or a hardline stance with Myanmar’s junta will force coup-maker Min Aung Hlaing to abide by a peace plan for the strife-torn country, the cabal of countries favouring the latter strategy appears to have the upper hand – for now. Hun Sen, the strongman leader of Cambodia, stirred consternation among these countries with his signals since December that he believed engagement would work better. His efforts have included a January 7-8 visit to Myanmar that was unsanctioned by Asean. Subsequently, Cambodia was forced to indefinitely postpone a previously scheduled January 18-19 foreign ministers’ meeting after several governments said they would not attend – citing schedule clashes. Diplomatic sources later confirmed that the postponement was a “face-saving” measure, as several ministers had hinted that they would not attend as a form of boycotting Hun Sen’s overtures. Hun Sen’s subsequent climbdown was cemented with his foreign ministry’s announcement on Feb 03 that the Myanmar junta’s top diplomat, Wunna Maung Lwin, would not be invited to the postponed talks – now expected to be held from February 16 to 17. The junta was instead asked to send a “non-political representative” to the foreign ministers’ retreat. Click here to read…
Japan adopts Xinjiang resolution but sidesteps criticism of China
The lower house of Japan’s parliament on Feb 01 adopted a resolution expressing concern over Uyghur and Hong Kong human rights, just days before China opens the Beijing Winter Olympics. The statement, however, stopped short of directly criticizing China and did not even mention the country by name. The phrase “human rights violations” in an early draft was also changed to “human rights situation” — striking a far more cautious tone than similar resolutions from the U.S. and Europe. “In recent years, the international community has expressed concern over the serious human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Tibet, Southern Mongolia, Hong Kong and other areas, including violations of religious freedom and forced imprisonment,” lawmakers said. “Since human rights have universal value and are a legitimate concern of the international community, human rights issues should not be confined to the internal affairs of a single country.” The resolution is aimed at clarifying Japan’s position to China before the Olympics kick off on Feb 04. Some in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party were dissatisfied with the revised wording. It was far more restrained than a resolution from the French parliament, for example, which deemed the treatment of Uyghurs “genocide.” Click here to read…
Xi declares Beijing Winter Olympics open, shrugging off boycott
The Beijing Winter Olympics officially began on Feb 04, marking an international milestone for China in the shadow of COVID-19 and a U.S.-led diplomatic boycott. The ceremony was held at the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium in the capital, with Chinese President Xi Jinping declaring the Games open. Due to the government’s strict pandemic controls, only limited invited spectators were in attendance, with the rest of the country and world left to watch the spectacle on TV. Choreographed performances backed by bright holography depicted Chinese culture, winter sports and the Olympics’ hope for peace. In one display, skaters danced across blue and white waves to the tune of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” The guest list included Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had much-anticipated talks with Xi earlier the same day, along with Pakistan’s Imran Khan and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who survived a recent internal revolt, was also due to attend. China appeared keen to show it is anything but isolated despite the U.S. and a handful of Western allies — Australia, Canada and the U.K. — refusing to send representatives over Beijing’s alleged human rights abuses. Click here to read…
China, Russia coordinated positions on Ukraine, Beijing says
China and Russia coordinated their positions on Ukraine during a meeting between both countries’ foreign ministers in Beijing on Feb 03, according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry. Ukraine says Russia has positioned 115,000 troops near its borders, stoking fears of a looming attack. Moscow denies any such plan but international concern that Russia might be gearing up for war is running high. Russia has asked NATO to bar Ukraine from joining and to pull out of eastern Europe. The United States and its allies have warned that an invasion would trigger tough sanctions and have rejected Russia’s demands about NATO. China expressed “understanding and support” for Russia’s position on security regarding Russia’s relationship with the United States and NATO, the statement said, after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Both sides coordinated their positions on regional issues of common concern, such as Ukraine, Afghanistan and the situation on the Korean Peninsula, the statement said. Two photos released by the Chinese foreign ministry showed both men doing elbow bumps while masked. Before Lavrov, Beijing has not received foreign political guests for almost two years as it tries to keep the country’s capital free of COVID-19. Click here to read…
China and Russia call on US to abandon Asia-Pacific, Europe missile plans
China and Russia called on the United States to stop missile deployment plans in the Asia-Pacific and Europe, after a highly anticipated summit cemented a Chinese-Russian stand against Western pressure. In a joint statement after the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Feb 04, the two countries said their friendship and cooperation had “no limits” and their relations were “superior to the political and military alliances of the Cold War era”. The two countries said the US’ accelerated development of intermediate- and shorter-range ground-based missiles and desire to deploy them in the Asia-Pacific and Europe would increase “tension and distrust [and] increase risks to international and regional security”. “The two sides will continue to maintain contacts and strengthen coordination on this issue,” the statement said, adding they were concerned about US plans to deploy an anti-ballistic missile defence system around the world. The US has been reconsidering its missile plans since leaving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, or INF, in 2019, citing concerns of violation of the agreement by Russia. It was also concerned that China was not party to the agreement and so able to develop missiles banned in the treaty. Click here to read…
Australia to host ‘Quad’ meeting of foreign ministers
