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☆ Developing Taiwan’s own ‘Starlink’ crucial for island-wide emergency, space agency says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“The communication satellite is very important for our communication resilience during urgent periods,” Wu said, calling it his agency’s most sensitive project. Taiwanese authorities previously announced the space agency would develop two communication satellites, the first of which could be launched by 2026. Wu Jong-shinn, director general of the Taiwan Space Agency, speaks to CNN on March 5, 2024 in Hsinchu, Taiwan. In the future, Taiwan’s satellite system could replace third-party deals, but Wu, the space agency director, declined to provide more specific details about the project’s timeline. A rocket model in development at the Taiwan Space Agency on March 5, 2024 in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Persons: Taiwan CNN —, Wu Jong, shinn, Elon, Wu, ” Wu, ” Starlink, Heidi Levine, John Mees, CNN Brad Tucker, you’re, ”, Su, yun, OneWeb, Sam Yeh, Lai Ching, Tsai Ing, Taiwan’s, “, CNN’s Will Ripley Organizations: Taiwan CNN, Taiwan Space Agency, CNN, Musk’s SpaceX, SpaceX, Ukrainian, The Washington Post, Communist Party, Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Australian National University, Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Getty, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Apple, Nvidia, Triton Locations: Hsinchu, Taiwan, China, Gaza, Beijing, London, Xiamen, Taiwan's, AFP, Guiana, South America

☆ Australia’s problem with male violence is getting worse. So, what’s the solution?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Late Monday, new figures showed a 28% jump in intimate partner homicide in 2022-23, compared to the previous year – ending what had been a decades-long trend of decline. Around 4,000 people marched through the streets of Brisbane on April 28 to call for action on gendered violence. The deaths took the toll to 27 women allegedly killed by a partner or former partner so far this year, according to the Counting Dead Women project. “We don’t have good programs for men with mental illness and personality disorders who use these types of violence. We don’t have a lot of really accessible drug and alcohol treatment programs for men who use violence.

Persons: Daniel McCormack, Daniel Sloss, “, ”, McCormack, Samantha Bricknell, we’ve, Anthony Albanese, –, Hilary Whiteman, wasn’t, Lukas Coch, Hayley Boxall, Albanese, ’, ” Albanese, ” Boxall, ” Bricknell, Emily Garnett, there’ll, ” McCormack, he’s, “ I’ve, ‘ That’s Organizations: Australia CNN, Australian, of Criminology, ”, Australia, CNN, New South, Australian National University, Wales, Nations, First Nations, Brisbane Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Scottish, Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, Canberra, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australian, Melbourne, England

☆ Universe’s brightest known object and fastest-growing black hole revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Astronomers have spotted the brightest known object in the universe, and it’s a quasar powered by the fastest-growing black hole on record, according to a new study. The black hole powering the quasar devours the equivalent of one sun per day and has a mass about 17 billion times that of our sun, the researchers found. A black hole is massive power sourceThe intense gravitational influence of black holes draws matter toward these celestial objects in such an energetic way that the process creates light. The blinding radiation is due to the black hole’s accretion disk, or the ring around the black hole where material gathers before being consumed. The team followed up with observations from the powerful Very Large Telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert to confirm details about the black hole, including its hefty mass.

Persons: ”, Christian Wolf, ” Wolf, Samuel Lai, Wolf, Southern Observatory’s Schmidt, Christopher Onken Organizations: CNN —, Southern, National University’s College of Science, National University’s Research, of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Hubble, Southern Observatory’s, Sky Survey, Sky, Dark Energy Survey, Energy Survey, ESO Locations: Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Atacama

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers have discovered what may be the brightest object in the universe, a quasar with a black hole at its heart growing so fast that it swallows the equivalent of a sun a day. The record-breaking quasar shines 500 trillion times brighter than our sun. The black hole powering this distant quasar is more than 17 billion times more immense than our sun, an Australian-led team reported Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy. The rotating disk around the quasar's black hole — the luminous swirling gas and other matter from gobbled-up stars — is like a cosmic hurricane. Further analysis shows the mass of the black hole to be 17 to 19 billion times that of our sun, according to the team.

