China, West rush to mine Africa’s critical minerals
Global demand for critical minerals, particularly lithium, is growing rapidly to meet clean energy and de-carbonization objectives.
The Conversation in asian news
IDF admits it can’t win; Netanyahu isn’t listening
It was the moment when Israel’s military acknowledged the failure of its eight-and-half month war in Gaza – certainly the failure of the mission set out by the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, when he said after the October 7 Hamas attack that he would destroy the militant group.
The West needn’t worry about Putin’s visit to Hanoi
Shortly after his trip to North Korea last week, Russian president Vladimir Putin was greeted in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, as an old friend. His 22-hour state visit received the highest level of reception and resulted in a number of agreements on energy and science and technology. There was also talk of the once-close allies collaborating on defense and security.
Supremes, 6-3, make Trump obstruction charge harder
The indictments – and in some cases, the convictions – of hundreds of people charged with participating in the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, will have to be reconsidered and possibly dropped because of a ruling by the US Supreme Court on June 28, 2024. Among those charged using a broad interpretation of the obstruction law now narrowed by the high court: former President Donald Trump.
Populism is on the rise and it can degrade democracy
There’s a widespread view that populism is on the rise, from the United States and Turkey to India and Hungary.
Will next Iran president make nicer with the West?
Iran’s presidential election on June 28 may provide Tehran an opportunity to press reset on foreign policy issues after years of increasing hawkishness. Indeed, a key campaign issue has been the extent to which the candidates may – or may not – pivot to more engagement with the West.
Israel-Hezbollah escalation could pull in Iran, US
Months of relentless exchanges between Israel and Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah have seen mass civilian evacuations and widespread death, injury and destruction.
China cracks down on ‘wealth-flaunting’ influencers
Chinese regulators are in the process of wrapping up a two-month “spring clean” of the country’s social media.
For decades there’ve been Jewish critics of Zionism
Since October 2023, American Jews have been engaged in an intense, fractious debate over Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip.