Pakistani, Afghan forces exchange deadly border fire: What’s next?

By Yashraj Sharma and Abid Hussain Pakistani and Afghan forces have exchanged deadly fire at multiple locations along their border, and the two sides claim to have captured and destroyed border posts in one of the worst border clashes in recent years. The Taliban administration’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at least 58 Pakistani soldiers were […]

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Japan’s Nobel wins shine light on worrying brain drain, especially to ‘generous’ China

By Julian Ryall Japan’s scientific community is celebrating two Nobel wins this week, but the accolades have also reignited concern over the country’s ability to retain its top researchers amid growing competition from overseas. The wins have renewed scrutiny of the country’s research system, with observers citing poor funding, job insecurity and rigid institutions as […]

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‘War is over’, but will fragile Gaza ceasefire hold amid deep divisions?

By Tom Hussain The US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza has halted two years of bloodshed, but analysts warn it will only hold if President Donald Trump, his administration and key Middle Eastern mediators remain deeply invested in preventing the conflict from reigniting. Neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Hamas readily agreed to the truce. Rather, […]

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Trump cancels meeting with Xi amid rare earth trade clash

By Khushboo Razdan in Washington US President Donald Trump on Friday cancelled a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing Beijing of “hostile” trade behaviour after it further expanded export controls on rare earth elements. In a social media post, Trump said he had been “surprised” by China’s move, which he claimed would “clog […]

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Why new EU steel tariffs to curb Chinese imports are giving carmakers a headache

By Xiaofei Xu in Paris A proposed increase to EU steel tariffs has already sown alarm among the continent’s car manufacturers, with stocks of major players plunging in the immediate aftermath of the announcement and industry insiders warning the measures could worsen cost pressures already weighing down growth in the sector. Following a Tuesday statement […]

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Malaysia’s Anwar faces ‘need to win’ election in Sabah in bid to expand his base

By Joseph Sipalan Sabah’s state poll is expected to be a critical gauge of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s popularity beyond his traditional base in the peninsula, analysts say, as the country enters the election season marked by fears over an economic slowdown, job insecurity and culture wars. Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor announced the […]

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Trump’s Afghan airbase gambit unites India, Pakistan and China in opposition

By Khushboo Razdan in Washington US President Donald Trump’s bid to regain control of the strategic Bagram airbase in Afghanistan has achieved an unlikely feat – bringing India, Pakistan and China onto the same side in opposition. At the 7th Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow on Tuesday, the three Asian powers – often […]

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China says US ambassador to Panama ‘spreading lies’ after ‘malign’ presence jibe

By Orange Wang Diplomatic tensions between China and the United States over Panama have flared up once again, with the Chinese embassy in the Central American country accusing Washington’s top envoy there of “spreading lies” to undermine Beijing’s regional ties. This comes after the US ambassador to Panama, Kevin Cabrera, said that Washington viewed China’s presence […]

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