alt

September 9th, 2021

Of our elaborate plans, the end

America's war on terror yields to a new era

View all editions
For three centuries, faraway empires have come to conquer Afghanistan -- the British in the 19th, the Soviets in the 20th and now the Americans in the 21st -- before retreating in humiliation.
Siblings who arrived from Afghanistan with their families are seen in Pakistan on Sept. 1. Thousands, if not millions, of people are expected to attempt to escape Afghanistan, leaving nations in the region anxious about a flood of refugees coming in. 
Asia Insight

Turkey, Iran and Pakistan raise entry bars for Afghan refugees

Nations across region worry influx could exacerbate political and social problems

Garuda's annual net loss of $2.4 billion last year was its biggest since at least 2005 and company executives said in June that it is still losing around $100 million a month. 
Business Spotlight

Indonesia's state airline Garuda hangs by a financial thread

With the government reluctant to stump up rescue funds, airline's restructuring is fraught with difficulty

Huawei remains reliant on U.S.-made chips for some key semiconductors. (Source photo by Reuters)
Huawei crackdown

Chinese components double to 60% in new Huawei smartphone

Teardown analysis reflects impact of U.S. sanctions on former No. 2 player

A Vodafone Idea store in Kolkata, India. The mobile operator has reached a critical juncture in its bid to survive.
Telecommunication

Vodafone and Birla fight to save Indian telecom joint venture

Lobbying intensifies as fate of Vodafone Idea rests in government's hands

Travelers at Hong Kong International Airport in July. Many Hong Kong families have decided to relocate overseas.
Hong Kong security law

Hong Kong's growing exodus impacts schools and hospitals

Brain drain becomes reality as estimated 100,000 could leave the territory

Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, center, announces the merger of his faction with another LDP faction in 2017. (Photo by Taro Yokosawa)
Politics

Generational divide clashes with factions in Japan's ruling party

LDP at crossroads as young members focus on public opinion over alliances

A worker wearing personal protective equipment sprays a street in Hanoi with disinfectant as Vietnam struggles to contain COVID-19.
COVID-19 Recovery Index

COVID Recovery Index: Delta strain and late jabs hold ASEAN back

Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar and Thailand occupy last four spots

Digital Transformation Minister Takuya Hirai, with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on screen, launches the new Digital Agency on Wednesday. (Photo by Yo Inoue) 
Politics

Japan launches agency to undo 'digital defeat': 5 things to know

Suga's economic policy pillar faces early test with vaccine certificate rollout

A Marine provides assistance during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug 22: any event generally occurs much sooner than expected, surprising those who live in the comfort of the present.
Xi Jinping waves at the end of the ceremony celebrating the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party on July 1: the regime under Xi believes that China is no longer a second-rate power.
Opinion

Understanding China's conflicted nationalism

Beijing's aggressive behavior undermines its soft power ambitions

Indonesian startups Tokopedia and Gojek merged their operations and aim to list on the U.S. stock market. (Source photos by Dimas Ardian and Ken Kobayashi)
The Nikkei View

Lessons can be learned from Southeast Asia's tech startups

Grab and GoTo show savvy raising funds overseas to meet local needs

These women work as ama sea divers, catching fish and shellfish and collecting seaweed in Japan's Ise Bay. Protective symbols are stitched onto their bonnets to ward off danger and ensure a safe return. (Stephen Mansfield)
Life

Traditional Japanese divers restore 'balance' to the sea

Marine culture is dominated by women in the fishing villages of the Ise Peninsula

A Buddhist nun offers prayers to Saint Kukai on Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture. (All photos by Stephen Mansfield)
Tea Leaves

Seeking the 'right' rite of passage

Space, cost and tradition dictate Japan's colorful funeral practices