Weekly News Analysis (2024/5/18)
This article, Weekly News Analysis, is a weekly report based on the author's reading of The Economist, the world's best business magazine, picking out and analysing news from around the world that the author finds interesting. It is updated once a week hopefully, generally on Saturdays, but may not be updated when the author is extremely busy.
Additionally, for English learners, every Sunday, several people, including the author, meet online to discuss daily news in English. If you are interested, please take a look at the attached document below for further information (written in Japanese).
Ukraine’s defenders anxiously dig in for a looming Russian assault
As you know, the war between Ukraine and Russia is still going on. Thanks to aids from several countries including America, UK, and Germany, Ukraine is bearing to protect their lands from Russia's attack.
A place the most intense conflict going on
Currently Chasiv Yar is the most intense place of the Donbas front, defining the very front of the conflicts' line (see picture below).
According to the report from The Economist, in that place there are two vans covered in camouflage and two officers keep monitoring through two screens. One shows a radar image of Russian territory, 50 km away. The other shows a live image from a Ukrainian reconnaissance drones. A constant state of tension and tension in the air can be imagined.
Reason for the fighting in Chasiv Yar
For Ukraine, the purpose of the fighting in this place, Chasiv Yar, is not to retain a whole its land, but they are trying to prevent not to be intruded main cities such as Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odessa and Kyiv through this place. It means Chasiv Yar is one of the most important place in this war and to make Russia's invasion as minimum as possible.
However, as Emmanuel Macron, France's President told The Economist last week, the invasion of Russia is going quicker than expected. Many lands have been invaded gradually. The key point to expect how this war goes is slowing Russia's military power, in other words, how long Russian can keep their power in terms of resources and soldiers, and how much Ukraine can inflict in the process.
The world’s most improbable success story still needs to evolve
Singapore's success based on its unique political scheme
Singapore is admired as the one of most developed countries. It is safe to say "Yes it actually is". Surprisingly the GDP of Singapore is $88,000, and there are several millionaires such as Eduardo Saverin, the co-founder of Facebook, who in 2011 left the U.S. with 53 million shares of the company and became a permanent resident of the island nation.
But back in 1965, when Singapore became independent, one-half of its population was illiterate. Thanks to its unique political scheme for example, capital gains and dividends are fully tax-free in Singapore and this attracts millionaires to bring tons of thousands of money.
The Economist defines its success as an "improbable" because of their political style. Singapore originally has despotic government in which only one political party exists and has a power from diplomacy to ruling for example. Recently, after 59 years of rule by Lee family, Lawrence Wong became the new president on May 15th. However apparently there are still several things to overcome.
Dangers Singapore faces
Firstly, geopolitical matters could cause a rupture shortly. Singapore is a import-intensive country which means that their national profits are come from imports particularly from China. As you know, the recent relationship between China and America is extremely difficult. Possibly America can impose tariffs to China and its supportive countries as well. Singapore has been neutral in those nations conflict but that style can struggle themself.
Secondary, as same as Japan, the state is greying rapidly. It rises health-care costs and reduce labour. This is clearly due to non-native migrant from other countries. The proportion of native is roughly 60% in this country (40% residents is non-citizens). Thanks to such problem, tensions have arisen with natives who are concerned about the rising cost of housing and an over-competitive white-collar job market.
Firstly, climate change can be raised as of challenges they face. Although Singapore knows about their land's physical limitation and take sufficient actions (for example 20% of its land is reclaimed and it imports much of its water), as a low-lying island, they face shrinking peripheries and increasing flooding. In addition, Singapore's economy is energy-intensive, resulting in high per capita emissions.
Where Singapore should go
Many Eastern countries and people alerts Singapore's independent government style even they have made a huge change from the authoritarian era of Lee Kuan Yew, the former presidents. Where their politics should go is in political liberalisation. If the current style is not changed at all, the inevitable divisions in a hypermodern society undergoing disruption can become hard to air or resolve.
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