Persons: —, Christian Wolf, ”, Priyamvada Natarajan Organizations: —, Australian National University, Southern Observatory, ” Yale, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla, Australian, gobbled, Australia

☆ Analysis-Indonesia's Prabowo Poised for Power, but How Will He Rule?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

One major question is how well, and for how long, his alliance with outgoing President Joko Widodo, or "Jokowi", will hold. On the campaign trail Prabowo has promised policy "continuity", but analysts say that is far from guaranteed. "Make no mistake a President Prabowo would be his own president." 'UNCERTAINTY' ON THE CARDSIn contrast to Jokowi, Prabowo is from an elite family, the son of a prominent Indonesian economist and the ex-son-law of the country's former authoritarian ruler, Suharto. Once his victory is officially endorsed, Prabowo will assume the controls of Southeast Asia's biggest economy on October 20.

Persons: Kate Lamb JAKARTA, Prabowo Subianto, Prabowo, Long, general's, Joko Widodo, Liam Gammon, Jokowi, Doug Ramage, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Indonesia's, Kevin O'Rourke, Suharto, “, He's, ANU's Gammon, Gammon, Kay Johnson, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Defence, Australian National University, ANU, Jokowi, Analysts, Human Rights Watch Locations: Indonesia, Prabowo, BowerGroupAsia, Indonesian, Ukraine, Qatar

☆ Risk of Prabowo remilitarizing the government and economy is very low
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGrowing authoritarianism is the greater risk of a Prabowo presidency, not remilitarizing: ProfessorGreg Fealy from the Australian National University discusses what a Prabowo presidency could look like after Indonesia's presidential elections this year.

Persons: Greg Fealy Organizations: Australian National University

Increasingly, voters are demanding that the men vying to succeed him address the tradeoffs between fast growth and a healthy environment in the world's fourth most populated country. In recent years, surging commodity prices have fueled fast economic growth and helped Indonesia become a middle-income country. That growth is expected to slow as the boom loses steam, according to a World Bank report. “That means, if the government forces its development, it will involve inefficient and unproductive allocation of resources.”Another campaign issue: food estate programs, massive plantations the government set up to fortify national food security. INDONESIA’S ENERGY TRANSITIONIn 2021, coal-rich Indonesia was the world’s ninth-largest source of carbon emissions that are causing global warming, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.

Persons: —, Joko Widodo, It's, Joko Widodo —, Prabowo Subianto, Josua Pardede, ”, Arianto Patunru, Baswedan, Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, El Organizations: Permata Bank, EV, Australian National University, of Economic, Law Studies, International Energy Agency, World Bank, Youth, Bank, El Nino, AP Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Jakarta, Nusantara, Borneo, Anies, Central Java, Widodo, Washington, Kalimantan

☆ Australia marks national day that stokes patriotism and anger
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Angus Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Sydney CNN —“Australia Day is Dead!” Indigenous activist Gwenda Stanley chants into the loudspeaker, as a crowd of thousands breaks into applause. This is not a day to celebrate.”Nearby, Kevin Shaw-Taylor agrees January 26 is “absolutely not” an appropriate day for national celebrations. On the other side of the city, the Australia Day party was in full swing. A yacht sails in Sydney Harbor to mark Australia Day on January 16, 2024. Instead of guilt on Australia Day, a vast number of Australians “associate it with summer fun,” says Bongiorno, from the ANU.

