Archive
February 2021
Amid China Concerns, India Boosts Defense Budget
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
The budget growth, clearly aimed at countering the challenge along the Sino-Indian border, is still marginal.
The Impact of COVID-19 on South Korean Trade in 2020
By Troy Stangarone
South Korea took minimal economic damage overall, but sector-specific impacts varied widely.
Myanmar Coup Highlights the Country’s Center-Periphery Divide
By Sebastian Strangio
Despite some common interests, struggles for ethnic autonomy remain largely separate from the struggle between the NLD and the military.
Myanmar Blocks Facebook as Resistance Grows to Coup
By Associated Press
The move came amid a growing campaign of civil disobedience following Monday's military takeover.
The New Military Government in Myanmar Could Well Be Short-Lived
By Brian Wong
Domestic pressure, economic sanctions, and strategic anxieties hold out hope that the junta will be forced to make concessions.
Report Shines Light on Thailand’s Women Protest Leaders
By Sebastian Strangio
Young women protest leaders have connected the movement's political demands to a deeper critique of Thailand's patriarchal social norms.
China Gifts Pakistan 1.2 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses
By Eleanor Albert
Pakistan was the first country to receive donations of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, reflecting the countries' warm bilateral relationship.
As British Migration Scheme Opens, More Hong Kongers Opt for Life in Exile
By Jessie Lau
The BNO scheme, which took effect this week, is attracting Hong Kongers who no longer feel safe in their home city.
Battle Over Anti-Terror Law Opens at the Philippines’ Top Court
By Michael Beltran
Critics argued for the repeal of terror law at the Supreme Court in oral arguments starting February 2.
An Indian Diplomat-Poet on Writing Amid Catastrophe
By Arun Budhathoki
“Poetry is an intrinsic need of our species,” says Ambassador Abhay Kumar.
Japan Expresses Concern to UK Over New Chinese Coast Guard Law
By Associated Press
From maritime security to human rights concerns, China featured heavily in a meeting between the Japanese and British foreign and defense ministers.
Why Afghanistan Is Caught in a Budget Crisis – Again
By Mohammad Qadam Shah
Every year, parliament rejects the government budget. That's because there are serious flaws in the planning and budgeting process.