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to Australia in February to meet counterparts from Japan, India and Australia to discuss Indo-Pacific coordination, the Australian government said on Jan 31. The two-day meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers comes amid the Biden administration’s concerns about China, even as tensions with Russia over Ukraine rachet up in Europe. China has previously denounced the Quad as a Cold War construct and a clique “targeting other countries.” Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne did not specify a date for the meeting but said in a statement she looked forward to welcoming the Quad foreign ministers to Australia in coming weeks. “We are a vital network of liberal democracies cooperating to give our region strategic choices, with a focus on practical steps to build the resilience and sovereignty of all states,” Payne said. Japanese media had previously reported the Quad meeting could be held virtually because of pandemic restrictions surrounding international travel. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a tweet on January 27 he has tested positive for COVID-19. Click here to read…
Russia comments on possibility of sending troops to Latin America
Russian soldiers could be sent to Nicaragua under laws already in place in the Central American nation, Moscow’s ambassador in Managua has argued amid a new standoff with Washington over the prospect of the Kremlin stepping up its military presence in the region. Speaking to RIA Novosti on Feb 04, Alexander Khokholikov, who also serves as the envoy to Honduras and El Salvador, commented on the possibility of hosting overseas forces within Nicaragua’s borders. “The government passes a law annually on the foreign military presence in Nicaraguan territory,” he explained. “It provides for the possibility of the transit and presence of servicemen, as well as military equipment from a number of countries, including Russia and, incidentally, the US, for the exchange of experience in the field of military cooperation, joint exercises, and activities in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime.” According to the diplomat, military cooperation between Moscow and Managua “is not directed against third countries,” despite a worsening row with the US over the potential deployments. His remarks come after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed last month to strengthen partnerships with the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua in a range of spheres, including stepping up military cooperation. Click here to read…
China backs Argentina over Falklands, angering Britain
In a statement on Feb 06, China said it would support Argentina in its claims over the Falklands Islands – also known as Islas Malvinas – a self-governing British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic. The remote archipelago is a subject of an almost 200-year sovereignty dispute. Beijing said that it hoped negotiations over the islands would resume soon in accordance with relevant UN resolutions to resolve the dispute peacefully. China’s announcement, which was part of a joint statement on deepening relations between Beijing and Buenos Aires, has angered Britain. “We completely reject any questions over sovereignty of the Falklands. The Falklands are part of the British family and we will defend their right to self-determination. China must respect the Falklands’ sovereignty,” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a tweet on Feb 06. Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez met China’s President Xi Jinping on the fringes of the winter Olympics over the weekend. It is understood that Fernandez pledged to support China’s claims over Taiwan, which Beijing says is an inseparable part of the Chinese state. Taiwan maintains its independence and is de-facto ruled by its own government. Buenos Aires links its claim to an inheritance from the Spanish crown when it gained independence in 1816. Britain says it had settled the islands before Argentina even existed. Click here to read…
Iran nuclear deal: ‘Final stage’ of Vienna talks to resume
The political delegations of Iran and the world powers party to its 2015 nuclear deal are due to return to Vienna for what could be the final stretch of intensive efforts to restore the landmark accord. The eighth round of the talks, which was paused for more than a week to allow delegations to head back to their capitals for political consultations, will resume on Feb 08 in the Austrian capital, multiple sides have confirmed. The Iranian government still refuses to talk directly with the United States, which unilaterally abandoned the deal in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran. This means European officials will have to continue their shuttle diplomacy between the two. Iranian officials said on Feb 07 that the onus falls on the Western parties to fulfil Iran’s expectations of sanctions relief. In a joint conference in Tehran alongside his Finnish counterpart, Pekka Haavisto, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said a swift agreement in Vienna depended on the conduct and political will of the US and the so-called E3 – France, Germany and the United KingdomClick here to read…
Qatar and UAE leaders meet for first time since Gulf crisis ended
Qatar’s emir met the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Beijing Winter Olympics in the first such interaction between the two Gulf leaders since a dispute between Doha and four Arab countries came to an end last year. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of a lunch hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Feb 05, Qatar’s state news agency reported on Sunday. The leaders of Uzbekistan, Ecuador and Tajikistan were also present at the gathering at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The UAE has yet to restore diplomatic ties with Doha since Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt agreed in January 2021 to end a four-year dispute that had led them to cut diplomatic and economic relations with Qatar in mid-2017. However, a senior UAE official held talks with Qatar’s leader in Doha last year – the first such visit in four years – after the bitter dispute ended. National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a brother of the UAE’s de facto ruler, met Sheikh Tamim in August. Click here to read…
Syrian opposition groups make new bid to unite against al-Assad
Syrian opposition figures launched a new bid to revive their decade-old campaign against President Bashar al-Assad at talks in Qatar, where a senior leader said they had to “correct” past mistakes. The political groups, now mainly based abroad, have seen their influence wane in recent years as Iran and Russia steadfastly supported the Syrian president after he instigated a deadly crackdown on protesters in 2011 that quickly descended into a war. Riad Hijab, who defected to the opposition when he was al-Assad’s prime minister in 2012, told the opening of the two-day meeting on Feb 05 that events in Syria were “grim”. He said the meeting must “assess our progress and correct the errors we have made along the difficult path to achieving a unified, free, democratic state”. The opposition figure did not say what mistakes had been made, but his entourage said opposition parties failed to communicate with Syrian citizens and make themselves relevant to their daily struggles. Hijab said it was “imperative” for the opposition to “implement effective plans” to counter al-Assad’s government and “to expose the false concept that Assad can abandon Iranian dominance”. A list of recommendations aiming to “unify” the opposition would be released at the end of the talks, a statement said. Click here to read…
