Addressing Africa’s Looming Debt Crisis
As China and the US spar for international supremacy, developing African economies are in need of cooperation to stave off a debt crisis by facilitating long-term investments.
Africa’s total debt burden is estimated at $696 billion, with China being the largest single bilateral donor as its debts are comparable to the World Bank-International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
What’s often intentionally overlooked in the foreground of debt-trap diplomacy is China’s potential in supporting Africa’s debt sustainability. As such, Henri Kouam believes that the broader geopolitical rivalry between China and the US must be separated from Africa’s debt problems.
Will Kim Ju Ae Be North Korea’s Next Successor?
Since November 2022, Kim Jong-Un has made several public appearances alongside his beloved daughter Kim Ju-Ae. This has led analysts around the world into making numerous assumptions and speculations regarding the father-daughter duo.
Both have been observed attending ICB missile launches in the North Korean capital, so this could be an indication of a possible successor.
Or, is it just a mere publicity stunt by the Kim dynasty to showcase their importance?
Women’s Mobility in Karachi: The Pink Bus Initiative
Mobility is a challenge for many women around the world, but especially in Pakistan.
Maryam Jilani explores infrastructure and how it causes gendered inequalities. She applauds the pink bus service in Karachi and encourages initiatives and infrastructure for gender-inclusive access.
Are China and Russia Replacing the US in the Middle East?
China and Russia are making strategic and economic deals with the Middle East, especially Iran and Saudi Arabia, which will be detrimental to the domination of the US in the region.
Moreover, Western hostility has brought China, Russia, and Iran close to forming a triple axis.
To better understand China and Russia’s increasing relations in the Middle East, Sana Azhar explores the economic, strategic, and soft power domains.
PEMRA Suspends ARY News’ License Again
In recent spate of political events, the license of one of the mainstream news broadcasters, ARY News, was cancelled by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
PEMRA issued a ban on airing the speeches of the former premier Imran Khan on March 5th, with the warning that any media house found in violation would have its broadcasting license cancelled.
Will Chinese BeiDou Surpass American GPS?
Zainab Imran provides a detailed comparison of two navigation systems: the Chinese BeiDou and the American GPS.
BeiDou is a recent development in the global navigation system, and this seems to be a new hegemonic strategy by China to deal with its contenders.
Named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper constellation, BeiDou has been in development since the 1990s and has been operational globally since 2020.
A Look at the Major Economic Systems
Haris Khan explains the three major economic systems recognized globally, namely command, market, and mixed economies.
He believes that mixed economies, owing to the fusion of both the command and market economy’s characteristics, are more viable and efficient.
Guyana Moves Towards Digital Governance
The government of Guyana wants to move its services online and create an efficient digital system of governance.
The digital structure of the nation will be essential for fostering sustainable growth and lowering economic and social inequality.
Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Elections
Nigeria, the giant of Africa, held its 2023 presidential elections on 25th February. This one marked the 7th election since democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999.
Bola Ahmed Tinbu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi were the front-runners out of a total of 18 candidates. On 1st March, Nigeria’s electoral commission declared Mr Tinbu as the victor with 8.7 million votes.
The Football War of 1969
There were a series of tensions and disagreements over territories and immigration that escalated to a conflict following a football match between El Salvador and Honduras.
The Football War of 1969 was a hundred-hour war that resulted in the dissolution of the El Salvador–Honduras diplomatic ties and the deaths of over 3000 people from both countries.
The Long-Awaited High Seas Treaty
The high seas, which are areas outside of national boundary waters, have been the subject of conservation discussions for more than 20 years.
4th March 2023 saw the signing of a legally binding High Seas treaty by nearly 200 nations to protect marine life in international waters – that have historically been lawless.
International Women’s Day 2023: Embrace Equity
8th March or ‘International Women’s Day’ has been deemed a day to honor women all around the world.
It is a small reprieve from the remainder of the year and this specific distinction reminds us to pay a little closer attention to the women in our lives.
In her piece, Hafsa Ammar discusses this year’s theme, ‘Embrace Equity’, similar to that of last year’s ‘Accelerate Equity’.
A Closer Look at the MH17 Plane Crash Investigation
Alya Farooq unveils the details of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 aircraft crash that killed the 298 people on board.
The article discusses the legal proceedings, the interesting investigative methods (radar, telecommunication, imaging, etc), and the part played by Russia in the attack.
Explainer: Mini-Budget 2023 of Pakistan
The mini-budget 2023 has become infamous for the economic shock waves and the glaring reduction in the purchasing power of the citizens of Pakistan.
In the hopes of securing a $1.1 billion deal with the IMF, the current government hurriedly drafted a “cure-all” mini-budget which received formal assent from the President just last month.
Afifa Iqbal provides a concise description of the mini-budget, so that more citizens, especially the youth, are able to get a clearer understanding.
Paradigm Shift’s Magazine: February 2023 Edition
The February 2023 edition of our magazine includes 16 pieces that revolve around IMF’s 9th economic review of Pakistan, the West’s sanctions on Syria, and ChatGPT’s writing ability, among others.
This edition also features two infographics: one on the lowest inflation rates by country, and the second depicting the number of nuclear weapons held by each nuclear state.
China’s 12-Point Peace Plan for the Russia-Ukraine War
On 24th February, with its 12-point plan, China called for a ceasefire and negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ukraine and Russia were both open to the idea initially, but after the US’s dismissal of the plan, Ukraine turned away from China’s peace proposal.
A Look Into the Pakistan-Türkiye Relief Efforts
Zainab Haseeb undertakes an event-by-event analysis to understand how both Pakistan and Türkiye have contributed to safeguarding each other’s interests during natural challenges.
She traces the relief efforts made during the 2005 earthquake, the 2022 floods, and the recent 2023 earthquakes.
