TAIPEI — The stakes for Taiwan’s democracy could hardly be higher in a tight presidential election on January 13, with Chinese President Xi Jinping delivering an ominous New Year address in which he insisted “reunification of the motherland is a historical inevitability.” The vote cuts to the heart of a battle for regional influence between … Read more
Would you delay having children to travel the world carefree for longer? It is a topic that’s gaining momentum on popular social media platforms such as TikTok, where videos asking the question have gone viral. MailOnline Travel speaks to one global traveller who explains why she has already made the decision to prioritise exploring over … Read more
“They don’t have many carrots. Hong Kong in 2019, crushing that, it means that [for many in Taiwan and the US] the one-country, two systems is just a dead letter,” said Raymond Kuo, director of the Rand Corporation’s Taiwan Initiative. “So we’re really looking at sticks. But any time the Chinese try to use a … Read more
Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, is CEO of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and host of the weekly podcast “World Review with Ivo Daalder.” United States President Joe Biden starts 2024 in circumstances that any incumbent would envy. The economy is … Read more
A series of powerful earthquakes off central Japan’s west coast damaged homes, started a fire, prompted tsunami warnings and left tens of thousands without power Monday as residents were urged to seek higher ground. Six people were killed during the earthquake, the AFP reported, citing local police. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the Noto region, … Read more
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in an open letter on his website in December noted that while all levels of government are on the ballot and every year’s elections are important, “the sheer number of people who will vote in 2024 means that the results will have an outsize impact on the future of our world”. … Read more
Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Is 2024 the year when democracy hits a tipping point and slides toward autocracy? It may seem like an odd question to ask at a time when countries representing nearly half the world’s population, or an estimated 3.8 billion people, are sending their voters … Read more
The U.S. Navy destroyed three boats carrying Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on Sunday after fighters attempted to board a container ship in the second attack against the vessel this weekend. Helicopters from two destroyers, the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, were dispatched after the Maersk Hangzhou issued a distress call at 6:30 a.m. … Read more
Two of the rest served in equipment development departments, including for the Central Military Commission (CMC), while one is a naval commander. The CMC is the top military command body in China’s political hierarchy, and is chaired by President Xi Jinping. The ousted military men include Li Yuchao, commander of the Rocket Force from January … Read more
The Omicron coronavirus subvariant JN.1 now makes up about 44.2 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The variant, which was previously classified under its parent strain, BA.2.86, prompted concern among some scientists earlier this year due to its high number of … Read more
