World Today

①Why has the realization of moderate prosperity ensured human rights in China? ②Biden will host a “Summit for Democracy”. What's the point of doing so? ③Over 175 public health experts are jointly asking Biden to take urgent actions to confront the pandemic globally. What’s their argument? ④Why does Australia expand Covid-19 lockdown? ⑤A US NGO reports a China-financed dam is causing human rights disasters in Cambodia. Is that the case?

①A new round of Doha meeting on Afghanistan has kicked off. What can we expect? ②North Korea has issued warnings to the US and South Korea over their joint military exercises. Is there room for Pyongyang and Seoul to heal their strained ties? ③Why are two former Australian prime ministers urging Canberra not to play politics in the relationship with China? ④How could New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s resignation affect the Democratic Party?

①China and Russia are holding joint military exercises in northwest China. How to define the military ties between the two sides? ②A UN climate change panel concludes global warming is close to spiraling out of control. What can be done to achieve the best-case scenario? ③Is international cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines possible? ④Following Alibaba’s sexual assault scandal, what reflections are needed?

①A recap of Team China's performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. ②Why is it ridiculous to put the US at the top of COVID-19 resilience ranking? ③Is Biden sending a self-conflicting message on Afghanistan by ordering airstrikes on the Taliban? ④ What should be done to compensate indigenous people for their historical tragedies?

The US has launched a flurry of diplomatic activities targeting Southeast Asia to counter China's influence in the region. Is the region becoming a key arena for US-China rivalry? Is there still room for US-China cooperation in the region? Host Ding Heng is joined by Prof. Song Qingrun from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Herman Laurel, a Manila-based political analyst, Hamzah Rifaat Hussain from Islamabad Policy Research Institute, and Tony Kevin, former Australian ambassador to Cambodia.

① What prompted intensive U.S. engagement with ASEAN?

② Ebrahim Raisi: what you need to know about Iran’s new president.

③ Why the WHO is calling for a pause on COVID vaccine boosters.

① Analysis: Singapore PM warns Washington against aggressively challenging China

② Public health or politics? Biden administration to continue migrant expulsions under Title 42.

③ Is it cause for further optimism as China and India establish sixth hotline?

① Will Southeast Asia tilt toward Biden's America?

② In what ways does the U.S. eviction crisis ignore human rights?

③ What do the Tokyo Olympics tell us about the new generation of Chinese athletes?

① Is the global COVID-19 situation worsening as cases surpass 198 million?

② Is the US shooting itself in the foot with Biden’s ban on Americans investing in Chinese companies?

Unprecedented floods after torrential rainfall, wildfires ravage due to record-breaking temperatures, in the past month, devastating weather extremes have hit regions across the world, and again put climate change in focus.

Is there a strong link between extreme weather and climate change? What can we expect from world leaders to address these problems?