Asia

By Lauren Johnston, University of Sydney | – (The Conversation) – China-Africa relations have deepened over the past two decades, characterised by increased economic cooperation, investment and infrastructure development. China is now Africa’s largest trading partner, with partnerships focused on building roads, railways and energy projects. As the ninth Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) kicks […]

Featured

India outstrips Japan in Solar Energy

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The energy consultancy Ember reports that the growth in solar production in India was 5.9% in 2023, which outstripped the growth in solar in Japan last year. Japan is the fourth-largest economy in the world, and India is the fifth. India was the world’s fastest-growing economy last year at 7.8%, […]

Afghanistan

Afghanistan: The Taliban’s ‘Vice and Virtue’ Laws Reimpose the Harsh Repression of Women

The Conversation

By Kambaiz Rafi, Durham University | – (The Conversation) – Until the collapse of Afghanistan’s US-backed government in August 2021, few knew clearly what the Taliban wanted once they had returned to power. Some western officials and observers hoped for a big change from the regime, which had governed the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate in the […]

Bangladesh

Hope on the Horizon? What Bangladesh’s Regime Change could mean for Rohingya Refugees

The Conversation

By Sarah Nandi, McGill University | – Bangladesh is experiencing a seismic shift after 18 years of Awami League rule ended abruptly due to intensive student protests. This upheaval, and the crackdowns that resulted in the deaths of more than 300 protesters, forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country and ushered in an […]

Afghanistan

3 Years after the Taliban’s Return, Afghanistan is a broken country facing problems of Terrorism Again

The Conversation

By Amin Saikal, Australian National University | – (The Conversation) – This week marks the third year since America’s retreat from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s return to power. The United States had intervened in Afghanistan in response to the September 11 2001 terror attacks by al-Qaeda. The aim was to combat international terrorism and chart […]

China

Over half of new Car sales in China in July were EVs, as America faces threat of Falling Behind

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In July, China reached an unprecedented inflection point for an industrialized society, with more electric cars purchased than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. William Gavin at Quartz points out that 3 years ago, only 7% of cars sold in China were EVs. Just this year, EV sales are up 37%. […]

Afghanistan

The Push To Recognize ‘Gender Apartheid’ As A Crime

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

Written by Michael Scollon with reporting by RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi | – (

Afghanistan

The World’s Nod to Taliban Misogyny

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Tarique Niazi | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – The United Nations recently hosted a third round of talks on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar, to weigh the prospects for the country’s return to the international system. The talks were attended by special envoys on Afghanistan from 30 world nations, including the United […]

Australasia

Blinded to all but the Anglo-Saxon “Five Eyes:” The Bias of US Policy toward Asia

Michael T. Klare

( Tomdispatch.com ) – Wherever he travels globally, President Biden has sought to project the United States as the rejuvenated leader of a broad coalition of democratic nations seeking to defend the “rules-based international order” against encroachments by hostile autocratic powers, especially China, Russia, and North Korea. “We established NATO, the greatest military alliance in […]