The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013, represents China’s ambitious effort to connect East Asia and Europe through extensive infrastructure projects spanning roads, railways, and ports, with extensions into Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. This initiative, often dubbed the New Silk Road, involves over 140 countries, encompassing about 75%…
In a rare visit to Asia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila to rally support for a global peace summit on the conflict in Ukraine. Zelenskyy, who had just spoken at the Shangri-La defence forum in Singapore, made an unexpected appearance in Manila under tight security. He was greeted…
Switzerland, despite lacking native cocoa beans, has become a premier chocolate manufacturer globally. The transformation owes much to 19th-century Swiss confectioners and entrepreneurs who elevated chocolate into the iconic product it is today. Let’s dive deep into what makes Switzerland the billion dollars chocolate industry. Switzerland chocolate industry statistics In 2022, Switzerland solidified its position…
Audrey Fang, a 39-year-old Singaporean architect on a solo journey to explore Spain’s scenic landscapes, met a grim demise in the quiet town of Abanilla. Her lifeless body, bearing more than 30 stab wounds, was discovered near a lorry parking area, sending shockwaves through her community and prompting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding…
This year, over 80 countries, including some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful nations and the most populous, autocratic, and unstable ones, will be allowed to vote. It appears that this year will put even the most resilient democracies to the test and give those in positions of authority more power. How the presidential…
In the post-World War II era, the ideological battle between the United States and the Soviet Union carved Europe along the Iron Curtain, setting the stage for the Cold War. The establishment of NATO in 1949 marked a pivotal collective defense alliance aimed at deterring Soviet aggression, while the Warsaw Pact mirrored this posture. The…
