SEOUL – There can be few finer examples of the positive potential of change than the Japan-US relationship. In a generation, the Pacific powers morphed …
Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider impresses in first flight demos : by Dave Makichuk
The Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program (FARA) is the Army’s top priority in the Future Vertical Lift, or FVL, effort, which officials see as a …
US-China warm trends and headwinds whipsaw investors : by Nigel Green
The Chinese premier’s recent calls for more communication and cooperation between China and the US are broadly welcomed as a positive step in the relationship …
Myanmar’s ousted MPs form new shadow government : by AT Contributor
A “parliament” working in hiding to oust Myanmar’s junta from power announced a new shadow government Friday, with deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi at …
China looms large over Biden-Suga meet : by William Pesek
TOKYO – Try as they will to plot the future, much of today’s (April 16) Oval Office chat between Joe Biden and Yoshihide Suga will …
Jimmy Lai among five HK democracy activists jailed : by AT Contributor
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was jailed for 12 months on Friday, along with four other veteran democracy activists, for helping to lead one …
Prophet Muhammad depiction rage explodes in Pakistan : by FM Shakil
PESHAWAR – Fierce street clashes have crippled Pakistan’s biggest cities this week when Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) activists took to the streets after police arrested the …
Biden, Suga should prioritize Indo-Pacific digital trade deal : by Tami Overby and Kai Abe McGuire
US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will meet in Washington on Friday (April 16) as both the United States and Japan …
China’s GDP grows a record 18.3% in Q1 : by Beiyi Seow
China’s economy expanded at a record pace in the first quarter as the country continued its rapid recovery from last year’s pandemic-fuelled slump, official data …
HSBC London brass move to Hong Kong in Asia drive : by AT Contributor
London-headquartered HSBC bank is relocating four senior executives to Hong Kong as it seeks to extend its business reach across its main market, Asia. In …
Google broke Australian law over data: court : by AT Contributor
Google violated Australian law by misleading users of Android mobile devices about the use of their location data, a court ruled Friday in a landmark …
Vaccine third dose ‘likely’ needed in 12 months : by AT Contributor
The head of Pfizer said in an interview aired Thursday that people will “likely” need a third dose of his company’s Covid-19 shot within six to …
Obituary for America’s war in Afghanistan : by M.K. Bhadrakumar
One missing part in US President Joe Biden’s remarks Wednesday announcing a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was that he didn’t order a commission of inquiry …
India’s Wipro posts 28% jump in Q4 net profit : by KS Kumar
Indian software services major Wipro has recorded a 27.78% net profit for the fourth quarter on the back of some prominent deal wins. The Bangalore-based …
More inflation than meets the eye in US retail jump : by David P. Goldman
US financial markets breathed a big sigh of relief April 15 when the government reported a 9.8% jump in US retail sales during March, showing …
US Retail Sales Gain is mostly inflation : by Alex Yuen
The post US Retail Sales Gain is mostly inflation appeared first on Asia Times.
China splits Czech Republic down the political middle : by David Hutt
PRAGUE – The man touted as Czech Republic’s next foreign minister previously worked as a consultant for one of the largest Chinese investment groups in …
Tencent plays it safe after Alibaba’s anti-trust blow : by Frank Chen
Chinese tech, social media and gaming juggernaut Tencent has emerged as a next target after Beijing’s monopoly busters tackled rival Alibaba last week. Alibaba was …
Nantanz attack won’t kill JCPOA nuke deal revival : by Kourosh Ziabari
An attack on Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility on April 11 has been blamed on Israel by Iranian officials, an accusation that threatens to hamper …
China puts national security on HK’s curriculum : by Jeff Pao
Hong Kong launched a new propaganda campaign about national security in schools on Thursday, with instructions to students to uphold the city’s law and order …
US comes to Philippines rescue in South China Sea : by Richard Javad Heydarian
MANILA – The Philippines and United States have kicked off their annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises, a joint show of force in the face of …
Fukushima water dump a tempest in a tritium pot : by Grady Loy
It is a huge amount of irradiated water from the Fukushima nuclear power complex that Japanese authorities have decided to dump into the sea. I …
Myanmar army shoots at protesting medical workers : by AT Contributor
Myanmar’s military opened fire on protesting healthcare workers on Thursday, killing at least one bystander as the demonstrators fled for safety to a nearby mosque. …
Hezbollah corners food supplies while Lebanon goes hungry : by Faisal Al Yafai
The news that Hezbollah was officially launching its own chain of supermarkets in Lebanon was greeted with derision on social media. Photos showed shelves packed …
Biden and Suga should take a hard stand on human rights : by Ted Gover
US President Joe Biden will host his first in-person foreign leader at the White House with Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide on April 16. The …
India’s daily cases double in 10 days to 200,000 : by AT Contributor
India added a record 200,000 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, official data showed Thursday, as the country’s huge second wave accelerates. The …
Infosys announces share buyback as profits rise : by AT Contributor
Indian software giant Infosys announced a $1.22 billion share buyback Wednesday after reporting a 17% jump in quarterly net profits, boosted by growing demand for …
EU to get 50 million Pfizer doses as US halts J&J : by AT Contributor
Live version of coronavirus map The European Union said Wednesday that it was expecting 50 million Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses earlier than expected, as the …
Cambodia on the ‘brink of death’ from Covid surge : by AT Contributor
Spiraling Covid-19 cases have put Cambodia “on the brink of death,” its strongman premier Hun Sen has warned, as the country imposed lockdowns in the …
India should welcome US withdrawal from Afghanistan : by M.K. Bhadrakumar
The specter haunting India today is that its worst-case scenario in Afghanistan is becoming reality – a Taliban takeover. Delhi watches with disquiet the United …
Indian government invites bids for Air India : by KS Kumar
The much-delayed sale of India’s state-run airline Air India may finally take off. The government has initiated the process for inviting financial bids and the …
Biden makes it official: US out of Afghanistan war : by Sebastian Smith
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday it’s “time to end” America’s longest war with the unconditional withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, where they have spent two …
PC21: America goes to ‘virtual war’ against China : by Dave Makichuk
This fall, the US military is declaring war on China. Thankfully, no one will get hurt — it’s virtual, and it’s called Convergence 21 (PC21). …
Why China’s government bond market is about to boom : by Alex Yuen
The post Why China’s government bond market is about to boom appeared first on Asia Times.
