James M. Dorsey Eager to enhance its negotiating leverage with the United States and Europe, Iran is projecting imminent membership of the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in much the same way it pushed the signing of a much-touted 25-year cooperation agreement with the People’s Republic that has yet to have any real legs. Converting Iran’s SCO observer status into full membership is likely to be a […]
TOKYO, JAPAN – Media OutReach – 11 June 2021 – The Tokyo-based Asian Productivity Organization (APO) in partnership with the Japan Productivity Center held the International Conference on the Centrality of Productivity on 10 June 2021. The virtual conference celebrated the 60th anniversary of the APO and examined the importance of productivity as a driver of growth for nations, firms, and individuals amid new, demanding challenges including […]
By Manish Rai Fresh round of escalation between Israel and armed groups from Gaza has just completed. In this round, thousands of rockets are being fired towards Israeli cities and Israel Defence Forces (IDF) responded with overwhelming airstrikes. The biggest group and de-facto ruler of Gaza, Hamas got much of the attention in this flare-up. But it was a relatively much smaller Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) turns out […]
James M. Dorsey The clashes sparked by a crackdown on cross border fuel smuggling to neighbouring Pakistan achieved what past US and Saudi machinations failed to accomplish: ethnic unrest in a strategic, impoverished and long restive majority Sunni province in predominantly Shiite Iran.Recent clashes in the Iranian province of Sistan and Balochistan highlight Iran’s vulnerabilities as well as its inability to overcome trauma and control its demons. The […]
Recognising Global Design Projects that Contribute to the Betterment of Asian societies Special entry rates before end of April HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – As the global pandemic reshapes every aspect of our lives, the design community must generate human-centred solutions to help people from all walks of life adapt to the new normal using the power of design thinking. The […]
By John Wight As only he can, Albert Camus in his classic 1947 novel, The Plague, mines the human condition in the midst of a crisis in which solidarity, selflessness and mutuality are the means of survival and in which individualism, selfishness and self-regard are death itself. Camus: “This whole thing is not […]
The post Albert Campus, Covid-19 And What It Says About Modern Britain first appeared on IPA Newspack.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 25 February 2021 – How important is experience in entrepreneurial success? If you take a look at the world’s most successful businesspeople, the anecdotal evidence would point to the negative. Consider that Bill Gates didn’t have any experience running a business before Microsoft, and neither did Steve Jobs before co-founding Apple. Fast forward to more recently, and we had Mark […]
By Manish Rai When the Saudi crown prince, together with the UAE ruler, Mohammed bin Zayed, moved against Qatar in late 2017, the charge sheet against the tiny Gulf state was long. They, along with Bahrain and Egypt, accused their neighbour of backing Iran’s ambitions, and supporting Islamist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood. The Arab neighbours of Doha thought that by imposing this blockade they can force […]
Start Your Spring Taste Exploration in the Brand New Ginza-Style Dining Mall HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 1 February 2021 – “Park Aura · Tin Hau”, the new landmark for feasting, opened in Tin Hau Food Square at the end of 2020. This brand-new Ginza-style dining mall infuses vitality to this area where the new meets the old. “Park Aura” introduces both local and international dishes to […]
By W. T. Whitney Jr. In a stunning announcement on January 11, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that the State Department was designating Cuba “a State Sponsor of Terrorism” for allegedly repeatedly “providing support for acts of international terrorism in granting safe harbor to terrorists.” This final Trump administration insult to […]
The post In Parting Blow, Trump Administration Hits Cuba With ‘Terrorism’ Declaration first appeared on IPA Newspack.
Achieves revenues of over $7M in 9 months (Apr-Dec 2020) while being EBITDA positive in line with its aim to be a $100M business by 2024 The Singapore based e-commerce enabler is in advanced discussions to close a Series B fund raise to fuel its aggressive growth plans SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 12 January 2021 – Shopmatic, leading international e-commerce enabler has registered revenues of over […]
By James M. Dorsey Silent about rising sectarian violence in Pakistan, Gulf states vying for religious soft power risk exposing the limitations of their concepts of an undefined ‘moderate’ Islam that is tolerant and endorses pluralism. Countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have so far turned a blind eye to mounting sectarian sentiment in Karachi and Punjab province against Shiites and Ahmadis, sects […]
Extended by popular demand: Short Films SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 9 December 2020 – Before TCFF ends on 12 December 2020, movie buffs can catch these full-length features: 24 hour streaming only from 11-12 December 2020 The Chess Game of the Wind (1976; Iran), screened only twice in 1976, it was presumed lost after the 1979 Iranian revolution. Found, and then restored by Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation’s World […]
By James M. Dorsey Saudi Arabia has taken multiple steps to polish its tarnished image in advance of this weekend’s hosting of the virtual summit of the G20 that groups the world’s foremost economies and in anticipation of an incoming Biden administration in the United States that is expected to be critical of Riyadh and potentially more conciliatory towards Iran and non-violent Islamists. The initiatives target US and European […]
By James M. Dorsey and Alessandro Arduino Public debates about China’s Middle East policy are as much internal Chinese discussions as they are indications of where Beijing’s thinking is going and efforts to nudge countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to accommodate potential policy changes. Relying on scholars rather than officials, China is signalling to Gulf states adjustments they would have to make to […]
By Manish Rai The recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has clearly illustrated that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not hesitating at all in deploying his Jihadist brigade anywhere to promote his expansionist policies. Turkey sends its Syrian mercenaries that had fought previously in northern Syria and Libya, into the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh to fight alongside Azerbaijan. There have been multiple reports that at least around 1,500 Syrians […]
Offer Price at Between HK$7.0 to HK$8.13 per Share to Raise Gross Proceeds up to HK$3.117 billion and to Introduce a Number of Solid Cornerstone Investors HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach – 19 October 2020 – KWG Living Group Holdings Limited (“KWG Living” or the Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”, HKSE stock code: 3913), a comprehensive property management service provider in China today announces the details […]
COUNTRY LATEST UPDATES Saudi Arabia Covid-19 pandemic latest: Total confirmed cases: 301,323 Recoveries: 272,911 Deaths: 3,470 Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19: 3 August: Pilgrims returning from Hajj must quarantine for 14 days and will be monitored using electronic bands to ensure compliance. 28 July: Health Ministry to assign a health leader for every 50 pilgrims at this year’s scaled-back […]
SEOUL, 10th July, 2020 (WAM) — His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has sent a message to President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, congratulating him on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two friendly countries. The message was delivered by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al […]
Functional and sustainable winning entries of the year celebrated virtually with Nippon Paint SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 11 July 2020 – Following the 13th instalment of the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA), Nippon Paint has crowned Lin Honghan, from China and Greta Elsa Nurtjahja, from Indonesia the grand title of being the Asia Young Designers of the Year 2019/2020, beating other participants across 15 geographical locations, in […]