Persons: Gwenda Stanley, It’s, Lynda, June Coe, Jenny Evans, ”, Grace, Elise, Kevin Shaw, Taylor, Arthur Phillip, Dan Himbrechts, EFE, Frank Bongiorno, –, Asanka Ratnayake, Chelsea Watego, “, Peter Dutton, ” Dutton, Dutton, Brad Banducci, Banducci, ” Banducci, Captain Cook, Queen Victoria, Queen, Diego Fedele, “ I’m, UQ’s, we’ve, we’re Organizations: Sydney CNN —, Indigenous, “, CNN, Australia, First Nations, Sydney, British Royal Navy, Australian National University, ANU, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders, Voters, Nations, Curumba, Sea, Indigenous Voice, Coalition, Woolworths, Sovereign Movement, Blak Locations: Sydney, “ Australia, Belmore, Sydney’s, Australia, Sydney Harbor, Melbourne, Queensland, Queen Victoria

☆ Test Yourself: Which Faces Were Made by A.I.?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Stuart A. Thompson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Test Yourself: Which Faces Were Made by A.I.? Research published across multiple studies found that faces of white people created by A.I. 90% got it wrong Real90% got it wrong A.I. 89% got it wrong Top photos identified as “A.I.” Real90% got it wrong Real86% got it wrong Real84% got it wrong A.I. The images in the study came from StyleGAN2, an image model trained on a public repository of photographs containing 69 percent white faces.

Persons: Taylor Swift, ”, Amy Dawel, Dawel Organizations: Australian National University, telltale Locations: ”, StyleGAN2

☆ Australia walks a tight rope on trade with China as security concerns mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 6, 2023. While trade compulsions have forced the Asia-Pacific nation to reach out to China, security concerns over Beijing's South China Sea claims have prevented a reset in ties. Trade talksPart of Beijing's calculus is rooted in Australia economic dependence on China. According to the Australian government, China is its largest trading partner, accounting for nearly a third of the country's total trade with the world. Australia is already closely watching potential flashpoints in the South China Sea, and in regard to Taiwan," Economist Intelligence Unit analysts said in a note.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Anthony Albanese, Ding Haitao, coronavirus, Darren Lim, Lee McLean, McLean, we've, Albanese, We've Organizations: Australian, of, People, Getty Images, Xinhua, Agency, Xinhua News Agency, Getty, Australian National University, Labor, Australia, U.S ., China Hub . Trade, CNBC, Sky News Australia, Economist Intelligence, U.S Locations: Beijing, China, Xinhua, Australia, Asia, Pacific, Canberra, U.S, South China, Taiwan, The Hague, Philippines

☆ Israel-Hamas deal will hold — with 'certain variations' to its terms, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIsrael-Hamas deal will hold — with 'certain variations' to its terms, analyst saysAnas Iqtait, lecturer at Australian National University, says it's a "very unstable deal with a very high level of mistrust" between both parties.

Persons: Anas Iqtait Organizations: Israel, Hamas, Australian National University

SYDNEY/BEIJING Nov 13 (Reuters) - Australia scored a significant win for influence in the Pacific Islands region with a trump card that China, seeking to expand security ties, doesn't have: the opportunity of resettlement. "It is something China can't do," said Australian National University Pacific expert Graeme Smith. "China can turn up and offer more infrastructure money... they can't turn up and offer this kind of resettlement relationship. Australia also will be able to block any policing deal between China and Tuvalu - as well as any telecommunications, energy or port deal - under its treaty. "Cooperation in the Pacific region tends to focus on non-traditional security, including maintenance of public security and infrastructure to deal with climate change," he added.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Graeme Smith, Richard Marles, Peter Dean, Smith, Wang Yiwei, Kirsty Needham, Martin Pollard, Miral Organizations: SYDNEY, Pacific, Australian National University Pacific, Pacific Islanders, Defence, United States Studies Centre, Albanese's, Pacific Games, State, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Renmin University, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Australia, China, Tuvalu, Washington, Beijing, Rarotonga, Sydney, Pacific Islands, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Kiribati, U.S, United States, Pacific

