The wars in the Mideast and Ukraine-Russia have dominated world headlines in 2024 but several other conflicts are ravaging countries and regions. Here we turn the spotlight on five of those:- Sudan -War has raged in Sudan since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has left tens of …
The coming year will put incoming US President Donald Trump’s geopolitical strategies to the test, as wars rage in the Middle East and Ukraine and tensions rise in Asia.Here are some of the big foreign policy hot spots facing him and other world leaders in 2025.- Middle East -More than a year on from the …
Voting by more than half the world’s population in 2024 elections has left many liberal democracies facing crises of confidence, political fragmentation and heightened polarisation, with some observers fearing new wind in the sails of authoritarianism.The bumper election year was headlined by the November polls in the United States, democracy’s self-described “shining city upon a …
Bumper election year brings headwinds for liberal democracies Read More »
Protesters who marched on the Pakistan capital to demand the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan were cleared from the city centre on Wednesday after a sweeping security crackdown.More than ten thousand protesters had surged into Islamabad since the weekend, answering Khan’s call to protest his sidelining from February elections he claims were …
Protesters for jailed ex-PM Khan cleared from Pakistan capital’s centre Read More »
World leaders have welcomed a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which came into force on Wednesday morning (0200 GMT).Here are key reactions from around the world.- United States and France -The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will protect Israel from the threat of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and create the conditions …
Passers-by stop and stare at the ramshackle, hand-built concrete tower that looks like it has been lifted right out of a Japanese animation and dropped onto a real-life Tokyo street.Its creator, who spent almost 20 years making the distinctive four-storey Arimaston Building, thinks his slow approach to construction can be an example to the world.”It …
Hand-built fantasy tower brings value to Tokyo, creator says Read More »
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun has been placed under investigation for corruption, a report said Wednesday, the latest official to fall in a sweeping crackdown on graft in the country’s military.Citing current and former US officials familiar with the situation, British newspaper the Financial Times said the investigation into Dong was part of that broader …
China investigates defence minister for corruption: report Read More »
Ursula von der Leyen’s new European Commission is expected to officially start its work next week, with the European Parliament set to give it the all-clear in Strasbourg on Wednesday.Facing war on the 27-nation bloc’s eastern flank, tensions in the Middle East, sluggish competitiveness and a fraught political environment, the European Union’s top executive team …
What to expect from the new EU top team’s first 100 days Read More »
The European Parliament is set Wednesday to give the final greenlight for EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s new executive to start work, as the bloc faces mounting challenges.From wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to the mounting economic threat from China and the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House, the …
New EU commission to get all clear as daunting task awaits Read More »
Paddington, the affable clumsy bear from British children’s books, has transformed into an international sensation over the past decade, thanks to a clever film strategy and with the help of the royal family.Visitors to London’s train stations and airports are never far from a flood of Paddington soft toys, replete with his signature red hat …
Paddington: the affable bear who became a lucrative business Read More »