China’s inflation warriors a step ahead of bond bears : by William Pesek
TOKYO – As Western economists brawl about when inflation might flare up, Chinese authorities are beating them to the punch. This take-no-chances approach on upward …
Korea says herd immunity still possible by November : by Andrew Salmon
SEOUL – Despite a late start, ongoing supply issues and a heavy reliance on the controversial AstraZeneca shot, South Korea’s goal of herd immunity by …
HK’s vaccination bookings surge after ‘incentives’ : by Jeff Pao
The number of bookings to get vaccinations in Hong Kong has increased in the past two days after the government said on Monday that vaccinated …
EU punts chance to override China’s BRI in the Balkans : by David Hutt
PRAGUE – The European Union (EU) on Monday rejected a plea by Montenegro’s government to help refinance a Chinese loan, a denial which could result …
More than 1,000 test positive at Indian festival : by AT Contributor
Hundreds of people have tested positive for coronavirus in India at the site of the world’s biggest religious festival, officials said Wednesday, as huge crowds …
Japanese AI robots and the American union’s last hurrah : by Scott Foster
“I’m a union guy,” US President Joe Biden told an audience at the Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on March 31. “I support …
Western vaccines turning the Covid tide on China : by Francesco Sisci
China quite possibly entered 2021 with hopes for better economic and thus political performance than in 2020. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has inflated those …
We need to do more to combat anti-Asian hate crimes : by Ted Gover
Recently released hate crime figures showing that anti-Asian hate crimes in the US rose by 149% in 2020 – a 50% increase since 2019 – is a …
Chinese ship withdrawal shows diplomacy works : by Lucio Pitlo
The number of Chinese vessels moored in Whitsun reef in the disputed South China Sea has gone down from 220 early last month to 32 …
US cannot afford a world war with Russia : by Brandon J Weichert
Russia’s autocratic strongman, President Vladimir Putin, finds himself in an unenviable position. He is deeply unpopular at home. An old political rival, Alexei Navalny, has …
Toshiba CEO to quit as buyout offer stirs turmoil : by AT Contributor
Toshiba’s president Nobuaki Kurumatani will resign on Wednesday, reports said, as a buyout offer from a private equity firm stirs turmoil inside the Japanese firm. …
US pauses J&J shots in blow to immunization drive : by Issam Ahmed
Live version of coronavirus map US health authorities on Tuesday recommended pausing the Johnson & Johnson Covid shot over blood clot fears, with the company …
Virus surges fuel fears 100 days before Olympics : by Sara Hussein
The Olympic flame is on its way across Japan and athletes around the world are ramping up training, but 100 days before Tokyo 2020 opens, …
Lack of exercise linked to severe Covid patients : by Marlowe Hood
Among covid patients, a lack of exercise is linked to more severe symptoms and a higher risk of death, according to a study covering nearly …
No panic over Huarong Asset Management in China’s credit markets : by Alex Yuen
The post No panic over Huarong Asset Management in China’s credit markets appeared first on Asia Times.
