KATHMANDU, Narayani Hospital in Nepal’s southern city of Birgunj has its own health care waste treatment center now, bringing much relief to those inside and around the health facility. The health care waste management center was inaugurated on Thursday at the hospital, with a ceremony held to mark the handover […]
Turns Out COVID-19 Didn’t Reshape Geopolitics
I drafted that argument more than two years ago, barely six months into the pandemic and back when COVID-19 was truly a novel coronavirus. At the time, COVID-19 had killed half a million people worldwide; by the fall of 2022, that number is closer to 6.5 million. Now that U.S. […]
Goods stranded in China roll into Nepal relieving traders
China has reopened the border allowing cargo containers to pass into Nepal as promised by Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, during his visit to Kathmandu two weeks ago. On September 15, Beijing ordered Chinese customs authorities to release all Nepal-bound trucks stranded on […]
Iran’s Protesters Aren’t Backing Down
If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every weekday, please sign up here . Welcome to today’s Morning Brief, where we’re looking at Iran’s enduring protests , Britain’s spiraling economic crisis , and Israel’s deadly raid in the West Bank. Welcome to today’s Morning Brief, where […]
What a False Coup Rumor Reveals About Chinese Politics
If you would like to receive China Brief in your inbox every Wednesday, please sign up here . The highlights this week: A baseless rumor about a coup reveals misunderstandings of Beijing’s politics , Ukraine’s success against Russia raises questions in Taiwan , and China’s ambassador to the United Nations […]
What a 19th-Century Shearer Can Teach Us About Korean-Australian Relations
Existing diplomatic ties between South Korea and Australia are largely weak and shallow. Their relationship is primarily built on the fact that both are U.S. allies. As great-power competition between Washington and Beijing ramps up, bilateral relations have continued to remain secondary to Seoul and Canberra’s primary foreign-policy goals: remaining […]
World Bank Predicts Growth In East Asia & Pacific Expected To Reduce To 3.2%
Growth in East Asia and the Pacific is expected to slow to 3.2% from 7.2% in 2021, the World Bank has said. According to the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific October 2022 Economic Update, the growth in developing East Asia and the Pacific outside of China is expected to […]
Neighbourhood outreach critical for India
Talks with Russia and the US and its presence at the recent meeting of the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation may reflect India’s aspiration to play a wider international role, but ties with neighbours, especially Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, are among the most important components of India’s foreign policy and […]
Quad Members Oppose Unilateral Action Changing Status Quo In Indo-Pacific
The Quad grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the United States has said it strongly opposes any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo or increase tensions in the Indo-Pacific, amidst China’s increasingly intimidatory behaviour in the region. The foreign ministers met in New York City on the […]
Why India Needs More Aircraft Carriers
When it becomes fully operational—between 12 to 18 months from now—the new ship will be able to carry a complement of 30 aircraft plus other armaments. With that, the INS Vikrant will become the costliest military hardware in the Indian Navy’s inventory. The new aircraft carrier provides a significant boost […]