Bill to end liquor oligopoly shot down in narrow defeat
A bill aimed at liberalising the liquor industry was narrowly rejected in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, but the Move Forward Party pledged to continue the fight to open the sector to competition.Continue Reading
China Covid: Lockdown delayed potentially lifesaving treatment for sick boy, father says
A Chinese father tells the BBC how Covid measures prevented his son from being seen in time.Continue Reading
The wicked weaponization of Ukrainian refugees
Since the Russian invasion in February, about 8 million Ukrainians have fled the country. After eight months of fighting – and with no end to the war in sight – the prospect that many refugees may never return will exacerbate an ongoing population decline in Ukraine. The mass exodus will make it harder for the […]Continue Reading
Prosecutors blame renovation firm for India bridge collapse
The 230m-long structure, a major tourist attraction in the area, was only reopened last Wednesday after nearly seven months of renovations that are said to have cost 20 million rupees (US$240,000). Authorities in the western state of Gujarat say the proper safety certificates were not obtained before visitors were allowedContinue Reading
China vows commitment to growth as pressure on economy mounts
OPEN-DOOR POLICY Yi Gang, governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), said China will continue to deregulate its markets. “Reform and open-door policy will continue,” Yi said. Apparently seeking to ease worries over the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and a property market crisis, Yi said “the Chinese economy hasContinue Reading
China-Russia axis solidifying against the West
As the tragic bloodletting in Ukraine continues to unfold with new intensity, the world awaits the upcoming winter with a new sense of dread and foreboding. On the other side of Eurasia, China has sought to portray itself as an island of stability amidst a turbulent sea. While an encouraging statement was made recently by a rather […]Continue Reading
Not a ‘social problem’: Dialogue on ageing raises preventive health, employment issues
A Japanese economist says older people should work for longer because it’ll benefit them.
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Coalition parties clash over cannabis bill
The Democrat Party said on Wednesday it will vote against its coalition partner’s cannabis bill because it ignores concerns about social problems.Continue Reading
China imposes COVID-19 lockdown on 600,000 people around world’s largest iPhone plant
Only medical vehicles and those delivering essentials are allowed on the streets. The district’s more than 600,000 residents will have to take nucleic acid tests every day, the local government said, warning that it would “resolutely crack down on all kinds of violations”. CLOSED LOOP Foxconn told AFP on WednesdayContinue Reading
Hoarding billionaires stunting global growth
US income inequality grew in 2021 for the first time in a decade, according to data the Census Bureau released in September 2022. That might sound surprising, since the most accurate measure of the poverty rate declined during the same time span. But for development experts like me, this apparent contradiction makes perfect sense. That’s […]Continue Reading