ISIS Leader Qurayshi Kept Low Profile Until Daring Prison Raid
In his 26 months as head of Islamic State, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi kept a low profile, never issuing the kind of proclamations or video clips that were a signature of his predecessor Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and other terrorist group leaders. Qurayshi, who died early Feb 03 during a raid in northwest Syria by U.S. special forces, had grounds for tight operational security. He had spent roughly four years in a U.S. prison in Iraq, and dozens of his colleagues had been killed in U.S. strikes, Western security officials said. He became Islamic State’s leader after Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest rather than be captured by U.S. forces in October 2019. After years of living under the radar with almost no public communication, Qurayshi appeared to have broken cover in recent weeks, amid an attack to free Islamic State prisoners from an eastern Syrian prison which largely failed last week, Western security officials said. Western counterterrorism agents received intelligence that he was “personally involved in the prison incident,” one of the security officials said. Click here to read…
Ottawa under ‘siege’ amid nationwide ‘insurrection’ – authorities
Ottawa Police Services Board held an emergency meeting on Feb 05 afternoon but failed to devise a clear plan of action regarding truck drivers and their supporters, who have been protesting against the country’s Covid-19 mandates for over a week. “We are on day eight of this occupation. Our city is under siege. What we’re seeing is bigger than just a City of Ottawa problem. This is a nationwide insurrection. This is madness. We need a concrete plan to put an end to this,” said the chair of the board, Ottawa City Council member Diane Deans, at the beginning of the nearly two-hour-long virtual discussion. Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly agreed with her portrayal of the situation, saying that local law enforcement was “never intended to deal with a city under siege,” and decried the lack of resources – and legal authority – to disperse the protest. As of Feb 05 afternoon, police estimated at least “500 heavy vehicles associated with the demonstration to be in the red zone,” as thousands of people joined the protest at Parliament Hill and elsewhere across Ottawa for a second weekend. Smaller groups of counter-protesters were also reported in the streets, even as a major rival event was called off last minute. Click here to read…
Coup Bid Thwarted in Guinea-Bissau After Gunfire Heard in Capital
Heavy gunfire raged at the main government complex in Guinea-Bissau, fanning fears that the West African nation was on the brink of becoming the latest country in the region to see a coup before soldiers thwarted the attempted power grab, its leader said. The state television broadcaster Feb 01 reported that a group it described as invaders had damaged the government palace and were holding officials inside before President Umaro Sissoco Embaló posted a picture of himself sitting with the country’s flag in the background. In a video later uploaded to social media, Mr. Embaló said an unspecified number of security personnel had been killed warding off the gunmen in a battle lasting over five hours, and called it “a failed attack against democracy.” He said the attack was connected to moves he had taken to combat drug trafficking and corruption. The 15-member West African bloc Economic Community of West African States criticized the assault, describing it as an attempted coup. “ECOWAS condemns this coup attempt and holds the military responsible for the bodily integrity of [Mr. Embaló] and the members of his government,” the group said in a tweet. The United Nations also flagged its concern, saying that Secretary-General António Guterres “asks for an immediate end to the fighting and for full respect of the country’s democratic institutions.” Click here to read…
Baloch rebels fire a lethal warning to China
While Prime Minister Imran Khan sought to assure China that its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) investments are safe and sound for expansion in Pakistan, ethnic Baloch rebels sent the opposite message by ramping up attacks in areas where Chinese projects have been targeted as a proxy of the Pakistani state. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an Afghan-based militant group seeking self-determination for the Baloch people and separation of Balochistan province from Pakistan, is opposed to Chinese investment including at the port of Gwadar, which it sees as in league with the Pakistan army in colonizing and exploiting the region’s rich mineral and energy resources. In the biggest Baloch insurgent attack in recent years, the BLA claims to have killed over 100 Pakistan soldiers and officers in two separate attacks on Frontier Corps bases in Balochistan’s Panjgur and Noshki districts that started on February 2, symbolically coinciding with Khan’s trip to Beijing to meet top Chinese officials including President Xi Jinping. In a February 5 statement, the BLA announced the completion of what it referred to as “Operation Ganjal”, which reportedly saw 16 militants attack army bases in Nushki and Panjgur. Click here to read…
Medical
When to have the booster shot if you have recently had COVID
Rates of the Omicron variant remain high. However, it has been shown that boosters do offer a good degree of protection against Omicron. So, many who have had a recent infection are wondering how long they should wait before getting the booster. According to the UK’s National Health Service, people should wait 28 days after testing positive for COVID-19 before getting their booster shots. This is to ensure that the symptoms of the infection are not confused with any potential side effects from the vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US suggests waiting until you have fully recovered from any symptoms and your isolation period has ended after getting COVID-19 before booking a booster shot. Evidence shows that getting a vaccine after you recover from a COVID-19 infection provides added protection to your immune system. So, it is certainly worth getting the booster shot even though you may have recovered from COVID-19 recently. Click here to read…
Is the Omicron subvariant BA.2 more transmissable?
