3 d. ago India’s strong economic growth impresses amid doubts on ‘overstated’ data

The better-than-expected growth of India’s economy, driven by strong performance in the domestic consumer and manufacturing sectors, highlights its near-term resilience despite a slowdown in exports and US import tariffs. While India’s 8.2 per cent year-on-year growth figure in the July to September quarter was the fastest among major economies, analysts warn that the headline numbers may not provide a true picture of the challenges it faces. Private consumer spending, which accounts for more...

Economics

4 d. ago Why Anwar faces uphill task to win back voters after Sabah election trouncing

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces a more complex political landscape ahead after his coalition was routed in Sabah’s polls, as analysts warn he would need to craft a compelling narrative to win over voters ahead of the next general election. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan coalition won a single seat of the 73 up for grabs in Saturday’s election, from his own Parti Keadilan Rakyat, a stinging rebuke to a government perceived to have failed to fix Sabah’s perennial problems, ranging from...

Politics

7 d. ago Will Indonesia’s new global citizenship scheme spur diaspora to return?

Indonesia has unveiled a long-awaited permanent residency scheme aimed at strengthening ties with its diaspora and attracting global talent, but analysts warn that lingering restrictions could still deter the very people Jakarta hopes to bring home. The Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI) programme, announced on November 19, is widely seen by observers as Jakarta’s attempt to resolve a decades-old dilemma over dual citizenship – an option the government has repeatedly considered but ultimately...

Politics

1 week ago ‘Flood after flood’ hits Thailand and Vietnam, with Malaysia next in line

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by deadly floods sweeping across Thailand and Vietnam, a crisis that has killed scores and stranded entire communities as meteorologists and climate analysts warn of heavier rains driven by La Nina and long-term warming. The scale of the inundation has highlighted how a late-season monsoon surge, layered onto fragile flood-management systems, is overwhelming towns and cities from southern Thailand to Vietnam’s central coast, with Malaysia...

Events

2 w. ago Can ‘passive’ Philippine body deliver accountability in anti

A new Philippine commission tasked with investigating alleged corruption in thousands of public flood control projects has begun issuing its first findings, but analysts warn the body was designed with too little power and independence to deliver real accountability. Created by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in response to mounting public anger over so-called ghost projects – flood control works that were paid for but either poorly built or did not exist at all – the Independent Commission for...

Politics

3 w. ago US risks AI debt bubble as China faces its 'arithmetic problem', leading analysts warn

US risks AI debt bubble as China faces its 'arithmetic problem', leading analysts warn  Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Events