35 h. ago Why India is losing ground over Bangladesh and Myanmar to regional rivals

India is facing multiple geopolitical challenges in the region as Bangladesh and Myanmar show signs of drifting away from New Delhi’s orbit amid its long-standing disputes with Pakistan and China. Dhaka has been drawing closer to Islamabad following the downfall in 2024 of its former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who had close ties with Delhi during her rule, while China has continued to maintain its influence in Myanmar since the junta in Naypyidaw ousted the elected government in a coup in...

Politics

59 h. ago Asean urged to rethink stance as Myanmar election risks normalising junta rule

With Myanmar in the throes of an election widely expected to return its military junta to power, calls have renewed for Asean to rethink its approach of not engaging the regime. The region, observers warn, should also brace itself for the “very real possibility” that half of Southeast Asia might eventually recognise the results of Myanmar’s election and by extension the ruling junta. On Sunday, Myanmar began its second round of voting in the country’s first general election since the military...

Politics

2 w. ago Why Myanmar’s junta election cannot hide a collapsing economy

Myanmar’s junta-held election will not mask the nation’s dire economic condition, experts warn, as civil war drives some of the highest inflation in Asia, power shortages hack at production and the country’s military rulers seek fast cash from the sale of rare earths and kickbacks from drugs and scams. The military has begun a phased election, with voting in some areas taking place on Sunday and further rounds planned in January, a process critics say is designed to project control rather than...

Politics

2 w. ago Myanmar polls open amid civil war as junta seeks to prolong power

Overshadowed by civil war and doubts about the credibility of the polls, voters in Myanmar were casting their ballots in a general election starting on Sunday, the first since a military coup toppled the last civilian government in 2021. The junta that has since ruled Myanmar says the vote is a chance for a fresh start politically and economically for the impoverished Southeast Asian nation. But the election has been derided by critics – including the United Nations, some Western countries and...

Events

3 w. ago MYANMAR Military junta revives Myitsone dam to boost ties with Beijing

MYANMAR Military junta revives Myitsone dam to boost ties with Beijing  AsiaNews

Events

4 w. ago China’s Economy Collapses, CCP Insider Warns of Deepening Crisis

China’s Economy Collapses, CCP Insider Warns of Deepening Crisis  Vision Times

Events

4 w. ago FO° Talks: Is China’s Economy Really Collapsing or Is the West Misreading the Numbers?

FO° Talks: Is China’s Economy Really Collapsing or Is the West Misreading the Numbers?  Fair Observer

Politics

4 w. ago Myanmar hospital air strikes heighten election turmoil amid global inaction

The Myanmar junta’s recent air strikes on a hospital just days before a general election this month are aimed at securing more territory and “intimidating” voters while major powers look the other way due to their own economic and strategic interests, according to analysts. The country’s junta said last Wednesday’s air strikes on a hospital in Mrauk-U in the western state of Rakhine were part of a counterterrorism operation targeting armed groups using the facility as a base for their...

Politics