Topics Archive

The Prospect of Security Council Reform

The United Nations Security Council is often criticised for being ineffective and there is thus a clarion call for it to be fundamentally reformed. Will the five permanent members (P5) accede to this…

Venezuela: The Future As We See It

Venezuela, a nation with such immense potential, has suffered a startling collapse in a short span of five years. To this end, what does the future hold for what was once one of Latin America’s…

The Arctic’s Coldest War

Climate change has opened areas of the Arctic which provides significant economic and geopolitical opportunities to many non-Arctic countries. How do global powers view economic activities in the…

Trump threatens sanctions against Mexico

The US is expected to impose a 5% tariff on all goods from Mexico. The duties will increase until illegal immigration from Mexico into the US is stopped. Why has President Trump increased pressure on…

Pro-EU parties to control European Parliament

Populist, eurosceptic parties were expected to gain significantly in recently held European Parliament elections. Results indicate that while the European Union has largely rejected populism, some…

Laser attacks in South China Sea

Australian navy helicopter pilots have been hit with laser beams from fishing boats suspected of being part of China’s maritime militia during a recent military exercise in the South China Sea.…

Macron and Merkel spar over EU leadership

In a recent vote, the hold on European Parliament by centrist blocs that have dominated the institution has been weakened. France and Germany are at odds as to who secures Europe’s top jobs including…

China’s rare-earth metals

Chinese state media has warned that the country is ready to use rare-earth in the trade war with the US. Is such a strategy a viable option for China?

Right to Information vs Disclosure of defaulters

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Reserve Bank of India to disclose the list of loan defaulters. Will RBI disclose names of such non - payers ?

Iran and China vs the US?

Both Iran and China have recently faced the ire of the United States; Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal and China through an ongoing trade war. Are Iran and China likely to engage in closer cooperation…

Hong Kong’s Fugitive bill

A new blanket extradition law in Hong Kong has sparked concerns that China will use the bill to extradite whoever it wants from the territory. Considering the domestic nature of the law, why is…

Canada’s trash in Philippines

Canada will take back tonnes of waste shipped to the Philippines between 2013-14 which was causing a diplomatic sink. Are developing nations which have become global dumping grounds pushing back?

Pakistan to get Saudi oil on deferred payments

Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Pakistan PM’s finance adviser has indicated that Saudi Arabia will supply oil worth USD 3.2billion per year on deferred payments for three years. Is Pakistan the new proxy…

US arms sale to allies

United States has approved the sale of air defense missiles to South Korea and Japan amidst the re-emergence of tensions in the Korean peninsula. Will North Korea stop testing missiles?

A Timely Act

The unprecedented rise of China and several other Asian nations has led to a global transformation. While this has a positive impact on much of the world, it has also unsettled a few leading powers…

Iran coordinates proxy wars with militias

A prominent leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is believed to have met capable Shia militias in Iraq, telling them to prepare for a proxy war. The meeting is reported to have occurred before…

Trump's new immigration plan

The White House unveils a new plan to further apply pressure on illegal immigrants. How likely is the program to be passed into law and does it address the concerns of President Trump's electoral…

US-China Trade War

The United States and China – the world’s largest economies have been held up in a trade war for nearly ten months. With its inevitable impact on global trade, are there winners or looses from such a…

Taiwan to counter Chinese infiltration

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen convened national security agencies to counter China’s infiltration. Will Taiwan, a US ally succeed?

Pompeo visits Russia

US Secretary of State visits Russia for the first high-level meeting between the countries since the Mueller Report. With the Trump administration unlikely to take legal action for Russian election…