On Monday ( Jan 13 ), thousands of police will be stationed in Manila to watch a planned “million-strong” rally by an influential religious group calling for the ouster of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, according to officials. The traditional Iglesia ni Cristo ( Church of Christ ), which announcedContinue Reading
With the exception of a canceled state visit to Denmark, Donald Trump faced a lot of ridicule when he first made an offer to purchase Greenland in 2019. Fast forward six times and Trump’s renewed “bid” for the nation’s largest beach is back on the table.
And that too with renewed strength. In an interview on January 7, the approaching US leader refused to rule out the use of force to take ownership of Greenland and he dispatched his brother, Don Jr,” and several associates” there on January 8, 2025, to emphasize his sincerity. Money may not be a hindrance to any offer that Trump envisages, especially with Elon Musk taking over the plan.
Trump is not the first US politician to attempt to get Greenland. The island’s first acquisition test dates again to 1868, the first time it has been documented.
The next significant efforts since Trump was made by the 1946 administration’s president, Harry S. Truman. Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland hence continues a long line of geographical expansion efforts by the United States.
Trump’s most recent bet is less absurd today than it may have appeared again in 2019 even without this historical background. On the one hand, Greenland is extremely rich in so-called” important materials”. According to a 2024 record in the Scholar, the area has known reserves of 43 out of 50 of these nutrients. According to the US Department of Energy, these minerals are necessary for “technologies that create, transmit, store and preserve power” and have” a higher risk of supply chain disruption”.
Given that China, a major distributor of a number of crucial nutrients to international markets, has been putting more restrictions on its imports as part of an ongoing business dispute with the US, this is undoubtedly a valid concern. Washington would have more control over the supply chain and lessen any utilize that China might have to exert. Having access to Greenland’s solutions.
Greenland’s corporate location also makes it valuable to the US. Pituffik Space Base, a well-established US center, is crucial to US weapon protection and early warning and is important for space surveillance. The base’s future growth may also improve US ability to track Russian naval activities in the Arctic Ocean and the northern Atlantic.
US autonomy over Greenland, if Trump’s deal comes to pass, do likewise properly buckle any goes by rivals, especially China, to get a grip on the island. If Greenland is still a member of NATO, which has provided the island with an quarterly grant of about US$ 500 million, this may be less of a issue.
Greenland’s freedom – assistance for which has been gradually growing – may open the door to more, and less controlled, foreign purchase. In this situation, China is perceived as especially eager to step in if the chance arises.
Add to that the growing security assistance between Russia and China and the fact that Russia has typically become more physically violent, and Trump’s case appears to be even more reliable. He is not the only one to raise the alarm: Canada, Denmark, and Norway have all recently reacted to the growing Russian and Chinese presence in the Arctic.
The issue with Trump’s proposal is not that it is based on a flawed assessment of the underlying issue it attempts to address. In a time when geopolitical rivalry is waning, Russia’s and China’s influence in the Arctic region is generally a security issue. In this context, Greenland unquestionably poses a particular and significant security risk to the United States.
The problem is Trump’s” America first” tunnel vision of looking for a solution. insisting that he wants Greenland and that he will receive it, even if that means imposing high tariffs on Danish exports ( think Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drugs ) or imposing force.
Predictably, Greenland and Denmark rejected the new “offer”. And key allies, including France and Germany, rushed to their ally’s defense – figuratively for now.
Rather than strengthening US security, Trump is arguably effectively weakening it by, yet again, undermining the western alliance. The irony of doing so in the north Atlantic does not only seem to be lost on Trump, This kind of territorial expansionism, which is representative of Trump’s isolationist tendencies, also seems to be a more fundamental issue at play here.
” Incorporating” Greenland into the US would likely shield Washington from the collapse of crucial mineral supply chains and keep Russia and China at bay. Beyond the kind of bluster and bombast that are typically associated with Trump, and signaling that he will do it whatever the cost, is an indication that his approach to foreign policy will quickly wear off with any gloves.
Trump and his team may believe that the US can get away with this by strengthening security cooperation with Denmark and the rest of its NATO and European allies in the Arctic and beyond. Given that what is at stake here are relations with the United States ‘ hitherto closest allies, this is an enormous, and unwarranted, gamble.
No great power in history has ever been able to go it alone forever, and even taking control of Greenland by hook or by crook is unlikely to reverse this.
Stefan Wolff is a University of Birmingham professor of international security.
The Conversation has republished this article under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Legislation was responding to senator Chow Man-kong, who asked about Hong Kong’s efforts to develop the” music market” to raise commerce and the business.
