Author: kusum.rana

The Philippines is setting up an airport in the South China Sea on an island it occupies, asserting its claims in the disputed waters amid rising tension with Beijing. It would be built on Pag-asa island, known internationally as Thitu Island which lies in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. It is a move to enhance connectivity for both civilian and military access to the island.Under the Marcos administration, the government has gone the extra mile to build infrastructure projects to open up its remote islands for new investments. They have also prioritized strengthening their tourism sector and…

Haiti’s increasing gang violence has evoked a humanitarian catastrophe that requires international attention. About 5 million, nearly half of the population are struggling to feed themselves due to the ongoing food crisis. The violence has affected access to humanitarian assistance. Since the assassination of Haiti’s last President Jovenel Moisein July 2021, armed gangs have expanded their influence in the politically unstable country. The rampant gang related violence has escalated since the assassination. The country haven’t conducted general elections since 2016, the acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry who took office immediately after assassination of President Moisein lacked legitimacy and was highly unpopular.…

Imran Khan led political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be banned in the country on the grounds of creating riots and unrest, illegal foreign funding to the party, and alleged conspiracy against the state. The Pakistan government’s move to ban PTI is  unconstitutional and will not stand the test in the Supreme Court. By taking such a move the ruling coalition government seems desperate for power and could lead to chaos and social unrest. The decision has been condemned by many political parties, Human Rights groups, lawyers and analysts. This experiment will certainly fail and will only add to the popularity…

KP Oli returned as the PM after PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal lost a vote of confidence in Parliament.  In Nepal’s Parliament a new coalition government was formed after the liberal Communist Unified Marxist Leninist(UML) led by KP Oli withdrew its support and struck a deal with the centrist Nepali Congress. Oli became Nepal’s fifth PM in 5 years promising political stability. KP Oli is seen as being ‘pro-China’ Nepal’s ties are expected to become closer with China in KP Oli’s tenure.  India is worried that PM KP Oli will likely set in motion the implementation of the Belt and Road…

Donald Trump’s odds of winning the forthcoming US Presidential Elections in Nov is on an upward trajectory after the failed assassination attempt. His probability of coming back to power is at an all-time high according to Polymarket data. The data shows a jump around 70% on  the platform, where users can bet cryptocurrency on world events. President Biden became the oldest President in the US to be sworn-in at the age of 78 years. He has been under scrutiny over his ability to lead the country for another term. Democrats in both the houses of US Congress have publicly called upon…

Finland’s parliament passes a law to block asylum seekers crossing from Russia. This new law provides border officers power to deny asylum seekers arriving from the Russian side of the border, after more than 1300 people arrived in the country. Finland has accused Russia of “weaponizing migration” by aiding migrants fleeing from countries such as Syria and Somalia to cross the border. An allegation Russia has apparently denied. Finland shares its border with Russia from the eastern side which is one of the longest external borders of the European Union. In the north, it shares borders with Norway and in…

Taiwan reports a surge in Chinese air force activity around the island.  Defence ministry said it had detected 66 Chinese military aircrafts in its air space. They were headed to join the military drills with an aircraft carrier Shandong to the South Pacific. China is conducting  military drills around Taiwanese territory which coincide with the NATO summit in Washington. It was reported to be a single-day record for this year. Defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang commented saying  China’s intrusions into the grey zone of Taiwan Strait must be seen as a threat to regional stability. He slammed China’s “grey zone…

Bangladesh’s PM Sheikh Hasina visits China after her India visit on 21-22 June. She is on a bilateral meeting in Beijing from 08-10 July. This is her fifth visit to China and first official meeting since her new term began after winning elections four consecutive times. She will have talks with top leadership in China, including President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The meetings will primarily focus on the prospects of trade and investments and infrastructure development, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation by elevating bilateral ties to new heights.…

The 75th NATO Summit commenced amidst its uncertain future. It is being hosted by Joe Biden in Washington from 09-11 July 2024. The alliance grapples with internal and external crises. Since there is a rise of the political Right in not just the United States but also in Europe. It also faces external challenges, increasing clout of China in Eastern Europe and Russian war on Ukraine. Source: First Post NATO is grappling for its future. Why so? Concern over Trump returning to power The US-led military alliance is troubled over Donald Trump returning to power in the US. Since the…

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban makes a surprise visit to Xi Jinping in Beijing after meeting with Putin in Moscow last week. European leaders are skeptical of this meeting where the two leaders are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine.Orban, an outlier in the European Union as his views contradicts other European leaders, issues like European Union’s support for Ukraine and in Russia-Ukraine conflict and their close ties with the United States. He has always been opposed to western military aid to Ukraine as well as averse to imposing sanctions on Russia.Recently, Hungary assumed the rotating presidency of the…