☆ The US is quietly arming Taiwan against a Chinese invasion — but it could backfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementIn late August, the US approved an $80 million military grant to arm Taiwan against a potential Chinese invasion. It's part of a plan to wrong-step China's leaders and make them uncertain about how exactly the US would respond to Chinese attacks on Taiwan. "Those military packages are the Biden administration's efforts to build Taiwan's defense capabilities at a faster pace to match PLA [Chinese military] modernization efforts," said Kuo. Provoking ChinaSince the 1970s, the US has had a delicate diplomatic relationship with China, acknowledging the "One China" policy under which China claims ownership of Taiwan, yet also backing Taiwanese autonomy. "That could easily provoke exactly the Chinese attack on Taiwan that US policy aims to deter," he wrote.

Persons: Xi, —, Biden, Xi Jinping, HECTOR RETAMAL, Joe Biden, Graeme Thomson, Naiyu Kuo, Kuo, Thompson, Hugh White, Beijing's, Kavanagh Organizations: Taiwan, Service, Bloomberg, BBC, Communists, CNN, Getty Images, White, Eurasia Group, PLA, China, Strategic Studies, Australian National University, US Locations: China, Taiwan, Taiwan's, Taiwan Strait, China's, Fujian province, AFP, Washington ,, Beijing, Washington

[1/3] China's Premier Li Keqiang waves as he arrives for a news conference after the closing ceremony of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 15, 2017. Li was premier and head of China's cabinet under Xi for a decade until stepping down from all political positions in March. Adam Ni, an independent China political analyst, described Li as "a premier who stood powerless as China took a sharp turn away from reform and opening". A glowing 2014 state media profile of Li, praising him as "a calm and tough wall-breaker", went viral shortly after his death was announced. Li's frequent visits to disaster sites and his easy camaraderie when speaking to ordinary people were also highlighted on Chinese state media.

Persons: Li, Damir Sagolj, Li Keqiang, Xi Jinping, Xi, Deng Xiaoping, Alfred Wu, Lee, Zhu Rongji, Wen Jiabao, Wu, Adam Ni, Jiang Zemin, Deng, Li Yining, Hu Jintao, Cheng Hong, Laurie Chen, Tian, William Mallard Organizations: People's Congress, of, People, REUTERS, Rights, Communist Party, CCTV, Weibo, Australian National University, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public Policy, Peking University, Communist Party's Youth League, Youth League, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Shanghai, Singapore, Social, Anhui, Henan, Liaoning

☆ Once disgraced, Indonesian ex-general tipped for presidency after makeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Kate Lamb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto gestures while attending a meeting of his Gerindra Party, in Bogor, Indonesia August 12, 2022. "We are ready to move forward for Indonesia," Prabowo told a press conference. The former special forces commander has undergone a remarkable transformation since being appointed defence minister in 2019, cultivating a persona that is more charismatic statesman than fiery, pious nationalist, analysts say. An opinion poll published by Lembaga Survei Indonesia (LSI) this month showed Prabowo ahead of his two opponents with 34% support. It's a change from previous campaigns where we've seen nationalist populist Prabowo, and pro-Islamist Prabowo," said Ross Tapsell, from the Australian National University.

Persons: Prabowo, Willy Kurniawan, Prabowo Subianto, Joko Widodo's, Suharto, Lembaga Survei, Ganjar Pranowo, LSI's Djayadi Hanan, Jokowi, Prabowo's, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Suharto's, Siti Hediati Hariyadi, we've, Ross Tapsell, Najwa Shihab, Shihab, Andreas Harsono, Ananda Teresia, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Indonesian Defence, Party, REUTERS, Rights, Defence, Pentagon, Australian National University ., Human Rights, Prabowo, Thomson Locations: Bogor, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, Jordan, United States, Papua, East Timor, Lembaga Survei Indonesia, Europe, Middle, Paris, Beijing, Indonesian, Jakarta

