Periscope – World in Focus

February, 2023

  • 20 February

    Why Does Turkey Want Other Countries to Start Spelling its Name ‘Türkiye’?

    Is Turkey’s recent spelling change about being more authentically Turkish? Or is there more to the story? In June 2022, the United Nations agreed to change the spelling of the country known in the English-speaking world as Turkey to Türkiye, heeding a request by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In January 2023, the U.S. State Department also …

  • 19 February

    Insights from an AI Author: The Geopolitical Consequences of ChatGPT

    The geopolitical implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and its most prominent example to date – ChatGPT – remain deeply uncertain. It will surely roil the technology industry and change our daily lives, but it is less clear whether it will augur a shift in geopolitical power or create policy dilemmas for the European Union. These are hard questions, perhaps too …

  • 16 February

    African Multilateralism is in Crisis – Can the AU Fix It?

    The annual African Union (AU) summit will be held this week for the first time since 2020 without COVID-19 restrictions. It coincides with the fragile return to peace in northern Ethiopia, the resurgence of widespread instability in the Great Lakes and the ongoing war in Ukraine, which continues to raise questions about African positions. The United Nations (UN) Security Council’s …

  • 13 February

    View from Europe: Delivering Aid to Syria in the Aftermath of the Earthquake

    n 6 February, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria. It was one of the deadliest incidents of this kind in a decade, with a death toll already surpassing 17,000. This figure could quickly climb into the tens of thousands. As many as 5,775 buildings have reportedly collapsed, including homes, hospitals, and schools, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. But while emergency …

November, 2022

  • 27 November

    Pakistan’s Troubled Ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban

    Pakistan must continue to treat Afghanistan as a policy priority, despite its internal issues. It must also convince the international community of its commitment to peace in Afghanistan and continue to fight for humanitarian assistance to be given to Afghanistan.

September, 2022

  • 9 September

    Queen Elizabeth II: A Modernizer Who Steered the British Monarchy into the 21st Century

    Her wisdom and unceasing sense of duty meant she was widely viewed with a combination of respect, esteem, awe and affection, which transcended nations, classes and generations. She was immensely proud of Britain and its people, yet in the end she belonged to the world, and the world will mourn her passing.

July, 2022

  • 9 July

    Shooting of Shinzo Abe is a Huge Shock for Japan and the World

    The 2022 Upper House election will now remain under the shadow of one of the most disturbing events in Japan’s modern political history.

  • 8 July

    Boris Johnson Resigns as PM – Here’s Who Could Replace Him

    Johnson was not a typical leader, and his successor will have a difficult job. They will need to strengthen the Conservative party before the next general election (which could come sooner rather than later). They will need to distance themselves from the more problematic aspects of Johnson’s legacy, while steadying the ship and appealing to the electorate.

  • 5 July

    Uzbekistan Protests Both a History Lesson and Warning for West

    The tiny independent region of Karakalpakstan is one of many places chafing against arbitrary borders imposed by former empires.

April, 2022

  • 24 April

    Ukraine War: A Revitalized Non-aligned Movement Could Emerge

    Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said pointedly that his country “will not take sides.” Indian leaders have reaffirmed their policy of nonalignment, implying that their nation will seek to stay out of the fight. South Africa, Pakistan and numerous other nations are following a similar path.