Since its emergence in late 2021, Omicron (or BA.1) has quickly become the dominant variant of the COVID-19 virus. The mutations it harboured meant it was more transmissible than the Delta variant, so was able to spread rapidly through populations around the world. It has been found to confer a milder illness than Delta – though milder should not be mistaken for mild. Scientists are now tracking a subgroup of the Omicron variant, known as BA.2, which was first identified in India and South Africa in late December 2021. Since then, it has been found in the US and Europe. The subvariant is thought to have 20 additional mutations on its spike protein compared with BA.1, though scientists are not quite sure what this will mean for the course of the pandemic. So far, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether BA.2 causes more severe illness than BA.1. The reason why some people refer to BA.2 as the “stealth” variant is because they claim it is not as easy to detect on PCR and lateral flow tests. This is in fact not true; it can be detected on both types of tests. Click here to read…
Paralyzed mice move in world-first experiment
In a world first, Israeli scientists had enabled 12 paralyzed mice to move again after implanting new cord tissue from human cells into the animals. They hope to start clinical trials on humans within three years, according to a report issued on Feb 07. The team published their research in the journal Advanced Science. The experiment took place at Tel Aviv University. “If this works in humans, and we believe that it will, it can offer all paralyzed people hope that they may walk again,” Professor Tal Dvir and his research team at the Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology told The Times of Israel. Dvir said that discussions concerning clinical trials have commenced with the US Food and Drug Administration. He noted that while the mice had received spinal implants created from the cells of three humans, if the technology is used on people, a unique spine would be grown using cells from the patient’s own body. Dvir said this would reduce the chance of the body rejecting the implants. In the case of many transplants from human to human, the body’s immune system has to be suppressed to lower the risk of rejection. Millions of people around the world have been paralyzed due to spinal injury and, to date, there remains no effective way of treating their condition. Click here to read…
Chinese, Sri Lankan FMs exchange congratulations on 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties: Xinhuanet
February 7, 2022
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris on Monday exchanged congratulatory messages on the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic relations. Click here to read…
China’s nuclear reactor wins approval for use in Britain: Xinhuanet
February 7, 2022
China’s Hualong One, a domestically designed third-generation nuclear reactor, has been confirmed adequate for use in Britain, said the designer, China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), on Monday. Click here to read…
The use of fleets of hydrogen-fueled vehicles during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is further demonstrating the wider application of the green energy source, and will help in the acceleration of its development, according to industry experts. Click here to read…
China’s top economic planner to launch pork stockpile campaign amid national price drop: Global Times
February 8, 2022
China’s top economic planner announced to launch a pork stockpile campaign in a bid to bolster declining national pork prices, the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said via its official WeChat account on Tuesday. Click here to read…
Hong Kong residents raid supermarket shelves as COVID surge disrupts supplies: Reuters
February 7, 2022
Hong Kong residents crowded supermarkets and neighbourhood fresh food markets on Monday to stock up on vegetables, noodles and other necessities after a record number of COVID-19 infections in the city and transport disruptions at the border with mainland China. Click here to read…
U.S. adds Chinese entities to red-flag export list, WuXi Bio shares plunge: Reuters
February 8, 2022
The U.S. Commerce Department said on Monday it had added 33 Chinese entities to its so-called ‘unverified list’, which requires U.S. exporters to go through more procedures before shipping goods to the entities. The department said it was taking the step as it was unable to verify the legitimacy and reliability of those entities in relation to their use of U.S. exports. The entities included listed companies, universities as well as aerospace and electronics suppliers.Click here to read…
Chinese free speech advocate takes aim at Tencent over WeChat account shutdown: South China Morning Post
February 7, 2022
A prominent academic has hit out at Chinese tech giant Tencent, accusing it of “trampling on civil rights” after his sixth WeChat account was deleted last week. Peking University law professor He Weifang, a long-standing advocate for legal reform and speech rights in China, made the protest in a handwritten letter dated February 3 and circulated online. Click here to read…
Taiwan views US approval of US$100 million Patriot missile service deal as show of support in face of Beijing: South China Morning Post
February 8, 2022
The Biden Government’s approval of a possible US$100 million deal to Taiwan to support the Patriot missile defence system reflected the United States’ stand in helping Taipei arm itself against growing military threats from Beijing, Taiwan said on Tuesday. Taiwan also hailed the approval as part of US commitments to boost the self-ruled island’s defence and security as tension in the Taiwan Strait mounted. Click here to read…
Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent – news that matters.
