Category: Asia

Pivots Instead of Policies in International Affairs

Recently, we see the “pivot” as a mechanism of foreign policy that is growing in significance. The pivot has become the swift adjustment of foreign policy priorities and alignments by individual countries within the context of the dominant multilateral approach of the post-WWII world.

Vernon Philander: Lead of 80-plus will put SA in good stead vs SL in 1st Test

“We knew it was going to be tough scoring here – it’s always tough in PE,” said Vernon Philander A Getty Images South African all-rounder Vernon Philander on Tuesday said that ensuring Sri Lanka ‘s final three wickets to fall in a matter of just 25 runs would prove to be fruitful for the hosts, as they could possible take a good advantage and a healthy lead against the visitors. “A lead of 80-plus will put us in good stead.

Dinesh Chandimal: SL gave away easy wickets to SA in 1st Test

Dinesh Chandimal defended the aggressive approach by Sri Lankans, by saying that it wasn’t pre-planned to play aggressive, but it was the way it happened A Getty Images With Sri Lankan batsmen in the form of Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis, all being dismissed on a similar occasion for aiming to be aggressive and playing ambitious strokes, against hosts South Africa in the first of the three-Test series at the St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal defended it by saying that it wasn’t pre-planned to play aggressive, but it was the way it happened. The opening three wickets was a cause of consternation.

Highway and bridge projects could benefit from ABS issues. Photo: Xinhua

Mainland regulators will for the first time let public private partnership projects raise funds through asset-backed securities within just two years, which market players believe can attract more private capital into the government-led infrastructure projects. Private companies now can exit PPP projects as early as two years into their operations, compared with the wait of more than a decade previously.

U.S. charges Chinese citizens with hacking, insider trading

Prosecutors said the men made over $4-million by placing trades in at least five company stocks based on inside information from unnamed law firms, including about deals involving Intel Corp. and Pitney Bowes Inc. Prosecutors said the men made over $4-million by placing trades in at least five company stocks based on inside information from unnamed law firms, including about deals involving Intel Corp. and Pitney Bowes Inc. Three Chinese citizens have been criminally charged in the United States with trading on confidential corporate information obtained by hacking into networks and servers of law firms working on mergers, U.S. prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Modi’s Mastery of the Message to Be Tested as India Enters 2017

In what will be a busy year of state elections, economists are slashing India’s growth forecasts because Modi’s unprecedented cash clampdown is denting demand. The experiment has missed its Yet, analysts point to the fact that India hasn’t seen bloody riots of the kind witnessed in Venezuela, which followed Modi in banning higher-value banknotes before it reversed the move .

RusAg Harbin Bank signs agreement

Rosselkhozbank has signed an agreement with China’s Harbin Bank on the establishment of a yuan-denominated correspondent account, the bank informed. This will increase the share of domestic currency-denominated settlement operations in relation to commercial transactions between the two countries.

N. Korea plans nuclear push in 2017, says defector

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is planning a “prime time” nuclear weapons push in 2017 to take advantage of leadership transitions in South Korea and the United States, a high-ranking defector said Tuesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un delivers a speech to top delegates of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang In his first press conference since fleeing his post as North Korea’s deputy ambassador to Britain in August, Thae Yong-Ho said Kim had issued a directive at a rare ruling party congress in May to “complete” nuclear development by the end of next year.

Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis marked in Japan

Chairman of the Society Khalil Kalantar, Counsellor of the Embassy Farid Talibov congratulated the event participants on the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis and spoke of the importance of this holiday, which was founded at the initiative of national leader Heydar Aliyev in 1991. They noted that the Day of Solidarity represents the unity of the Azerbaijani people and fully justifies itself as an important step towards the protection of the compatriots living in different countries of the world.

Sri Lankan church’s hymnbook subs in Tupac’s ‘Hail Mary’

In a Christmas debacle, Sri Lanka’s Catholic church withdrew hymn sheets after lyrics of “Hail Mary” were mixed up with an expletive-packed version by rapper Tupac Shakur, a spokesman said Monday. Hail Mary, also known as Ave Maria, is a traditional Catholic prayer asking for the intervention of the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Putin’s Hit Teams Head for Syria

Chechen killers seasoned in the North Caucasus wars are on their way to Syria to take on ISIS – or anyone else deemed dangerous to Kremlin policy. MOSCOW-Dozens of special military units in red berets lined up in the sun, waiting for the transport to move them to what they gently referred to as “Shama,” which in their Chechen mother tongue means the Holy Land in Syria.

Russian plane with 92 aboard crashes int…

A Russian plane headed to an air base in Syria with 92 people aboard, including members of the world-famous Russian army choir, crashed into the Black Sea on Sunday minutes after taking off from the city of Sochi, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. There appeared to be no survivors.

Woman, teen tied to Islamist militant group blow themselves up

Bangladesh policemen cover their nose to protect themselves from the smell of teargas during a raid in a building in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s home minister says a woman and a teenager thought to be linked with a banned Islamist militant group have blown themselves up during a police raid on a two-story house in the nation’s capital.

North Korea Says US Should Expect ‘Imminent War’ Over Sanctions

North Korean military participate in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang on October 12, 2015. REUTERS/KCNA/File Photo Pyongyang is threatening “imminent war” in response to the latest batch of sanctions brought against it by the United Nations.

Seoul investigators seek to detain daughter of Park’s friend

Investigators looking into an explosive corruption scandal surrounding impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye are seeking to detain the daughter of Park’s longtime confidante who faces criminal charges for allegedly extorting companies and manipulating state affairs. A German prosecution official on Thursday told South Korean media that Germany will cooperate with South Korean investigators in their search for Yoora Chung, the daughter of Park’s jailed friend Choi Soon-sil, who is believed to be staying in Germany.

Old papers shed new light on South Korea deal with Lockheed Martin

Letters to former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il from South Korean President Park Geun -hye are shedding light on how Park navigated inter-Korea relations during her years as a lawmaker. The letters and draft documents, obtained by South Korean magazine Weekly Kyunghyang in March and October, are being considered again from a different perspective in the wake of the political scandal that has culminated in Park’s impeachment and the trial of her influential friend Choi Soon-sil.

Old papers shed new light on South Korea deal with Lockheed Martin

Letters to former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il from South Korean President Park Geun -hye are shedding light on how Park navigated inter-Korea relations during her years as a lawmaker. The letters and draft documents, obtained by South Korean magazine Weekly Kyunghyang in March and October, are being considered again from a different perspective in the wake of the political scandal that has culminated in Park’s impeachment and the trial of her influential friend Choi Soon-sil.

LeEco plans to target high-value added customers

Chinese internet major LeEco said on Tuesday that its TV business will open content and platform resources to more third-party partners, with an expectation that its revenue from non-hardware will reach over 20 billion yuan in the next three years. LeEco announced the 2017 to 2019 strategy for its large-screen TV business, emphasizing it will continue to target high-value users, stick to its “open eco” concept and use the US market as the base of global operations.

The Chinese are coming

Tech companies in China are coming to Cambridge next month with the aim of working closer with the city’s tech cluster. “The synergy resulting might in some cases change the world and clearly, many areas of activity will move forward faster through a “better together” approach than through needless competition,” says Alan Barrell, a professor in China and veteran Cambridge businessman.

Afghan Taliban reiterate demands for peace talks with US

A spokesman for the Afghan Taliban says the group is ready for peace talks with the United States, if their demands are met. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said earlier this week that their two conditions for peace talks are the removal of the group leader’s name from the U.N. blacklist and the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan.