Link to article: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/09/singapores-leadership-succession-who-could-be-next-prime-minister.html Late on Thursday, the Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that he would be stepping aside as the designated successor to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He will remain as deputy prime minister and coordinating minister for economic policies, but will relinquish his role as finance minister. Analysts have identified four potential candidates who could… Read more »
Link to Article: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwans-tsai-says-chinas-military-activities-threaten-regional-stability The President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen told emissaries visiting the United States regarding Joe Biden’s request on April 15th, that the island would work with the United states to demobilize “adventurous manoeuvres and provocations” amid threats from Chinese military activities. Ms Tsai also told the US delegtion during a meeting at the Presidential Office that Chinese… Read more »
Link to Article: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-struggles-to-meet-targets-for-vaccination-without-making-it-mandatory In Beijing various measures have been suggested that uncover the reality of the nation’s massive vaccination distribution. While China has insisted that getting vaccinated is entirely voluntary, changes will need to be made in order to get to the uphill task: 560 million people vaccinated by the end of June. The National Health commission (NHC) announced… Read more »
Link to article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/30/asia/thailand-myanmar-refugees-intl-hnk/index.html After a series of airstrikes carried out by the ruling junta in Myanmar, a military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force, more than 2,000 people are attempting to flee the country. The neighboring country, Thailand, has allegedly pushed back everyone fleeing, forcing them back into Myanmar. Now, 2,009 people are… Read more »
Link to article: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-04/06/c_139862533.htm At a press briefing when asked to comment on a New York Times article on anti-Asian violence in the United States, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated that the U.S. needs to honor its commitment to protecting human rights and crack down on discrimination and hate violence against Asian Americans. Especially since the outbreak of Covid-19,… Read more »
Link to article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/06/asia/cyclone-havoc-indonesia-intl-hnk/index.html On April 5th, a tropical cyclone in southeast Indonesia killed at least 128 people. Rescuers searched for dozens of people missing in the remote East Nusa Tenggara islands and helicopters were deployed to help search. Tropical cyclone Seroja’s strong winds and heavy rains brought deadly flash floods and landslides to the country. In the nearby West… Read more »
Link: https://www.euronews.com/2021/04/09/covid-19-australia-buys-20-million-pfizer-vaccines-after-sharp-turn-from-relying-on-astraz In light of recent news regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine’s connections to blood clotting, Australia announced it would stop administering the shot to people under 50. They’ve also signed a contract to buy 20 million more doses of the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine in its place, doubling their amount. This poses a logistical nightmare for Australia: their plan had initially been… Read more »
Link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/3/north-korea-expanding-and-enhancing-its-weaponry Kim Jong-Un’s expansion of his missile and nuclear programs has found them in hot water with much of the West and several powerful neighbors. Throughout his reign, 91 ballistic missiles and 4 nuclear tests have been launched, a military mountain over his father’s pyrotechnic accomplishments. North Korea holds enough fissile material to create roughly 90 bombs, for which… Read more »
Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56684775 Last January, Iran seized a South Korean tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, citing that it violated Iranian pollution regulations for ships passing through their waters. Tonight, it was released alongside its captain (crew were released in February): none of the captain or crew were harmed, and the ship with its cargo remains undamaged. Although Iran denies the… Read more »
Link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/2/myanmar-refuses-to-accept-rohingya-girl-deported-by-india-report Last week, Myanmar authorities reported they would not accept a 14 year old refugee who India deported to repatriate her. She will be instead sent to a region of Bangladesh where her family lives. Human rights groups and UN activists strongly criticized India’s decision to deport the girl as inhumane, stating it would put her in “immediate risk… Read more »