COMMENTARY
Eight Priorities for the African Union in 2022
The African Union’s twentieth anniversary in the coming year gives it a chance to assess its achievements as well as reinvigorate its work to safeguard peace and security on the continent. This briefing points to eight conflict situations needing the organisation’s urgent attention. Click here to read…
NEWS
Burkina Faso restores constitution, names coup leader president
Burkina Faso’s military government said it has restored the constitution a week after taking power and has appointed the coup’s leader as head of state for a transitional period. Click here to read…
Burkina Faso junta lifts nationwide curfew in force since coup
Burkina Faso’s junta lifted Wednesday a nationwide curfew they imposed after seizing power in a coup last month, the military announced. Click here to read…
Guinea Bissau president survives W. Africa’s latest coup attempt
Cheering crowds welcomed Guinea Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo’s election victory in 2020, but his opponent’s alleged fraud. Click here to read…
French ambassador expelled from Mali
Mali’s military leaders are expelling the French ambassador over what they called “outrageous” comments made by the French foreign minister about the transitional government. Click here to read…
Germany mulls end of military mission in Mali
German troops have been stationed in Mali for nearly nine years. But the Bundeswehr’s mission might soon be over. Critics in Berlin are questioning its purpose. And Mali itself is looking out for new allies. Click here to read…
Guinea-Bissau’s failed coup attempt may have been linked to drug trafficking
In a Facebook post on Feb. 1, Umaro El Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo, president of Guinea-Bissau, reassured citizens that their country was calm and that his government had not been overthrown by an armed groupClick here to read…
Guterres asks for immediate cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia
The United Nations’ Secretary-General on Tuesday made the “strongest possible appeal” for all parties in Ethiopia to immediately end the fighting in Tigray and other areas, in the spirit of the General Assembly’s Olympic Truce which began just a few days ago. Click here to read…
Sudanese security forces fire tear gas as protesters defy ban
Thousands of pro-democracy protesters have marched in Sudan’s capital and other cities, the latest demonstration to denounce military rule since the army seized power in October 2021Click here to read…
Somalia election on track, official says
Organisers of Somalia’s much-delayed elections say the polls have picked up the “right pace”, assuring citizens that they will meet the February 25 deadline to conclude voting. Click here to read…
US launches third military training project in Mozambique
The US government has launched a third Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) programme with Mozambique, to enhance the military’s readiness to contain rising insecurity.Click here to read…
DR Congo: At least 50 dead following militia attack on camp
According to the UN Mission in the country (MONUSCO), the attack was carried out by members of the so-called Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO) – a loose association of various Lendu militia groups.Click here to read…
South Africa’s Afrigen makes mRNA Covid vaccine using Moderna data
South Africa’s Afrigen Biologics has used the publicly available sequence of Moderna Inc’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine to make its own version of the shot, which could be tested in humans before the end of this year, Afrigen’s top executive said on Thursday. Click here to read…
Mix of differences, challenges delays Arab summit until further notice
The Arab summit to be held in Algeria is facing many obstacles that could lead to its cancellation. This comes in the light of the mounting differences between the host country on the one hand and the Arab League on the other. Click here to read…
Kenya to Inject $176 Million Into Struggling National Airline
Kenya plans to inject 20 billion shillings ($176 million) of capital into the country’s cash-strapped national airline, which is battling to survive after years of losses and a mounting debt pile. Click here to read…
Tunisia elected to African Union’s Peace and Security Council
Tunisia has been elected to the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council for the term 2022-2024. Click here to read…
Wrangle over interim Libyan government intensifies
The speaker of Libya’s eastern-based parliament said on Monday the chamber would choose a new interim prime minister next week, but the current incumbent rejected the move. Click here to read…
Kenyan, Rwandan leaders discuss trade and security issues
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday hosted his Rwandese counterpart Paul Kagame for talks in Nairobi, focusing on a wide range of areas of cooperation. Click here to read…
African Experts Argue Prospects for China’s New $300 Billion Agreement
A Chinese official in Nigeria says Beijing plans to invest over $300 billion in Africa to increase African exports and help close the large trade gap with China. China’s plans for more investment in Africa have been welcomed by some, but critics worry about Africa’s growing debt with Beijing. Click here to read…
Private military contractors bolster Russian influence in Africa
Russia’s geopolitical ambitions in Africa have in recent years been backed by private military contractors, often described as belonging to the “Wagner group” — an entity with no known legal status. Click here to read…
Russian diplomat, African Union official discuss preparations for Russia-Africa Summit
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the meeting was held on the sidelines of the 35th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. Click here to read…
Egypt inks $1.6 billion deal for South Korean howitzers
South Korea on Tuesday said it signed a $1.6 billion deal to sell arms to Egypt a week after US President Joe Biden’s administration approved another massive arms sale to the Middle Eastern nation. Click here to read…
Explosion at Nigerian oil vessel sparks fears of major spill
A vessel with a storage capacity of two million barrels of oil has exploded off the coast of southern Nigeria’s Delta state, raising fears of an environmental disaster and concerns about the fate of its crew. Click here to read…
South Africa’s 10-yearly population census kicks off
South Africa on Wednesday launched its once-in-a-decade population census to collect data that will help the government’s policy formulation and planning, the statistics agency has said. Click here to read…
Shell Is Betting Big on Namibia’s Oil Boom
While all recent oil exploration attention has been on Exxon’s massive string of discoveries in Guyana, another giant player and a junior explorer are shifting to focus toward what may be the next up-and-coming oil hotspot It’s Namibia–a country that’s never produced a barrel of oil. Click here to read…
Zambia aims for IMF debt deal in May – FinMin
Zambia expects an International Monetary Fund (IMF) debt health check to be finalised this month, to strike a restructuring deal with creditors by April and get a formal agreement with the fund signed off in May, its finance minister said. Click here to read…
Russian paramilitary ‘saviours’ star in films on Africa conflicts
Paramilitary fighters from the Russia-linked Wagner group star in a new film singing their praises for interventions against rebels in the Central African Republic and elsewhere on the continent. Click here to read…
