The government mandated on Thursday that provincial authorities follow the law’s ban on burning grain grass and demand that they disclose the number of farmers they have arrested for breaking the law. ” In every state, if you allow produce using or fail to utilize precautionary measures, you will beContinue Reading
In a signal that the nation is returning to normal after a severe economic crisis that toppled a senator, Sri Lanka is set to rest a moratorium on some car imports.
From 1 February, imports of cars, trucks and energy cars will be allowed to continue, while restrictions on other vehicles are expected to be eventually lifted.
Many Sri Lankans are anxious that the government will also impose a ban on imports of three-wheeled trishaws, which are frequently used as vehicles.
Some people are enquiring about who will be able to purchase a new car because of the price of cars that are being forced up by a lack of new ones to purchase, a weak dollar, and high taxes.
Sri Lanka was insolvent for the first time in its history as a result of a serious international currency shortage in 2022.
The 22 million-strong island nation was in disarray as a result of severe gas, food, and medication scarcity.
Just months afterward, huge anti-government demonstrations led to the ouster of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Colombo negotiated a$ 2.9bn ( £2.3bn ) bailout from the International Monetary Fund, while Rajapaksa’s successor introduced austerity measures including hiking taxes and ending energy subsidies.
Since then, the nation’s money have stabilized, and the market has begun to recover.
Sri Lankans who have been waiting for years to purchase a new vehicle or van are now in awe of the decision to raise the trade restrictions on cars.
Murtaza Jafeerjee, head of Advocata, an economical think tank based in Colombo, told the BBC he thought the walk was long overdue.
” The car imports will not only increase the president’s revenue but will also cause other economic activities like auto financing, seller income, car cleaning and other related activities, creating jobs”, he said.
However, the nation’s information minister, Nalinda Jayatissa, stated in a press release on Tuesday that the nation was “moving very slowly because we don’t need a surge of imports that will destroy our unusual reserves.”
The land, which doesn’t have any major companies producing cars and trucks, exports nearly all its cars, many of them from countries like Japan and India. Then there’s a even lot of interest in Chinese vehicles, especially electric cars.
Used car prices in Sri Lanka have increased dramatically, with some types now costing two or three times as much as they did before the restrictions.
For those like Gayan Indika, a part-time cab drivers and a wedding car driver, the regulations have been especially challenging.
” I want to purchase a new vehicle so that I may continue my personal limo rental and work.” Without a automobile, without freedom, I am losing a lot of my income”, he said.
In a state with inadequate public transport, a vehicle can be critical, Sasikumar, a software professional from the northern city of Kandy explained.
A car is necessary to travel to other parts of the country because we lack a reliable public transportation system. Either the government should ease the car ban or make public transportation more efficient.
Prior to the ban, Sri Lanka imported about$ 1.4 billion worth of vehicles. The central bank announced this year that it would start a billion dollars for imports of cars, but that the money would be gradually released.
Arosha Rodrigo, a member of the Vehicle Importers Association of Sri Lanka, and his family have run a car dealership for more than 40 years.
Prior to the ban, the company was importing about 100 vehicles per month. They haven’t been able to import a single vehicle since the restrictions have been in place.
He points out that many people won’t be able to afford them because of higher taxes and Sri Lanka’s weak currency, even if the ban is relaxed further to allow the importation of passenger cars and other vehicles.
The government has sharply raised excise duties on imported vehicles, both new and second hand, to 200 % and 300 % depending on engine size.
On top of excise duty, there is also 18 % Value Added Tax (VAT ) for any vehicle brought from abroad.
The Sri Lankan rupee’s relative strength to major international currencies like the US dollar will also have an impact on the price of imported vehicles.
People like school teacher R Yasodha are turned off by these rising costs.
” We have been awaiting a vehicle purchase for a while. But if we calculate the tax and the price, the cost of an average sized car has doubled from 2.5 million rupees ($ 8, 450, £6, 800 ) to five million rupees”, she told the BBC.
” It would cost a lot for us,” he said.
Starting February 14, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore ( CAAS ) will relax regulations governing unmanned aircraft, including removing the maximum number of aircraft weighing over 250g that a business or individual can register. This will further encourage the beneficial use of unmanned aircraft and the development of theContinue Reading
The former pastry chef, who holds a master’s degree in biscuits and bread from Germany’s Handwerkskammer zu Köln, has implemented a two-piece reduce per piece for each customer to maintain good distribution.
While Goh maintained that most consumers are understanding, there have been moments of stress. ” Maybe, they just want to have more”, she explained. Some get frustrated when I tell them to take into account the longer line behind them and that I want everyone to try the sweets. She added:” Only one or two clients have been absolutely ridiculous”.
” Another know I’m a one-man exhibit, so they are very polite”, Goh noted. The main downfall was the limited supply of Goh’s Chinese New Year pineapple tarts, which are currently closed for new orders until after February 11 ( after Goh takes a protracted break ).  ,” I have more than 500 jars ordered. How do I create it? I believe that perhaps machines can’t create it”! she laughed.
Donald Trump’s regional security officials have been called “hawks” in subsequent criticism who support a difficult part for the United States against China. This is incorrect and detracts from the need to put America’s regional objectives at the center of US foreign policy.
Trump’s first time in office suggest a willingness to reach out to Beijing that does not fit with the “hawks” label, the president saying he wants to , visit , China, and would prefer not to impose levies if a , “deal”  , can be struck on trade.
This should be unsurprising since Trump ‘s , appointees , include both those committed to standing up to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP ) and those with deep economic investments in the country.
Trump’s China “hawks” include , Marco Rubio , for secretary of state,  , Mike Waltz , for national security adviser,  , Pete Hegseth , for secretary of defense,  , Peter Navarro , for business director, major advocate of the TikTok ban , Jacob Helberg , as State Department monetary policy standard, and as deputy national surveillance adviser , Alex Wong, anti-CCP Senator Tom Cotton’s past director.
But Trump’s team also includes a new constituency of advisers likely to have a say in China policy: the tech bros. Palantir CEO , Alex Karp , and , Palmer Luckey , of autonomous weapons manufacturer , Anduril , have much to gain from an open congressional spigot on defense spending and both have said the US must prepare for a possible conflict with China.
Elon Musk’s business interests, in contrast, diverge from Tesla, which accounts for a sizable portion of Tesla’s profits, as do many other leading US tech companies. The tech bros are thus divided.
In fact, there are few real “doves” on China in Washington these days. Those like SAIS professor , Jessica Chen Weiss or former deputy secretary of state James Steinberg , who reject the zero-sum language of much of the debate are far from naïve about the China challenge.
A hawks-and-doves framing neglects the real issue: not what the new administration’s China policy , might , be, but what it , should  , be. Trump should be guided by realism and restraint, an accurate assessment of the balance of power in Asia and a clear-eyed view of America’s core national interests.
A zero-sum competition framing of China, one that casts any issue in terms of military buildup/deployment or sanctions/tariffs, is unhelpful. China does pose the kind of military challenge America hasn’t faced since the start of World War II, and it has succeeded in standing up to the West in advanced manufacturing, from AI to cars.
But the People’s Republic of China ( PRC ) is not an , existential , threat. We do not in America have to , like , the Marxist-Leninist one-party state the CCP is bent on defending, but we can live with it. A less expansive definition of “national security” would be a good way to clarify our definitions of China. This is a lesson that America ought to have taken away from the war on terrorism.
Despite the tensions with the PRC, questions like whether to allow TikTok to operate, whether to own US port equipment or a company like US Steel, or whether foreign-made drones or electric vehicles should be legal, all need serious scrutiny from lawmakers. However, domestic law enforcement should be kept separate from militarized understandings of national security from concerns over fears about propaganda or data theft.
Questions like whether to link TikTok’s military defense of East Asia to a zero-sum discussion of China serve as justification for a grand plan of “primacy” or the preservation of the United States ‘ military might in East Asia.
Primacy, however, is both unrealistic and unnecessary. The People’s Republic of China’s coast should not be the first place the United States should begin its defense. The United States is not responsible for protecting Japan and the nations that border South Korea and New Zealand. Washington can act as a security partner but not as a guarantee.
On Taiwan, the major imperatives are cooling tensions, maintaining the status quo, and not being sucked into a shooting war. The most effective strategy is still to remain uncommitted to the use of force in the event that the PRC attempts to conquer Taiwan.
Beijing may not like a liberal democratic Taiwan, but it can live with one, just like the US with the PRC. Washington cannot prevent Beijing from invading Taiwan, however. If Xi decided to try his hand at capturing the territory, it would not be a policy failure. These conceits of US control, which are used to criticize others for being” soft on China,” serve to reinforce primacy as the only viable strategy.
Nor should domestic investment be a prerequisite for the pursuit of primacy through competition with China. Because they promise good jobs, economic growth, and a boost to domestic innovation, leaders should want to see America at the forefront of new technologies like AI.
Secure supplies of things like critical minerals and semiconductors should, therefore, be a priority absent a peer challenger. No China threat rhetoric is required.
Finally, engagement with Beijing cannot remain off the table, however toxic the word has become. American diplomats don’t like how Beijing conducts diplomacy, in particular their reneging on promises.
