Asia

Asia’s rise doesn’t necessarily mean the West’s decline
3Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore, World

Asia’s rise doesn’t necessarily mean the West’s decline

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a growing geopolitical perception of Asia’s rise and the decline of the West. To a large extent, East Asian countries have managed to control the number of infections and particularly the number of virus-related deaths proportional to population. By contrast, case totals are between 50 and 100 times higher in Europe and the United States. Even in Germany, which has put up the best fight against the virus in Europe, the COVID-19 fatality rate is almost 20 times higher than that of Japan or South Korea. While the pandemic has dealt a devastating blow to economic activity in both the East and West, East Asia has a much easier path to recovery. China is acting as an engine of growth. Japan has seen an increase in capital investment (including planned i...
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Indian BSF unfurls 131-feet-high tricolour at India-Pak border in Jammu
27Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Indian BSF unfurls 131-feet-high tricolour at India-Pak border in Jammu

On India’s 72nd Republic Day on Tuesday, the Border Security Force (BSF) unfurled a 131-feet-high tricolour along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu district of Indian union territory of Jammu and KashmirInspector General of BSF, Jammu frontier, NS Jamwal hoisted one of the largest national flags along the International Border (IB) at Octroi border outpost (BoP) in the RS Pura belt, the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of BSF Jammu said.“The flag measuring 30×20 feet is the tallest in the Jammu region, flying at a 131-feet-high pole,” BSF officials said.“The IG BSF, before hoisting the tricolour at Octroi, unfurled the national flag at the BSF headquarters in Jammu,” PRO said in a release.“The hoisting of the flag at Octroi was possible because of the sponsorship of the Lupin Foundation, the ...
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Indian Embassy in Kathmandu celebrates Republic Day
27Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Indian Embassy in Kathmandu celebrates Republic Day

On the occasion of India’s 72nd Republic Day on Tuesday, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Indian Ambassador to Nepal, hoisted the national flag at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.According to an official statement, the Ambassador felicitated Veer Nari, war widows, and next of kins of deceased soldiers by disbursing their dues worth Rs 3.68 crore and a blanket to each.The embassy also gifted books to 50 libraries and educational institutions spread across all the provinces of Nepal.Kwatra also hosted a reception at India House. Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, according to the statement.On this occasion, the former Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav launched India-Nepal Alumni Network ‘Sampark’ along with website www.samparkbharatnepal.com.The event was...
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IMF projects 11.5% growth rate for India in 2021
27Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China, Market

IMF projects 11.5% growth rate for India in 2021

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday projected a strong rebound in the Indian economy with an impressive 11.5 per cent growth rate in 2021.The IMF’s growth projections for India in its latest World Economic Outlook Update released on Tuesday makes India the only major economy of the world to register a double-digit growth this year amidst the coronavirus pandemic.“In its latest update, the IMF projected an 11.5 per cent growth rate for India in 2021. This makes India the only major economy of the world to register a double-digit growth in 2021,” it said. “China is next with 8.1 per cent growth in 2021 followed by Spain (5.9 per cent) and France (5.5 per cent).”The IMF said that in 2020, the Indian economy is estimated to have contracted by eight per cent. China is the only majo...
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China’s dam-building over Brahmaputra risks water war with India
25Jan mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, China, World

China’s dam-building over Brahmaputra risks water war with India

In a move which could lead to conflicts between China and India, Beijing is planning to build a mega-dam on the Yarlung Zangbao, the world's highest river, which flows through Tibet and eventually becomes the Brahmaputra when it enters India.   The Yarlung Zangbao Dam plan is moving ahead without China discussing or entering into water-sharing agreements with downstream India or Bangladesh. Bangladesh, which maintains cordial relations with China, too protested over the Yarlung Zangbao Dam.Bertil Linter, a Swedish journalist, in an opinion piece wrote that precise technical details regarding the mega-dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River are lacking, but regional media reports indicate it will likely dwarf the massive Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River and generate three times as much electri...
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Hong Kong imposes first lockdown due to surge in covid-19 cases
23Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, USA

