The West has long cherished political correctness as though it were a core democratic value. This drive to ‘civilise’ public discourse has been especially aimed at illiberal democracies or post-socialist societies that are still expected to become ‘true...

In January 2025, Indonesia – the world’s fourth-largest country by population (282 million) with the seventh-largest Gross Domestic Product by purchasing power parity – joined the BRICS+ bloc.  Eleven countries are now in this expanded grouping. The original...

Since US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February to impose a 10% tariff on all imports, the world has witnessed a confounding series of unilateral tariffs placed on both friends and foes of the US. On self-declared ‘Liberation Day’, on...

On Thursday, 3 April, Sri Lankans woke up to the alarming news that the United States, the country’s single largest export destination, would be applying 44% tariffs. These tariffs will hit Sri Lanka just months after it officially exited sovereign default status in December 2024. ...

For nearly five months, Serbia has lived in a state of limbo – one that cannot be described as either political paralysis or transformation. Since the tragic railway station accident in Novi Sad, where the collapse of an awning claimed 16 lives (including children),...

The following is a lightly edited version of a speech by musician Roger Waters on the 80th anniversary of the Yalta conference: ...

In the past two decades, the external debt of developing countries has quadrupled to $11.4 trillion (2023). It is important to understand that this money owed to foreign creditors is equivalent to 99% of the export earnings of the developing countries. This means that...

On 5 March 2025, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi stepped down as chief of the general staff of the Israeli military. He had held that post since 16 January 2023 and therefore led the military during its war against the Palestinians. Several appreciations of Halevi appeared...

Just days before its dissolution, Germany’s outgoing parliament rushed through a revision of the constitution and a massive spending package to facilitate unlimited borrowing for militarisation. Half a trillion euros have been earmarked for the vague category of ‘infrastructure and climate neutrality’, while increased military...

Trump 2.0 has had a tumultuous start. While Trump has always been erratic and almost deliberately unpredictable, the scope and magnitude of changes being ushered in this Trump 2.0 administration are qualitatively different. An ambitious attempt is being made to restructure the US state, military,...