☆ Corporate Australia takes Indigenous support into its own hands after poll defeat
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Voters walk past Vote Yes and Vote No signs at the Old Australian Parliament House during The Voice referendum, in Canberra, Australia, October 14, 2023. At an Oct. 14 referendum, Australians overwhelmingly voted down a proposal to create a constitutionally-protected Indigenous parliamentary advisory body, known as the Voice. Without a political solution, it is now up to the companies themselves to pursue strategies to address entrenched disadvantage in Australia's 3.8% Indigenous population, corporate leaders and political researchers said. Indigenous reconciliation remains largely unresolved in Australia which, unlike New Zealand, Canada and the U.S., never signed a treaty with its first inhabitants after European arrival. The companies could now "take meaningful corporate actions to close the gap, such as by hiring and retaining Indigenous staff and systematically co-designing projects that impact Indigenous Australians," she added.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, there's, Rob Scott, Scott, Geraldine Slattery, Ross Piper, it's, Intifar Chowdhury, Estelle Parker, Byron Kaye, Melanie Burton, Sonali Paul Organizations: Old Australian, House, The, REUTERS, Rights, Kmart, Target, Airline Qantas, First Nations, BHP, Australia, Australian, Australian National University, Responsible Investment Association Australasia, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, U.S, Melbourne

[1/2] A ‘No’ sign sits in front of the Tent Embassy near the Old Australian Parliament House as voters arrive during The Voice referendum, in Canberra, Australia, October 14, 2023. An Australian referendum requires a majority vote in at least four of its six states, as well as nationally. Ultimately, no state supported the "Voice" and the national vote was 40% "Yes" to 60% "No", according to preliminary counting. After the votes were counted, Dutton said his party supported Indigenous reconciliation but he made no mention of an alternative measure. Albanese, asked on Saturday why the vote had failed, said no referendum had succeeded without bipartisan support.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Kos Samaras, Matt Qvortrup, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Timothy Graham, Graham, Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Chris Hemsworth, Jason Mamoa, Shaquille O'Neal, Samaras, Donald Trump, Paul Smith, Smith, Albanese, Qvortrup, Byron Kaye, Praveen Menon, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Tent Embassy, Old Australian, House, REUTERS, Rights, Labor, Redbridge Group, Australian National University, Liberal Party, Queensland University of Technology, Qantas, NBA, Labor Party, U.S, European Union, Liberal, Thomson Locations: Tent, Canberra, Australia

☆ Australia's referendum failure could lead to more divisive politics, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] 'Yes' campaigners drive past voters lining up at a polling booth during The Voice referendum in Queanbeyan, Australia, October 14, 2023. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese misread the public mood, analysts said on Sunday, as he took responsibility for the referendum result, in which only the national capital voted "Yes" from among eight states and territories. Elected in 1996, Albanese saw the failure of the 1999 referendum for Australia to become a republic. Dutton may not try to win back these Teal seats at the next election, Kenny said, adding that almost all of Labor's rural and outer-suburban, working class seats voted "No". Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who will join the board of Fox Corp next month, praised Dutton's "courageous" campaign against the referendum in an interview with Sky News.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Chris Wallace, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Mark Kenny, Kenny, " Albanese, Bridget McKenzie, Tony Abbott, Dutton's, Abbott, Simon Banks, Hawker Britton, Wallace, Kirsty Needham, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, First, Aboriginal, First Nations, University of Canberra, Liberal, Australian National University, Labor, Trump, Nationals, university's Australian Studies Institute, Victoria, Sunday, Fox Corp, Sky News, Liberal Party, Thomson Locations: Queanbeyan, Australia, Torres, U.S, New South Wales

☆ Australia's Referendum Failure Could Lead to More Divisive Politics, Analysts Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Kirsty NeedhamSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's decision to deny constitutional recognition to its First Peoples could herald a more divisive "Trump-style" politics at the next national election, while pushing the prime minister to pivot to cost of living issues, some analysts said. Now he is expected to pivot to addressing cost of living issues pressing on voters, which had made it harder to win the referendum, she added. Elected in 1996, Albanese saw the failure of the 1999 referendum for Australia to become a republic. Dutton may not try to win back these Teal seats at the next election, Kenny said, adding that almost all of Labor's rural and outer-suburban, working class seats voted "No". Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who will join the board of Fox Corp next month, praised Dutton's "courageous" campaign against the referendum in an interview with Sky News.

