Lessons from Bhutan: Using the happiness index to guide public policy
Patricia Fernández Martín|
Smoking in public and plastic bags are banned in this small Asian country with a dedicated government ministry to measure citizen well-being
Pumpkin spice helps Starbucks posts record sales, but growth may moderate in coming year
AP|
Revenue for the July-September period rose 11% to $9.4 billion. That surpassed Wall Street’s expectation of $9.3 billion
Threats to democracy in the world on the rise with elections and rights in greater danger
Almost half of countries have suffered setbacks in the democratic process in the last five years, according to the IDEA organization, which however highlights growing citizen participation
Treasury Secretary Yellen calls for more US-Latin America trade, in part to lessen Chinese influence
Latin American and Caribbean trade with China rose to record levels in 2022 and their diplomatic relations have also increased
China and Southeast Asia nations vow to conclude a nonaggression pact faster as sea crises escalate
The Philippines, a US ally, has protested what it says are increasingly dangerous and provocative maneuvers by China’s coast guard
Russia and China present themselves as guarantors of international law in the face of the West’s contradictions on Gaza
The Kremlin, which is facing accusations of war crimes for its invasion of Ukraine, has denounced the US and the EU for having double standards when it comes to the Middle East. Beijing, meanwhile, is trying to promote its image as a mediator
China keeps up military pressure on Taiwan, sending 43 planes and 7 ships near self-governing island
Such Chinese maneuvers have become frequent and aggressive since then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022
State of alarm
Our world is in decline. To a large extent, the tools that made Western dominance possible are growing rusty or eroding at a rapid pace
McDonald’s pumps brakes on prices as US traffic falls slightly, but Q3 sales beat expectations
AP|
Global same-store sales — or sales at locations open at least a year — rose 8.8% in the July-September period. The company expects its U.S. prices will increase just over 10% for the full year
As economy falters, more Chinese migrants take a perilous journey to the US border to seek asylum
The pandemic temporarily stemmed the exodus. Now emigration has resumed, with China’s economy struggling to rebound and youth unemployment high
Biden wants to move fast on AI safeguards and will sign an executive order to address his concerns
The Commerce Department is to issue guidance to label and watermark AI-generated content to help differentiate between authentic interactions and those generated by software
China’s foreign minister says Xi-Biden meeting in San Francisco would not be ‘smooth-sailing’
AP|
The statement said that although there are still many issues to be resolved, both sides believe that it is both beneficial and necessary for the U.S. and China to maintain dialogue
The United States seeks to repair its relations with China amid global turmoil
Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets in Washington with Blinken and senior administration officials
China’s top diplomat visits Washington to help stabilize ties and perhaps set up a Biden-Xi summit
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is expected to urge Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, to play a constructive role in both the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars
US government says it plans to go after legal goods tied to illegal fentanyl trade in new strategy
The pilot project will be launched in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland to combat networks tied to the deadliest overdose crisis in U.S. history
China and the US appear to restart military talks despite disputes over Taiwan and South China Sea
Beijing froze military exchanges after then-speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi last August visited self-governing island
Australian PM Albanese arrives at White House to start day of meetings and celebrations of alliance with US
The state visit, only the fourth since Biden took office, is a reminder of how he’s pursuing long-term plans to counter China’s influence
Russia maneuvers carefully over the Israel-Hamas war as it seeks to expand its global clout
AP|
Putin expects to distract attention from the fighting in Ukraine and erode support for Kyiv, but the war could damage its relationship with Israel
Anchor of Chinese container vessel caused damage to Balticconnector gas pipeline, Finnish police say
Whether the pipeline damage was intentional, unintentional or caused by “bad seafaring” is subject of the next phase in the probe, officials said
Forced labor concerns prompt US lawmakers to demand ban on seafood from two Chinese provinces
It’s the latest effort by U.S. lawmakers to restrict imports of Chinese goods on the grounds of rights abuse, a move that is certain to irk Beijing at a time of tensions over trade and other issues
Bacanora Lithium: ‘Nothing is off the table’ in fight to defend Mexico concessions
If the company were allowed to break ground on their new plan tomorrow, it could start investing 800 million dollars over the next 18 months, said Bacanora CEO Peter Secker
China announces the removal of defense minister missing for almost two months with little explanation
The disappearances of Li Shangfu and the former Foreign Minister Qin Gang have raised questions about the resilience of president Xi Jinping’s circle of power
Europe goes on the defensive against tide of Chinese electric vehicles
The EU has opened an investigation into export aid as Asian brands oust local rivals
US renews warning it will defend Philippines after incidents with Chinese vessels in South China Sea
The Philippines and other neighbors of China have resisted Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims over virtually the entire South China Sea, and some have sought U.S. military support as incidents multiply
Chinese deceleration makes the global economy tremble
Experts deny that the real estate crisis will spread through the markets, but they warn of the risk of a Japanization of the Chinese economy, which would mean a long period of low development
China and Russia plan to work together for a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians
Beijing sent a special envoy to the Middle East to push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the latest sign of its ambition to play a larger role in the region
Russian foreign minister offers security talks with North Korea, China as he visits Pyongyang
AP|
The recent flurry of diplomacy between the Kremlin and PyongYang underscores how their interests are aligning in the face of their confrontations with the United States