The World's Plaidiest News Source

Asian Axis of Democracy?

So China is on the rise in the world, and China is specifically on the move on the water: assertively and aggressively pushing out its power and influence into the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean in general. Can their power now ever be checked? Is Chinese world domination around the corner? Ah! Mommy! I’m scared! NOT! There appears to be a political /military/ideological team slowly former that certainly will not stop China, but may serve nicely to check its growth and contain its more aggressive policies. The potential Pacific China-checking team? The Asian Axis of Democracy! Let the Avenger clue you in!

Related Stories:
U.S. Says S. China Sea Events ‘Troubling’ After Vietnam Meeting
Beijing Stages South China Sea Military Drills
China blames Vietnam for rising tensions over disputed sea (*esp pay attention to what Hillary Clinton sez)
'Axis of democracy' flexes its military muscles

Keywords: Asia, Asian Axis of Democracy, China, US, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam

Comments Bookmark and Share Download Video

China Acquires Aircraft Carrier

Sino-ships ahoy, my plaid friends! As the Spratly spat in the South China Sea continues to swell, a new component to the Chinese sea power equation has been added: China’s first aircraft carrier has been revealed! What is so special about this particular piece of weaponry? How many other countries have them? Why would China want one? What does it mean for the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region, and perhaps the world? The Avenger will cover all these queries, and elaborate on the why/how/where the Chinese plan to project their aircraft carrier power to.

Related Stories:
As China Extends Maritime Reach, Neighbors Grow Uneasy
China admits 'secret' aircraft carrier is nearly ready for launch
Chinese aircraft carrier, a sign of rolling back West's global reach

Keywords: aircraft carrier, South China Sea, Spratly Islands, Senkaku Island, China, Japan, Taiwan, IKEA

Comments Bookmark and Share Download Video

A Tit for Tat: Spratly Island Spat!

South China Sea shenanigans are afoot my friends! An aggressive China has been bumping into ships from Vietnam and Philippines on the high seas just south of the mainland…and the shizzle that goes down over the Spratly Islands located therein are going to affect military and strategic policy in the Pacific for decades to come! What’s that? You don’t know jack about the Sprats? Well then, settle in for a few minutes and find out the where, who, and why this little group of rocks that is quickly becoming the focus of an international showdown that may eventually involve China and the US squaring off against each other, along with other Asian nations in in the fray!

Related Stories:
South China Sea Dispute Flares Up
China accuses Vietnam in South China Sea row
Tensions escalate over the South China Sea

Keywords: South China Sea, Spratly Islands, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan

Comments Bookmark and Share Download Video

Japan Quake Shakes the World

The Plaid Avenger gives a quick assessment of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, but also talks about the wider implications to the rest of the planet concerning this already historic event. Due to the unfolding nuclear crisis being caused by 3 damaged nuclear reactors which may turn into an even bigger disaster than the quake, the world is likely to slow or perhaps even abandon the emerging nuclear power industries, which in turn will make for skyrocketing prices of fossil fuels (Note: the price of oil is currently dropping, as Japan’s demand for oil has evaporated in the short term but don’t look for that to last much longer.) In addition, this epic event in Japanese history is likely to be looked back upon as the time that Japan slipped from its economic/political leadership role as an Asian titan, to a more subsidiary player behind China and other rising Asian powers.

Related Stories:
Japan Earthquake Among World's Most Expensive Catastrophes
Death toll rises, stocks plunge, foreigners flee as nuclear crisis escalates
Fears mounting over U.S. nuclear plants
Germany to shut down pre-1980 nuclear plants
Japan gets coal, gas from historic rival Russia
China to continue providing aids to Japan, calling for global nuclear safety cooperation

Keywords: Japan, earthquake, tsunami, nuclear reactor, nuclear energy, oil

Comments Bookmark and Share Download Video

Japanese Island Hijinks (part 2)

Summary: Holy hibachi! Japan is in a Pacific pinch, my friends! A collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese coast guard vessels in September near the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands north of Taiwan set off a firestorm of diplomatic fury by both countires…only to be followed in November by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pissing off Japan by visiting the disputed island of Kunashira in the Kuril island chain north of Hokkiado. Damn! Battered from both ends! But these territorial squabbles centering around Japan have repercussions far beyond the borders of these dink-ass islands. In this plaid-cast, the Avenger high-lites some of the deeper ramifications of these Pacific geo-political problems.

Related Stories:
Sino-Japan dispute overshadows summit
Japan Besieged From North and South by Island Claims
Japan recalls ambassador to Russia as tempers rise over island dispute
Japan Summons Envoy to Russia Over Kurile Islands Dispute

Keywords: Japan, China, Russia, Senkaku, Diaoyu, Kuril, Kunashira, Hu Jintao, Naoto Kan, Dmitry Medvedev, APEC, ASEAN, G20, India, Manmohan Singh, Asian Axis of Democracy

Comments Bookmark and Share Download Video

Page 7 of 15 pages ‹ First  < 5 6 7 8 9 >  Last ›

Keep in Touch with Plaid Updates

Get the University Textbook

The Plaid Avenger's World

Are you a college professor teaching World Regions or Global Political classes? Pick up the cutting edge, most entertainly educating textbook currently on the market.

Preview

Get the Comic Books

Issue 2: Battle For Burma

Well, the battle for the heart and soul of this country is on, but no one outside Burma seems to be able to do a damn thing about it! Why not?

