Author: Spost_admin

16Feb By Spost_adminNo Comments
Opinion, Politics, World

WILL KASHMIRIS BE PAKISTAN’S NEW MOHAJIRS?

Much as it encourages militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and expresses ‘solidarity’ with the Kashmiris living in India, Pakistan is seeking to push a large number of them out of the Kashmir territory it controls. Plans are afoot to re-settle them in Sindh, and make them the new ‘mohajirs’. This needs some explaining and recall of the past. Over a lakh of Kashmiris are to be shifted from the cool climes of the north to the dry desert region in Sindh. The idea is two-fold: to send them away because they have become vocal and demanding. This would create space and a ‘conducive’ environment to promote militancy by setting up more camps to keep up the pressures on India.   As these plans get underway, history seems to be ready to repeat itself in Pakistan. Millions of Muslims who mo
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Pakistan yet to have COVID Vaccine
19Jan By Spost_adminNo Comments
China, World

Pakistan yet to have COVID Vaccine

As many countries launch their drives to vaccinate their people against Covid-19, Pakistan, is yet to start vaccination of its citizen. Under multiple pressures to show results, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government displayed considerable confusion. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said on January 17 that the federal government would not hold a monopoly on the import of coronavirus vaccines. He told a TV channel that that provinces and the private sector were free to import vaccines subject to approval of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap). He said the Sindh Government could import AstraZeneca, the British vaccine. However, this involves large sums in hard currency. Who would pay and how was not explained. When there is a
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BECA-GI: A timely move reaffirming India’s position in the regional dynamics
12Nov By Spost_adminNo Comments
China, World

BECA-GI: A timely move reaffirming India’s position in the regional dynamics

On 27th October, during the recently concluded 2+2 ministerial meeting, India and the United States finally signed the ‘Basic Exchange & Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Intelligence’ (BECA-GI) marking the final part of the troika of foundational agreements that US usually transacts with close military allies. Having come to fruition amidst escalated tensions with China on the LAC, this momentous occasion was preceded by a notable addition to the ‘Malabar’ exercise with the US welcoming Australia to join the one to be held next month near India. LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement), the first of the three pacts to be signed in August 2016, allows the militaries of both countries to mutually replenish from each other’s bases. The access to each other’s land facilit
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What the pandemic taught us about food imports from China
7Nov By Spost_adminNo Comments
Business, China, Opinion, World

What the pandemic taught us about food imports from China

As the pandemic compelled the world to look eastwards and into its deep dungeons, a new issue was boiling underneath the chaos; how safe is the food that is being imported from China? With hundreds of videos that are doing their rounds across several platforms , showing the condition of the wet markets in China and its suburbs, the people across the globe have gone into a state of frenzy. Everybody is concerned about the safety of the imports from China, especially food. The greed for higher benefits in China's flourishing business sector economy, joined with the absence of viable assessment and law implementation, and the relinquishment of hygiene and cleanliness campaigns, have all added to the exacerbating circumstance of sanitation. China is presently reaping the outcomes. Thous...
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South Asian Island nations feel pressure of Chinese tourist debt traps
7Nov By Spost_adminNo Comments
Asia, Business, China, World

South Asian Island nations feel pressure of Chinese tourist debt traps

The pandemic hit economies are struggling to revive and restructure their economic development by providing bailout packages and other stimulus measures. However economies dependent on tourism have long and tough road ahead, even more so for countries dependent heavily on Chinese tourists. The two of South Asia’s travel hotspots, Sri Lanka and Maldives, have more to provide to China than their scenic natural beauty. The two island nations are struggling with the complete shutdown of international travel on account of the ongoing pandemic. Their economies being heavily dependent on tourism, the countries experienced enormous drops in GDP. However, these weakened economies now serve China’s ultimate strategic and geo-political objectives. Both the countries are marred with immense debt f
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Is China on ‘Backfoot’?
7Nov By Spost_adminNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore, World

Is China on ‘Backfoot’?

China seems to have put into action one of the dictums propounded by Sun Tzu in the Art of War, viz. ‘Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak’. China’s weakness came to the fore when it failed to effectively handle the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan in its initial stages and was caught on the backfoot with the US, Australia and other countries blaming it and seeking an investigation. So then, what did China do? Rather than adopting a remorseful demeanor, China portrayed itself as ‘strong’ by displaying an aggressive attitude. Not only did the Chinese diplomats turn into ‘wolf warriors’, taking on all those who questioned Beijing, but the Chinese Communist Party regime also came harsh on Hong Kong, displayed belligerence in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea and
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TAT readies local tourism stimulus
15Jun By Spost_adminNo Comments
World

TAT readies local tourism stimulus

Visitors stroll along Bang Saen beach in Chon Buri province. The beach opened to the public on Monday after nearly two months of closure. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul) Domestic tourism stimulus measures, including proposals for gift vouchers and cash handouts, are expected to be concluded next week, says Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn. The stimulus is likely to be disbursed from July to October, Mr Yuthasak said after a meeting with finance permanent secretary Prasong Poontaneat. Apart from money and gift vouchers to boost domestic tourism, the TAT has proposed the government offer free outings to 1.2 million front-line healthcare workers who have battled the coronavirus, including doctors, nurses and village health volunteers. According to local me...
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Palestinian leader declares end to agreements with Israel, U.S.
15Jun By Spost_adminNo Comments
World

Palestinian leader declares end to agreements with Israel, U.S.

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK—Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday declared an end to all agreements and understandings with Israel and the United States, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Abbas’ statement came in response to Israeli plans to annex settlements and the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, which could move forward quickly after Israel’s new government was sworn in. “The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments,” Wafa cited Abbas as saying at an emergency meeting. The leader added that this would include security arrangements. Abbas has threatened similar moves in the past, but has not implemented them. He added that Israel wou
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Modi’s popularity soars as India weathers COVID-19 pandemic
15Jun By Spost_adminNo Comments
Business, World

Modi’s popularity soars as India weathers COVID-19 pandemic

NEW DELHI—Just before the coronavirus arrived in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced serious challenges, perhaps the biggest of his tenure. Anti-government protests roiled the country. Hindu-Muslim riots exploded in the capital just as U.S. President Donald Trump was visiting. And India’s once-hot economy was slumping, shedding millions of jobs and casting a pall over the entire country. Since then, as the world has been walloped by the coronavirus pandemic, many of these problems in India, especially the economic ones, have only got worse. But once again, India has rallied around Modi. Recent opinion polls show that in the past few months Modi’s already high approval ratings have soared even higher, touching 80 per cent, even 90 per cent. Unlike two of the populist leaders to who
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Mind your own ‘Covid’ business, France tells China
4Jun By Spost_adminNo Comments
Business, World

Mind your own ‘Covid’ business, France tells China

China learned the hard way, that you never, ever tell the French what to do — you will only end up with egg on your face. On Wednesday, French officials shrugged off China’s warning over a weapons sale to Taiwan, telling the communist country to mind its own business. In fact, China was told to keep its focus on fighting the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, according to a report in Taiwan News. On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) demanded that France cancel an arms deal with Taiwan saying that it had “expressed deep concern to France,” reported Agence France Presse. Zhao stated that China opposes “all weapons sales or military and security exchanges with the Taiwan region.” The arms deal in question is Taiwan’s purchase of Dagaie MK2 decoy launcher u
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