After gradually reopening its borders in the middle of 2022, Hong Kong, after a major tourist destination, has been attempting to entice visitors back. Visitor numbers reached 34 million last year, just 52 per cent of the full in 2018.  ,
Chow also questioned whether the government would take any steps to motivate concert promoters to work with nearby hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls to boost consumer spending and boost the local economy.  ,
In reply, Law reacted that the tourism board has a “dedicated site” listing out detailed information about concerts taking place in Hong Kong, so that visitors can better prepare their travels and ideally see distinct neighborhoods of the city while still seeing the shows.
The tourism board has also established a distinct sector as the” first point of contact for big events” since March of last year.  ,
“( The tier ) has been deliberately engaging several stakeholders… and providing a wide range of assistance, including reviewing and assessing proposals from organisers, helping organisers to search for venues, arranging page recces, advising on event planning and assisting in publicity and advertising”,’ said Law.
The government applauds and is pleased to see that pop concert promoters have been strengthening cross-sector marketing and tourism products, providing tourists with rich and interactive travel experiences.
Laws also cited the potential growth of an impending multi-purpose venue that will help to further expand Hong Kong’s concert scene.
Kai Tak Sports Park will be Hong Kong’s largest sports and leisure stadium, scheduled to open in the first third of the year.
The garden holds a 50, 000-seat facility with a retractable roof and versatile ball area, as well as a 10, 000-seat indoor sports center and a common sports floor with 5, 000 seats.  ,
Chow had questioned Law about whether the government would acquire inviting” singers who are very important among the Taiwanese communities at home and abroad” to perform at the park’s opening ceremony, raising the venue’s global profile.
He cited examples such as Hong Kong’s” Four Heavenly Kings”- Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Leon Lai and Aaron Kwok.  ,
Law confirmed that the sports park would hold an opening ceremony in the first quarter, but he gave no information on any famous people who would be there.  ,
JAKARTA: Rahima, 32, has been a tutor for nine times in Alor, an area in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province.
She works five days a week as an honorary teacher at a public elementary school, earning only about 300,000 rupees ( US$ 18.50 ) per month.  ,
Honorary teachers are generally given the same duties as full-time teachers and are given an stipend based on the number of hours they work.  ,
Rahima earns a fraction of the provincial minimum wage, which is about 2.3 million dirhams, and she makes money from candlenuts and coffee on her time away.
With the start of President Prabowo Subianto’s pay increase starting this month, Rahima may see a pay increase of 2 million rupees per month.
During a ceremony celebrating National Teachers ‘ Day on November 28, Prabowo announced a 100 percent basic wage increase for state professors and a 2 million ringgit allowance for part-time teachers in state schools.
The salary adjustment, he said, would require an additional 16.7 trillion rupiah, bringing the total teachers ‘ welfare budget to 81.6 trillion rupiah ( US$ 5.1 billion ) in 2025, news outlet Jakarta Globe reported.
Jokowi wants more money for other types of employees, but not just teachers.  ,
The typical national minimum wage will increase by 6.5 % in 2025, Prabowo announced in a statement a day after the Teachers ‘ Day event. Recently, regions set their own least regular salary.  ,
According to Prabowo, the “particular value” of worker security is” a very important social safety net for employees who have worked for less than 12 times, taking into account the need for a good living.”  ,
The higher minimum wage aims to “increase employees ‘ buying power, while also paying attention to our company competitiveness”, he added.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng responded to MPs ‘ concerns about the bill’s spaces, saying “we’ve only just begun.”
The minister had stated on Tuesday that 95 % of complaints to the authorities are made in the five areas covered by the Bill, and that those who fall outside those areas can still get mediation from the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices ( TAFEP ). The law covers discrimination based on age, ethnicity, race and gender, among various features.  ,
This Bill is just the beginning, I want to emphasize once more. In accordance with the TGFEP ( Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices ), TFEP will monitor, analyze, and share information regarding complaints and cases that have been resolved. He said,” This will enable us to have more meaningful discussions and make decisions about our next steps.”
MPs questioned why the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT ) community was excluded from the Bill because it includes discrimination due to marital status, pregnancy, or caregiving responsibilities, despite the fact that the clause on gender does not address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Mr Louis Ng ( PAP-Nee Soon ) said studies show that such employees already face significant workplace discrimination.
Are we letting Gay people know that they are not protected from working bias because of their physical orientation and gender personality? Are we letting companies know that it is acceptable to treat anyone differently based on their sexual orientation and gender personality? he asked.
Additionally, Nominated MP Usha Chandradas addressed the concerns of Gay artists in the community regarding this rejection.
” Taken to an extreme, some may view this as the state condoning this kind of office discrimination. She said that this was even unintentionally indicate to employers that for discriminatory practices may go largely unnoticed.
On Tuesday, Ms He Ting Ru ( WP-Sengkang ) had also called for discrimination against LGBT workers to be included in the Bill. This rejection seems “at odds” with governmental statements made during the reform of area 377A of the Penal Code that “gay people deserve respect, value, acceptance” and “do not need to remain stigmatised because of their physical orientation”, she said.
