Recep Tayyib Erdogan will remain president of Turkey for another five years after winning Sunday’s run-off election over his long-time rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. If he serves the full five-year term, he will have held power for 26 years – almost the entire history of Turkey in the 21st century. What is astonishing is how the majority of Turkish people …
May, 2023
April, 2023
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23 April
World Military Expenditure Reaches New Record High
otal global military expenditure increased by 3.7 percent in real terms in 2022, to reach a new high of $2240 billion. Military expenditure in Europe saw its steepest year-on-year increase in at least 30 years. The three largest spenders in 2022 — the United States, China and Russia — accounted for 56 percent of the world total, according to new …
February, 2023
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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 …
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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 …
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.