In late 2013, Matthew Winkler, then editor-in-chief of Bloomberg, launched an investigation into the hidden wealth of China’s elite. Releasing it, he warned in a phone call, “would destroy everything we’ve tried to build.” More than a decade later, this trade-off between access and accuracy has become a habit. Journalists have learned where China’s red lines are, and the words are quietly disappearing from drafts. In 2022, the Société Radio-Canada (CBC) closed its Beijing office after more than 40 years. There was no expulsion; Chinese authorities have simply stopped issuing visas to CBC correspondents. As editor Brodie Fenlon says, “the…
Author: Frank M. Everett
The announcement of a Japan-UK offshore wind compact during Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s visit to the United Kingdom in mid-June, caps off a turbulent year for Japan’s offshore wind energy sector. Successes such as Kitakyushu Hibikinada And Go to projects brought online in Kyushu were offset by the withdrawal of Mitsubishi from large-scale projects off the coasts of Akita and Chiba due to skyrocketing costs. Much of the blame for these failures has been attributed to previous rules set by the Japanese government for companies bidding to develop projects, which exposed developers to inflation and unexpected price increases. Without a…
When EU leaders gathered In Brussels on June 18-19, their agenda was loaded with the bloc’s long-term budget, regional conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and global trade frictions. Even if China was not explicitly named during the last European Council conclusionsleaders’ discussions of “global macroeconomic imbalances” likely referred to the bloc’s strained economic ties with Beijing. The summit resulted in an ambivalent mandate. EU leaders called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to maintain dialogue with the main economic partners, while exhorting an assessment of the EU trade defense toolbox to design new regulatory instruments. This…
The establishment of a peace framework and ceasefire between the United States and Iran following recent hostilities would be a welcome sign in Australia. Canberra feared war, both because of the domestic impacts of high fuel prices and its deep concern about the unintended consequences that might have been created by the fighting. To better understand the future implications, I spoke to Jane Hardyformer Australian Ambassador to Spain and former Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She is currently a non-resident principal investigator at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). For…
Bangladesh’s new prime minister has asked Malaysia to consider reopening its labor market to Bangladeshi migrant workers, as he and his Malaysian counterpart pledged a broad expansion of economic ties. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made the request to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a meeting in Putrajaya yesterday. The visit, Tarique’s first since taking office in February, is aimed at attracting investment and economic support, and will also involve a three-day state visit to China. At a joint press conference, Tarique said he had asked Anwar to consider reopening the job market to Bangladeshi workers as soon as possible, while…
The Trump administration attempted to rig the midterm elections with schemes that go far beyond gerrymandering. At the heart of all of the president’s plans are various illegal executive orders he has signed, all related to voting. PoliticusUSA news and opinions are 100% independent. Support us by becoming a subscriber.One of these executive orders required the Social Security Administration to provide personal information so that a database could be created to purge voters.The scheme was clearly illegal, and U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan blocked the database:This case challenges two fundamental rights that protect Americans from government excesses: the right to…
It was supposed to be an event for Trump to sign two executive orders on quantum computing, but it turned into another episode of Declining President Theater. While answering questions from reporters, Trump was asked, “Are the contractors who did the initial work with the reflecting pool responsible for the current condition or is it the vandals who…”Trump interrupted like an elder who is certain someone is breaking into his house and moving his car keys: “No, no. We have vandals.”PoliticusUSA is 100% independent, with no political party or corporate influence. Support us by becoming a subscriber.The president continued: “No.…
Pakistan’s campaign against militant networks operating from Afghan territory appears to be entering a new phase. In recent months, Pakistani security forces have increasingly targeted not only the militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, but also the broader infrastructure that supports them. Airstrikes in Nangarhar, Khost and Paktika in February 2026the launch of Operation Ghazab lil-HaqAnd precision strikes in Khost, Kunar and Paktika in June 2026 all marked a shift from reactive defense to a more proactive campaign against militant networks operating along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. This pressure comes as Pakistan faces a deteriorating security environment. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)…
Less than three years after launching direct pilot elections for district mayors, known as akims, Kazakhstan has reversed course. A recent amendment to two critical laws – “On local public administration and self-government” and “On elections” – amend the procedure for selecting akims at the level of districts and “cities of regional significance”, removing elections. In Kazakhstan, there are 39 “cities of regional significance”. These are regional economic hubs, such as the regional capital and other major urban centers. The cities of Almaty, Astana and Shymkent are “cities of republican significance” and operate independently of the regions in which they…
After an explosive week of court hearings, during which the former head of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, Kamchybek Tashiev, I got into an argument with a witness and a video of his apparent interrogation was leaked, the case was – once again – closed to public scrutiny. On June 22, prosecutors filed a motion to close the trial of a number of prominent politicians and former government officials accused of attempted coup d’état and abuse of power, allegedly in connection with the so-called “Letter of 75.” In addition to Tashiev, former Prosecutor General Kurmankul Zulushev, former Chairman of…