Dr. Tan argued that discrimination against LGBT employees is hardly tolerated, even in the work, and that TGFEP will continue to handle such cases.  ,
Nonetheless, there has always been difficulty in reaching a compromise on this matter, he said, noting that even the WP found it hard to get a “unified group place” on the reform of 377A.
He questioned whether Ms. He’s “emphatic support” for the inclusion of LGBT workers was consistent with the Workers ‘ Party’s position.  ,
” Let us concentrate our efforts and efforts on providing material support to our staff, while we strengthen our knowledge and understanding of managing such issues under the law,” said Dr. Tan.
Pritam Singh, the party’s leader, responded by saying that the group supports Ms. He on this because 377a’s reform is a different issue than it is with discrimination at work. He noted that TGFEP may address sexual discrimination, but he anticipates that it will be addressed in future legal reforms.
Regarding ageism, Dr. Tan stated that he and other MPs need to handle age discrimination and alter attitudes toward older workers.
” This calls for a multi-faceted view, including adopting age-friendly work practices and addressing rooted views of ageism,” he said.  ,
A number of MPs, including Mr. Singh, had questioned why the Bill does not allow bias by connection when a worker is subject to discrimination because of their relationship to another. When a spouse is discriminated against because of their culture, as an example.
Dr. Tan claimed that this was primarily because it would be difficult to define the beginning or end of discrimination based on organization because it could affect people’s friends or those they have ties to.
” Legislating against this has far-reaching implications that we can’t ignore and predict, and it fosters a culture of distrust and suspicion between employees and employers.” Thus, we started with a securely scoped Bill to prevent litigiousness and provide valuable protections”, he said.
To Mr Singh’s issue from Tuesday on whether TAFEP had encountered like circumstances, Dr Tan said, to his information, it has not encountered cases of prejudice by relationship.
Dr Tan also addressed queries from Mr Muhamad Faisal Manap ( WP-Aljunied ).  ,
Mr. Manap inquired whether discrimination based on religion may result from Muslim men being denied permission to attend Friday prayers and Arab girls being asked to remove their tudungs.
Dr. Tan asserted that the Bill is not about enacting a law requiring a company to permit people to attend Friday blessings or to adhere to practices and requests for any other church.  ,
There are a lot of administrative details and implications, and opened communication and discussion about the needs of the worker and the employer are best ways to address these issues.
However, he said,” [but ] it is discriminatory under the law if a person attends Friday prayers and is fired for being religious and not because of performance.”
The labor department said that while there is now legal remedy for work bias, it will still take an “education-first approach” to maintain the right mindsets among employers and workers.  ,
According to the ministry,” The Bill introduces calibrated enforcement levers that allow the government to take action based on the severity of the breach.”  ,
” These include issuing directions to attend educational workshops, administrative financial penalties, and heavier civil penalties. This judicious strategy aims to promote compliance among the small number of errant employers while preventing misconduct.
The Workplace Fairness Act will become effective in 2026 or 2027.
Shin took Indonesia, who are 127th in the FIFA ratings, into the crucial third round of Eastern eligibility for the 2026 World Cup in North America. Indonesia has only ever attended the World Cup when, in 1938, during Dutch colonial law. In 1945, the nation regained its freedom. They areContinue Reading
Sophea Seng has been appointed as the company’s managing director and head of resources, as well as its property management division.  ,
Singapore-based Seng does record to Audra Low, who heads consumer protection for the Taiwanese group. Seng joins the group from Société Générale, where she ran the South &, South-East Asia power funding process.
She has worked in Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore for over 17 times and began her career at Deloitte in Sydney.
In a press release, Low said,” We are happy to have her on table. She brings a wealth of experience in a fast transitioning and higher growth energy sector.”  ,  ,
In a separate announcement, Clifford Capital announced that Vidyasagar ( Vid ) Pulavarti had been named as Clifford Capital Asset Management’s (CCAM ) chief investment officer.
CCAM will be a second line of business for Clifford Capital, adding to its creation and arranging, and supply company.  ,
Pulvarti, who was hired on January 6 and has over 20 years of international credit and expense management experience, joined us. He most recently served as managing director of Asia Pacific ( Apac ) Credit at Apollo Global Management, where he established the firm’s pan-Apac private credit business. His professional career includes posts at major corporations like JP Morgan, Citibank, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
” The creation of CCAM represents a major milestone in our development as an infrastructure funds platform”, said Sanjiv Misra, president of CCAM and Clifford Capital, in a speech.
Murli Maiya, Clifford Capital’s party chief professional, added:” Vid’s session, combined with our integrated approach across corporate origination, underwriting, distribution and institutional services, positions us well to level our business, positively affect our clients and assist build institutional markets in the green infrastructure space”.
