Politics & Diplomacy
Summits, elections, alliances and the diplomacy of the Indo-Pacific as the region redefines itself.
Erdogan's diplomatic balancing act: NATO member, Shanghai hopeful
Turkey's application to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation signals a shift toward multi-alignment. Erdogan seeks to leverage overlap
Israel's US support erodes as generational shift reshapes American opinion
For the first time in Gallup's tracking, more Americans sympathize with Palestinians than Israelis. The shift is concentrated among young vo
Tarique Rahman's UN debut: family legacy, new era for Bangladesh
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made his UN General Assembly debut, following his father and mother. He framed the speech as a brea
UK's new Israel sanctions fail to suspend any weapons transfers
The UK's new sanctions on Israeli settlements have not led to any weapons license suspensions. Critics say the policy is largely symbolic, w
Congress must reclaim war powers as Trump threatens Iran
President Trump's threat to annihilate Iran violates the UN Charter and constitutional war powers. Congress must cut off funding for offensi
Saddam Hussein's cinematic ambitions and Iraq's fragmented media legacy
Saddam Hussein used film to craft his image, hiring a James Bond director. Today, Iraq's media is fragmented among many actors, but press fr
Pakistan's US outreach signals a shift beyond crisis-driven ties
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on September 22. The agenda spans trade, investment, c
Bangladesh's New Cyber Law Rebrands Old Censorship Tactics
Bangladesh's latest cyber law draft, the Cyber Protection Act, broadens censorship powers, criminalizing unverified information and loosely
Venezuelan oil revenue vanishes under Trump's opaque control
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent admitted he cannot say who controls billions in seized Venezuelan oil revenue. The funds reportedly moved t
Liberal Zionism's Unresolved Contradiction in a Changing Middle East
Liberal Zionism struggles to reconcile Jewish national self-determination with liberal democratic values. Decades of occupation and demograp
Russia's 2026 parliamentary vote: coercion, not competition
Russia's parliamentary elections on Sept. 18-20, 2026, are set against a backdrop of war, economic strain, and repression. The Kremlin's too
Why a US-China AI regulation deal remains out of reach
The Hugging Face incident highlighted AI risks, but US and Chinese officials still prioritize acceleration over safety. Both sides see regul