Perilous Mission in Pakistan: Wednesday Briefing

All Passengers Rescued from Stranded Cable Car in Pakistan

Yesterday, Pakistani security forces successfully rescued eight individuals, including a group of young students, who were stranded in a cable car suspended above a mountain valley.

The passengers, consisting of children aged 10 to 15, were on their way to a nearby school in Allai, located in the Battagram district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, when two of the cable car’s wires snapped. Panic ensued among the passengers and their families, leading to urgent pleas for help.

A video clip circulated on social media depicted an individual being safely lifted by a helicopter using a rope. As darkness fell, helicopter operations were suspended, and a zip-line was utilized to rescue the remaining trapped individuals, as reported by the Pakistani military.

The cable car serves as a regular mode of transportation for residents in the mountainous northern region, with approximately 400 to 500 commuters relying on it daily. However, these locally built lifts, often powered by petrol or diesel engines, are privately owned and tend to have relatively improvised construction.

Fear: According to one of the passengers interviewed by a local television news network, he and the others had been stuck for over six hours without any food or water. He mentioned that a child with a heart condition fainted due to panic. “My mobile phone battery is depleting rapidly,” he expressed.

A Momentous Day in Thailand

After months of uncertainty, Srettha Thavisin has been named Thailand’s next prime minister by the country’s Parliament. Srettha, a 60-year-old real estate tycoon, is widely seen as aligning with royalists and the military-appointed Senate.

However, the selection of Srettha wasn’t the only significant event yesterday. Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed former premier who had been living in exile since 2006, returned to Thailand and was promptly taken into custody to serve a previous prison sentence. Analysts suggest that Thaksin’s return reflects his confidence in Srettha, a close ally. There are speculations that Thaksin struck a deal to have his jail term reduced in exchange for maintaining the military and conservative establishment’s grip on power.

What’s Next: Despite the current political deadlock being resolved, Srettha faces the immense challenge of meeting the demands of an electorate that voted for change and is disillusioned with his party, which once opposed the military but is now collaborating with them. He will need to navigate ongoing tensions that are likely to persist for months or even years to come.

The Complexity of Fixing China’s Real Estate Crisis

China is attempting to address its current economic challenges using a strategy it employed during a previous crisis in 2016: an infrastructure and real estate spending spree. However, this approach is proving to be much more difficult to implement now.

China’s ability to borrow and invest its way back to economic strength has significantly diminished. The burden of heavy debt and economic difficulties has dampened borrowing demand in recent months, thereby diminishing the impact of looser lending policies implemented by banks.

On the U.S.-China front: President Biden’s commerce secretary, Gina Raimondo, is scheduled to travel to Beijing and Shanghai for a series of meetings next week.

Reporters from The New York Times in San Francisco had the opportunity to test the new Waymo driverless taxis, which recently began transporting regular passengers. During the ride, one of the reporters found the experience so seamless that the novelty wore off, and the journey felt like any other trip across town. It was only when exiting the car and turning to express gratitude for the ride that the reporter realized there was no driver present.

Fukuoka: Japan’s Gateway to Asia

Fukuoka, the largest city on Japan’s Kyushu island, exudes a tranquil energy. With its expansive commercial port providing connections to China, Korea, and other areas of the Pacific, Fukuoka has long been regarded as Japan’s “Gateway to Asia.” It is a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists.

If you’re planning a visit, be sure to check out the yatai, open-air food stalls that specialize in local delicacies like motsunabe (beef tripe hot pot). One restaurant owner believes that the true ambiance of a traditional yatai can only be experienced in Fukuoka. Additionally, the city offers a vibrant art scene fostered by its affordable rent, convenient transportation, museums, art schools, and creative spaces.

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