Vaccines, not spy planes: US misfires in Southeast AsiaC
For months, by Zoom calls and then by jet, Indonesian ministers and officials scoured the world for access to a vaccine for the coronavirus that Southeast Asia’s biggest country is…
The Covid ‘longhaulers’ behind a global patient movement
Snatching moments of clarity through the brain fog that was among the lingering symptoms of her coronavirus infection, Hannah Davis joined a team of similarly ill researchers and launched a…
Global chip shortage threatens production of laptops, smartphones and more
Makers of cars and electronic devices from TVs to smartphones are sounding alarm bells about a global shortage of chips, which is causing manufacturing delays as consumer demand bounces back…
One virus, one stuck ship spark global trade rethink
A virus visible through only the most powerful microscopes and a huge container ship stuck in the Suez Canal visible from space highlight how fragile the “just-in-time” global trade system…
As Fed taper looms, global central banks eye their own exits from stimulus
Haunted by memories of past US interest rate hikes, the world’s central banks are laying the groundwork for a transition to life with less global stimulus, with many countries already…
Genesis of global populism
The concept of ‘illiberal democracy’ introduced by a US scholar, Fareed Zakaria, has enjoyed a notable currency. While Zakaria defined this concept negatively, considering it as a valid description for…
Climate threat over South Asia
HOW badly are Saarc countries already affected by climate change, and what is the hope the damage could be contained before it becomes an unmitigated disaster? With these paramount questions,…
Global governance
LIKE our national ‘establishment’ which constitutes a selected group of politicians, military-civil bureaucrats, judges of superior courts, business magnates, and media persons; an international development policy establishment also exists. The…
South Asian higher education and region’s socio-economic development
The immense power of knowledge to change societies’ fortune has motivated many countries to build “knowledge-based economies.” The South Asian (SA) policymakers now increasingly realise that building such economic systems…
Qatar tightens global gas market grip with bold expansion moves
Qatar Petroleum, the world’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer, is cranking up the pressure on high-cost rivals with bold expansion plans that will boost supplies over the coming decade…