INDIA IN AFRICA
Raila starts week-long trip to India, Ethiopia
ODM leader Raila Odinga has left the country for a week-long trip to Ethiopia and India. Click here to read…
Belagavi firm to build 6,000 houses in Rwanda
The Department of MBA at KLS Gogte Institute of Technology organised an online international conference on Indo African Businesses-Strategic Perspective in Belagavi recently. Click here to read…
Kebbi sponsors 117 indigenes to study in India
Kebbi State has awarded no fewer than 117 indigenes scholarship to study Medicine, Engineering and related courses in India. Click here to read…
‘India-Africa Relations: Changing Horizons’ review: An eye-opener on Africa
With China taking a lead, India should deepen its political commitment in the continent, set aside sizeable financial resources, and increase the capability of project execution, says a new bookClick here to read…
Zambia, India ties vintage
INDIA’S Republic Day, January 26, is a gazetted holiday celebrated throughout the world. It is a day to remember when India’s constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, completing the country’s transition toward becoming an independent state. Click here to read…
Mahindra sets record for monthly vehicle sales in South Africa
Mahindra South Africa has set a new record for monthly sales since it first started selling its range of automotive vehicles in the country 18 years ago. Click here to read…
Made-in-India Nissan Magnite exports expanded to 15 nations
The made-in-India Magnite is now sold in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Uganda, Kenya, Seychelles, Mozambique, Zambia, Mauritius, Tanzania and Malawi. In the second half of 2020, Nissan managed to ship out a total of 6,344 units of the Magnite. Click here to read…
Airtel Africa Q3 results: Net profit up 54% to $180 mn
Telecom operator Airtel Africa reported a 54.4 per cent increase in profit after tax (PAT) to $180 million for the December 2021 quarter. The company had posted a PAT of $116 million in the same period a year ago. Click here to read…
MONDIACULT 2022 | Africa Regional Consultation January 31 – February 1, 2022
The Regional Consultation on Cultural Policies for the African region will be held on January 31 and February 1, 2022. For two days, 47 Ministers of Culture are invited to meet online, with international and non-governmental organizations, with all the key actors of the Arts and Culture sector to discuss and present the voice of the continent on the issues of culture and development. Click here to read…
Senior CPC official meets with former KMT chairperson: Xinhuanet
February 5, 2022
Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Wang Yang Saturday met with Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party, in Beijing after Hung attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Click here to read…
China, Russia reaffirm support on core interest, oppose interference in internal affairs: Xinhuanet
February 5, 2022
China and Russia reaffirmed strong support for each other’s core interest, state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and voiced opposition to external interference in their domestic affairs, according to a joint statement issued Friday after a meeting between the two countries’ presidents. Click here to read…
Xi says China ready to accelerate FTA negotiation with GCC: Xinhuanet
February 5, 2022
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday said China stands ready to work with countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to accelerate the free trade agreement negotiations. Xi said this will inject fresh vitality to the two sides as well as the world economy. Click here to read…
China’s commerce ministry criticizes U.S. solar tariff extension: Xinhuanet
February 5, 2022
China’s commerce ministry on Saturday criticized a recent extension of U.S. tariffs on imported solar products, calling the move unhelpful to the photovoltaic industry and disruptive to the global trade order. The U.S. government announced Friday that the levies due to expire Sunday would remain effective for another four years as advised by the U.S. International Trade Commission. Click here to read…
Xi calls for building closer China-Pakistan community with shared future: Xinhuanet
February 6, 2022
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Beijing on Sunday, saying that China is willing to work with Pakistan to accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, bring benefits to the people of the two countries, provide impetus for regional cooperation and contribute to world peace. Click here to read…
Full text: Joint Statement Between the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan: Xinhuanet
February 7, 2022
The following is the full text of a joint statement released by China and Pakistan on Sunday. Joint Statement Between the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of PakistanClick here to read…
Chinese scientists discover promising green refrigeration technology: Xinhuanet
February 5, 2022
Chinese scientists have discovered a promising green refrigeration technology that may replace traditional refrigerants represented by freon, a greenhouse gas that leads to severe climate problems. The research team led by Tong Peng at the Institute of Solid State Physics at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has found excellent cooling performance in n-alkanes through solid-liquid state transition driven by high pressure. The discovery provides a new perspective for developing eco-friendly refrigeration technology. Click here to read…
Xi extends congratulations to 35th African Union Summit: China Military
February 6, 2022
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday warmly congratulated the African countries and people on the opening of the 35th African Union (AU) Summit. In his congratulatory message to the AU Summit, Xi pointed out that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the AU’s founding, and that over the past 20 years, the AU has stayed committed to seeking strength through unity, actively explored a development path suited to Africa, facilitated important progress in regional integration and coordinated a concerted response from African countries to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read…
Ambassador Zhang Jun: the US should not go further down the wrong path: China Military
February 7, 2022
On February 6, Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the Untied Nations, released a press statement to resolutely refute the unfounded accusations against China made by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN, in her interview with CNN. Ambassador Zhang said that the US has again made accusations against China and wrongful, irresponsible remarks on issues like the Beijing Winter Olympics, Xinjiang and Taiwan. Such groundless, politically-biased words have seriously poisoned the China-US relations. Facing such a smear campaign, China has no choice but to push back and clarify our position and reject the unfounded accusations by the US. Click here to read…
China starts busy diplomacy season with over 30 foreign dignitaries in Beijing for Olympics: Global Times
February 4, 2022
The tarmac of the Beijing Capital International Airport is seeing its busiest time in the last two days with more than 30 foreign dignitaries arriving in Beijing for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, as China kicked off a busy and crucial round of diplomatic activities to improve relations, promote multilateralism and call for global unity in dealing with global and regional challenges. Click here to read…
