Topics Archive
Tanzanian Democracy-Terminally ill?
Tanzania, oft-quoted as a model of democracy for the rest of Africa, is today under the yoke of the Magufuli regime. Will this be the denouement of a democratic legacy?
Ukrainean Tete A Tete -Trump’s Watergate?
The road to the 2020 Presidential Elections has got bumpier for President Trump, with Democrats launching formal impeachment proceedings. Will it result in actual impeachment or like in the past,…
Israeli Elections- Persistent Deadlock
With immunity from corruption charges as a political prize, Netanyahu is desperately seeking an extension of his lengthy rule through a coalition. Will such a government of convenience be formed and…
South Africa- Fading Rainbow
2015 witnessed a major outbreak of xenophobic violence in Durban leaving seven dead. Violence against foreign nationals in South Africa has dulled the colours of the Rainbow Nation. What has led to…
US Taliban talks: A cul-de-sac
President Trump, in a surprise move, cancelled the scheduled peace talks with the Taliban. This has raised questions of whether the move is a negotiation strategy, or have the peace talks reached a…
Silence of Muslim World on Uyghurs
The vocal defence of China’s internal security apparatus in the restive Xinjiang province, by Muslim countries as opposed to the condemnation by 22 major western countries, raises the question of…
G7: Artefact of a Bygone Era?
The 45th summit of the G7 has concluded in Biarritz, France. Can the G7 bloc retain its pre-eminent position in a globalised flat world with the widest dispersion of economic and political power ever…
Social Media: Instrument of State Policy?
Beijing and Hong Kong are making extensive use of popular social media platforms to influence public opinion internally and to change perceptions globally, in the ongoing protests in Hong Kong -…
Amazon snoops on US immigrants
Amazon's warehouse workers, including various Jewish groups, are demanding that Amazon Web Service's (AWS) cut ties with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and data company Palantir…
Sun sets on globalisation?
Beijing has accused the US of ‘deliberately destroying international order’ with ‘unilateralism and protectionism’. The US-China feud has advocated for a shift from globalization.
A Protest to Remember: Hong Kong 2019
The protests in Hong Kong, which started out over an unpopular extradition bill, are about something much bigger. They are about redefining the status quo with China and within Hong Kong’s…
Can BoJo mojo repair broken Britain?
It’s now official. Yes, Boris Johnson will be reincarnated as an olive. A man who only a few years ago described his chances of becoming the PM as likely as being reincarnated as the Mediterranean…
Trump extends trade war to Vietnam
The U.S. Commerce Department announced that it would impose duties of up to 456 per cent on corrosion-resistant and cold-rolled steel from Vietnam which are produced in South Korea or Taiwan. The U.S…
Philippines’ War on Drugs: Gone Too Far?
The Philippine war on drugs refers to the drug policy under President Rodrigo Duterte, and is aimed at ‘the neutralisation of illegal drug personalities nationwide at any and all costs’. Increased…
Lessons from ‘The Sacrificial Lamb’
The United Nations report on the murder of journalist Jamal Khasshogi has been released – which claims that Saudi Arabia is responsible under international law for the “deliberate, premeditated…
Security Trumps Humanity in Central American Migration Crisis
Donald Trump recently pared away millions of dollars in aid to three central American countries – El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. This was intended to coerce Central American governments to…
The Future of Conflict: South Sudan
South Sudan is in the midst of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis resulting from five years of brutal civil war. Despite clarion calls for the resolution of the conflict, could we be heading towards…
Chinese vessel sinks Philippine boat
The Philippine government has filed a diplomatic protest over the collision between a Chinese and Filipino fishing vessels which sank the latter in the South China Sea. Would this dispute alter the…
Japan’s diplomatic overtures to Iran
Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe will visit Iran for a rare diplomatic mission - to mediate between the Islamic republic and its ally, the US. Can Japan be an effective mediator and bring about a…
Sudan: Any Hope for Democracy?
The Republic of Sudan, in Northeast Africa, has seen unending violence since the removal of its dictator by the military. With increased calls coming in for immediate civilian rule alongside…