However, the Chinese don’t like how America conducts business: lecturing rather than bargaining, avoiding strategic questions, and giving up little while enforcing structural changes. Yet while cheap, talk is still worth the effort.
No matter who Trump appoints —hawk, dove, or tech bro—a realistic and restrained policy attuned to America’s core interests remains the gold standard for making China policy.
David M. McCourt is an associate professor at the University of California, Davis, in the Department of Sociology. He is the author of a book titled ,” The End of Engagement: America’s China and Russia Watchers and US Strategy Since 1989″. Published with the permission of Defense Priorities.
Bangkok, Pattaya excluded as they are special operational regions
PUBLISHED: 31 Jan 2025 at 11: 22
As Thailand prepares for regional elections globally, a 24-hour moratorium on all alcoholic drinks will be in effect starting at 6pm on Friday in 76 regions, including well-known tourist places like Phuket and Chiang Mai.
The ban, which will go into effect from 6pm on Friday through 6pm on Saturday, has been made known by the Election Commission (EC ) to stores in the provinces where elections are held. Violators may face fines of up to 10, 000 ringgit and/or a six-month prison statement.  ,
On Saturday, provincial administration organization leaders, PAO committee members, or both candidates will be voted into the national election system.
Due to their designation as special operational regions with their own elections, Bangkok and the Pattaya city neighborhood are free from the restrictions. Areas in Bang Lamung that are close to Pattaya may be affected by the alcohol ban because they are located in Chon Buri state.
A significant amount of fuel and oxygen is still on board, according to an official with knowledge of the atmosphere fall research, slowed down an Air Busan plane’s research into a blaze that engulfed it this week at a North Korean airport. Authorities conducted a risk management assessment on FridayContinue Reading
Pradhana Vizha, Mediacorp’s American entertainment honors service, will celebrate its 20th anniversary this February.  , With the concept of Unravelling Desires, this year’s event will provide 20 honours and celebrate classic milestones from the previous.
Pradhana Vizha 2025 will get place , on Feb 15 at The Theatre at Mediacorp, with many awards up for grabs including best crisis line, best radio programme, most convincing artiste and more.
A glittering red carpet sector may set off the festivities. Fans will also be able to examine well-known figures and unforgettable moments that have influenced Singapore’s Indian celebrity scene over the years. A medley of wins and shows from Pradhana Vizha, from its annual release in 1996 to the present, will be displayed along the red floor.
The life awards show will emerge in three thematic parts: Legacy &, Influence, Tomorrow’s Triumphs and , Envisioning Tomorrow.
Fans can even cast their ballots on this website  from February 1 through February 15. The most popular male and female personalities are also available for voting.
In a speech, Mediacorp’s chief information officer Virginia Lim said:” With guests from different periods and shows by artistes spanning years, this week’s Pradhana Vizha reflects the different skills that has shaped its reputation over the years. It promises to be a spectacular tribute to imagination, engagement, and the lively group that has defined this memorable awards show. We look forward to bringing this incredible evening to our audience.
Catch the main display for Pradhana Vizha 2025 , live on mewatch, Mediacorp Entertainment on YouTube, and Vasantham from 9pm to 11.45pm on Feb 15.  ,
Victoria Chen, a Taiwanese artist, will make her Royal Shakespeare Company comeback in the West End production of My Neighbour Totoro, which will run from March 8 to November 2 at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London.
In this phase version of the Studio Ghibli animated film from 1988, she did play the role of Mei. Satsuki and Mei shift to a new home in the land, where Mei encounters spiritual animals as well as a bush caretaker, who she calls Totoro, and they are the protagonists of the story.
Following the game’s powerful runs in 2022 and 2023, Chen may be making his first appearance as a solid member.  ,
The actress stated on Instagram on Wednesday ( Jan 29 ) that her daughter had finally found employment and that her mother hadn’t yet disclosed it. HUAT AH”!
Another shop, which is also known for its better cookies and cakes, has found that behaviour toward its offerings have changed, especially after the COVID-19 crisis.  ,
There is no more a need to encourage people to try healthier choices, said Ms Delcie Lam, user of Delcie’s Desserts and Cakes. The store prides itself on creating desserts completely from processed sugar, cholesterol, eggs, cheese and flour.  ,
Most of her customers had kidney failure or diabetes when she launched the company 17 years before. But in recent years, only one in five patronise her store because of their eating limits, she said. The remainder choose to eat healthier.
” Customers are becoming more educated. We no longer have to tell them:’ This ( item ) is vegan and we are baking without eggs and dairy’. They will no longer issue us”, she said.