China reveals concept art for armed, aerial refueling-capable variant of Z-20 chopper: Global Times
February 6, 2022
An armed, aerial refueling-capable variant of China’s Z-20 medium-lift utility helicopter is believed to be currently under development after the aircraft’s maker recently revealed concept art for such a chopper, observers said on Sunday. The state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the maker of most aircraft used by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), released a promotional video titled “In the blue sky” on January 31 on social media platforms, in which the company rounded up the achievements it made in 2021. Click here to read…
China to see moderate CPI growth in 2022 despite global inflationary pressure, says NDRC: Global Times
February 6, 2022
China’s consumer price index (CPI), the main gauge of inflation, is expected to maintain moderate expansion in 2022 and the growth of the producer price index (PPI), or factory-gate prices, will gradually fall, according to an article published by China’s top economic planner on Sunday. Click here to read…
Premier meets with series of world leaders: China Daily
February 7, 2022
Premier Li Keqiang has met with a series of foreign guests who were visiting China to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, pledging to strengthen ties with the countries and international organizations they represent. In a meeting with Zoran Tegeltija, chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Saturday, Li said China will import more high-quality specialty agricultural products from the European country, promote the implementation of energy and infrastructure cooperation projects, and continue to step up antipandemic cooperation. Click here to read…
Chinese scientists develop AI-assisted tool to detect early-stage lung cancer: China Daily
February 4, 2022
Chinese scientists have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted testing tool to detect early-stage lung cancer. The study published on Thursday in the journal Science Translational Medicine described the Lung Cancer Artificial Intelligence Detector that may play a part in the early detection of lung cancer or large-scale screening of high-risk cancer populations. Click here to read…
Athlete hailed by Uyghur advocates for ‘East Turkestan’ flag: Reuters
February 6, 2022
A ski jumper at the Winter Olympics was hailed by advocates for Uyghurs on Sunday after displaying what they said was the flag of the independence movement of East Turkestan, a group Beijing says threatens the stability of its Xinjiang region. Turkey’s Fatih Arda Ipcioglu on Saturday competed in light blue-coloured skis with a white crescent and white star on them. His native Turkish flag is almost identical, but features a red background. Click here to read…
U.S. calls for ‘concrete action’ from China to meet Phase 1 purchase commitments: Reuters
February 7, 2022
U.S. officials called on Monday for “concrete action” from China to make good on its commitment to purchase $200 billion in additional U.S. goods and services in 2020 and 2021 under the “Phase 1” trade deal signed by former President Donald Trump. The officials said Washington was losing patience with Beijing, which had “not shown real signs” in recent months that it would close the gap in the two-year purchase commitments that expired at the end of 2021. Click here to read…
China could take further measures to rein in yuan- former regulator: Reuters
February 7, 2022
The Chinese government could take further measures if needed to keep the yuan stable, potentially putting downward pressure on the currency, a former foreign exchange regulator said. Policymakers could increase yuan’s flexibility, expand capital outflows, or control capital inflows to rein in the yuan, which could deviate from economic fundamentals in the short term, wrote Guan Tao, global chief economist at BOC International and a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). Click here to read…
U.S. House backs sweeping China competition bill as Olympics start: Reuters
February 5, 2022
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday narrowly passed a multibillion-dollar bill aimed at increasing American competitiveness with China and boosting U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, despite Republican opposition. The Democratic-majority House backed the “America COMPETES Act of 2022” by 222-210, almost entirely along party lines. One Republican joined Democrats in voting for the measure and one Democrat voted no. Click here to read…
Republican senator urges U.S. to monitor China’s digital yuan push during Olympics: Reuters
February 4, 2022
A leading Senate Republican is urging the Biden administration to closely monitor the use of China’s recently launched digital currency during the Beijing Winter Olympics, where the country is expected to showcase the project to foreign visitors. In a letter sent Thursday to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senator Pat Toomey expressed concern that the Chinese government could use the global event to help its digital yuan, dubbed e-CNY, gain a global foothold. Such an effort could be used to set standards in cross-border payments, as the People’s Bank of China looks to get out ahead of other countries in the race to develop central bank digital currencies, he warned. Click here to read…
China, Russia enhance ‘growing energy partnership’ with gas deal during Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin meeting: South China Morning Post
February 4, 2022
China and Russia strengthened the interdependency of their two economies on Friday as visiting President Vladimir Putin unveiled a series of agreements, including a new gas deal, during his meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing at a time when Moscow is facing rising tensions over Ukraine. Putin confirmed the deal to supply 10 billion cubic metres (353 billion cubic feet) of gas per year to China, which is the world’s biggest energy consumer, from Russia’s Far East via a new pipeline hours after landing in the Chinese capital ahead of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Click here to read…
China is a reliable friend and partner, President Xi Jinping tells Central Asian leaders on Olympics visit: South China Morning Post
February 5, 2022
China is a reliable partner for Central Asian nations and seeks to deepen cooperation in areas ranging from energy to security, Beijing has stressed, in its latest push to step up engagement with the region.This came as Chinese President Xi Jinping met the leaders of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Xi’s meetings on Saturday, which also included exchanges with the Serbian and Egyptian leaders, followed groundbreaking talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony a day earlier, amid simmering tensions with the United States. Click here to read…
US-China tech war: Top Chinese university pulls report that concluded China would suffer more from tech decoupling with US: South China Morning Post
February 4, 2022
A think-tank at China’s prestigious Peking University has pulled a report that concluded China would likely suffer more in a tech decoupling from the US. The 7,600-character report was published on the official WeChat account of the school’s Institute of International and Strategic Studies on Sunday, and was subsequently shared by Chinese media outlets and analysts. A key finding from the analysis was that both the US and China would suffer from a tech decoupling, but China’s losses would likely be bigger than those of the US. Click here to read…
