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.
President Macron’s Possible Trip to China
France and its allies in the EU made the decision to stand by Ukraine as soon as the Russia-Ukraine conflict started on 24th February 2022.
According to sources, French President Emmanuel Macron believes that his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, could act as a mediator to stop the large-scale land conflict from resuming in Ukraine.
Macron plans to visit China in April to reportedly discuss trade and energy issues, as well as the wider ramifications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Case of the Twitter Files
In December 2022, Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, released the Twitter Files—the company’s internal emails, documents, and Slack conversations that revolve around company rules and critical decisions made before Musk took over.
Twitter’s controversial decision to censor the New York Post’s article on the information obtained from a laptop allegedly owned by Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, is particularly significant here.
The Kempirabad Reservoir: Achieving Depth in Kyrgyz-Uzbek Relations
A shared border has geopolitical and geoeconomic dimensions of its own, which then brings our attention to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border.
The land isn’t the main issue in this case—eyes are more on the Kempirabad or Andijan reservoir located where Kyrgyzstan’s Osh region and Uzbekistan’s Andijan region meet.
An agreement on the joint management of the reservoir was signed just last month by both states.
The Irony of Europe’s Burqa Ban
Where some nations mandate veils and the burqa, there are others that forbid it. Haniya Ali reviews the legislation and policies outlawing the burqa in a few European countries that are seemingly free—and “champions of human rights”— i.e. Denmark, France, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland.
Germany’s Relations with Taiwan under the One China Policy
When it comes to Taiwan, Germany finds itself in a dilemma. Should it recognize Taiwan as an independent state or adhere to Beijing’s One China policy? Haniya Ali assesses Germany’s options and argues that since Berlin cannot go against China, it has adopted a moderate approach in its dealings with Taiwan. While condemning China’s Taiwan policy, it has supported Taiwan’s integration into international organizations without breaching the One China policy.
Pakistan’s Performance in the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games
Every four years, the Islamic Solidarity Games is organised for the athletes of OIC countries, serving the greater purpose of uniting and enabling communication among the OIC states.
The fifth edition of the games was held from 9th to 18th August 2022 in Konya, Turkey. Pakistan’s players participated in the games, winning gold in the men’s javelin throw and a bronze medal in para table tennis.
Tunisia’s New Constitution: A Stronger President but a Weaker Country
In times of economic uncertainty, unemployment, and poverty, President Kais Saied seemed like the only hope for the citizens of Tunisia. However, Saied’s new constitution has only made matters worse. Haniya Ali assesses the changes in the constitution, noting that it has increased the presidential powers, creating a system where the president has little to no accountability. On the other hand, Tunisia’s economy is still suffering, and with it, so are the people.
