How Russia established deterrence with its neighbors
During a recent vacation in Georgia, it was interesting to see how people perceived the war in Ukraine. It was also interesting to see the war’s impact on their own understanding of...
What will the world look like in November 2026?
Listening to the speeches of US President Donald Trump leaves one with the impression that the man is convinced he can change realities he does not like.
Theoretically, this...
Can Mamdani become the next New York City mayor?
When you land in New York these days, all the talk is about Zohran Mamdani, the young immigrant politician who last month won the Democratic Party’s nomination to be its candidate for...
Diplomatic spotlight falls on Global South ahead of G20 meeting
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is making final preparations to attend the big BRICS summit on Sunday and Monday in Brazil. However, his mind may well be some 5,000 miles away in...
Pentagon has undermined Trump’s goal of Ukraine peace
The US Department of Defense halted deliveries of Patriot air defense systems and other precision weapons to Ukraine last week following an internal assessment of its own stockpiles. Some of these weapons...
Pakistan Tennis Federation Faces Growing Turmoil
Pakistan Tennis Federation’s affairs are in doldrums due to personal interests that clearly trump sports’ promotion. Despite having a checkered legacy of some individual flashes of brilliance and long performance slump tennis...
America risks upsetting the balance of powers at its peril
Picture the scene: it is January 2029 and the 48th US president, a Democrat, is in the Oval Office, having achieved a comfortable win over Republican candidate J.D. Vance in the November...
Can BRICS reshape the global financial order?
In August 2023, the leaders of the BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — gathered in Johannesburg to declare their ambition to rewire the international system. A centerpiece...
Europe’s lifeline to Palestine will not fix its bleeding economy
The European Commission’s allocation last month of a €202 million ($238 million) aid package to support the Palestinian Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees comes as a...
The end of a confrontation or just a break?
Every side in the war has declared victory. Donald Trump announced the US attack with 14 bunker-busting bombs and the destruction of three Iranian nuclear facilities, before calling for a peace deal.