Why China’s J-20 Mighty Dragon may lack the firepower to use laser weapons: South China Morning Post
February 6, 2022
China’s ambitions to arm its most advanced fighter jet with hi-tech weapons, such as lasers or particle beams, may be frustrated by its underpowered engines, according to military analysts.An increasing number of countries are researching cutting-edge directed-energy weapons (DEW), including the United States which is looking into their use to target hypersonic missiles and gliders. Click here to read…
Mullah Baradar Calls on Govt Bodies to Provide Economic Plans: Tolo News
First Deputy of the Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, called on the government institutions to present their plans to tackle the economic meltdown and root out poverty in the country. Click here to read…
UN committed to providing aid for Afghanistan, despite political predicaments: The Khaama Press
The UN Secretary General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ramiz Alakbarov said they will continue providing humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan in spite of political obstacles that impacted the lives of millions of people in the country. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
EC formation: Search committee to take names from political parties, civil society- Dhaka Tribune
Committee to sit with civil society, media personalities on Saturday and Sunday next week, political parties can send recommendations through email. Click here to read…
US: Bangladesh an important security partner- Dhaka Tribune
There is still room for Bangladesh to go for a written agreement with the USA under the “Leahy” law, says an US official. Click here to read…
Cotton production scanty despite huge market- Daily Star
Cotton production in Bangladesh has been low as farmers prefer other cash crops to the white fibre, completely missing out on at least a $3 billion domestic market. Click here to read…
7th phase UP elections underway- Observer
The seventh phase of union parishad elections to 138 UPs of 24 upazilas in 20 districts is underway on Monday. Click here to read…
Bhutan
RCSC decision: a much-awaited reform- Kuensel
Coinciding with the National Day in 2020, His Majesty The King symbolically handed over to the people of Bhutan a kasho (Royal edict) on the reform decreed for the civil service. Click here to read…
Bye-Elections: DNT MP-elect says people made the right choice- Bhutan Times
Karma Gyeltshen the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) candidate for the bye-election in Khamdang-Ramjar constituency emerged the victor against his DPT nemesis, yet again. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Fresh influx: Myanmar’s nationals taking shelter in Mizoram swell to over 22,000: The Economic Times
With a fresh influx from Myanmar, the number of Myanmar’s nationals taking shelter in Mizoram has swelled to over 22,000. Click here to read…
Australia urges Myanmar to free detained economist: Eleven Myanmar
Australia’s foreign minister called on Sunday (Feb 6) for the “immediate release” of economics professor Sean Turnell, who has been detained by Myanmar’s military government for the past year. Click here to read…
Myanmar Junta Fails the Sovereignty Test: Irrawaddy
After seizing power from an elected civilian government on Feb. 1 last year, Myanmar’s military junta under the State Administration Council (SAC) has fallen short of the four categories that constitute the definition of a sovereign state. Click here to read…
Maldives
Sri Lanka, Maldives in talks to strengthen and diversify relations. ADA Derna
After conveying the warm greetings of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to President Solih, the Sri Lankan envoy expressed his keen desire to strengthen and diversify the existing close and cordial bilateral relations into a vibrant and multifaceted partnership for the mutual benefit of the people of Sri Lanka and Maldives, during his tenure. Click here to read…
In Parliament address, Maldives President Solih highlights India’s role in development. WION News
The president in his speech announced that in December the country repaid the $250 million swap facility taken from India’s central bank, the RBI. The facility was taken in July 2019 to help manage the state’s reserve. Click here to read…
Nepal
Meeting between Deuba, Oli, Dahal commences in Baluwatar- Himalaya
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli and CPN- Maoist Centre chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal have gathered at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar for a meeting. Click here to read…
Schools in Nepal demand reopening as virus cases decline- Himalaya
Schools in Nepal on Sunday demanded the government open up physical classes that were shut down for weeks as the number of COVID-19 cases began to decline. Click here to read…
Dahal’s mendacity, double-dealing and subterfuge- Kathmandu Post
How two letters exposed the Maoist chair’s political shenanigans using the MCC compact. Click here to read…
MCC will not be passed without national consensus, amendment: CPN (Maoist Center)- Republica
The ruling CPN(Maoist Center) has said that the Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) agreement won’t be endorsed through parliament unless there is a national consensus among all parties. Click here to read…
Supply of 6.2m Pfizer doses from COVAX may start from March- Kathmandu Post
The vaccine will be supplied in several phases. Officials say they are also working to purchase 8.4 million doses of Pfizer vaccine for children between five and 11 years. Click here to read…
Pakistan
Islamabad, Beijing vow to boost links at all levels: Dawn
Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday agreed to strengthen institutional links at all levels, cementing mutual strategic, diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries. Click here to read…
Bilawal vows to resolve Balochistan, Sindh’s water woes: The Express Tribune
Addressing a political gathering held in Tamboo Tehsil of Balochistan’s Naseerabad district, the PPP chief blamed other governments for the water scarcity in Sindh and Balochistan. He said, “We do not beg anyone, rather we are demanding our rights, and we know how to snatch back our rights.” He equated the resolution of Balochistan’s water woes to the same in Sindh. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka foreign minister arrives for talks with Indian leaders: Asia News Network
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris arrived here today on a three-day visit for talks with Indian leaders on various bilateral issues, including the fishermen issue. Click here to read…
India sends 1 lakh RAT kit to Sri Lanka as COVID-19 aid: Mint
India continues its COVID-19 assistance to Sri Lanka by initiating the delivery of 100,000 Rapid Antigen Self Test Kit from Friday, according to the High Commission of India in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Click here to read…
China’s ‘soft-power blitzkrieg’ on Sri Lanka’s Tamils rings alarm bells in India: South China Morning Post
Beijing’s overtures, conveyed recently by a bare-chested envoy, have stoked India’s fears that part of its ‘strategic backyard’ could become a Chinese military outpostClick here to read…
