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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Austro-Prussian War of 1866
Lasting from 14th June to 22nd July of 1866, the Austro-Prussian War was a pivotal moment in European history, leading to the creation of a powerful German empire under William I.
In this article, Ayeza Areej explores the alliances, battles, causes, and consequences of this historic conflict.
Victor’s Peace: Merits & Pitfalls
Victor’s Peace strategy is deployed when all peaceful means toward conflict are unsuccessful in de-escalating it. The ultimate goal of the intervening party is to establish durable and long-lasting peace, instead of prioritizing their strategic motives.
In theory, military overtaking has negative connotations but in places where negotiated peace fails time and again, the immediate solution is Victor’s Peace, conditions can always be negotiated afterward.
Hafsa Ammar provides both national and international as well as historical and recent accounts to illustrate the concept and dimensions of Victor’s Peace.
R2P and the US-NATO Intervention in Iraq and Libya
One of the United Nations’ most significant accomplishments in the history of humanitarian protection was the establishment of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, which aims to stop future mass atrocities in conflict zones and unstable circumstances.
However, this doctrine, which is largely the responsibility of the member-states under the auspices of the supra-national organization, has over the years been used to advance individual state strategic interests in Libya and Iraq.
As a result of the member states’ continued abuse of the doctrine under the guise of humanitarian intervention, it is imperative to assess the doctrine and the legitimacy of these so-called humanitarian interventions in the name of averting mass atrocities.
How Western Sanctions Are Worsening the Humanitarian Crisis in Syria
Labeled a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’ in 1979, Syria has been experiencing severe economic sanctions by the West since then. The sanctions are renewed every year, and all US Presidents have been renewing them (& adding to them) without fail.
The problem is that over half of the 21 million Syrians that lived in the country before the war have been displaced. Western Sanctions and Bashar’s obstinacy mean that Syrians are continually getting crushed by inflation, broken infrastructure, & the lack of access to basic humanities.
The question is, when will the suffering of the Syrian people end?
The Chinese Spy Balloon that Lurked Overhead the US
In February, China’s spy balloon—about 200 feet tall with high-tech equipment—was shot by a US fighter jet.
This foreign surveillance sparked anger on part of the US, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceling his visit to China.
The Cold War Timeline
Since today marks the date that Russia invaded Ukraine, it would be fitting to glance through the series of Cold War events that caused this to happen.
Wania Waseem provides a summary of the major events that took place during the Cold War such as the Truman doctrine, the creation of NATO, the signing of the Warsaw Pact, etcetera.
Russia’s War on Ukraine: A Consequence of Geopolitics
The creation of NATO and the disintegration of the Soviet Union led Russia to become a part of almost all the major conflicts in post-Westphalian Europe.
Haider Ali Khan makes the argument that geographical insecurities and Western defence led Russia to begin its war on Ukraine.
West Papua: A Bid for Freedom
West Papua, also known as the western half of New Guinea, has been plagued by an armed uprising since the mid-nineties.
As did most global conflicts, this one too rose out as a result of colonization.
Previously a colony of the Netherlands, the region was being prepped and restructured for independence and self-determination.
However, the Indonesian government vehemently opposed this plan of action which led to the conflict still present to this day.
Nagorno-Karabakh Dispute: Diplomatic Developments
The most brutal and protracted ethnic war in the former Soviet Union is the one between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The territory, which lies within the borders of Azerbaijan but is primarily populated by Armenians, is claimed by both Azeris and Armenians as their absolute historical homeland
The 2023 Presidential Elections in Cyprus
The Republic of Cyprus held its 2023 presidential elections in February. It was held in two rounds since no candidate was able to receive a majority of the vote in the first round.
It was a face-off between ex-foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides and a seasoned diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis. The former gained 51.9% of votes, while the latter gained 48.1% of votes, thus giving victory to Christodoulides.