Hong Kong imposes first lockdown due to surge in covid-19 cases

The government in Hong Kong has imposed its first COVID-19 lockdown in Jordan, a neighbourhood on the Kowloon Peninsula, after a sudden rise in the number of coronavirus cases.A statement read: The government made a “restriction-testing declaration”, which requires residents from parts of the bustling neighborhood of Jordan to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing arranged by the government.Residents will be required to stay at their homes until all the residents are subjected to mandatory testing, which the authorities aim to complete under the time frame of 48 hours.Thousands of Hong Kong residents are affected by the lockdown, said the government’s information office.Wong Kam-sin, Hong Kong’s Secretary for the Environment, said that the water from the pipes of several bu...
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Pakistan continues ignore terrorism organisations despite FATF’s February deadline
23Jan By Online DeskNo Comments
Asia

Pakistan continues ignore terrorism organisations despite FATF’s February deadline

As Pakistan continues financing and supporting terrorist organisations, it appears that the country will be pushed into the black list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) during next month’s Plenary to assess the country’s progress in curbing the financing of terrorist organisations.During October’s review, FATF president Marcus Pleyer had said that there were “very serious deficiencies” in Pakistan’s efforts to counter terrorist financing and gave the country until the February 19-21 Plenary to resolve these issues as they cannot wait “forever.”“As long as we see that the country is progressing with the action items, and we have seen progress with Pakistan, we give them a chance to repair the outstanding issues, but we don’t do this forever,” Pleyer had said.Although Pakistani decis...
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J&K: Doda, Ramban districts now ‘terrorism-free’, say police
22Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

J&K: Doda, Ramban districts now ‘terrorism-free’, say police

In the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), two out of three districts in Chenab Valley are now free from terrorism, the police said on Thursday."There are three districts in the Chenab Valley. Out of these, Doda and Ramban are now militancy-free while an area in Kishtwar district still has a militancy presence. We are trying our best to make the area militancy-free as soon as possible," said Abdul Jabbar, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Doda/Kishtwar/Ramban (DKR) Range.The DIG was in Doda to review the security preparations ahead of the Republic Day celebrations. He remarked that at the present time, there is a very peaceful situation in Chenab Valley."I also had a crime review meeting to check the law and order and state of militancy in the zone," he said, a...
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Pakistan should withdraw anti-dumping duty imposed on BOPP from UAE: WTO
20Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Pakistan should withdraw anti-dumping duty imposed on BOPP from UAE: WTO

Pakistan should withdraw the antidumping duty imposed on Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene Film (BOPP) from the United Arab Emirates, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said in a report.As per the WTO panel issues report regarding Pakistan duties on BOPP film from the UAE, the WTO found that Pakistan’s final determination of 9 April 2015 and sunset review determination of 1 December 2016 is inconsistent with a number of Articles of the Anti-Dumping Agreement.The dispute concerns a challenge to successive anti-dumping duty measures that Pakistan adopted on imports of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film from, among other sources, the United Arab Emirates.The WTO report recommended that Pakistan bring its measures into conformity with its obligations under the Anti-Dumping Agreement.I...
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China: GDP growth slowest in more than four decades
20Jan mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China

China: GDP growth slowest in more than four decades

Official data released on Monday has showed that China’s GDP grew at the slowest pace in more than four decades in 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic hit the world.Coronavirus, which has ravaged the world economy, first emerged in central China in 2019. But China also became the first country to bounce back after imposing strict lockdowns and virus control measures.The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said last year was a “grave and complex environment both at home and abroad” with the pandemic having a “huge impact”.The 2.3 per cent expansion in 2020 was a marked slowdown from 2019’s revised growth of 6.0 per cent — itself already the lowest in decades — with the country hit by weak domestic demand and trade tensions.In the last three months of 2020, China’s economic rebound continued...
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