Global Tensions and Market Insights

CNBC's Jim Cramer has identified three stocks with high dividends that he considers to be lower risk: Enbridge, Pfizer, and Realty Income. Cramer believes these companies are reliable due to their financial stability and ability to cover dividend costs. Enbridge, as an oil pipeline company, benefits from increased oil production without being directly affected by oil prices. Pfizer, with its high yield and potential to develop new drugs, can act as a 'bond equivalent.' Realty Income, a real estate investment trust, offers a steady yield despite concerns about its tenant base. Cramer suggests that these stocks provide solid downside protection and long-term growth potential, making them attractive during uncertain market conditions.

The article discusses Bangladesh's plan to execute its former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in 2024 and is currently in exile in India. Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity related to the violent suppression of student protests that led to her downfall. However, India has not yet decided whether to extradite her, creating a tense standoff between the two countries. The article provides a detailed account of Hasina's rise to power, her increasingly authoritarian rule, and her eventual ousting. It also highlights the complex relationship between Bangladesh and India, with India having provided Hasina with refuge and support in the past.

South Korea is growing increasingly concerned as tensions between China and Japan escalate over the Taiwan Strait, potentially forcing Seoul into a difficult diplomatic balancing act between Beijing and Washington. The renewed dispute undermines Seoul's efforts to restore trilateral cooperation in Northeast Asia amid rising threats from North Korea. Analysts warn that the flare-up could complicate Seoul's strategy of avoiding overt alignment on Taiwan while maintaining cooperation with both China and the US.

China's ambassador to the United Nations, Fu Cong, has strongly criticized Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan, calling them 'highly dangerous' and damaging to the post-war international order. Fu Cong stated that Takaichi's remarks were 'blatantly provocative' and marked the first time a Japanese leader had expressed an ambition for armed intervention on the Taiwan issue. The comments have escalated tensions between Tokyo and Beijing, with Fu Cong's letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres being circulated to all UN member states as an official document of the UN General Assembly.

Japan is struggling to replace the revenue lost due to a decline in Chinese tourists amid a diplomatic row over Taiwan. China is Japan's top source of international tourists, and Chinese travelers are big spenders. A sustained drop-off in visitor numbers from China would significantly impact Japan's retail and tourism industries. Japan's tourism industry has limited alternatives and will find it difficult to fill the gap left by Chinese tourists. The decline in Chinese tourists could cost the Japanese economy about 1.49 trillion yen (US$9.59 billion) over the next year.