As recently disclosed at COP29, Clifford Capital is in discussions with the Monetary Authority of Singapore ( MAS ) regarding the management of the Energy Transition Acceleration Finance ( ETAF ) partnership.
Read a detailed FinanceAsia meeting with Maiya around.  ,
For more information on FA people goes, visit this link.  ,
¬ Plaza Media Limited. All rights reserved.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Anwar has introduced a higher minimum wage and bumped salaries for the civil service – moves that are expected to increase private consumption and drive economic growth, said Malaysia-based economist Shankaran Nambiar.
Despite that, Nambiar pointed out that the higher minimum wage, alongside another policy to mandate retirement scheme contributions for foreign workers, are moves that will hit small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and potentially soften the economy.
Consistently described as the backbone of Malaysia’s economy, SMEs account for 48 per cent of employment and contribute 38 per cent of the country’s GDP, according to an October 2023 report by professional services firm EY.
Malaysia’s MSME sector grew 5 per cent and contributed RM613.1 billion to GDP in 2023, but remains highly vulnerable to external factors like policy decisions, technological advancements and geopolitical events.
After Anwar’s Budget 2025 speech, SMEs had warned that the higher minimum wage and mandatory Employee Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for foreign workers would further hit their bottom line at a time when their margins were already squeezed.
“The private sector, particularly the SME sector, may not be fond of a mandatory contribution to EPF for foreign workers. The higher costs might affect some of the less vibrant and smaller companies,” Nambiar said.
“With global growth marking a slightly lower level in 2025 … and China not being able to post the kind of exuberant figures they traditionally have, Malaysia is likely to fall closer to the lower end of the 4.5 per cent (in GDP growth).”
Malaysia’s finance ministry said in its macroeconomic outlook for 2025 that the global economy is projected to grow by 3.3 per cent next year, while China is forecasted to register 4.5 per cent growth mainly due to “sluggish productivity”.
China’s fragile economy is bracing for more US trade tariffs under a second Trump administration, which has threatened tariffs in excess of 60 per cent on imports of Chinese goods.
The US has also begun imposing tariffs on solar imports from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia, aimed at curbing Chinese companies that try to diversify their supply chains to avoid harsher tariffs.
Nambiar said the use of tariffs as a foreign policy measure could act as a dampener on Malaysia’s economy.
“The old story of expecting Chinese companies to move to Malaysia to avoid tariffs will not work, unless there’s going to be significant local content,” he said.
“Malaysia will have to be clearer with regard to its policies, particularly in relation to China. The Trump administration may not tolerate ambiguity too well.”
Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, a partner at strategic advisory firm ADA Southeast Asia, said the region’s trade surplus with the US could also make Malaysia’s exports, especially semiconductor industries, vulnerable to tariff risks.
“Therefore, it is key for Malaysia to continue to diversify its trade partnerships,” he said.
Asrul Hadi said Malaysia’s government should continue to streamline its agencies and departments, ease regulatory processes and improve transparency in decision-making.
“This approach will make Malaysia more attractive to foreign investments, particularly as the federal government aims to strengthen the country’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain,” he added.
Sunway University’s Yeah, however, highlighted that Trump’s pivot to tariffs and other trade weapons to protect US industries will have mixed effects on Malaysia, given the openness of the country’s economy and good relations with both America and China.
“The trade and investment diversion during Trump’s first term and (current President Joe) Biden administration’s trade disputes with China has benefited Malaysia as evidenced by the rise in FDI and trade volume,” he said.
“It will need to navigate the adverse trade impact and supply chain disruptions should the tariff hikes materialise. This will involve compliance with demand conditions, seeking alternative markets and providing assistance to affected firms to minimise enduring damage to the Malaysian economy.”
Malaysia’s finance ministry said in its macroeconomic outlook that while its trade volume with China is significantly higher than the US, trade with Washington is “crucial” for strategic economic sectors such as technology and healthcare.
“Any policy shift towards protectionism, such as higher tariffs and new non-tariff measures in these countries, could bring repercussions to Malaysia’s external sector,” it said.
Given Trump’s tariff escalation and the ongoing wars in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine, Yeah surmised that external conditions are expected to be volatile and unpredictable next year.
“To maintain growth, the government will need to be nimble and pragmatic in responding to potential large destabilising changes in the international trade and investment environment,” he said.
As the US tech giant struggles to compete with rising domestic rivals like Huawei, Apple is offering rare discounts of up to 500 yuan ( US$ 68.50 ) on its most recent iPhone models in China. The four-day advertising, running from Jan 4 to 7, applies to many phone versionsContinue Reading
SINGAPORE: Resale flat prices increased by 9.6 per cent in 2024, almost doubling the 4.9 per cent increase in 2023, according to , the , Housing , and , Development Board  , ( HDB)’s flash estimates on Thursday ( Jan 2 ). The selling price index, which reflects the standard price moves in theContinue Reading