Germany to change second jab from AstraZeneca : by AT Contributor
People aged under 60 who have been given a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in Germany will receive a different jab for their …
Pyongyang may restart nuclear tests this year: Intel : by AT Contributor
North Korea could resume nuclear tests this year as a way to force President Joe Biden’s administration to enter into dialogue, US intelligence experts said …
US$1tn price tag for chip break from China : by Dave Makichuk
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a new low in US-China relations. The delays and lack of transparency by China’s Party-state contributed to the rapid …
Biden pulling all US troops from Afghanistan by 9/11 : by Shaun Tandon
President Joe Biden will withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan before this year’s 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, finally ending America’s longest war …
Biden meets CEOs at White House ‘chip summit’ : by Dave Makichuk
As the looming semiconductor shortage cripples US automakers and threatens national security, President Joe Biden convened a virtual emergency summit with 19 CEOs and his …
Huawei targets Tesla, investing US$1bn in Smart Cars : by Dave Makichuk
Despite being under siege from US sanctions, Huawei has decided to take on one of the most high-tech, advanced rivals in the world — none …
HK poised to jail election boycott campaigners : by Jeff Pao
HONG KONG – Calls to boycott upcoming Hong Kong Legislative Council elections will be illegal with offenders facing three years in jail as China stamps …
Clashing experts sow doubts on Chinese vaccines : by Frank Chen
Conflicting messages from experts and officials running the Chinese National Center for Disease Control and Prevention have sown further confusion among the Chinese population, who …
Philippines tilts towards full-blown Covid catastrophe : by Jason Castaneda
MANILA – The Philippines is grappling with the region’s worst Covid-19 outbreak, a surge in infections that some fear could soon tilt the country towards …
Why Russia suddenly wants an ally in Pakistan : by Salman Rafi Sheikh
When Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov landed this month in Pakistan, marking Moscow’s first high-level ministerial visit to Islamabad in nearly a decade, the diplomat’s …
Barristers in crossfire of Beijing’s Uighur rage : by Neville Sarony
The Global Magnitsky Act under which the US sanctions nationals of other countries for serious human rights abuses and corruption was bound to give rise …
Saudi-Jordanian caught in middle of palace feud : by Anuj Chopra
Saudi Arabia fervently denies involvement in Jordan’s royal feud, but the arrest of an advisor to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has stirred unease in …
Japan to release Fukushima’s radioactive water into Pacific : by Andrew Salmon
In a long-anticipated decision, Japan announced Tuesday that starting two years hence it will release into the sea radioactive water held at the crippled Fukushima …
Sri Lanka gets 2d China loan; rupee hits record low : by AT Contributor
Sri Lanka secured a $500 million loan from China Monday in a desperate bid to shore up its foreign exchange reserves as the local currency …
When the lights go out in Myanmar : by Dominic Oo
YANGON – Darkness is descending on Myanmar, figuratively and literally. As the military regime widens a killing spree that has taken over 700 lives since …
Masked gang hits Epoch Times newspaper in Hong Kong : by AT Contributor
A Hong Kong newspaper that is critical of Beijing said its printing presses were ransacked by a gang of men wielding sledgehammers. The assault on …
Is the BRI causing a debt crisis for China? : by Joseph Dana
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced China to rethink the Belt and Road Initiative, the ambitious plan to connect large parts of the global economy through …
Turkey’s grand canal plan is dividing the nation : by Jonathan Gorvett
To its supporters, it means investment, jobs and safety for Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city. To its critics, it means an eco-catastrophe, a waste of precious …
China March imports rise further, exports strong : by AT Contributor
China’s imports and exports boomed again in March, data showed Tuesday, as recovery in the world’s number-two economy continues apace and demand picks up in …
Bloodshed won’t end if world recognizes Myanmar’s junta : by David Hutt
“In light of Myanmar’s tense domestic climate, it is critical to avoid any course of action that could further aggravate the situation, which may lead …
Far from hosting Ramadan dinners, Iraqis go hungry : by Salam Faraj
Faced with sharp price rises, a decline in the buying power of the dinar and rising unemployment, Iraqis enter the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan …
Biden tells chip CEOs US must prevent shortages : by AT Contributor
President Joe Biden, working to build support for his infrastructure bill, met virtually Monday with leading CEOs for a summit on the semiconductor shortage. In …
Deaths in Europe top the one million mark : by AT Contributor
Live version of coronavirus map Europe passed the grim milestone of one million coronavirus deaths on Monday, as the World Health Organization warned that infections …
Covid-19 resurgence spooks Indian stock market : by KS Kumar
The rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in India as part of the second wave has now cast a shadow on the country’s stock markets. On …
US home prices soar but shelter inflation falls : by David P. Goldman
Tuesday morning’s March Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics will have the market’s undivided attention. Despite Fed Chairman Jerome …
Can a US war with China be limited? : by Stephen Bryen
There is growing global speculation that the possibility is rising for a US war with China with the focus on Taiwan. Whether it is Taiwan or …
Federal Reserve Pretends Inflation Isn’t Really There : by Alex Yuen
The post Federal Reserve Pretends Inflation Isn’t Really There appeared first on Asia Times.
Trudeau bows to Xi Jinping in HFX scandal : by Dave Makichuk
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, widely seen as inexperienced and spineless by many Canadians, has added to that sad reputation, with a cowardly action that …
Prince Philip’s British navy heroics recounted : by Dave Makichuk
“Prince Philip saved our lives that night,” said Harry Hargreaves. “I suppose there might have been a few survivors, but certainly the ship would have been …
$1.2 billion fine won’t end Jack Ma’s regulatory woes : by Frank Chen
When Chinese regulators meted out a record 18.2 billion yuan (US$1.22 billion) fine to Alibaba over the weekend, investors responded on Monday by ramping up …
Surges and setbacks as nations confront Covid : by Phil Hazlewood
Britain was due to partially lift coronavirus restrictions Monday, reopening shops, gyms, pub gardens and hairdressers, while India moved to ban exports of a virus …