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☆ China is trying to connect Southeast Asia by high-speed rail. Here’s how that’s going
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Imagine jumping on a train in southwestern China, traveling some 2,000 miles and arriving in Singapore – less than 30 hours later. Southeast Asia is the “obvious” choice because of its “proximity to China,” Bowerman adds. “Beijing, I think, ultimately wants to see Southeast Asian countries within its sphere of geopolitical influence. A staff member waits for passengers to board the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train during a week-long public trial phase at the Halim station in Jakarta on September 17, 2023. “In the example of a high-speed railway line between Malaysia and Singapore, Singapore would likely have just one stop – Malaysia would have more,” Wong told CNN.

Persons: China’s, Gary Bowerman, ” Bowerman, ”, Pon Souvannaseng, Peerapon Boonyakiat, Bowerman, Pan Wenbo, Pan, Mei Wei, Wei, “ I’m, Xi Jinping’s, Souvannaseng, Hong Kong –, Hong Kong’s, Yasuyoshi Chiba, Wong Muh Rong, ” Wong Organizations: CNN, Initiative, China Railway, Reuters, East Japan Railway Co, Malaysian, Bentley University, of, Communist Party, Laos Railway, Laos Railway cumulatively, Orient Express, Getty Locations: China, Singapore, Asia, Laos, Kunming, Vientiane –, Indonesia, Jakarta, Bandung, West Java, Thailand, Bangkok, Thai, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Southeast Asia, “ China, Peerapon, Cities, Penang, Malacca, Phuket Old Town, Beijing, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Wat, Siem Reap, ”, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Halim, AFP, “

☆ Analysis: China worried about return of Trump, but also sees opportunities if he wins 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Then-US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at Beijing's Forbidden City in 2017. “If this decoupling is carried out by Trump 2.0 in a very forceful way, the impact on China is going to be very severe. But experts say China’s business and official sectors are likely already considering contingency plans. Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin leave a reception following talks at the Kremlin in March 2023. “Whoever wins – the structure of (US) confrontation, competition, pressure to China are still there,” he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi, Donald Trump, didn’t, –, Biden, Wang Yi, Trump, He’s, Trump’s, Brian Wong, ” Wong, Lintao Zhang, Obama, Melania, “, Xi Jinping, Peng Liyuan, Xie Huanchi, he’s, ”, Bala Ramasamy, Shen Dingli, Premier Li Qiang, Ronald Reagan, “ Biden, Shen, ” Trump, skeptically, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Pavel Byrkin, Wong, it’s, Wang Yiwei Organizations: Beijing CNN —, Communist Party, Biden, Senior, Trump’s “, University of Hong Kong’s, Contemporary, House, oceanside, Trump, of, Forbidden, Huawei, Oxford Economics, China Europe International Business School, Premier, American, South Korea Navy, Asia –, Russia’s, NATO, Europe, Kremlin, Getty, South Korea –, White House, Renmin University Locations: China, Beijing, State, US, Russia, Communist, Contemporary China, Taiwan, Lago, City, Xinhua, Shanghai, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Europe, China's Qingdao Port, –, Asia, Seoul, Tokyo, Ukraine, United States, AFP, Japan, South Korea, America, Washington, Hong Kong, South China

☆ Singapore: In this expensive city, the right to own a car costs $76,000. And that doesn't include the car
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Owning a car in Singapore, one of the world’s most expensive countries, has always been something of a luxury. Those who want something bigger or flashier – like an SUV – will have to fork out $106,630 (146,002 Singapore dollars) for the Category B license – up from $102,900 (140,889 Singapore dollars). It has put cars out of reach for the average resident of Singapore, where the median monthly household income in 2022 was $7,376 (10,099 Singapore dollars), according to the Department of Statistics. Those who can’t afford a Certificate of Entitlement can also make use of Singapore’s extensive public transport system they point out. Failing that, there is the option of getting a motorbike – permits for which are a relative snip at $7,930 (10,856 Singapore dollars).

Persons: Ricky Goh, “, ”, Wong Hui Min, ” Wong Organizations: CNN, Transport Authority, Department of Statistics Locations: Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Hanoi

☆ Mysterious dark spot detected on Neptune
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Astronomers have spotted a large and mysterious dark spot within Neptune’s atmosphere, and it has an unexpectedly bright companion. “Since the first discovery of a dark spot, I’ve always wondered what these short-lived and elusive dark features are,” said lead study author Patrick Irwin, professor of planetary physics at the University of Oxford, in a statement. Gas giants and dark spotsGiant gaseous planets in our solar system, including Neptune, are known for the dark spots that appear in their atmospheres, such as Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, a centuries-old storm. The Great Dark Spot on Neptune, the nickname given to the largest storm witnessed by Voyager 2, was so large that it could contain Earth. The unusual cloud appeared in the observation as a smaller bright spot next to the larger dark spot, and both are on the same atmospheric level.