Persons: Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Chris Wallace, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Mark Kenny, Kenny, " Albanese, Bridget McKenzie, Tony Abbott, Dutton's, Abbott, Simon Banks, Hawker Britton, Wallace, Kirsty Needham, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: First, Aboriginal, First Nations, University of Canberra, Liberal, Australian National University, Labor, Trump, Nationals, university's Australian Studies Institute, Victoria, Sunday, Fox Corp, Sky News, Liberal Party Locations: Torres, Australia, U.S, New South Wales

By Ian ParmeterIn hindsight, the drivers of Hamas’s startlingly well-planned, land-sea-air attack on Israel on Saturday were in plain sight. The operation reflects a pattern of four wars and regular outbreaks of violence between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza since 2005, when Israel withdrew its military posts and forcibly removed 9,000 Israeli settlers from the territory. Each time Hamas has launched rockets at Israel or engaged in similar provocations, it has drawn heavy retaliation from Israel in the form of major bombings on the Gaza Strip. Hamas does not recognize Israel, but has said it would observe a truce if Israel withdrew to its 1967 borders. The significance of a Palestinian entity being able to surprise Israel in the same way would not be lost on Hamas.

Persons: Ian Parmeter, Hamas’s, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Den, Mahmoud Abbas, Den ”, Itamar Ben, Ariel Sharon, Jordan, Abraham, Netanyahu, Joe Biden Organizations: Saturday, West Bank, “ Lions, Palestinian Authority, Lions, Hamas, United Arab, Israel, ’, Gaza, Research, Islamic Studies, Australian National University Locations: Israel, Gaza, Al, Aqsa, Islam, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Israel’s, Iran, Tehran

☆ Bullock takes over at Australia central bank with soft landing in sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Incoming RBA Governor Michele Bullock delivers the Sir Leslie Melville Public Lecture at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, August 29, 2023 in this handout image. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has been on hold for three months after raising interest rates aggressively for more than a year. The tightening has slowed Australia's growth, but analysts think the economy could still achieve a soft landing. If Australia avoids recession and delivers a soft landing, history may judge outgoing Governor Philip Lowe more kindly. In the search to replace Bullock as deputy, Chalmers has indicated the government is looking at candidates inside and outside the central bank.

Persons: Michele Bullock, Leslie Melville, Tracey Nearmy, Bullock, it's, Cherelle Murphy, Philip Lowe, Lowe, Jim Chalmers, Chalmers, Stephen Halmarick, Stella Qiu, William Mallard Organizations: Australian National University, ANU, REUTERS, Rights, Reserve Bank of Australia, EY Oceania, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Handout, New Zealand, Germany, Europe's, COVID

Rahm Emanuel, Washington's outspoken ambassador to Japan, wrote in a post on X: "1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn't been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On the trip, Wat met with China's navy commander, Dong Jun and other navy leaders, Singapore's defence ministry said on its website. Singapore's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Military observers and diplomats are closely watching whether China will go ahead with plans to hold the Beijing Xiangshan Forum - an annual international security summit normally hosted by China's defence minister - in late October.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, Rahm Emanuel, Washington's, Li Shangfu hasn't, Mao Ning, Qin Gang, Qin, Emanuel, Barack Obama, Matthew Miller, Sean Wat, Wat, Dong Jun, Lloyd Austin, Yew Lun Tian, Laurie Chen, Martin Pollard, Yukiko Toyoda, Xinghui, John Geddie, Neil Fullick, Lincoln, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Defence, Financial Times, U.S, Street Journal, Defense, Navy, Liberation, Rocket Force, . State Department, Reuters, Military, Beijing Xiangshan, U.S . Defence, Australian National University, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, TOKYO, U.S, Beijing, Japan, Vietnam, Tokyo, States, China, Singapore, United States, Xinghui Kok

