News
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Tharman Shanmugaratnam Elected as Singapore’s First Indian President in 30 Years, Ushering a New Era of Representation
On September 14, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who had served as State Counselor for four years, was sworn in as President of Singapore. You may not have heard of him, but he has served as deputy prime minister and finance minister for many years and is called the “economic czar” by foreign media. A survey seven years ago showed that nearly 70% of respondents believed that he was a suitable candidate to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. However, as an Indian, he does not expect a non-Chinese to serve as the real prime minister. He calls himself “not a forward, but always a central defender.” The 66-year-old resigned as State Counselor…
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The Growing Instability in French-speaking Africa and its Geopolitical Implications
At the end of August 2023, a coup occurred in Gabon, a French-speaking African country. The current president Ali Bongo was placed under house arrest by the Republican Guard. This is the second military coup in Africa in more than a month, following Niger. Looking at the past three years, starting from 2020, there have been more than ten coups and attempted coups across the African continent. Among them, five French-speaking African countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, and Gabon) encountered their own military seizures of power. The transitional area between the Sahara Desert and the southern savanna in Africa is called the “Sahel” zone, and is now also known…
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The slow process of entering death
Observe Primo Levi’s depiction of the procession of ants traversing Via San Martino in Rome. In truth, he is metaphorically narrating the plight of the Jewish community during the harrowing times of World War II. “A lengthy tawny queue of ants extends along the railway track. Their countenances gently touch upon meeting, as if scrutinizing their forthcoming journey and destiny.” Subsequently, a multitude of fatalities ensues. “I am disinclined to delineate this occurrence, I am disinclined to portray this solemn march, I am disinclined to portray any tawny procession.” Occasionally, the demise of both humans and animals follows a similar trajectory: observing their departure evokes sentimentality, while rendering one powerless.…
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Ukraine’s Drone Attack on Russian Air Base Exposes Flaws in Russian Counter-Drone Measures
On the 19th of August, 2023, local time, Ukraine asserted to have executed a drone assault on an air force base situated deep within Russian territory, instigating, at the very least, one Russian Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber to ignite. Subsequently, Ukraine released photographs on social media that depicted billowing smoke and flames at the Saltsy air base. The Russian Defense Ministry, through its social channels, corroborated the assault and acknowledged that an aircraft had suffered fire-induced damages. The targeted air base, which fell victim to this attack, lies approximately 650 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border and serves as the domicile of the illustrious 840th Heavy Bomber Regiment of the Russian…
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The Growth Mindset That Separates Big Companies from Small: Business Standardization, Talent Specialization and Management Professionalization
We do consulting for enterprises, where is the biggest limitation? We do not have the experience of large companies. If we are not careful, what we teach companies is the way and thinking of small companies. Once this way of thinking and way is solidified by customers, they will never grow big. This question triggered my thinking: what is the thinking and way of big companies? Now, the Internet, self-media, and management circles are all talking about how small companies should be managed, what should be done for large companies, small companies should focus on mechanisms, and large companies should rely on management… There are many sentences like this, which…
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How the Fukushima Nuclear Wastewater Incident is Disrupting the Chinese Catering and Daily Chemical Industries
August 24 eventually transformed into a calamitous day for the marine ecosystem. Persisting without any reversal, Japan unabatedly discharged nuclear-contaminated water (unconventional coolant from nuclear power plants) into the Pacific Ocean. Visual evidence captured by the media demonstrates that the Fukushima’s nuclear effluence has directly imbued the ocean with a light crimson hue. This environmental catastrophe has evoked diverse reactions within the Chinese social sphere. Moral condemnation, jests, and apprehension abound. Experts from various fields meticulously analyze the ramifications of nuclear radiation on the lives of ordinary individuals. Offline, numerous people are already engaged in an arduous pursuit of salt and engaging in fierce competition. At this juncture, the development…
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The Rise and Fall of the Wagner Group: Tracing Evgeny Prigozhin’s Activity in Africa and Links to the Kremlin
Prigozhin’s death was extremely sudden. Just a day ago, the Wagner Group released a video of unknown shooting time on social networks. In the video, Prigozhin is standing in a desert, wearing a camouflage uniform and holding a gun. “The temperature here is above 50 degrees Celsius, just as we like it,” he said charismatically. “The Wagnerian mercenaries are conducting a reconnaissance operation to make Russia greater and Africa freer on all continents… …” He also said the Wagner Group was “looking for real warriors”. An ad that Wagner posted at the same time showed that they were recruiting experienced soldiers, offering six-month contracts in the Middle East and Africa,…
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Deadliest Wildfire in US History Destroys Historic Town of Lahaina in Hawaii
Due to climate change and changes in the way humans use land The number and extent of extreme wildfires will increase and spread to previously unaffected areaspicture After living in Hawaii for 31 years, Francis experienced “life and death escape” on the way to get off work for the first time. On the evening of August 8, local time, Francis drove home from get off work at a bank in the town of Lahaina. On this all-too-familiar road, heat waves and black smoke suddenly hit, and the road was instantly blocked. Like most people, she abandoned the car and fled to the sea, hugging a big rock tightly in the…
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How Adam Smith’s Kidnapping Shaped His Understanding of Society and Markets
When he was only three years old, Adam Smith had a dangerous experience. He was kidnapped by a group of wandering gypsies, and it was only after an effort by his family that he was retrieved. John Ray once vividly told the story of Smith’s disappearance. “The child was stolen by a group of passing gypsies, and the mother could never find him. Suddenly a gentleman said that he had come across a gypsy woman carrying a poor child a few miles away. The patrolmen set off at once. . . . Slee Forest found the gypsy woman. The woman dropped the child and ran away as soon as she…
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Xiaomi and Huawei in Patent Dispute: Is Litigation the Best Way to Protect Innovation?
In early July, the State Intellectual Property Office announced that Xiaomi initiated a request for invalidation of Huawei’s patent titled “A Screen Locking Method and Mobile Terminal”, which will be reviewed on July 21. According to public information, patent oral examination refers to the invalidation party and the invalidation party verbally explaining their views and reasons for the validity of their patents in court. In fact, in addition to Huawei and Xiaomi, in recent years, with the gradual maturity of 5G standards and disputes over communication technology patents, domestic mobile phone manufacturers have increasingly realized the importance of patent reserves and technical strength. A reporter from Nanduwan Finance and Economics…
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Market Uncertainty Rises Amid Italian Bank Tax, US Downgrades, Toshiba Delisting
Unexpected events are fueling market uncertainty. An unexpected piece of news suddenly triggered a crash in European markets. On August 8, local time, the Italian cabinet unexpectedly approved a tax plan that would impose a “windfall profit tax” on the banking industry. Affected by this, Italian bank stocks collectively dived, and the Italian banking sector plummeted 7.6%. European stock markets also set off a wave of selling. As of the close, Italy’s FTSE MIB index fell by more than 2%, leading the decline in European stock markets. The Eurozone Stoxx 50 index and the German stock index both fell by more than 1%. The U.S. banking industry has also encountered…
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India Imposes Import Restrictions on Laptops, Tablets in Bid to Boost Local Manufacturing
In order to promote the development of local manufacturing, the Indian government recently decided to impose restrictions on the import of some personal computer products . Under the new policy, imports of everything from laptops to tablets must be licensed. This is the latest in a series of measures taken by the Indian government to encourage local electronics production. Although the Indian government notification did not specify the reason for the move, the move is widely seen as another step by the Modi government to boost local manufacturing under the “Make in India” initiative. India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) issued a notice on…
