HONG KONG: Mass resignations by opposition lawmakers cement Beijing’s control
The Hong Kong government expelled pro-democracy lawmakers from the Legislative Council, triggering the rest of the opposition faction to resign in protest. A new decision by the mainland legislature grants Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing administration broad powers to disqualify candidates or to expel elected lawmakers without judicial review. The expulsions do not directly affect the foreign […]
Life extension
Life extension aims to extend dramatically humans’ healthy lifespan; but current approaches lack evidence.
SOUTHEAST ASIA: Heading into winter hopeful of avoiding a Covid-19 resurgence
Governments appear relatively confident that they can avoid a major outbreak in the next few months. In terms of managing the pandemic, the focus will be on the continued observance of health protocols, gradually expanding the size of allowed public gatherings and monitoring foreign transmission risk. Indonesia and the Philippines are reopening, but the persistence […]
ASIA: Weekly politics update
Below is the weekly update of political developments across East Asia. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you want to discuss any of the countries mentioned in more detail. US/CHINA: Beijing cautious on acknowledging Biden victory While major US allies and partners in Europe and Asia have officially congratulated President-Elect Joe Biden on […]
ASIA: Biden reassures Asian allies while stressing new areas for cooperation
US President-elect Joe Biden had his initial calls with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the evening of Wednesday, 11 November. However brief, these preliminary calls nevertheless reveal important hints about how the incoming US administration will approach a region that the president-elect has […]
INDIA: Stimulus and hopes of a vaccine amid the threat of rising prices
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new stimulus package on Thursday, 12 November that includes tax relief on select home sale deals, an enhanced credit guarantee program for small businesses, and incentives for new job creation as crucial elements. Big business found the new package underwhelming, as it had little by way of direct tax […]
GHANA: The state of the race
President Nana Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party (NPP) remain the frontrunners in presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for 7 December. If defeated, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of John Mahama may challenge the results in court, which would spell months of uncertainty. While the government appears increasingly cash-strapped in the wake of the […]
BRAZIL: Legislative head, not municipal elections, will move economic agenda
Municipal election results in November will not have much influence on the economic agenda. Elections for the presiding officers of both chambers of Congress will delay decisions until February 2021. Only then will it be clear whether government clout or congressional independence will prevail as the driving force of the reform / financial sustainability agenda. […]