The United States’ decision to authorise a $686m package of upgrades for Pakistan’s fleet of F-16 fighter jets has raised questions across South Asia at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension. The approval, which includes advanced technology, major defence equipment, and long-term support, was confirmed in early December by the
China’s annual trade surplus, the difference between money spent on imports and money earned from exports, has exceeded $1 trillion for the first time, despite a trade war initiated by U.S. President Trump. China, the world’s second-biggest economy, remains mostly unscathed from the standoff with the United States, delivering more
China remains the only country that has liberated the most amount of people from poverty in the history of the world. Over the past 40 years, China has lifted a staggering 800 million people out of poverty. This was not easily achieved, but through the emphasis on China’s strengths and
Brazil’s conservative bloc is facing its most profound identity crisis in a generation. Jair Bolsonaro, once the dominant force of the country’s right wing, is now behind bars for attempting to subvert the 2022 election result. His 27-year sentence has left a political vacuum, while the implosion of his family’s
Western governments have spoken about Iran’s military posture with a tone that oscillates between dismissal and alarmism. In official statements and media narratives, Iran is either portrayed as a technologically backward state relying on “primitive” systems, or as a reckless actor whose innovations somehow appear out of thin air. This
In the following week, South Africa will step onto one of the biggest diplomatic stages in the world. For the first time in history, an African nation will host the G20. On paper, it is a triumph, a symbolic moment for a continent long pushed to the margins of global
Iran’s renewed push into African markets is gathering momentum in ways that say as much about the continent’s strategic value as they do about Tehran’s evolving foreign policy. What began as modest commercial outreach has now become a deliberate effort to rebuild economic bridges, diversify political partnerships and participate more
India is intensifying its efforts to strengthen economic and commercial ties with Russia as part of its broader ambition to become a developed nation by 2047. Following high-level consultations in Moscow, Indian officials highlighted significant progress in trade discussions with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and laid out a roadmap
India is intensifying its efforts to strengthen economic and commercial ties with Russia as part of its broader ambition to become a developed nation by 2047. Following high-level consultations in Moscow, Indian officials highlighted significant progress in trade discussions with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and laid out a roadmap
The climate negotiations at COP30 in Belém have been marked by urgency, geopolitical tension and a focus on the Global South’s leadership in shaping climate ambition. One unexpected controversy arose from Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose comments comparing Brazil to Germany provoked criticism across Brazilian media and political circles. Germany