China's military and diplomatic expansion points to an intensifying arms race between the world's two most populous countries, argues Rajeev Sharma.
The people of Guangdong have managed to defend Cantonese as their prime time television language
China is a favoured stopover for a former prime minister with money on his mind. But this is a game that his hosts too are playing, says Kerry Brown.
Ban seeks to placate Kagame over UN report. China warns Japan over fishing boat incident. ‘Nigerian Taliban’ raid jail, freeing prisoners. Bombing rocks Russian market. Clinton describes Mexico drugs crime as “like an insurgency.” All this and more in today’s briefing.
In attempting to suffocate a separate Kashmiri identity, India reveals the cracks in its own idea of nationhood, argues Nitasha Kaul.
UN calls for more aid to Pakistan flood victims, as giving remains highly politicised. Blast leaves seven dead in Xinjiang in a suspected ethnically-motivated attack. France begins Roma deportation. As last combat brigades depart Iraq, questions remain about its future. India accuses Pakistani sol
The growing militancy and confidence of China’s industrial workers are rooted in the epic social experience of the reform decades, says Li Datong.
The transition to a new Chinese leadership has already begun. The domestic and international demands made of it will be greater than ever. But the character of the emerging generation will severely constrain its ability to cope, say Kerry Brown & Loh Su-hsing.
Will China follow the course Mackinder plotted in relation to Tsarist Russia, turning inward once maritime expansion is checked?
The Beijing leadership’s obsession with order and control in face of citizens' search for justice highlights the dysfunctional nature of China’s political system, says Li Datong.
US imposes fresh sanctions on North Korea. Sudan's Bashir defies arrest warrant. British PM concludes his first visit to Washington. Suspected rebels attack Russian power plant. All this and more in today’s security briefing.
