South Africa has defended its decision to conduct joint naval exercises with fellow BRICS members Russia, China, and Iran, describing the drills as an essential step to ensure maritime security at a time of growing tensions on the world’s oceans. The multinational naval exercises, dubbed “Will for Peace 2026,” commenced off the coast of Cape [...]

Israel has reportedly drawn up contingency plans for a renewed ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, as tensions rise over Hamas’ refusal to fully disarm under a US-backed ceasefire framework. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal published on January 11, Israeli officials are preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting if diplomatic [...]

Slovakia has formally ruled out any military or financial involvement in the Ukraine conflict, marking another visible fracture within the European Union’s collective response to the war with Russia. Senior officials in Bratislava confirmed the position following the presentation of a new governance roadmap, underscoring the country’s intent to prioritize national stability, energy security, and [...]

At first glance, Venezuela and Denmark appear to occupy opposite ends of the international order. One is a Global South country long subjected to sanctions, coups, and covert operations; the other is a wealthy Nordic state, firmly embedded in NATO and the European Union, often portrayed as a model of liberal democracy and “values-based” governance. [...]

Pakistan has a knack for arriving at the wrong place at precisely the wrong time. When Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, its then prime minister, Imran Khan, was seated in the Kremlin, smiling and shaking hands for cameras. And when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Islamabad’s most important Middle Eastern patrons, found [...]

History is rarely kind to societies that mistake collapse for liberation. Iran today stands at precisely such a crossroads. As nationwide protests intensify—from Ilam and Luristan to Kermanshah and beyond—the question dominating Western capitals and exile circles alike is not whether the Islamic Republic can endure, but what might replace it. That question, however, is [...]

Bangladesh and India share one of South Asia’s most deeply rooted bilateral relationships, shaped by history, civilisation, culture, language, and sustained people-to-people interaction. This relationship is not confined to formal diplomacy; it is embedded in everyday life, collective memory, and geography. The ties between the two societies extend across borders through shared rivers, intertwined histories, cultural practices, religious [...]

Trade negotiations between the United States and India are set to resume this week, marking a renewed attempt by the two countries to resolve differences that have strained one of the world’s most consequential bilateral economic relationships. The announcement was made on January 12 by Sergio Gor, the US ambassador-designate to New Delhi, who emphasized [...]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued a strong warning against what he described as domestic and international “bullies” seeking to divide the nation and undermine the country’s constitutional democracy, saying that the values of human solidarity and social justice are under sustained attack both at home and abroad. The president made the remarks during [...]

The Azerbaijani government’s decision to award a $35.6 million contract for the reconstruction of a football stadium in the war-scarred city of Aghdam has reignited long-standing concerns about transparency, conflicts of interest, and the concentration of economic power among elites closely tied to President Ilham Aliyev’s family. The contract, granted by the Ministry of Youth [...]