Radical change can sometimes come without revolution. In Uzbekistan, journalist Abu Ali Niyazmatov said that the changes are so dramatic every day that it is sometimes hard to keep up with reforms introduced by the new President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who came to power just two years ago. “Changes are going …
Read More »When reporters are killed in line of duty
Samim Faramarz, 28, and his cameraperson, Ramiz Ahmadi, 23, were among the first few journalists at the scene of the suicide attack in Kabul on September 5. As they finished the first broadcast about the explosion at a local sports club, Faramarz described the grim situation to his viewers. “I …
Read More »India is asking for a trade deal due to our tough policies: Trump
‘They wouldn’t talk about that with previous administrations’ India has asked for a trade deal with the U.S. due to his tough policies, President Donald Trump told his supporters. Addressing a rally in South Dakota on Friday, he said countries have learned to respect the U.S. now. “India called us …
Read More »Swedish election yields a hung assembly
Neither of the two mainstream blocs can form a government on their own as far-right party makes major gains Sweden faced political deadlock on Monday after the far-right made gains in legislative elections that left the question of who will form the next government up in the air. As expected, …
Read More »‘Time to restore sanity in U.S. politics’
Obama campaigns for Democrats in California ahead of midterm polls in Nov. Former President Barack Obama said the November midterm elections will give Americans “a chance to restore some sanity in our politics”, taking another swipe at his successor as he raised his profile campaigning for fellow Democrats to regain …
Read More »CPEC won’t lead to a debt trap, says China
Foreign Minister Wang says on Pakistan visit that only four of the 18 projects use concessional loan China has rejected accusations that its financial backing for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a “debt trap” that could compromise Islamabad’s sovereignty. Beijing has billed the Gwadar to Kashgar corridor as …
Read More »Maldives hits out at U.S. over sanctions threats
‘It is imposing undue influence on poll’ The Maldives has hit out at the United States after it warned of possible sanctions against key officials of the island nation if the upcoming election is not free and fair. President Donald Trump’s administration warned the Maldives on Thursday of possible sanctions …
Read More »Pride and prejudices over foreign aid
Earlier this month, British tabloid The Daily Express ran a headline lambasting British aid to India. The article pointed to the £98 million that Britain was set to spend on India between 2018 and 2020, which it insisted was roughly equivalent to the spend on the Chandrayaan-2 space probe. “The …
Read More »Japan braces for its Y2K moment
In Japan, loyalty to tradition often wins out over practicability. A case in point is the Japanese language itself, which uses a mercurial combination of three wholly different scripts: hiragana , katakana and kanji . Another example, currently in the news, is Japan’s traditional gengo calendar system, a custom that …
Read More »U.S. accused of blocking UN climate talks amid protests
Negotiators say developed nations want to change rules on funding plans The United States, despite withdrawing from a landmark accord aimed at curbing climate change, is stonewalling vital UN talks over how to fund poorer nations as they battle against global warming, multiple sources said on Saturday. Protests were staged …
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