The panda era at the National Zoo may be coming to an end, according to seasoned observers in China, and this is part of a larger trend. As agreements with various Western zoos expire, Beijing seems to be progressively removing its pandas, amidst high diplomatic tensions with several Western governments. With the stated goal of better protecting the vulnerable species, Beijing currently lends out 65 pandas to 19 countries through “cooperative research programs.” The National Zoo’s bears left the country in 2019, leaving the Atlanta Zoo as the only place where giant pandas remain in the United States; the San…
Author: Samvita Haridas
A local currency swap agreement was signed by the Saudi Central Bank and the People’s Bank of China (PBC), the country’s central bank. The amount of the swap is 26 billion Saudi riyals, or 50 billion yuan ($6.98 billion). It is mutually extendable beyond its three-year expiration date. The State Council has approved the swap arrangement, which will increase financial cooperation, increase the use of both currencies and facilitate trade and investment. The agreement represents a significant advancement for the yuan’s use globally as well as a breakthrough for its promotion in the Middle East. Businesses in Saudi Arabia can…
Unit 504 of the Israel Defense Forces was called into action shortly after the attack on October 7. According to reports, its Arabic-speaking soldiers interrogated Palestinians, including Hamas terrorists, gave combat troops intelligence, and assisted in exposing terror operations being conducted from Gaza hospitals. Hospitals are the latest targets of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza. The Israeli military says that under some of Gaza’s biggest medical facilities in the north, it is unearthing terrorist shaft after terrorist shaft. Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 attacks, is reportedly hiding deep in a Gaza tunnel, “like a little Hitler in…
Due to a cholera outbreak, Zimbabwe has declared a state of emergency in its capital, Harare. There are over 7,000 suspected cases of the outbreak, and so far, dozens of people have died from it. According to the city authorities, the outbreak that is sweeping across the entire city has brought back memories of a deadly outbreak that claimed thousands of lives back in 2008. “Due to cholera, we have imposed a state of emergency,” Mayor Ian Makone was cited by the local media. Health officials in the country of southern Africa report that since February, there have been over…
Following an intense gunfight between the Myanmar Army and pro-democracy militias in the western Chin State of the country, which borders Mizoram, 1,500 citizens of India’s neighboring country sought refuge in Mizoram’s Champhai district early on November 13. This was a spillover from the ongoing civil war in Myanmar. The rebels are said to have taken control of two bases, the Khawmawi and Rihkhawdar military camps, as a result of their attacks on the ruling military junta, also known as the Tatmadaw. These attacks were reportedly carried out by the Chin National Army (CNA) and the Chin Defense Force, among…
The wealthiest individuals in America contribute significantly to global pollution, not only through the use of fossil fuels by the businesses they invest in but also through the size of their mansions and private aircraft. Nearly half of the planet-heating pollution in the US is caused by the wealthiest 10% of Americans, who have urged governments to stop imposing “regressive” taxes on the carbon intensity of consumer goods and instead concentrate on taxing investments that contribute to climate change. It can seem impossible to control global warming, as it is such a vast, ambiguous, and overwhelming phenomenon. You understand that…
Following the unparalleled scale of Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israeli territory, there is growing scrutiny regarding the role that cryptocurrency exchange platforms and digital currencies like Dogecoin and Bitcoin play in funding the radical Islamist movement. These internet companies, more frequently referred to as “mixers” or “tumblers,” combine cryptocurrency funds of unlawful origin with other cryptocurrency funds. Because of this, “using cryptocurrency mixers to launder money or hide earnings is pretty considerable.” The virtual wallets connected to Hamas that allegedly received $41 million (€39 million) between 2019 and 2023 were allegedly seized, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry. Elliptic,…
This weekend marks the start of Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s state visit to China, which will highlight a significant improvement in ties between the two nations that had rapidly deteriorated in recent years due to issues ranging from trade to security. Politicians in the country have long been uneasy about China’s aggressive foreign policy and its military’s rapid modernization. The turning point moment came in 2017 when Australian officials prohibited foreign funding of political parties, citing “disturbing reports” of Chinese efforts to influence the political system in Canberra. Australia was the first nation to forbid the Chinese tech giant…
India is a major food producer and consumer, accounting for 70% of its USD 6 billion retail sector. World Food India (WFI) 2017 was organized by the Indian Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) to give international companies a platform to enter India through joint ventures with local partners. The event was held from November 3–5, 2017, on the lawns of Rajpath in New Delhi, the country’s capital. The event, which included food street, industry-specific seminars, state and national exhibitions, and theme structures, aimed to transform the food economy and achieve the goal of doubling farmers’ income by making India…
North Korea’s population suffers greatly from its self-imposed isolation, but it doesn’t appear that it will welcome foreign investment very soon. It is well known that it is the world’s most secretive nation. When North Korea invaded South Korea after the end of the Korean War in 1953, it was supported by the Soviet Union and China but was defended by the UN (led by US forces). It voluntarily chose to become more and more isolated from other nations. This degree of hiding is a major factor in the nation’s ability to spread dissatisfaction and mystery throughout a large portion…