From: Inside Story
Is the US dialling down its support for Taiwan?
Donald Trump does not commit to arms sale during China visit.
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From: Counting the Cost
Could Iran war trigger a hunger crisis?
The UN warns disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could drive up food and fertiliser costs, and worsen global hunger.
Published On 14 May 2026
Jerome Powell: Steering the US Fed through COVID-19 and political pressures
Trump’s aggressive push for interest rate cuts shaped Powell’s Fed legacy during his tumultuous leadership.
ANALYSIS
‘The world is sounding an alarm’: Why big tech is the new colonist
Power is no longer exercised through military force alone, but via technology, finance and control over information.
EXPLAINER
‘Never mess it up’: What Xi and Trump said on day one of Beijing talks
Xi and Trump agree to frame their relationship as ‘constructive, strategic and stable’ on the first day of talks.
EXPLAINER
Who are the US CEOs in China with Trump, and what’s in it for them?
Top executives hope to expand their businesses in China as Trump aims for win ahead of midterm vote.
EXPLAINER
Japanese snacks go black-and-white: Why Iran war is driving up ink prices
Calbee says it would temporarily use only black and white colours on 14 of its products due to a lack of printing ink.
EDITOR'S ANALYSIS
US-China summit: Why Beijing may have the advantage
Trade between the two countries has suffered since Trump came into office even as China’s exports have hit new highs.
Kevin Warsh confirmed as new US Federal Reserve chair amid controversy
Senate confirms Trump pick Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair amid growing concerns over independence.
EXPLAINER
Can Macron’s Kenya visit revive French influence in Africa?
France is facing deepening resentment in former African colonies where it once had political influence.
A salt pan worker rakes salt on an alkali flat in the Little Rann of Kutch region in Gujarat. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
In the blinding white glare of the salt flats, workers rake shallow pans of brine each day, coaxing out crystals that help Gujarat produce most of India’s salt. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
Regular raking of the salt pans ensures even crystalisation. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
Researchers say the salt pan workers in Gujarat suffer from high levels of dehydration and early signs of kidney malfunction. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
On the remote salt pans with no electricity or healthcare, the workers rely on a single water tanker that arrives every 25 days to supply all their drinking and washing needs. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
A salt pan worker holds a handful of harvested salt. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
Despite rising heatwaves and storms that can erase months of work overnight, salt pan families return to the Little Rann each year, saying they have no other way to earn a living. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
A salt pan worker carries a rare pair of rubber boots as she walks across an alkali flat in Gujarat’s Little Rann of Kutch. The protective footwear shields workers’ feet from corrosive brine that can crack exposed skin so deeply it bleeds. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
Rows of white salt mounds rise out of the desert, the result of weeks of raking and shovelling by families who earn only a few hundred dollars for a season’s labour. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
A truck drives past solar panels while transporting harvested salt from an alkali flat at the Little Rann of Kutch region in Gujarat. [Shammi Mehra/AFP]
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