Post virtual summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, President Joe Biden has sparked fresh confusion regarding his administration’s approach over Taiwan. The meet was hours long which provided an early indication of whether the countries would be able to move beyond the issue after a generally positive meeting. President Joe Biden said that Taiwan “makes its own decision” and the island is self-governing and “independent”. However, hours later he said that they are not encouraging independence” and expressed the historic US policy will remain the same for the island nation. P
France President Emmanuel Macron has changed the shade of the blue in the official French flag. He switched the previously used brighter shade of blue to a darker navy blue on the national flag. Though both the shades have been used for decades, a change in the flag color was brought by the president as a symbol of the French Revolution. The official said that it “evokes the memory” of the heroes who fought the trenches of World II, the French Revolution, and in the Resistance during World War II. Under the presidential rule of Giscard d’Estaing in 1976, the government issued a br
On Wednesday, a multilateral maritime security operations exercise in the Red Sea was started by the forces from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Israel, and the United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). This is reported as the first joint naval drill between the two Gulf countries, the United States, and Israel. It will be a five-day exercise that will include training on the USS Portland Vessel. According to the US, its focus is on enhancing the interoperability among the participating force’s maritime interdiction teams. In respect to the drills, an Israeli naval offi
On Wednesday, the UN Security Council council expressed deep concern about the increasing violence in Myanmar. An immediate end to the fighting was called along with the military to exercise utmost restraint, in a rare statement that was agreed by the 15-members. In the Feb 1 coup, after the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, a militia group was formed. To flush them out, an imminent army attack was suggested as a buildup of heavy weapons and troops in Chin state was being reported amid the statement issued by the UN. The statement said, “The members of the Secur
Asia-Pacific trade group minister’s called the forum of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to meet virtually, on October 22. In view to recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic and addressing other issues that will include climate change. The 21-economy group that involves the United States, China, Japan, and Singapore will conduct the meeting of finance ministers. It came as a disruption to the global economy that recovered from Covid-19 and cloud the outlook for governments and central banks alike. The recovery process has been uneven, with some groups disproportionately affe
At the two official meetings between the Indian and Afghan sides on the sidelines of the ‘Moscow Format meeting’, the Taliban said that India offered extensive humanitarian assistance to the Afghans. In Russia, the Indian delegation led by Joint Secretary JP Singh, PAI (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran Division), and the Taliban delegation led by Deputy PM Maulavi Abdul Salam Hanafi met on the sidelines of the ‘Moscow Format’ meet, in the Taliban controlled Afghanistan. It was stated by the Taliban that both sides took into account each other’s “concern”. In a statement Zabihulla
On Thursday, New Zealand’s first indigenous Maori woman swears in as the Governor-General. Dame Cindy Kiro is now formally a part of the largely ceremonial role in parliament in Wellington who pledged to reach out to migrants and marginalized citizens. Dami spoke to a small audience at the swearing-in ceremony and said she was proud of her dual Maori and British heritage. She will remain the country’s official head of state who will carry out constitutional and ceremonial duties in the former British colony on behalf of the British monarch. She said, “I will connect to new migrant
Despite investing tens of billions of dollars in upgrading its missile defenses, China is said to have launched a hypersonic missile into orbit, raising fears that the Pentagon's missile defenses are being quickly neutralized. On Saturday, it was reported by a leading news agency that the Chinese military had sent a nuclear-capable missile into low-orbit space nearly two months ago. The missile was around the globe before it cruised down to its target. However, the weapon missed its mark nearly 24 miles away from the target. According to the agency, if the technology is perfected it could
Last week, the Lower Chamber of Parliament was dissolved by the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a general election to be held on October 31. The upcoming elections in Japan will have economy, defense, and diversity as their key issues. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) swore to attain “fairer wealth distribution” after the growth failed to translate into higher wages years before pre-pandemic. It worsened the rich-poor gap and the party pledged for a “comprehensive and ambitious” stimulus package. However, the opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Par
Myanmar’s ruling military won’t allow Asean Envoy to meet detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi as she is charged with crimes. The military will however not block the special Southeast Asian envoy to visit the country. Zaw Min Tun Junta’s spokesman said in a comment that the military issued a statement dated Wednesday that describes a delay in the United Nations approving the military government’s UN ambassador nomination as political intentions. The country has been in political and economic paralysis since the military’s February 1 coup. It has triggered an outpouring of ange