Preview
click to profile Moon Jae-in Moon Jae-in President
click to profile Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron President
click to profile António Guterres António Guterres Secretary-General
click to profile Bill English Bill English Prime Minister
click to profile Qamar Bajwa Qamar Bajwa Chief of Army Staff
click to profile Paolo Gentiloni Paolo Gentiloni Prime Minister
click to profile James Mattis James Mattis Secretary of Defense
click to profile Rex Tillerson Rex Tillerson Secretary of State
click to profile Michael Pence Michael Pence Vice President
click to profile Donald Trump Donald Trump President
click to profile Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister
click to profile Malcolm Turnbull Malcolm Turnbull Prime Minister
click to profile Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg Secretary General
click to profile Muhammadu Buhari Muhammadu Buhari President
click to profile Tsai Ing-wen Tsai Ing-wen President
click to profile Htin Kyaw Htin Kyaw President
click to profile General Prayut Chan-o-cha General Prayut Chan-o-cha Prime Minister
click to profile Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Duterte President
click to profile Ashraf Ghani Ashraf Ghani President
click to profile Haider al-Abadi Haider al-Abadi Prime Minister
click to profile Alexis Tsipras Alexis Tsipras Prime Minister
click to profile Andrzej Duda Andrzej Duda President
click to profile Petro Poroshenko Petro Poroshenko President
click to profile Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri President
click to profile Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Pedro Pablo Kuczynski President
click to profile Michel Temer Michel Temer President
click to profile Justin Trudeau Justin Trudeau Prime Minister
click to profile Teresa May Teresa May Prime Minister
click to profile Ashton Carter Ashton Carter Secretary of Defense
click to profile Joko Widodo Joko Widodo President
click to profile Leung Chun-ying Leung Chun-ying Chief Executive
click to profile Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister
click to profile Raheel Sharif Raheel Sharif Chief of Army Staff
click to profile Juan Carlos Varela Juan Carlos Varela President
click to profile Sergei Lavrov Sergei Lavrov Foreign Affairs Minister
click to profile Narendra Modi Narendra Modi Prime Minister
click to profile Matteo Renzi Matteo Renzi Prime Minister
click to profile Nawaz Sharif Nawaz Sharif Prime Minister
click to profile Hassan Rouhani Hassan Rouhani President
click to profile Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Abdel Fattah el-Sisi President
click to profile Nicolás Maduro Nicolás Maduro President
click to profile Janet Yellen Janet Yellen 15th Chair of the Federal Reserve
click to profile Tony Abbott Tony Abbott Prime Minister
click to profile Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Kenyatta President
click to profile Chuck Hagel Chuck Hagel Secretary of Defense
click to profile John Kerry John Kerry Secretary of State
click to profile Pope Francis Pope Francis Pope
click to profile The Muslim Brotherhood The Muslim Brotherhood ~
click to profile Li Keqiang Li Keqiang Premier
click to profile John Key John Key Prime Minister
click to profile Shinzō Abe Shinzō Abe Prime Minister
click to profile Park Geun-hye Park Geun-hye President
click to profile Enrique Peña Nieto Enrique Peña Nieto President
click to profile Hailemariam Desalegn Hailemariam Desalegn Prime Minister
click to profile Yoweri Museveni Yoweri Museveni President
click to profile Mwai Kibaki Mwai Kibaki Former President
click to profile Paul Kagame Paul Kagame President
click to profile Girma Wolde-Giorgis Girma Wolde-Giorgis President
click to profile Christine Lagarde Christine Lagarde Managing Director
click to profile Jim Yong Kim Jim Yong Kim President
click to profile Mohamed Morsi Mohamed Morsi Former President
click to profile Herman Van Rompuy Herman Van Rompuy President of the European Council
click to profile José Manuel Barroso José Manuel Barroso President of the European Commission
click to profile Tomislav Nikolić Tomislav Nikolić President
click to profile François Hollande François Hollande President
click to profile Thein Sein Thein Sein President
click to profile Mario Monti Mario Monti Prime Minister
click to profile Mariano Rajoy Mariano Rajoy Prime Minister
click to profile Kim Jong-un Kim Jong-un Heir leader
click to profile Yoshihiko Noda Yoshihiko Noda Prime Minister
click to profile Salva Kiir Salva Kiir President
click to profile Bronisław Komorowski Bronisław Komorowski President
click to profile Ollanta Humala Ollanta Humala President
click to profile Leon Panetta Leon Panetta Secretary of Defense
click to profile Ali Abdullah Saleh Ali Abdullah Saleh President
click to profile Abdelaziz Bouteflika Abdelaziz Bouteflika President
click to profile Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Lukashenko President
click to profile Rupert Murdoch Rupert Murdoch Chairman and CEO of News Corporation
click to profile Warren Buffett Warren Buffett CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
click to profile Liang Guanglie Liang Guanglie Minister for National Defense
click to profile Zhou Xiaochuan Zhou Xiaochuan Governor of the People's Bank
click to profile Ashfaq Kayani Ashfaq Kayani Former Chief of Army Staff
click to profile Jeffrey Immelt Jeffrey Immelt CEO
click to profile Li Changchun Li Changchun Propaganda Chief of China
click to profile King Abdullah II King Abdullah II King of Jordon
click to profile Alan Garcia Alan Garcia President
click to profile Ben Bernanke Ben Bernanke 14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve
click to profile Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton Secretary of State
click to profile Xi Jinping Xi Jinping President
click to profile Robert Gates Robert Gates Secretary of Defense
click to profile Robert Zoellick Robert Zoellick President
click to profile Steve Jobs Steve Jobs Chairman and CEO, Apple Inc
click to profile Ricardo Martinelli Ricardo Martinelli President
click to profile Dilma Rousseff Dilma Rousseff President
click to profile Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Jonathan President
click to profile Juan Manuel Santos Juan Manuel Santos President
click to profile Sebastián Piñera Sebastián Piñera President
click to profile Naoto Kan Naoto Kan Prime Minister
click to profile Julia Gillard Julia Gillard Former Prime Minister
click to profile David Cameron David Cameron Prime Minister