Persons: I’ve, ”, Patrick Irwin, Hubble, Neptune, Irwin, Irwin et, Michael Wong, ” Wong, “ Organizations: CNN —, Southern, Hubble, University of Oxford, Gas, NASA, Irwin’s, European Southern Observatory, University of California Locations: Chile, Northern, Berkeley

☆ Women's World Cup: Australia dared to dream of World Cup glory, then it all slipped away
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sydney, Australia CNN —A long, emotional day for Australian soccer fans turned into an even longer trip home when severe delays stranded thousands on train platforms at Stadium Australia after the nation’s disappointing 3-1 loss to England in the World Cup semifinal. After the match, a downcast Sam Kerr – Australia’s talismanic superstar and captain – told reporters she was lost for words. I can’t blame it all on myself, but it’s hard not to feel bad right now,” she said. “I think they played incredibly,” Skye Marshall told CNN, as she stood outside Stadium Australia with her family after the match. The day before, the Matildas will look to salve the pain somewhat and take on Sweden for third place.

Persons: Sam Kerr –, –, ”, Skye Marshall, “ They’ve, “, Harold Marshall, Lucy, Davara, Harold, Ayva Marshall, Hilary Whiteman, Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, ” Wong, Cathy Freeman, ’, Sam Kerr’s, Kerr, Millie Bright, “ We’re, England's Alessia Russo, Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, Jennie Gannaway, Christopher, they’d, Gannaway, I’ve, Mariela Pocklington, Steph Catley, “ We’ve, We’re Organizations: Australia CNN, Australia, England, CNN, Sweden, Foreign, Twitter, Chelsea, Sydney, New Locations: Sydney, Australia, England, Skye, Newcastle, New South Wales, Spain, Sweden

☆ Australia's Wong to visit Pacific in bipartisan effort to boost ties
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The group comprises Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, senior government minister Pat Conroy, and their opposition counterparts, the politicians said in a joint statement on Sunday. Discussions would cover development objectives, the "existential threat" of climate change, and key regional security issues, the politicians said in their statement. The group, while in Vanuatu, would attend a ceremony for the handover of a new wharf and police boat "as part of Australia’s enduring cooperation on shared regional security interests". "I am pleased we are ... demonstrating Australia’s enduring commitment to strengthening our Pacific partnerships and addressing regional challenges,” Wong said. It is the first government-led bipartisan visit to Pacific island countries since 2019, they said.

☆ Nevada is 1 of 5 states with over 10% Asian Americans. Both parties courted vote, but Dems won out.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

In the highly competitive swing state of Nevada, both parties aggressively courted Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders ahead of last week's midterm elections, but Democrats managed to clinch the group's vote. Koo said both parties made significant efforts to appeal to Asian Americans, particularly in comparison to elections past. “The main industry there is service and hospitality, and there’s a lot of Asian Americans that are employed by that industry,” Wong said. Democratic candidates in Nevada, who are often more moderate than those on the coasts, may naturally align more with the Asian American community. “We’re starting to see with younger Asian American voters, climate is a huge conversation that everyone is having.

☆ In California, two Asian Americans fight for a seat in the House — and with each other
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

As the midterms loom, one key House race in California is drawing significant attention both to Asian Americans in the district, and from them. The race features a rare matchup between two Asian Americans, and the result hinges on Asian Americans, who make up about a third of the district’s voters. “I think here, we’re seeing a wake-up call,” Connie Chung Joe, chief executive of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, told NBC News. Within the electorate, almost half are of Vietnamese descent, one of the few Asian American groups that tends to lean right. It’s something, Joe said, that white candidates, for example, can “take for granted.”But Wong added that accusing another Asian American candidate of being disloyal “hurts the whole Asian American community.”As fiery as the race has been, it’s also reflective of a political maturation within the Asian American community, experts say.

☆ Australia drops recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia has reversed a previous government’s recognition of west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the foreign minister said Tuesday, prompting consternation from Israel. The Cabinet also reaffirmed that Jerusalem’s status must be resolved in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it would summon the Australian ambassador over the issue. She described former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as out of step internationally. Only a handful of countries, including Kosovo and Guatemala, have joined the U.S. in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

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