The Elements of Power — or Magnet Wars

Rare-earths appear to be a mining story. In reality, seventeen obscure elements in the periodic table, known as rare-earths, sit at the centre of global industrial rivalry. Technologies ranging from electric vehicles and wind turbines to fighter jets and semiconductor lithography machines are critically dependent on them, as Sham Banerji reports.

From beer baron to real baron – an interview with Lord Bilimoria

India-born Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, has spent his career promoting links between Britain and India. A former chancellor of the University of Birmingham and now a member of Britain's House of Lords, he spoke to Nicholas Nugent about business, politics and the UK–India relationship.

Hope returns, but the test lies ahead

Election leaves Thai army in charge, helped by the ‘Cambodia factor’

Thailand’s snap election of 8 February produced two clear winners, the conservative Bhumjaithai Party and Thailand’s armed forces. The party’s aggressive support for the military during last year’s clash with Cambodia proved a decisive factor. Pravit Rojanaphruk explains how the election has reinforced the army’s role in a country where it is often described as a ‘state within a state’.

A border on fire: Pakistan, Afghanistan and an unending war

An air strike on a hospital in Kabul on 17 March, which Taliban officials blame on Pakistan, killed more than 400 people and took the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan to a more serious level. Mediation by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey led both countries to declare a ceasefire for the Eid holiday, but there are no signs that the distrust between the neighbours is close to being resolved, as Iftikhar Firdous reports.

The state of democracy in Pakistan

It is said that the army in Pakistan wields more power than its democratically elected government, a situation that has prevailed for much of its years as an independent state. Umber Khairi reports.

The Asian Superpowers

Are Asia’s superpowers setting the future global economic agenda? Vince Cable, a Liberal Democrat MP and UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the coalition government under David Cameron’s premiership, reports.

Who will win the AI ‘Cold War’ between the USA and China?

The rivalry between the United States and China for superiority in Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is so intense that it deserves to be regarded as a war, albeit a technological war, that has the potential to determine where global power lies in the second quarter of the twenty-first century.

Jung Chang: a grande dame of China writing

Jung Chang, one of the most celebrated writers in English about China, has produced a sequel to her biographical account of growing up in China, Wild Swans, which brought her fame. Lijia Zhang, who has written about her own early life in China, met Jung Chang to discuss her books.

Parliamentary democracy in decline

Why has India dipped in recent years in international indices measuring the state of a country’s democracy? Kavita Chowdhury set out to investigate.

Bisinomics

It’s the Year of the Fire Horse as the Chinese New Year celebrations commenced on 17 February. It is said to usher vibrant energy, adventure and transformation after the Year of the Snake, which was introspective.

A new leader takes over

Voters in Bangladesh have delivered a landslide victory to BNP leader Tarique Rahman, who has been sworn in as the new prime minister. The vote came 18 months after a Gen Z-led revolution sent the autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina into exile.