BEIJING (AP) — China and Zambia upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on Friday, the latest move by America's chief global rival to forge deeper ties with the Global South. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Zambian counterpart announced the agreement shortly after Xi had exchanged cordial words with another visitor, the new prime minister of Cambodia. China has in turn won access to natural resources and diplomatic support from many Global South countries on contentious votes at the U.N. and from Cambodia in China’s territorial disputes with other Southeast Asian nations in the South China Sea. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet made China his first official foreign visit after succeeding his father, Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for 40 years and cultivated his country's close relationship with China. Xi told Hun Manet that his father had made historic contributions to bilateral ties.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, ” Xi, Hakainde Hichilema, Hichilema, Nicolás Maduro, ”, Edward Chan, South Africa —, Hun Manet, Hun Sen, Hun, Alfred Wu, National University of Singapore's Lee, “, Wanqing Chen Organizations: BEIJING, Global, Zambian, Australian National University, “, United Arab, Initiative, Cambodian, U.S, Ream Naval Base, National University of Singapore's, National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, of Public, Associated Press Locations: China, Zambia, Cambodia, Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, U.S, Zambian, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, South China, Cambodian, Beijing, ASEAN

☆ Build up not out: the high density housing push for Australian cities
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Mahendran has joined the Sydney YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) group, a fledgling grassroots movement seeking higher density housing in opposition to those branded NIMBYs (Not In My Backyard) that fight new and large developments, particularly in gentrified inner-city areas. For a continent as large and sparsely populated as Australia, it is almost counter-intuitive there could be a housing shortage. While the YIMBY movement is in its infancy in Australia, it marks a shift in community attitudes towards development as affordability worsens and a push for shorter commutes and better facilities become features of post-pandemic urban living. "The future is up by way of density," said Liz Allen, a researcher at Australian National University in Canberra. Greater Canberra, the YIMBY group in Canberra, has received support from both Labor and Greens for its push to lift density across the Australian Central Territory.

Persons: Stella Qiu, Mahendran, Sydney YIMBY, Liz Allen, Justin Simon, they've, Simon, Philip Lowe, Lowe, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Simon Welsh, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Sydney, New South, New South Wales Productivity, Australian National University, Reuters, Labor, Greens, Australian Central Territory ., Senate, Redbridge, Thomson Locations: Parramatta, Sydney, today's Australia, Australia, New South Wales, Canberra, Greater Canberra, May, Victoria

☆ Southeast Asia's first high-speed train – a boon or bust for Indonesia's economy?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Nyshka Chandran | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

While it could improve overall economic and business productivity, those benefits may be overrun by Jakarta's soaring debt burden as project costs continue to mount. The 142-kilometre train linking Indonesia's capital to Bandung is expected to move at 350 kilometers per hour, driven by electricity with no direct carbon emissions expected during operations. However, escalating costs of the project could push up Indonesia's government debt and overshadow any short-term economic gains. Initially, the train was to be financed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China — a consortium of companies from China and Indonesia tasked with building the rail project. In that scenario, money spent on the train would have been better spent on alternative investments like irrigation projects, he said.

Persons: Joko Widodo, Arief Anshory Yusuf, Jokowi, Sri Lanka's, Mao Ning, Mao, Yusuf Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Initiative, Indonesian, Bandung's Padjadjaran University, Australian National University, PT Kereta, Indonesia China —, KCIC, China Development Bank, Reuters, of Economic, Law Studies, Nurphoto, CNBC Locations: Indonesia, Jakarta, Bandung, Southeast Asia, Indonesian, Surabaya, Japan, Indonesia China, China, Entebbe, Beijing, IDR

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