Opinion

The troubles keep piling up for India, feted not long ago as a would-be commercial superpower. Economic data show the country is in far worse shape than previously thought, while it has overtaken Mexico to become the world’s third-largest tally of coronavirus cases. It will take the South Asian giant years, at least, to dig out from this hole. The ...

When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his pending resignation last week for health reasons, he had been in office for nearly eight years, the longest such stint in Japanese history. But even that wasn’t long enough to fulfill the potential of his premiership. His successors would be wise to appreciate why. Abe will rightfully be remembered for the many ...

It’s too soon to say with any confidence that Joe Biden will be the next president of United States. But it’s not too soon to start determining what he needs to do on day one if he is elected. Once you get beyond addressing the coronavirus pandemic, it’s pretty clear that the highest priority Biden should have is reversing the ...

America’s elections provide a narrow window of opportunity for its trading partners. Across the world, negotiators will have seen a man from Maine given a prime spot at the Republican National Convention: Lobsterman Jason Joyce spoke about how President Donald Trump had “brokered a deal to end European Union tariffs of 8% on Maine live lobsters and up to 20% ...

Before the novel coronavirus hit, the world’s bling behemoths were pulling out the stops to sell “experiences” where their jet-setting customers could indulge in opulent lodging and dining, all while posting photos of themselves on Instagram. Between 2010 and 2019 demand for experience-based luxury, including gourmet food, outstripped that for personal goods, such as watches and handbags. Then Covid-19 upended ...

Imagine a bidder wanting to buy KFC, but being told the deal might not include the Colonel’s 11 secret herbs and spices. That’s effectively what Beijing has told the list of US companies keen to purchase short-video app TikTok: The key ingredients may be out of reach. At first it looked like the Trump administration had it all figured out. ...

The swearing in of new citizens often makes news in the US, especially if it happens in unusual circumstances such as one party’s national convention. Much less reported are the many citizenship renunciations by Americans, and the travails leading up to these life decisions. Almost all those giving up their US nationality are expats. And for each renouncer going through ...

The US is deploying its economic weaponry as never before, using unilateral sanctions to punish China for the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy and its treatment of Uighur minorities in the country’s northwest. Western experience with Russia suggests Washington’s efforts to force a change of behavior are unlikely to succeed, even if the measures remain in place for years. Washington ...

Everyone has an agenda. That’s especially true for corporations like Apple Inc and Fortnite-maker Epic Games Inc. But while the two powerful technology companies jockey back and forth in their continuing public battle, they need to recognise their brinksmanship has a severe cost. Not only is it affecting their own businesses, but it is taking a significant toll on their ...

When negotiating a raise, timing matters. Typically, it’s best to ask before annual budgets are locked and to steer clear of Monday mornings when the boss may be cranky. But in a pandemic-led recession? It’s awkward, for sure, but it’s not an impossible task. With unemployment in the US exceeding 10% and average jobless claims running over one million per ...