Cambodia: The Million Dollar Business of Human Hair Extensions
#International #World #GlobalSocieties #Asia

Hair extensions are popular and expensive․ But it's often poor women who cut off and sell their hair - for little money․ For some it offers more independence, for others, suffering and stigmatization․

A Stalled Global Vaccine Drive: The West's Greed Could Come Back To Haunt It
#International #World #COVID19 #Coronavirus #LatinAmerica #Asia #Africa

A global initiative was launched to ensure that poorer countries would also have fair access to vaccines for the coronavirus once they were developed․ Instead, the West is panic-buying the available stocks – and that could be devastating, politically, economically and in terms of human lives․

Two Billion Vaccine Doses for 190 Countries: Inside COVAX’s Mission to Save the World
#International #World #COVID19 #Coronavirus #Africa #Asia #LatinAmerica #Health

The World Health Organization has launched the biggest vaccination campaign in human history, with the aim of distributing doses to 190 countries and limiting the risk of dangerous mutations․ But the project is a race against time․

The U․S․-China Confrontation: "We Need To Avoid Stumbling into a Major War"
#International #World #UnitedStates #China #Asia

Admiral James Stavridis has commanded U․S․ warships in the South China Sea․ In his new novel, he writes about a war between China and America – a scenario he considers to be extremely realistic․

Former Australian PM Kevin Rudd: "A Cold War with China Is Probable and Not Just Possible"
#International #World #Asia #NATO #China #UnitedStates #UnitedKingdom #EuropeanUnion #TransAtlanticRelations

China presents a significant threat, believes former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd․ Which is why, he says, the West must work together rather than engage in the kind of bickering triggered by the recent submarine deal between Australia and the United States․

City of Warriors: Resistance Across the Border to the Myanmar Military Junta
#International #World #GlobalSocieties #Burma #Asia

A Thai town on the border to Myanmar has become a hotbed of resistance to the military junta in Yangon․ Many believe this could be the last chance to save the country from dictatorship․

China: Shanghai's Omicron Wave Is a Risk for Xi Jinping and the Global Economy
#International #World #China #HumanRightsinChina #COVID19 #Coronavirus #Asia #Englisch

The brutal lockdown in Shanghai is wreaking havoc on China's largest city․ With millions under lockdown and difficulties delivering food, the crisis is becoming a burden not only for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but also for the global economy․

Laos and the New Silk Road: The Train to Dependence on China
#International #World #GlobalSocieties #Asia #China #ChineseEconomy

Since December, Laos has been home to a new high-speed rail connection connecting the capital to China․ It is a boon for many in the poor, Southeast Asian country, but is it a luxury it can really afford?

The Philippines: The Consequences of Reproductive Ignorance in Happyland
#International #World #GlobalSocieties #FamilyPolicy #GenderEquality #Asia

Abortion is illegal under any circumstance in the Philippines․ For years, contraceptives were only available to women who are 18 or older․ The results of those policies are quite visible in one quarter in Manila․

What the Future Might Hold for Asia: "Every Time China Has Been United, It Has Dominated"
#International #World #China #UnitedStates #Asia #Japan

China is upgrading its nuclear arsenal even as its relationship to the U․S․ is deteriorating․ George Yeo, the former foreign minister of Singapore, discusses the ongoing power struggle in the Pacific region․