Author: synergia
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Caixin Index falls – Worry for global trade
China’s Caixin Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) continues to be at 49.4 for the second consecutive month. A reading below 50 signals contraction. The employment sub-index has also dropped from 47.2 to 47.0 the lowest reading since March 2009, a sign that factories are not generally expecting to hire new staff. Would this stall growth in…
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Qatar offers a bailout to Pakistan
Cash-strapped Pakistan has secured a bailout package of $3 billion from Qatar. Is Pakistan able to convince more lenders to bail itself out of this economic predicament? Would this mean broadening its strategic partnerships and moving entirely out of the Saudi US camp to engage countries like Qatar and Turkey?
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The Future of Conflict: Pakistan
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area and richest in terms of resources, is reeling under insurgency for more than 15 years. Is it not high time for the Government in Pakistan to move away from its much-touted alpha male military approach and begin the process of political dialogue to resolve the conflict?
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Twitter: Censoring High Profile “Rule Breakers” Online
Social media platform Twitter has recently announced that it will be de-emphasizing content posted by influential “rule breakers” who post content in violation of its terms of service, instead of removing the content altogether. By doing so, Twitter hopes to encourage free debate and discussion online. Where should social media stand on the debate between…
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“Vaccine” against fake news
Researchers from the University of Cambridge launched an online game to inoculate people against fake news. Can we adopt the lessons from this research to stop misinformation before it even starts to spread?
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Space Race 2.0
NATO has recently proposed space as an extended domain of warfare in addition to those of land, air, sea, and cyberspace. China also seems to be ramping up its space infrastructure to expand its civil and military space projects.
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The Future of Information
In the age of the internet, information is increasingly becoming a powerful political resource. What sources of information are strategic in nature, and what is the future of information warfare? These are excerpts from a speech delivered by Tobby Simon, President, and Founder of Synergia Foundation at the June 2019 plenary meeting of the Trilateral…
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Huawei proposes ‘No Back Door’ to Government of India
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd has appealed to India to make an ‘informed and independent decision’ on permitting its 5G trails that are scheduled to commence in 100 days. What does recent ‘no back door’ proposal by Huawei mean? Has it come a bit too late?
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American Unwillingness, Pacific Island Helplessness?
The global ramification of the climate change is best understood by the Pacific Island states. With little capacity to stem this existential threat, these countries rely on the big powers to implement reforms that might prevent global warming. Does the US’ withdrawal from the unanimity-based Paris Climate Agreement spell doom for these island nations?
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Philippines’ War on Drugs: Gone Too Far?
The Philippine war on drugs refers to the drug policy under President Rodrigo Duterte, and is aimed at ‘the neutralisation of illegal drug personalities nationwide at any and all costs’. Increased international scrutiny brings up the question of how much structural impunity exists in the Philippines, that prevents the state to hold human rights offenders…