Mohan Kuppusamy

Mohan Kuppusamy

WTO members now have the right to tax digital transmissions, including video streaming services such as Netflix.

End of digital trade moratorium must irk tech bros

Is digital free trade truly a lost cause?

Some say the drones operated in ways suggesting they were equipped with multiple sensors that told each drone what to do over the base.
THINKING ALOUD

The extraordinary situation of drones over US bases

Could another, potentially hostile, power be operating in the American heartland?

It is still possible that a ground invasion is ordered, or someone reaches for the nuclear button in pursuit of a quick end to the Middle East conflict.
THINKING ALOUD

Nothing should be ruled out if Iran war drags on for much longer

Religious convictions on every side are also weighing on the willingness to fight

As the World Population Review notes, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea top the list for plastic surgery among East Asians.
THINKING ALOUD

The coming brave new world of designer babies

Genetic testing and other genomic services will likely be a hit in Asia

The Puerto La Cruz oil refinery of Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA. To the US, the decision to park the proceeds in Qatar is justified on the grounds of the Gulf state's neutral location.
THINKING ALOUD

Why US parks Venezuelan oil money in a Qatar bank account

The move ensures that Venezuela doesn’t wriggle out of the US dollar zone

The Doomsday Clock is due to be reset in about three weeks.
THINKING ALOUD

Doomsday Clock and the paradox of nuclear weapons

With more flashpoints around the globe, are we inching ever closer to Armageddon?

Nexperia becomes yet another casualty in the ongoing power tussle between Washington and Beijing.
THINKING ALOUD

A lesson for small powers from the Nexperia imbroglio

The Americans has targeted Nexperia in their Entity List – a trade restriction measure to sanction firms deemed inimical to their security

South Korea’s LG Energy Solution has reportedly developed a lithium-manganese rich battery.
THINKING ALOUD

The battle for next-gen EV batteries takes off

Chinese tech still dominates, but could new innovation from South Korea and Europe catch up?

When asked what he planned to do against Venezuela, US President Donald Trump said his “war” was against the South American country's drug cartels.
THINKING ALOUD

Statecraft and diplomacy in the age of political candour

Not many people have the time, the patience or the inclination to decipher what their leaders are trying to say

Myanmar is yet another post-colonial nation with borders drawn up for the convenience of its erstwhile British rulers.
THINKING ALOUD

Asean can do very little about the civil war in Myanmar

The conflict is mired in historical ethnic tensions and regional geopolitical interests