ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that Asia-Pacific, including the Indian Ocean, should become a Zone of Peace, an area of expanding cooperation and prosperity through strict adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and the Bandung Principles of peaceful coexistence. In his virtual address at Nikkei’s 26th conference on ‘Future of […]
Asia
COVID outbreaks in Asia fuel concern; Britain eases virus lockdown
Britain took a big step towards normal life on Monday with more easing of coronavirus restrictions, but there was even more misery in India where a powerful cyclone disrupted efforts to fight a devastating Covid-19 wave. Rapid vaccinations have allowed the United States and Britain to start moving away from harsh restrictions, but tighter curbs […]
Asian markets tumble on trade tensions
Asian stocks largely fell Tuesday, reversing early gains on a bargain-hunting push by investors, as global trade tensions continued to weigh on markets. Fears of an economic slowdown have mounted in recent days as US President Donald Trump has threatened Mexico with tariffs, adding to anxieties over the US-China trade war, which shows no signs […]
In first for Asia, Taiwan lawmakers back same-sex marriage
Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage on Friday, as thousands of demonstrators outside parliament cheered and waved rainbow flags, despite deep divisions over marriage equality. Lawmakers of the majority Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) backed the bill, which passed 66 to 27, although the measure could complicate President Tsai Ing-wen’s bid […]
Telecom licence fees
The license of Telenor Pakistan and Jazz are due to expire later this month on 25 May 2019. Three days ago Jazz approached the Islamabad High Court asking for “clarity” on the terms of its licence renewal that it says should be done “in an equitable, fair and transparent way.” By saying this they mean […]
Seeking modernity — a case study
In the autumn of 1867, Okubo Toshimichi, a leading courtier of the feudal Japanese Satsuma domain, traveled from the capital of Edo, now Tokyo, to the regional city of Yamaguchi. On October 14 he met with leaders of the choshu domain. He had a simple proposal: they would join forces, march their armies to Edo, […]
Tighter US sanctions on Iranian oil will cost Asia but supply will flow
Asian buyers of Iranian crude are well placed to overcome the end of US sanctions waivers as they have demonstrated they can live without it and as global producers have the capacity to make up a shortfall, according to analysts and trade data. The United States on Monday demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases […]
The ‘freedom to fail’ is imperative for Asia’s future
A CNN Business story from late March revealed China was still trailing the US in cutting-edge technology despite being home to a third of the world’s “unicorns,” or tech startups valued over a billion dollars. This gap, the article explains, is the result of lower Chinese investments in research and development. While this may be […]
Saudi crown prince meets Chinese president, bags oil deal
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday and bagged a $10-billion oil deal, pressing on with his diplomatic charm offensive in Asia following a global outcry over the Khashoggi killing. Mohammed arrived in Beijing on Thursday following visits to Pakistan and India, showing the world that his country still […]
Asian markets rise again after strong US jobs data
AFP / –Asian markets are on the rise but there are still concerns that the China-US trade row could intensify, with Donald Trump threatening further tariffs Asian markets rallied on Monday, extending their gains at the end of last week, following another strong US jobs report that reinforced confidence in the US economy and helped […]